Since I have set my lips to thy full bowl,- Since it was mine to hear thee speak erewhile Since once a ray lit mine enraptured head From thy bright star, now veiled in death's dark pall, Now I may say to the fast hurrying years, Ne'er may your beating wing the vase o'erturn PRIZE WINNER. E. Y. Mrs. R. S. Yorke, The Hall, Burley-in-Wharfedale. VERSE COMPETITION FOR JULY. We intend to acknowledge, mark, and classify all translations sent in in future for this competition. They will be set in the following order: Italian, French, German, Latin, French, German. Chelsea China offers a small extra prize to the translator who gains the greatest number of marks during the whole half year, whether he or she gains any monthly prizes or no. I. 'L'INFINITO.', Sempre caro mi fu quest' ermo colle Vo comparando, e mi sovvien l'eterno, WHO, WHEN, AND WHERE? SEARCH QUESTIONS. ANSWERS TO MAY QUESTIONS. LEOPARDI. 1. Bran,' Raphael Aben-Ezra's dog. His master found the necklace on the field of battle, and hung it round the dog's neck. 'Hypatia' (CHARLES KINGSLEY). 2. Dr. Johnson (See BOSWELL'S 'Life'). 3. Miss Bunion, the poetess in 'Mrs. Perkins's Ball' and 'Pendennis' (THACKERAY). 4. Mgr. Charles-François-Bienvenu-Myriel, Bishop of D-, gave his candlesticks to Jean Valjean. 'Les Misérables' (VICTOR HUGO). 5. (a) Comus' (MILTON), line 482; (b) 'Romeo and Juliet' (SHAKESPEARE), Act iii., scene 3. 6. In the city of Kôr, Holly and Leo Vincy found a beautiful statue of Truth. She' (RIDER HAGGARD). Two solvers give Kashmir in TENNYSON'S ' Akbar's Dream,' in which these lines occur: 'And from the ruin arose The shriek and curse of trampled millions even SEARCH QUESTIONS FOR JULY. 1. What monarch made a cake that contained 5000 eggs and a ton of butter? 2. Who were Dirk Hatteraick, Jack Brimblecombe, 'the young man John'? 3. When did a gentleman appear at an evening party in a light blue suit with a coral pin? 4. Who, when her dog had bitten her, cauterized the place with a redhot iron? 5. Who ordered his tent to be left behind because a bird had built her nest in it? Feu Follet, 36; Madge Wildfire, Old Maid, 33; Clio, Double-Dummy, 27; Klee, Rule of Three, White Lion, Willow Pattern, 24; Honeylands, Starling, 22; White Cat, 21; Helen, 18; Syndicate, 15; L. Halliday, 9; M. R. A., 3. THIRD SHELF. ODDS AND ENDS. NOTES AND QUERIES. QUERIES. Wanted.-Information as to landscape-gardening as an occupation for women.-QUERIST. (Gardening is taught to women at 'The Women's Branch of the Horticultural College,' Swanley, Kent. Miss Goodrich-Freer, one of the honorary secretaries, will be glad to give all information on the subject.) What is the best book to read in French on theology for one who wants to get up both French and theology?-META. Quotations 'Be the day weary or be the day long, At length it ringeth to evensong." MAVOURNEEN. 'The rapture of pursuing is the prize the vanquished gain.' ་ In the teeth of clenched antagonisms To follow up the worthiest till he die.' A READER. ANSWERS. A. Y. M.-Nobody seems to know the author of the poem, 'The Rights of Women,' but Chelsea China has had two poems sent her, beginning the same, but very different. They are too long to print, but if A. Y. M. will send an addressed envelope, they shall be forwarded. Tennyson wrote 'the bar of A Subscriber.-The quotation was correct. Michael Angelo' (see ' In Memoriam,' Canto 87). Delta. In 'Strolling Players,' ch. ix., is this sentence: 'The monster described by a Board School boy as a Carbonicide.' (The boy's mistake, of course, the carbonic acid gas in the carriage.) CORRESPONDENCE. I always thought Juliet's falling in love with a man she had only seen for a few minutes a silly proceeding; also her apostrophe to the night, and desire to cut him up in little stars, is not a model of wisdom. If Juliet is not silly she is very naughty, as I came to think when I looked her up to answer Miss Coleridge's challenge, the more so that her fibs are enacted under the cover of religion. (I once saw what I believe was an unconscious emendation on the Friar, when he was acted by a young man, and though it cannot be entirely borne out by the text, yet it made it much more natural, as the idea of the marriage making a reconciliation, and then of Juliet's supposed death, are what would commend themselves to a young mind sooner than to an older man.) Why had not Juliet more affection for her parents? She was evidently the child of their old age. The Nurse and the Friar seem to have come between her and her father and mother.-GRAY SQUIRREL. Chelsea China refers Gray Squirrel to Professor Dowden's 'Shakespeare, his Mind and Art,' for the defence of Juliet's character. For the defence of Shakespeare's poetry she does not know where to refer any one who thinks 'Take him, and cut him up in little stars,' silly. She can't find any common ground of criticism. Gray Squirrel's other suggestions shall be considered. Chelsea China invites correspondence on subjects treated of in the 'Monthly Packet.' May a reader of 'Lot 13' be permitted to offer a protest? Should not the heroine's conduct in tampering with a public register be regarded as simply criminal, and the love which could prompt such an action as of very low type? Yet the author appears to consider both as heroic.-E. D. Ted Russell's letter is too long for insertion. If it is meant as a specimen of the amount and kind of slang he wishes to use in the presence of girls, he may make his mind easy. Neither Arachne nor Chelsea China would be in the least shocked by any of the expressions which he has so skilfully introduced into it. SIR ANDREW CLARKE.-One of Sir Andrew Clarke's addresses, called 'The Physician's Testimony for Christ,' with a preface by Sir Dyce Duckworth, has been published, price 6d., by the Christian Evidence Society, and is well worth study.-F. M. P. BOOK NOTICES. Only a Drummer-Boy, by Arthur Amyand (Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.), is a lively story, in which the plot and characters are extremely hackneyed, and the local colouring and scenery equally fresh. The author's knowledge of the etiquettes and routine of a drummer-boy's life gives a novelty to the story; but the hero reminds us forcibly of our old friend the angelic chorister, in uniform, and his wicked uncle and deceitful companion are older acquaintances still. We wish he had been a real drummer-boy and not a baronet, and we wish he did not die. It would be an excellent story for young people but for the tone of the reference to the conduct of Douglas's parents at the beginning, which is a little doubtful; otherwise the tone is excellent. Miss Lucy Soulsby's six little books on the various difficulties of the Girlquestion, which her experience suggests, have been sent to us by Messrs. Parker. They put forward with great good sense the liberal and tenable view of the conservative side of the matter; and though we do not quite agree with all her remarks, they are all well worth consideration. Our Paper, the organ of the Woman's Help Society, is a nice sensible little paper, very cheap at one halfpenny. I am anxious to say a few words about Barabbas, by Marie Conelli, because it exercises so strong a fascination over many readers, and even the criticism in some religious papers has been misleading. It is true that the language is reverent, and often beautiful, and that the Divinity of our Blessed Lord is acknowledged; and if the subject were any other than the very greatest act that ever happened, and that on which our entire salvation depends, it would be a fine poem. But the faith can only be a partial one which allows the writer to exercise her fancy on the circumstances as she might on a halfknown event. When every incident which has come down to us by Divine inspiration has a deep and ineffable signification, surely it is not well to see their order altered, or human narratives suggested, such as cannot fail, if by their force and beauty only, to occur to our minds at the most solemn seasons. Who would wish to think of Barabbas at the three hours on Good Friday? Womanhood has, too, a great complaint against this work, for never before has a woman been shown as taking part against the Blessed One; and when the Gospel dwells with the utmost tenderness on St. Peter's denial and repentance, rising again to strength and nobleness, what shall we say of the irreverence of making him a despicable character, and throwing all our interest upon the remorse that led to suicide? I write thus earnestly, because I am sure that admiration of the latent and partial faith of the work is liable to lead many aside from perceiving the inherent evils.-C. M. YONGE. PRACTICAL LETTERS OF ADVICE. From Country Rector's daughter to young friend whose father has just taken a country living after being Master of a Grammar School. DEAREST MOLLY,-Don't be exclusive, socially, intellectually, or goodworkily. Don't mind taking the lead, and don't be aggrieved if you find the lead already taken. Remember old inhabitants do know something about the people, but that new comers give a chance to another sort. Don't keep 'the parish' in a box in your mind by itself. Let all the ideas and interests and theories you have worked out in your clever set play upon its problems in your mind. Then you'll see that the little bothers belong to the big world. But oh, my beloved child, be very careful how you carry these theories out! Don't say you're a Socialist, or a Ritualist, or an 'ist of any kind. Wait and see how things apply. Don't let one person be a go-between between you and the place. Get impressions at first hand. Above all, remember you're 'only a common or garden' girl, like every one else, only you're bound to be a good girl, not only for your own sake. On the other hand, don't pride yourself on being secular and frivolous. Don't pretend to scorn the parish when you don't really do so. You'll be frightfully dull if you do. And don't let being religious, or as you perhaps call it 'churchy' professionally, eat into your own spiritual life. It will, if you don't take care. I have done every one of these things in my time, and reaped the consequences. 'Be good, sweet maid,' and if you're half as clever as I think you are, you'll find plenty of work for your brains in the tiniest parish. Everything's there if you have eyes to see. And last, not least, try not to care twopence whether you 'belong to the county' or not. If you do, there's no question of it; and if you don't, it doesn't much matter whether people pretend to think you do. Cheer up, you'll be happy-in six months or so. My blessing on your efforts. Your loving-UNDINE. Tobins Bay. DEAR JOANNA,-Your letter reached me yesterday, having been forwarded on here, where I read it to the sound of the beating of the waves, and meditated upon it while walking through lanes bright with wild-flowers. So my little North-country singing bird is coming up to London, and wants me, forsooth, to give her some hints about the future. First of all, don't be anxious, dear one; take things calmly and trust that all will come straight, and do leave behind you that phrase about things 'coming of themselves,' which I see you use in your letter, and which is so much the fashion just now. Temptations come of themselves, as far as we are concerned, just as much as duties. And I fear the above phrase is ofttimes made an excuse for setting aside unpleasant duties and accepting anything to one's own advantage that offers. Í once knew a worker who never engaged in any new undertaking, however small, without first spending half a night in prayer. This is the other extreme, but perhaps the safest. I will just jot down the one or two things I think you may find difficulties, but, of course, I cannot go deeply into them now. Education.-Doubtless your father will expect to hear from you about the other girls in the parish; do not put them down as ignorant, because their conversation seems to you vapid, society-twaddle. I have seen girls at school carry all before them, who afterwards to a stranger would have talked mere nothings. Tact. A great deal too much is said nowadays about tact, and young workers are often led into difficulties through it. People are much clearersighted than is supposed. Do not let the idea of acting with tact lead you to do anything which you feel would give the acted-on one a right to be indignant, did she understand your course of action. The people who believe they read character best, are often, after all, only being seen through themselves. The duty to one's neighbour in the Catechism is the truest manual of tact, rightly so called. Tuft-hunting. Go to the poor, and the rich will come to you.' This has well been said. At the same time, remember some golden tassels hang over aching brows. Agreements. Let anything parochial which you have to arrange be put down clearly in black and white, so that all agreements may be understood and kept to. Nothing tells more on all classes and opinions than truth and justice in things great and small. I believe in any struggle about disendowment the public opinion on the character of the clergy and their families for truth and justice will have untold weight. Unbelief. Do not put down as unbelief a spiritual colour-blindness which you may find among girls of your own age. If they are living quiet, Christian lives, despite a sense of want-knowing that others have a more lovely view |