Edward and England

A Reply to "J.N.S."

King Arthur is dead and all his knights; nor any longer does Achilles perform deeds beyond the power of humankind. The Heroic Age is gone from the face of the earth but not from the minds of men. Kings and Princes they have and soldiers dressed in uniforms of the Middle Ages. And when the bands play and the infantry marches past and the cavalry on their chargers, and when the King comes too, on horseback, or in a gilded coach, surrounded by the members of his house and all this is against a background of the immemorial elms of England, and on the ground where kings have ridden and commons walked since England was first a kingdom, and all around are castles and fortresses that have seen much of the pageant of English history, then, in truth, England's past comes to life again and the men who live beneath these scarlet liveries become for a moment mediaeval knights, and there springs before men's minds all the imagined splendours of feudal times and of knightly contests for honour and fair ladies.

And when all is over London returns to normality. For many life is dull because of their mental limitations, for millions more because poverty compels them to live among endless miles of grey tenements and work long hours among noise and grime. And when they return home in the evenings they seek to desert their world. Perhaps they choose the pictures and see the Duchess of Kent visiting an orphanage, or maybe they will take up the newspaper and read of some trivial action by the king, and reviving the atmosphere that surrounds him, build up some hero, whose contemplation satisfies for the moment their desire for escape.

Yes, J.N.S., I believe Mrs. Simpson was the cause of the abdication. To touch this legend of the House of Windsor with reality would be to destroy it. The atmosphere of the divorce court, besides the un-aristocratic origin of Mrs. Simpson would make it impossible to weave a legend round the life of the kin,;, and in the strength of that legend has lain the strength of the monarchy. And what was the alternative to allowing the marriage? To put on the throne a man who was unlikely to do anything to destroy any legend we built up about him and 'matchlessly blessed' with a wife and children. Once again we can build up our stories, and how many can be told of any children that will bring laughter or tears to a willing audience.

The passion for building a royal hero, without any real evidence of heroic qualities, Edward alone with-stood, and so he did not stand for long. Even J.N.S. himself seems not to be entirely free from this passion, though being more enlightene than the majority, he makes his hero both a "smiling Prince" and a "No. 1 Salesman."

—J.W.D.

Weir House Election Results

President: F. D. Christensen.

Hon. Secretary: N. D. Hull.

Hon Treasurer: D. M. Hatherly.

Committee: A. R. Gibson, T. A. Harpur, T. J. McGlynn.

"J.N.S." Hits Back.

"J.W.D." may be interested to learn that Queen Anne is also dead, although of course that event, like his alleged reply, has nothing to do with Primates, Politicians, or Princes.

I am greatly flattered by "J.W.D.'s" judgment about my enlightenment. It is, perhaps, unfortunate that in using the words. "smiling prince" and "No. 1 Salesman" I was merely emphasising the words used by the professional politicians in the days when Edward was Prince of Wales.

I confess to be vaguely puzzled by "J.W.D." This is the first time that I have ever heard of a "Legend of the House of Windsor." To begin with I should have thought it too young to possess any. Moreover I can find nothing in the story of the Hanoverians to inspire hero-worship or noble legends. The late Arthur Lynch in "The Rosy Fingers," refers to the line of kings as follows: ". . . The list of these monarchs is really terrible—ignorant, superstition-drenched ruffians succeeded by libertines of a degraded type, with occasional bright phases of mental incompetents . . ."

"The fierce light that beats upon the throne," which so disturbs "J.W.D." causing him to romance in a maze of historical inaccuracies was the very thing that did not prevent Edward from setting out on a path which would have, without doubt, led to a successful terminus in the disposal and destruction of the hypocrisy, blah and traditions which are the wands of the church and the politicians.

"J.W.D." believes Mrs. Simpson was the cause of the abdication. I have dealt with the "divorce reason" in another article. "J.W.D." suggests unaristocratic origins. Mrs. Sompson's ancestry goes back further in Britain's history than the King's own House of Windsor and Hanover. The family is Let me quote "Liberty": ". . . descended from that noble knight, Pagan de Warfield, who came to England with William the Conqueror . . ."

No, "J.W.D." I make no hero of Edward, but I do face the facts, and on those facts I maintain that I can still stick to the conclusion reached in the last paragraph of my article. Facts. Not mediaeval romances. I would suggest that "J.W.D." read articles thoroughly before attempting a "reply."

—J.N.S.

Grunts!

I am writing this hoping fervently that with customary unconcern you shall "touch it up." Just help yourself. Nobody really minds.

Add a sentence here and there. Delete that unsightly word. Rewrite it if you choose.

But whatever mania grips you, be sure to publish it over my name.

Really you're so considerate.

Scribaceous freshers will rave over your "attentions."

Thank you, ever so much for your help and encouragements.

Meekly yours,

J. D. Freeman.

Publish this if it "pleases" you. Perhaps it won't.

And the assembled staff' will be able to grunt a respectable grunt of disgust and toss it to the "fowls."

—J.D.F.

Young and Fresh

I have just been reading "Fed Up's" letter. He must be a blasé blighter—in fact, I should imagine is he one of those bright lads who manage to keep the social whirl at V.U.C. at such a great tempo? No, perhaps he is a withered rosebud, and was jealous of seeing so many fresher Mowers than himself flying round the room. Well, I can't think what he really might be. I suppose he knows his own business best.

I am a freshman, and thoroughly enjoyed the good old hullaballoo of the dance and all—it was quite good fun getting trodden on and squashed and trying to move round with some other fresher not able to dance, especially when the dances were my favourite ones. Yes; and why shouldn't "elephantine attempts" be wasted on our "sweetness"? "Fed Up" and others have had ever since last November to renew excess of energy—and after all. we appreciate it—so why— Well, he knew what the freshers' turn-out was going to be like, so why did he not stay home, instead of coining along to inflame his grunts. The ideal thing for "Fed Up" is a trip to Christchurch at Easter for Tournament. In that town is a Varsity—and opposite the Varsity is a museum—and in the museum is a lovely mummy-room full of lovelier relics and things—he would find them so much more thrilling and less fuss than these freshers.

Righteous Indignation

I have been asked by members of the Third Grade Cricket team to reply to your doubtful joke re our results this year.

It would appear fairly obvious the sports writer has had no experience of the difficulties under which the Third Grade team play.

One one occasion only this season have we been sent out with a full team of members of the Cricket Club, and we have played with as few as seven men. Our gear is in a shocking condition, although of late we have been supplied with four pads which are each all in one piece. I am instructed to take the material to Messrs. Witcombe and Caldwell to be repaired. I have done this and been informed by that firm that the material is not worth repairing. My efforts to obtain a bat have been greeted with faint smiles and I am told that there is no money as the subscription are outstanding.

We definitely feel that we are not getting a fair go and are rather disappointed in the attitude that "anything is good enough for the Thirds," which the Cricket Club Committee apparently holds. We have thirty-two championship points and it is entirely due to the apathy of the Committee that .we have been "done" for two eight-point wins. The Third Grade is a good source of points for the Club Championship, and it is very galling to me and to the other members of the team who have stuck to Third Grade cricket with a view to building something up, not to receive any support from the Committee.

In conclusion, might I suggest that if we are to receive no help from the club, we should at least not suffer as the butt of rather ill-considered humour.