Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

The new officers, elected during the last session, are already proving themselves resourceful and energetic. Mr. J. D. Powell (Aberdare County School) is the President of S.R.C., and Miss M. G. Campin is the Vice-President. The committees of the War Memorial Fund are hard at work, and appeals for donations are being issued through the Press. — W. Ll. T. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES, ABERYSTWYTH The pattern of College life at Aberystwyth is very complex. Many and diverse threads go to make it up. When war broke out the whole fabric was rudely severed. Piecing together the broken strands is a slow and difficult task, but it may fairly be said to have begun. Thus the numerous College Societies have resumed their activities, and the field they cover is sufficiently wide to suit the most catholic of tastes The Literary, Celtic, and Chemical Societies meet on alternate Mondays, the Geo- graphical, Physical, and Natural History on alternate Tuesdays, and the Choral and Orchestral each Wednesday. On Thursday evening there is a concert organised by the School of Music. Friday is devoted to the Literary and Debating Society, and Saturday to dances, smokers, and sing-songs." These societies are all doing valuable work, in that they promote the cultivation of taste, and this, as Prof. Atkins stated in his lecture before the Literary Society on Edward Fitzgerald," is one of the main objects of a University education. The Literary and Debating Society made an inauspicious start with a debate on the necessity of a Coalition Government. The second debate, on the Irish question, was altogether on a higher plane, the discussion being keener and more serious in tone. In both cases the majority voted against the policy of the present Government. Considerable activity in political matters is being shown this session. A Liberal Society has been formed recently, and there is already a flourishing Socialist Society in existence. As the University now returns its own member, it is only fitting that students should take an intelligent interest in politics. The literary and Debating Soiree took place on November 19th. This year Barrie's Twelve Pound Look and Houghton's Dear Departed were staged. Owing to the limited seating capacity of the Examination Hall, a dance was "Some Masterpieces of Latin Poetry; Thought into English Verse. -By William Stebbing. T. Fisher Unwin. Ltd. 7/6. Mr. Stebbing is to be congratulated on another instalment of specimens of ancient classic authors. Some Masterpieces of Latin Poetry, thought into English verse," follows closely on the heels of his volume on Greek Dramatic and Bucolic Poetry. and again his task has been so admirably accomplished that he has not only done a signal service to scholars," but to those who, though possessed of a liberal education, are unable to read the celebrated Latin authors in their original language with facility and pleasure. The translations from the five selected poets have been executed with scholarly ability and true poetic insight, and will stimulate all classes of readers to seek for a better acquaintance with the finest efforts of the grand old poets of ancient Rome. The characteristic features of the poets are set forth with literary skill in the brief epitomes, and the poems selected for translation fully demonstrate the writer's estimation and criti- cisms. It is pleasing to observe the high pedestal on which the translator places that prince of lyrists, Valerius Catullus. Quin- tlian's dictum that of the lyric poets Horace was the only one worth reading, may be allowed to stand if we except Catullus, with his exquisitely finished and charming verse, never lacking in force and even sparkling wit. So true to nature is this versatile poet that it is doubtful if any modern quite surpasses him. Sirmio is a veritable triumph of poetic art. It would be as impossible in his case to alter or displace without injury and loss a single word as it would be to tamper with the Horatian Odes. The weaknesses of Propertius are patent to the casual reader, but so are his great powers when he cares to exercise them, as he has done in that imaginary and exquisitely pathetic appeal of the dead Cordelia to her husband. The extracts from Ovid exhibit the versatility of a poet with brilliant fancy and graphic narrative, the Chief Romancer of the Middle Ages as Mr. Stebbing aptly terms him. He also shows that in spite of his diffusiveness, Ovid at times, with a arranged in the Parish Hall to take the overflow, and the inno- vation was a decided success. We have now a new code of social regulations, giving men and women students increased freedom, and, what is far more important, increased responsibi- lity. These concessions should be as zealously preserved as they have been hardly won. Armistic Day was celebrated with impressive solemnity. The Roll of Honour, draped with laurels and an academic gown, was placed at one end of the quadrangle. Staff and students assembled on the promenade in front of the College for the two minutes' silence. Simplicity was the keynote of the whole ceremony, and therein lay its effectiveness. The great event of the month has been the three days' Orches- tral Festival, given by the London Symphony Orchestra. The Festival was a great educational venture; students were admitted to rehearsals, there were special students' hours, and even at the evening concerts there were three minute lectures before each item, for the especial benefit of the uninitiated. Dr. Walford Davies conducted throughout in masterly fashion. Those of us who come from remote districts owe him a deep debt of gratitude for opening up to us aspects of life hitherto unexplored, and even unsuspected. His work seems destined to mark the beginning of a new era in the musical life of Wales. New regulations have come into force this session, giving to each College a certain measure of freedom in drawing up schemes of study for degrees. It is to be hoped that these regulations will mitigate the soullessness of the examination system. It seems ludicrous that a man whole career should be determined solely by his performance in an examination of a few hours' duration. Yet this has too often been the case, and in many instances the examination result has not been a faithful reflection of the student ability. One way of counteracting this is by a greater development of the tutorial system, which will bridge the gulf that undoubtedly exists between the teacher and taught. We note with pleasure the efforts of certain professors and lecturers to get into personal contact with their students. This introduction of the human touch into the machine is a movement in the right direction, and is worth extending. REVIEWS. rush of inspired feeling, reaches the highest mark in "Phaethon," a work of high art. a noble song from beginning to end." J.E.W. International Labour Legislation.-By H. J. W. Hetherington, M.A. Methuen. 6/ The bankruptcy of modern European statesmanship could scarcely be better proved than by the fact that two years after the signing of the Armistice, the League of Nations has yet little effective existence, so far at least, as concerns the creation of representative bodies possessing any real authority. At the same time much has been done to help forward the good cause, proof of which is furnished in this book. And that work will, we are sure, as the author desires, stimulate the international idea." This is what the world needs to-day in order to fully realise that as no man liveth to himself," so no nation liveth to itself. Surely the universal aim should be to order our politics for the purposes of mutual help, not mutual destruction. The truth that selfishness does not pay was taught long ago, but it has never been properly learnt-at least by nations. Most wars in the world's history have been waged for material advantage. The old fights for the grasslands have takennew objectives. Nations now fight to gain control of coal fields, iron beds, oil wells, wheat lands, rubber supplies, and other raw materials for their various industries, and the workers have been won over to share in these enterprises by the representation that their standard of living would be raised thereby. Happily the idea of a better way is beginning to dawn in the minds of the peoples of the earth-the idea of co-operation and mutual help. The book under review describes an attempt at the embodiment of this idea by the International Labour Conference held at Washington in November last year, and it is an illuminating description by a master of his subject. Chapter I., on the General Problem of International Labour Legislation," and Chapter XI., on Conclusions," will be found particularly interesting by most readers, and they well deserve to be read more than once. The book is a notable contribution to the forces which make for peace and good-will between nations, and its appearance is opportune. J.EL.G.