THE WINCHESTER QUINGENTENARY.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPEOTATOR."1
SIR,—The writer of the article on the Winchester College five hundreth anniversary, in the Spectator of July 29th, did some- what of an injustice to the hospitality of the authorities of the College in saying that they, kept themselves to themselves, not even inviting the participation of the filia pulchrior Eton. In point of fact, Eton was not only invited, but came and occupied, as was fitting, a very prominent place in the celebra- tion. She was represented by the Provost (formerly second- master at Winchester), the Head-Master, the Senior Colleger, and the Senior Oppidan. Not the least good speech at the banquet in the Castle Hall was that of the Provost, Dr. Hornby ; while one of the most popular incidents of the day was the reading of a Latin address from Eton to Winchester by Dr. Warre.
Nor were more modern schools, spiritually if not in so direct a way as Eton descended from Winchester, uninvited, as the head-masters of Charterhouse, Harrow, Marlborough, Merchant Taylors', Rugby, Shrewsbury, and Westminster were expected, and presumably some of them came, The only real gap in the list of invites who ought to have been there, was that of the Warden of All Souls',—a strange neglect, seeing that All Souls' was founded by the first arch- bishop produced from Winchester and New College, and has always been as Wykehamical in connection as Magdalen College, which was invited.
No, Sir, we were not keeping our birthday wholly in the family, but as many cousins and kin were invited to help us as the size of the family permitted.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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