CHRISTMAS COMPETITIONS

The Editor offers two prizes of £5 each :-

1. For a new Tale for Children in not more than six hundred words of prose or sixty lines of verse ;

2. For a new " Biography for Beginners," after the estab- lished model.

The original and classical examples of " Biography for Beginners " are by Mr. Edmund Clerihew Bentley, and are published with illustrations by Mr. G. K. Chesterton in a volume of that title (T. Werner Laurie, Os. net). The form combines the virtues of order and liberty, being very rigorous in rhyme sequence and number of lines, and very free in rhythm and length of lines. For those of our readers who have forgotten the genre we will quote a couple of examples from Mr. Bentley's work.

J. S. Mite.

John Stuart Mill, By a mighty effort of will, Overcame his natural bonhomie And wrote " Principles of Political Economy."

A less-known example (and perhaps less instructive) is the following :—

SIR HUMPHREY DAVY.

Sir Humphrey Davy Abominated gravy. He lived in the odium Of having discovered Sodium.

The " Tales for Children " may be of any kind—fairy tales, fables, or ordinary narratives ; and they may be designed for children of any age from infancy to fourteen or fifteen 'years. We are leaving the competitions open well- into the. New Year, and hope that they will add to the joy and interest of the holiday season. Entries MaY he sent in at any time before the closing date.

. .

- RULES FOR COMPETITORS: 1, All entries must be received on or before Friday, Jan. 22nd.

2. Competitors may-Send in as many entries as they -wish,. but each entry must be accompanied by one of the coupons to be found on page 1117 of :this issue.

3. The name and address (or the pseudonym) of every com- petitor must be Written clearly at the foot of his manuscript.

4. The-Editor cannot.return any manuscript submitted for the conipetition, nor can he enter into 'correspondence 'with competitors.

5. The Editor reserves the right of printing any manuscript sdbmitted.

6. Envelopes must be addressed.:. Competition, the Spectator, 13 York Street, Covent 'Carden, London, W.C.2,