[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your correspondent's letter dealing
with the bathos of public-school cricket, sweeping as is the nature of its criticism, does not exaggerate the true state of affairs. I have a vivid recollection, during a "school game" at my public school, of the batsman putting up a catch which struck slip (who, like Dido, solo fixos oculos aversa tenebat) on the back of the head, and then was lethargically picked up by a vagrant third- man. What is the remedy for this P Voluntary cricket, with boating as an alternative ? Geographical position and lack of sufficient numbers rule this out of court in the great majority of cases, and even where it is possible my observation has discovered a more or less continuous (meow between "the men of the shore " and "those of the plain." Tennis; racquets, or fives for those not born under the cricketer's star P This alternative is fraught with the objections that are urged against the advocates of optional Greek,—i.e., that those of tender years must not specialise; and, moreover, many a keen "safe" club player has lived to bless the early years of drudgery which have made him a sound fieldsman and an enduring bat. No; in my opinion the remedy lies with the "powers that be," just as the disease is due to unskilful treatment at their hands. At practically every preparatory school a master either participates actively in each game or gives advice ex situ ; and there should be no difficulty about arranging for one or two of the younger men on the staff of a public, school, or at any rate the senior members of the school eleven, to play in the middle and junior school games, noting talent with a view to promotion, and seeing that the younger boys are encouraged by the publication of weekly averages.—
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