NEWS OF THE COMPETITION

The Editor offers two prizes of £10 each, the first for an inscription for a Sundial in prose or verse, the second for an epigram on Woman in four lines of verse.

THE Sundial inscriptions are, so far, more numerous and better in 'quality than the epigrams on Woman. It seems to be a result of the " emancipation " that men have become a little dumb about the rival sex. Almost all the entries, complimentary or satiric, have come from women. And with that overturning of circumstances it seems that no one has been able yet to arrive at an opinion of woman to fit the times—or to fit the future. The main theme of the epigrams is still that women are at once the best and the worst of created beings. Mr. Bernard Shaw's view, also, has appeared often ; he makes his women ineffably practical, even-tempered, and strong ; men are of the uneasy, childish and posturing sex. " Luscus " puts the modernist position

neatly :— . . .

" Ask, what is Man ? the doctors disagree, And as to Woman are still more at sea ; All things she is, or will be when she can, Except, unluckily, except a man."

To counterbalance it, he puts the old, romantic position still more neatly :—

" The ancient poets called her nzobilis, Fallax and so forth, as perhaps she is ; But Darby leaves these epitaphs alone, Just keeping one, carissinia, for Joan."

flf the rest, one comes to notice as an excellent statement of a profounder commonplace :—

" Eve bore two sons in weariness and pain ; - Brother by brother hatefully was slain, - And the first mother suffering with the twain Was dead with Abel, and cutcast with Cain."

MAUDE MCGUIRE.

There is still time and opportunity for some competitor to write an epigram which will come indubitably first. The difficulty of decision in the Sundial Competition already seems likely to be overwhelming. Here, of course, the prize does not necessarily go to wit. A sundial (good thing !) affords us one place where we can still be moralistic without shame. On the other hand, generations have been moralistic upon sundials, and it is. hard to find, or invent, a text that sounds fresh. " H. C. M." does very well :-- " I need no works, no wheels, no key ; My fmger tells the time to thee." " No works, no key—how is it done ? " " That is the secret of the Sun."

We print three that go together well and complement each other :— " Light and darkness here do show

Sons of Time how fast they go." CIEORGINA HOME.

" I watch you live and turn again Dust into dust, while I remain. • Yet through the years the sons of men

Look beyond time and ask, ' What then- ?

_ Doius

" The Shadow on the Dial takes its way ; To-morrow sees the same. But comes a day To 8,11, with no To-morrow ; ,when our eyes - See but a track where thicker Shadows rise."

ARTHUR HEYGATE; Another moral entry is properly brief and pointed :-

" To me life's duty—but to you disgrace— To cast a shadow on a sun-lit face.

A. R. FISHER.

But the difficulty here is to stop quoting.

RULES FOR COMPETITORS

1. All entries must be received on or before Friday, Nov. 27th.

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 8E0 of this issue.

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

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

B. The Editor reserves the right of printing any manuscript submitted.

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