`gaudeamuses' and solatia--University suppers--but little; indeed,
he who writes does not remember any such diversions of boys who beat
the floor, and break the glass. To plant the standard of cricket in
the remoter gardens of our country, in a region devastated by golf,
was our ambition, and here we had no assistance at all from the
University. It was chiefly at lecture, at football on the links,
and in the debating societies that we met our fellow-students; like
the celebrated starling, `we could not get out,' except to permitted
dinners and evening parties. Consequently one could only sketch
student life with a hand faltering and untrained. It was very
different with Murray and his friends. They were their own masters,
could sit up to all hours, smoking, talking, and, I dare say,
drinking. As I gather from his letters, Murray drank nothing
stronger than water. There was a certain kind of humour in drink,
he said, but he thought it was chiefly obvious to the sober
spectator. As the sober spectator, he sang of violent delights
which have violent ends. He may best be left to illustrate student
life for himself. The `waster' of whom he chants is the slang name
borne by the local fast man.


THE WASTER SINGING AT MIDNIGHT.
AFTER LONGFELLOW.

Loud he sang the song Ta Phershon
For his personal diversion,
Sang the chorus U-pi-dee,
Sang about the Barley Bree.

In that hour when all is quiet