MUCH IN GENERAL AND NOTHING IN PARTICULAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 75

MUCH IN GENERAL AND NOTHING IN PARTICULAR.

(Read at a meeting of the D.L.F. Literary and

Debating Club.) By Black Watch.

My dear Comrades, — What shall I choose for a subject to-night? All this (Sunday) afternoon the above question has bean revolving itself in my mind as I lie in the lee of a huge rock upon the summit of Black Head and gaze away over the boundless ocean — the brave old ocean, that stretches away as far as the eye can reach, and is lost upon the horizon, where the sky stoops down to kiss the deep. Already the afternoon is far advanced, the sun is hastening to his rest, and is casting long shadows upon the beach below, flashing the tossing manes of thr> "brave white horses that gather and gallop," and yet no solution has loeen offered to my problem. Fifty different suggestions have been" crowding themselves into my brain, and not one of them assuming any definite form. I cannot compose myself to commence an essay upon any subj.ect, so I have decided to write a- rambling, scrambling epistle, and define it, "Much in General, and Nothing in Particular."

First and foremost, let me. explain to you precisely where I am, and the conditions under which lam writing. I'm just five miles south of Dunedin, to-day, lying in the slielter of a rock upon the top of Black Head. I'm using a scrap of note-paper, with a transfer on one corner, and in a bad state of preservation a short stump of blue pencil, and Andrew Lang's "Life of Tennyson" cloes duly as a writing desk. Now for a chat upon matters pertaining to the page.

"Youth is the season of warm friendships," and there can be no doubt that the L.F. P. has been the means of bringing many young people together, and establishing friendships which in many cases will, I am sure, prove of lifeiong duration and of mutual benefit. Many of the most pleasant recollections of my existence are associated with Dot and her L.F. Often I think of those dear old writers who were my comrades in years long past, and who have done so much to make my youth happy. Dear old chums of the happy past! I shall always remember you. In the words of Longfellow : "I have you fasfc in my fortress, And will not let you depart; But put you down to the dungeons In the round tower of my heart." What a number of grand old writers have been lost to the page during the past few years! I regard the resignation of Boy as the most serious drawback the page has sustained of recent years. During the years Boy contiibnted to the page he stood out by himself. In his day he had no equal, and since his retirement I have looked in vain for s, star to rise that would" equal his in brilliancy. How many of my chums here to-night remember his inimitable description of the encounter with the lady insurance agent : not very many, I think. Then later the series of splendid papers which appeared under "the title of "With the Wakatipu Mounted Uifies to Dunedin," being an account of Boy's experiences in town during the Duke's visit. Then the description of the wonderful book he was going to write — the book that was to have a fresh villain for every chapter, and a copy of which was to serve as a stimulant for our beloved editor when he wished to strike off a stiff leader. Then his royal diary, which appeared a few years ago, and pro-

voked so much amusement. I regard Boy a.z ths finest writer of all time, to the page. Some of our members ■contend that the page is as good to-day as four years ago. There is absolutely no comparison. We have not a; single writer contributing to-day whose letters could be classed with scores of writers I coul^l mention who were contributors four years agk. Many of you will remember Rimbecco's splen»did descriptive letters ; also Cooee's. Red Rata is the only L.F. contributing to-day whose letters deserve to be classed with the two above-mentioned writers

It has been my fortune to meet and associate with man3 r old and famous writers during m-f, D.L.F. career. Of these I might mention Devonshire Dumpling, Dunedinite, Ivy, Alys, Cooee, C. C. M., Echo, Fifi, Hurry, Boy, DnmDnm, Fra. Diavolo, and Aguiiialdo. I might add that C. C. M. and Fifi. were the twe first L.F. I ever met.

I intended saying a. few words about th^ club, but time will not permit, so I sha 1 conclude by quoting a verse from Whittie which expresses appropriately my feelin towards the L.F.P. : "Long live the good school! Giving out year bj<- year Recruits to true manhood And womanhood dear. Brave boys, modest maidens, In beatiity sent forth, The living epistles And trcrth of its worth."