We hope that now that the Magazine is started, every one will try and keep it up, and that each succeeding term it will get better and better. We hope also that many who have not contributed this term will do so next, as they will have all the Christmas holidays in which to work out their ideas. Reviews and criticisms on the contents of this number will be most welcome to us, and will be printed in the next. We knew that every one of us would like to have a copy of Miss Benson's farewell letter to us last term; so we asked her if we might have it printed in our first number, and she kindly consented, for which we thank her heartily. Now a few words as to the object of having a SchoolMagazine. Some of us have long felt that we much wanted at school a common interest, something to bring us all more closely together, to prevent cliques, and to keep up public spirit; we hope that the Magazine may do a little towards this end. Also it is not only a source of amusement, but most useful to us, as it makes us learn to express our ideas in good language. We hope, too, that our Magazine will be a bond of union between old girls and the School, and will keep up their interest in it after they have left. There remains nothing more to be said under Editorial, but to wish long life and great success to the 'O. H. S. MAGAZINE.' MISS BENSON'S LETTER. Cadenabbia, July 19, 1879. MY DEAR CHILDREN, You will believe me when I tell you that you have been very much in my thoughts this term; and that to hear of your well-doing, either in your work or in your conduct, has been a cause of real rejoicing to me. I have followed you week by week in your lessons and in your examinations, and in all I trust that you have acquitted yourselves well. I do not mean only that you have distinguished yourselves before the School-world, but that each of you is conscious that she has done her Best. You know that the Best' of one is not the 'Best' of another. And now the time has come for me to leave you. And I may not see you to say to you myself my last loving words of Counsel and Farewell; so I must write them and you will know that I am with you in the spirit on Friday morningthough in the body I am far away. First, for the words of Counsel. Let me entreat you, as I have ever done, to bear in constant mind the necessity that is laid upon you-you the earliest pupils of our young school-to found for it a good tradition. For we trust that in the years to come the Oxford High School may have a great work to do in the education of noble girls who will become noble women-women, who will trace back to their school days thoughts of the Good, the Beautiful, and the True, which have been awakened in them whilst they were in the School. And this work mainly depends upon you-you, the first students. Therefore it behoves you, while the School is in its youth, to tolerate, either in yourselves or in others, no impure thoughts, no ignoble words, no unworthy deeds. Let each do her part. Remember the influence that every one of you has upon her companions. There is not one amongst you so young that she does not, in a measure, exercise a power for good or for evil upon those who are thrown into contact with her. I do not mean that you should talk much about Religion. Those who talk most oftentimes do least. But I do mean that you should strive after the Highest. Some I have known, who, having little of what the world calls 'talent,' have yet carried with them so strong an atmo sphere of purity that none dared in their presence give utterance to any evil thought—and, verily, these have had their reward. Believe me, children, in this way you will be doing work for your School, for your Country, for your God. Now for my words of Farewell. Though I may not longer be amongst you, I shall watch the career of the girls of the Oxford High School with earnest, loving thoughts and prayers. Some of the happiest years of my life have been spent with you-and to very many amongst you I owe thanks for the conscientious efforts you have made, notwithstanding grave difficulties, to carry out the regulations it was found necessary to make. To you I say, go forth into the world and do your work, wherever it may lie, keeping before you the highest ideal and striving after it; whether the road lie through stones and thorns, or through flowery ways and pleasant paths. The rest, I pray, to follow in your steps. And now Farewell. My last words to you shall be the same as were my first: 'Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.' And now once more Farewell. Yours, always affectionately, ADA BENSON. PROGRESS. THIS Word Progress we take to express all those onward steps towards civilisation, those gradual advances towards our ideal of perfection, which are working themselves out, day by day, by means of new inventions, opinions, ideas and discoveries. There are some people who have a strong though generally a concealed prejudice against Progress; to them it means the departing from fixed and settled laws and beliefs, to follow new customs, to adopt new views, and even to forsake all that forms our safeguard in life. Now as to the illiberality and even meanness of such an opinion there seems little to say; it is self-evident. Would such a person as this repudiate all inventions, because they take away the necessity for adhering to older and more awkward methods? Would he refuse to avail himself of a convenience just introduced, because his father had not the chance of doing so? Above all, would he withhold from passing his own verdict, or giving his own opinion because it might offend one whose prejudices dated even farther back than his own? And yet such forbearance would be only in accordance with the forbearance to which he considers himself entitled. Of course Progress in itself does not absolutely imply Advance in the truest sense of the word. Light does not always follow Progress, any more than Success always attends upon Endeavour; but we do maintain that Light is not to be attained but by striving after it, and that Progress is that very striving by means of which our views are enlarged, and which helps us to get rid of that hateful intolerance which we are only beginning to recognise as one of the gravest faults of our nature. If in return for our wider, clearer sight we find that our thoughts, ideas, or beliefs become modified or changed, and that our idea of Proportion has altered, have we any right to imply that the change is for the worse? Should we not value that Progress, rather than despise it, because it opposes and therefore destroys what we are not brave enough to acknowledge as fallacies? The world is made better by Progress, and we are still in the world; will the old order suffice for us that will not do for the rest of mankind? Can we dispense with innovations, when if the world stood still for a day it would sink incalculably? No; depend upon it, Progress is an essential part of existence. In that case, as there is no such thing as standing still, the movement Before the coming of the Nubian. becomes retrograde, and he who despises Progress does his best to blind and hinder his fellows in their search after Light. Let us then accept Progress as the best means of attaining to perfection; not accept it blindly, nor reason that since it is a kind of advance, therefore it must be good; but try each step by the light of good sense and reason, and if they be not offended, let us accept its advance thankfully, rejoicing that progress is one of the laws of life. BATTLE OF ULUNDI. JULY 4TH, 1879. OH, winds, blow strong and fill her sails! She weeps for brave sons nobly dead A living wall on every side, The hollow square' opposed that tide That memory awoke their pride On that day at Ulundi. And each one showed what he could do, |