23rd April, WE have received from the Honorary Secretary of the Society of St. George, London, a circular letter dated the 15th of March, enclosing the annual report of the Society, and thanking us for our "powerful advocacy and support in assisting to bring about a revived observance of St. George's Day." Our modesty and love of truth prevent our accepting these thanks as deserved: but we are glad now to draw attention to the report and to mention that "the Society's festival dinner will be held as usual upon St. George's Day, under the presidency of Sir Walter Besant, who has so carestly and eloquently urged the expediency of a Day of Celebration. We have reason to believe," adds the Secretary, "that the observance of England's Day, not only ay home, but in the colonies, the United States of America, and abroad, will be on a much more extended scale than even that of last year." Which is very gratifying and sets us wondering why St, George's Day is so neglected in Shanghai and Hongkong as well as the smaller ports in China. We would even venture to surmise that there a great. many English people in China who do' not know that the 28rd of April is St. George's Day, and is also memorable as being the birth and death day of the greatest dramatic poet that" ever lived, our English Shakespeare.
The report alluded to is a long pamphlet of 28 pages. The president of the Society is the Duke of Cambridge, and the vice-president Lord Halsbury, while the honorary vice-presidents include Sir Edwin Arnold, Generals Baden-Powell and Redvers Buller, Admirals Field and Ommanney, Sir Walter Besant, Mz, Chamberlain and Jesse Collings, several peers, Sir J. Gordon Sprigg, the Duke of Rutland, and the Bishop of Peterborough. Many of these also serve on the general committee, and there is also a list of patrons and vice-patrons, the latter including three ladies named Tacey, but what the function of these officials is is not stated. The report opens with a reprint of the address presented to King Edward signed by the president, the Duke of Cambridge. A prominent feature in this address is the expression of satisfaction that "Your Majesty has been pleased to assume the name of Edward, a name of glorious and immortal memory, ey held in reverence and love by the English and opportunity is taken to record how "H. R. H. the Duke of Cambridge, recognising the inherent merit and scope of our Society, and fully approving of its objects, has been pleased to place himself at our head, thus adding yet another proof, in a long and useful life, of his Royal Highness's willingness at all times to support movements of a} national character and calculated to redound to the glory and advantage of the State." It would not be surprising to hear that H. R. when he read this delivered himself of one or two thoroughly English expletives. Then comes a long account of the Festival Dinner held on St. George's Day last year at the Holborn Restaurant, the Earl of. Euston in the chair, at which about 150 ladies and gentlemen, members of the society and their friends, all needless to say wearing the Rose,' were present. We cannot say that this, considering the number of English people in London, showed very great enthusiasm; we could muster as large a gathering in Shanghai. The bill of fare, which is set out in full, was, we read, characteristically English. "A couple of verses specially composed for the occasion by Mr. E. J. Stokes (Fellow) was presented to each guest:" as this is St. George's Day We may be pardoned fur quoting them What though thy records, O! our ends heary Phy noble spirit hath defied Time's taint And lives for England's A Dright exemplar for And aspiration hol A type that shall with honour crown our ame, Yet keep our souls still lowly.
Whilst blooms the and Shakespeare's praise is sung, Thy day shall aye be fan us And whilst we follow in ty steps, no tongue On earth shall ever shame us.
When battle we for Tru b and Liberty, Nor men nor danger fearing, In each grand struggle, ma y our vision Our Patron Saint appearing.
Before the toasts came on, a number of congratulatory cables, telegrams, and letters from members and. invited guests regretting inability to be present, as well as messages from kindred Societies in various parts of the world were read. The reply to the St. George's Society of New York has a decidedly after-dinner ring,' and must have been very inspiriting to our English brethren in America. It ran:
"Society of St. George, dining in commemoration of England's Soldier-Saint, heartily reciprocates the patrio tic sentiments of President Ward and the St. George's Society of New York, believing that the dominance the English race makes for the peace and advantage of the whole world, and relying upon the loyalty its brethren beyond the seas, reiterates upon the birth and death cay of Shakespeare, its conviction, that England never did nor never [shall lie at the proud foot of a Conqueror."—Euston, Chairman.
The speeches made in proposing the various toasts were all full of patriotism, admiration of St. George, jand approbation of the Society, and fits sisters in other lands." The eulogies of the Patron Saint were perhaps a little vague, but Admiral Ommanney, was no doubt right in saying that our PatronSaint had been too long neglected, and Mr. Rawlings must have had reason for his " opinion that their Saint was an ideal man. Everyone from the peer to the peasant should have an ideal, sometimes they fell short of realisation but it was impossible to go on fora single moment without ideals."
Many pages of the report are devoted"to accounts of the celebration of St. George's Day in London, "whose flag is the flag of St. George with the addition of Walworth's dagger," and in various country towns in England. These accounts are interspersed with appreciative and caustic notes, such as How is it that Bu has no regiment of its own? "all in capitals—"Lod Deaconsficld's county 100; what is the Primrose League about?" Tewdley was en fole, and the "Kidderminster Shuttle" noted that "it was a happy coincidence—that George's Day fell on the anniversary of the birth of Shakespeare, and on the day when the ancient statutory is held." Herne Bay, Lewes, and Tiverton were among the numerous towns that rose to the occasion; at the last-named place "sume partook of tea entertainment and an address fy the capitals again by an
Mayor explanatory of the day eclebrated." At Tamworth " some eighty gentlemen enjoyed the good things that can nowhere be obtained as in our England." St. George's Day was observed too in South Africa, Canada, Australasia, and the United States, theelinner of nearly400 at Delmonico's in New York quite overshadowing that held in London. We are glad to hear that efforts are being made to resuscitate the St. George's Society in Shanghai. Every now and then it comes boldly forward into tke light ud then disappears again, while this would have been an_exception-good opportunity for it to have red itself. When St. George sees how enthusiastically his colleagues Andrew and Patrick are commemorated year after year by their devotees,. he may well feel that he made a mistake when he tock the English under his protection, and cheered them so often on to victory
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.