A very enjoyable hour or ce was spent by 2 number of residents and guests at "Ravenscourt" on Thursday night, when Miss H. E. Marshall gave a talk on James dgof Scotland, the Poet King. Miss Marshall, who has broken journey round the world at Shanghai, is perhaps one of the best-known writers of chil dren's books, and is the author of "Our Island Story," a history of England which has found considerable favour among the boys and girls at home. Miss Marsh ul treated her subject on Thursday in a most. interesting manner, and te story as she told it, was listened to with much pleasure.
The greater part of the evening as devoted to a discy James's poem, discussed. how James I was kept " pr in England for eighteen years, and of his meeting with Lad; Beaufort, who afterwards his queen. The story went James woke up one May morning, during the time of his imprison. ment, and wondered how he, of all people, should have to send his in that dull and weary way.
then he looked down from his room in Windsor Castle and sw a lady there. It was then that "A Kings Quair" was written, and the lccturer described it' as one of the most beautiful of poems. Psssing on from quotations from the poem, Miss Marshall dealt with James's, later life, saying that during his reign of twelve years, he was one of the best kings who ever ruled over Scotland. James, she said, got his music from Chaucer, but while he had not the humour of Chaucer, neither had he his coarseness. There was soireely a line in the poem 147 which offended against the modern sense of decency.
Among those present wore Colonel and Mrs. R. N. Bi Mr. and Mrs. Osborne, Mr. and Mrs, Sammons, Mr. and Mrs. Lobingier, 1nd Mr. ud Mrs, Tweedy Stocart..t the close Miss Marshall was heartily thanked for providing such a splendid evening.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.