Apr. 22. specially appropriate that on St. George's vay the rrincipal ceremony should be in the charge of the Northumberland Fusiliers. That famous regi ment comes from the County. most intimately associated with preservation of England against the savage foes North' of the Tweed. As wardens of the Frontier the men of North-cumberland had an. unrivalled Knowledge of the inveterate hostility of the Scottish tribes. and constituted England's sure shield against "Border invasion. It is true that, in the event, the politicians of the day' outananceuvred the gallant soldiers. A Scottish King was} invited to rule in London, thus setting the fashion of' that, peaceful but relentless penetration which achieved what the brave pertinacity of Northumbrians had prevented by. force of arms. Still, in spite of Scottish dominance, England ges to preserve her individuality, She may have to submit to the dictates of a Scottish Prime Minister, Scottish bankers, a Scottish Archbishop, Scottish Shipping Magnates and. Scottish Clydesiders. She maintains her title of Merrie England and on this day she dares_to celebrate her independence. She cares little about the shadowy' saint whose mame is linked with. the day. Of his adventures with the dragon she is Sceptical and, when not sceptical, gently derisive. But, just as Harry of England fastened on to" St. Crispin, the shoemaker's patron, the glory of Agincourt, so it permissible for his descendants to honour with the name of St. George, the birthday of England's' greatest gift to the world—William Shakespeare—the memory of Rupert Brooke and the epic of Zeebrugge.
On this day of April tribute paid to the chivalry for which the legend of St. George stands. Its spirit flutters proudly from the White Ensign—guardian on every. sea to the Commonwealth of Nations of which St. George's people are the original Partners. It tells of the wonders, of the English Spring "the irgin rose, fresh with the pure morn''s dew." Out here Shanghai it is fitting that there should be, set, ceremony mind the English of their saint's name day. Not otherwise is it possible in this prison-house to marshal thoughts which do appropriate honour to the magic of England. The old familiar! strains, the old-time ceremonial, the attempt to recapture the gay, folk-lore of English legend are vital in an atmosphere _rom which, be it ever so April smiling, the spirit of England in Spring time must perforce hold aloof. Scots by their capacity for making every place their] home, owing to the gaunt starking brooks as they gurgle lazily between the velvety green banks—now high now almost. lapped by the slender stree Is there to-day an Englishman or Englishwoman who does mot! think of the joy of greeting those white walls from the grey shadows of the misty Channel, of the quick, smooth disembarking end then that. wonderful journey which, after every period of absence, is ever $0 much more wonderful. It leads. through well-trimmed cuttings, it takes the traveller skimming over fields ordered in their rich splendour, It gives glimpses of plump red cattle, white cottages, comfortable manors and unwrinkled lawns. It finally reaches London, Nor is London on' this April day less, beautiful than the country. There sings, in the air, the promise of ti summer, the hopes of a brave and buoyant The donning of the the note of, Engl the crowds in the parks in midday hour speak eloquently vi of welcome given to the season of "the open-air. Summer coming; it may be that Engli summer of which the uninitiated speak with lofty disdain, but] itis English "ud it is, merry in or shower. On heath and hill and down—at Epsom now, to-day the first of the great! races will be run—the spirit of England will freely give of its best:
"Fellow your spirit; end upon]
this charge,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.