STUDY AND STUDIO.
Chickweed.—1. For the London B.A. you must pass the Matriculation, Intermediate B.A., and Final B.A. in separate years. Apply for all information as to fees and subjects, Registrar, University of London, Burlington Gardens, W. There is no limit of age. We presume the London B.A. would serve your purpose better than that of the University of Ireland or University of Durham, but you can obtain particulars from all three.—2. Your handwriting is good and clear; if you always take pains and never scribble, it will be an excellent hand.
A Daughter of Terra Nova.—Many thanks for your bright letter. We are glad to find our magazine has warm friends so far away.—1. Your writing is not “very bad.” It is clear, and if the letters were more regularly formed, it would soon become good. Your ink seems to vary in thickness as you write, some letters being faint, others black. Always use the best ink you can get.—2. This question does not belong to our province, but as we cannot divide a letter for reply, we may assure you that neuralgia in the face in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred is due to decayed teeth, and a visit to the dentist is the best cure. Remedies for neuralgia proper are quinine and “Tonga.” If the pain is acute and persistent, you should consult a doctor. Your request for a correspondent is inserted in the proper place.
Gribbite.—The metre of your blank verse is quite correct. The writing of blank verse that shall be really musical is very difficult, for the author has no rhymes to depend upon, and the arrangement of ideas and words has to be of peculiar charm and melody. But we can honestly praise your effort. “Good-bye, old year” is not quite so satisfactory. Never make an elision obviously for metre’s sake, especially where you only do it in one instance, as
“Whenever, where’er ’tis said.”
Here both “evers,” or neither, should be written in the abbreviated form.
Emma Portlock.—Unfortunately your hymn could not find acceptance for publication. The metre is very faulty, and the thought expressed is familiar. “Farewell, Canadian friends!” is better, but we cannot encourage you to do more than to write for your own gratification.
Country Lass.—We are sorry we omitted to criticise your writing in our answer some weeks ago. To begin with, you should use better ink that will not turn brown. Keep a regular space between your lines, and refrain from leaving a margin at the end of some of them. The writing itself would be improved by more decision and firmness, the letters being larger. You can easily make it into a good hand.
Mabel Brown.—1. We have inserted your address for “Florence” to see.—2. No doubt character to some extent can be described from handwriting; for instance, a neat precise person seldom writes a bold, sketchy, untidy hand; a very excitable, nervous person seldom writes a neat, close hand, and so on; but we do not believe that every moral and intellectual quality can be deciphered by this means. Of course we cannot tell how far the estimate you enclose is correct, but we thank you for your pleasant letter.
Dolly.—We do not think any permission is needed for reciting the poem you name. Many thanks for your answer to “Ninette.”