Selwyn House School - Yearbook (Montreal, Quebec Canada)

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SELWYN HOUSE SCHOOL MAGAZINE MY VISIT TO MR. WORDSWORTI-I AT HIS HOME IN GR.-XSMERE IN THE YE.-XR 180-I I-IRI'1I'i quick knocks, ten seconds, and then the door was opened by an elderly kind-looking woman whom I judged to be the maid. I entered Dove Cottage , the home of Wiilliam Vkordsworth, gave my name, and asked if it would be possible to see the poet. I wondered whether he was out, but I was told that he was in the library and would be pleased to see me. I entered a little nervously and shook hands after introducing myself. Also in the room was his sister Dorothy, and I felt lucky to find them at home. The conversation was about the weather to begin with, and then Mr. Wordsworth asked me how I liked the lakes and the valleys, the dadodils and other Howers of his beloved Lake District. I replied that it was heaven compared with the smoke and dust of London, whereupon he asked how I had made my journey from the city. I related to him how I had travelled over rough, bumpy roads by stage and occasionally on horseback, periodically taking a short rest while passing through such towns as Oxford, Shrewsbury and Manchester until I finally alighted at the Swan I-'otel, situated at the foot of Dunsmail Raise. I had been slightly stage-sick during my trip because of the bad roads and I was very glad to arrive at my destination. Both Mr. Wordsworth and his sister seemed interested in what I had to say and from then on conversation Howed more freely. It was interesting to hear Mr. Wordsworth talk of places which he had mentioned in his poems, and after speaking with him for a time it was obvious to me how much he loved nature, and how much more it meant to him than to most of the other people of our time. And 'tis my faith that every Hower Enjoys the air it breathes. From these lines written by him we see that Wiordsworth loved nature to the extent that he believed that nature lived as one of us. .-Xfter a time the conversation naturally turned to poetry and I asked Mr. Words- worth if he had written anything lately. I-fe told me that he and Mr. Coleridge had pub- lished a book called the Lyrical Ballads together, but that it had not been much of a suc- cess. I'le confided to me that he believed Coleridge's poem, the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, had spoiled the book, but just at that moment a rather pale, thin man entered the room g it was Mr. Coleridge. There was a silence. Finally Mr. Wordsworth introduced me. Mr. Coleridge seemed a trifie surprised to find Mr. Wordsworth at home, the latter explaining that he had been out canvassing for Lord Lonsdale, but had come in just half an hour ago. I realised now what a close call I had had in finding Mr. Vlordsworth at home. We talked for a time on different subjects, Mr. Coleridge, his paleness, thinness, his rough black hair and his poor teeth forgotten now, did most of the talking, in fact prac- tically all of it. The conversation turned to the war, and I asked the two men, Dorothy Wordsworth having left the room, what they thought of it. Mr. Wordsworth, whom I knew to have once sided with the Revolutionists, seemed to have changed his views and ll6l

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FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1942-1943 CANADA Y home is in London, Fngland, but I do not know much about it for I stayed in one place nearly all the time. I was asked out to Canada about three years ago, and I like it out here yery much, with all my friends at school. I think that the Canadians are nice people, and are playing a big part in this war. The Hrst summer I was out here we went to Nova Scotia which is famous for fish, coal and apples. The people there were kind and friendly. I enjoyed my visit very much, especially the fishing. People can catch perch by the dozen there, and there are a few scalpins. I also think Montreal is a very nice place. It has some historical old churches and buildings. The city of Quebec is famous because the battle of the Plains of Abraham was fought there, between the French and Iinglish, and this made Canada a British Dominion. R. S., Form I. THE CAT AND THE MICE One dzzy zz nz! did .fre .rome mire, .17 lzifidm in rz 11016. The ral did knots M1052 rffrer mire, Tlzfirfzzr 115 Mark af mal. The mf -26115 ofa' as ofd mn bf, Jun' .toon he was zzxfeap. Tire rlzeefa iczzs lizard and all was Jef, To arromplixlz llzefml. The mire zz!! rrepf in ringfejffe, .lrozmd flu' .fleeping mf. They ale lhe flzeere in grml deliglzf, .ind Aff lzim on Ihr lilfll. T., Form A. AN ESKIMO NCP upon a time there lived an Eskimo, and he lived with his wife and two chil- dren. The elder one's name was Alexander : the younger 'one's name was Peter. They were very, very poor. Their father was a kind man and he was very clever and hardworking. One day when he was tracking a polar bear he came upon a little COtti1g6. Here lived some bad robbers and he did not know that they were there. So he knocked on the door and one of them came out and brought him in. He had some supper and then went to bed. In the night the robbers came upstairs and took all his money which was not very much. Then they tied him up with ropes, and in the morning he could not get up. But once, long ago, he had bought a knife, and he had brought it with him. A. R., Form A. ll5l

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FOR THE SCHOOL YF.-XR 1942- 1943 was now on the same side as Pitt. I agreed with both of them but I felt that more should be done about the Reform movement. During the course of our conversation we discussed the possibilities of invasion, but we all felt that the Royal Navy could ably repulse any attack. Mr. Wordsworth then offered me a drinkg I thanked him but told him I had to be going. He replied that he would take me out to see his garden and show me the supersilium, as it was not far from the path. Mr. Coleridge stayed behind and took his drink although he had not been offered one, but he seemed to be a great friend of Mr. W'ordsworth's how- ever, for the latter took no notice. The garden was beautiful, and not only was it obvious that my host was proud of it, but also fond of it. ' As I lifted my eyes and prepared to depart I saw across the road beyond Grasmere Lake, Silver Howe, and to the right and farther away, The Lion and The Lamb, rising up out of the midst of the valleys and lakes. :X little down to the left of Grasmere Lake lay Rydal YVater rich in a blaze of golden daffodils. Now I knew why Mr. Wordsworth chose to live in Grasmere. So with that memorable picture of beauty still in my mind as it is to this day, I walked down the path leading from Dove Cottage, shook hands with Mr. YVordsworth and thanked him for his kind hospitality. Ir had indeed been a pleasant visit and I accepted with great pleasure his kind invitation to come and visit him again when- ever I could. J. M. H., Form 6. THE SEASONS lfinffr is 1116 lime of snow, Ski-ing dawn lhe hills I go. I play hockey on the iff, ind, when I Jfore, il'J vein' nite! Sprizzgkr the lime' Qf .lprif ,rh0wc'r.v, Bringx aff 50775 of Ioz'fIvfI0wfr.r. On llze znomzfzzin I play rrirkef, If'.v lucky Q' I Iii! flze wirkel I I11 .vzmzzizer I0 llzf' bezzrlz I go, I learn fo paddle and to row. I swim and dive into the sea, lfhiflz if zz for offzm for me I .Jufzwzn is lhe LBJ! of aff, For when the leaziey begin 10 faff, I hurry our of 711-V.f7'07lf door, Back to Sflwyzz Home owe more ! D. .-X. H., Form A. ll7l