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C. G, LYTTELTON
dancing on a Harrow flag ; portly cits. in Bond Street
yelling the news to strangers with the light blue ribbon
on them who had quitted the ground in despair an hour
before. Such were the English just before the Great War I
It should be remembered that the delirium of the Etonians
was stirred by the alarming fact that they had not won a
match since 1908, and it was felt that if another defeat
ensued, which on Friday night seemed absolutely cer.
tain, " something would have to be done." In that
same year, I have been told, the War Office took in hand
the question of an expeditionary force being equipped for
fighting in Belgium. It was the last year, I should say,
in which the old antagonism between the schools was
rekindled to something of its pristine vigour ; and it is
perhaps a necessity for the combative instinct latent in
the peace-loving Briton to have some such outlet.
Anyhow, I maintain that if the M.C.C. would take the
lead in experimenting on the scientific treatment of turf,
cricket might very probably become once again a thoroughly
healthy and joyous recreation. In any case, no other
remedy has ever been suggested which does more than
"skim and film the ulcerous place"; and if this remedy
is sensible, why is it not tried !
II. SoMB NoTABLES
My eldest brother, the late Lord Cobham, known in
his cricket days as C. G. Lyttelton, was a self-taught
cricketer, and by the beauty of his style and all-round
proficiency kindled a passion for the game in all his seven
younger brothers. He seems to have commandeered at
the (lge of twelve the services of a deft manservant of the
Worcestershire name of Tandy, a capital bowler, and on
the primitive cricket ground close-too close-to the
Parish Church he spent many lhl hour learning how to
hat without any coaching whatever. The result was a
method of back-play defence which was adequate, except,
as already stated, for the Lord's shooters. His great
contemporary, R. A. H. Mitchell, was less good with