The following description of the Nile by a schoolboy is very fine:  ``The Nile is the only remarkable river in the world.  It was discovered by Dr. Livingstone, and it rises in Mungo Park.’’ Constantinople is described thus:  ``It is on the Golden Horn; a strong fortress; has a University, and is the residence of Peter the Great. p 171Its chief building is the Sublime Port.’’ Amongst the additions to our geographical knowledge may be mentioned that Gibraltar is ``an island built on a rock,’’ and that Portugal can only be reached through the St. Bernard’s Pass ``by means of sledges drawn by reindeer and dogs.’’ ``Turin is the capital of China,’’ and ``Cuba is a town in Africa very difficult of access.’’

One of the finest answers ever given in an examination was that of the boy who was asked to repeat all he knew of Sir Walter Raleigh.  This was it:  ``He introduced tobacco into England, and while he was smoking he exclaimed, `Master Ridley, we have this day lighted such a fire in England as shall never be put out.’ ‘’ Can that, with any sort of justice, be styled a blunder?

The rule that ``the King can do no wrong’’ was carried to an extreme length when a schoolboy blunder of Louis XIV. was allowed to change the gender of a French noun.  The King said ``un carosse,’’ and that is what it is now.  In Cotgrave’s Dictionary carosse appears p 172as feminine, but Me’nage notes it as having been changed from feminine to masculine.

It has already been pointed out that some of the blunders of the examined are due to the absurdity of the questions of the examiner.  The following excellent anecdote from the late Archdeacon Sinclair’s Sketches of Old Times and Distant Places (1875) shows that even when the question is sound a difficulty may arise by the manner of presenting it:—­

``I was one day conversing with Dr. Williams about schools and school examinations.  He said:  `Let me give you a curious example of an examination at which I was present in Aberdeen.  An English clergyman and a Lowland Scotsman visited one of the best parish schools in that city.  They were strangers, but the master received them civilly, and inquired:  ``Would you prefer that I should speer these boys, or that you should speer them yourselves?’’ The English clergyman having ascertained that to speer meant to question, desired the master to proceed.  He did so with great success, and the p 173boys answered numerous interrogatories as to the Exodus from Egypt.  The clergyman then said he would be glad in his turn to speer the boys, and began:  ``How did Pharaoh die?’’ There was a dead silence.  In this dilemma the Lowland gentleman interposed. ``I think, sir, the boys are not accustomed to your English accent,’’ and inquired in broad Scotch, ``Hoo did Phawraoh dee?’’ Again there was a dead silence, till the master said:  ``I think, gentlemen, you can’t speer