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Here we must quote； from The Scarlet Gown； one of his most tender pieces of affectionate praise bestowed on his favourite city：…
A DECEMBER DAY
Blue； blue is the sea to…day； Warmly the light Sleeps on St。 Andrews Bay … Blue； fringed with white。
That's no December sky！ Surely ‘tis June Holds now her state on high； Queen of the noon。
Only the tree…tops bare Crowning the hill； Clear…cut in perfect air； Warn us that still
Winter； the aged chief； Mighty in power； Exiles the tender leaf； Exiles the flower。
Is there a heart to…day； A heart that grieves For flowers that fade away； For fallen leaves？
Oh； not in leaves or flowers Endures the charm That clothes those naked towers With love…light warm。
O dear St。 Andrews Bay； Winter or Spring Gives not nor takes away Memories that cling
All round thy girdling reefs； That walk thy shore； Memories of joys and griefs Ours evermore。
‘I have NOT worked for my classes this session；' he writes （1884）； ‘and shall not take any places。' The five or six most distinguished pupils used； at least in my time； to receive prize…books decorated with the University's arms。 These prize…men； no doubt； held the ‘places' alluded to by Murray。 If HE was idle； ‘I speak of him but brotherly；' having never held any ‘place' but that of second to Mr。 Wallace； now Professor of Moral Philosophy at Oxford； in the Greek Class （Mr。 Sellar's）。 Why was one so idle； in Latin （Mr。 Shairp）； in Morals （Mr。 Ferrier）； in Logic （Mr。 Veitch）？ but Logic was unintelligible。
‘I must confess；' remarks Murray； in a similar spirit of pensive regret； ‘that I have not had any ambition to distinguish myself either in Knight's （Moral Philosophy） or in Butler's。' ｛1｝
Murray then speaks with some acrimony about earnest students； whose motive； he thinks； is a small ambition。 But surely a man may be fond of metaphysics for the sweet sake of Queen Entelechy； and； moreover； these students looked forward to days in which real work would bear fruit。
‘You must grind up the opinions of Plato； Aristotle； and a lot of other men； concerning things about which they knew nothing； and we know nothing； taking these opinions at second or third hand； and never looking into the works of these men； for to a man who wants to take a place； there is no time for anything of that sort。'
Why not？ The philosophers ought to be read in their own language； as they are now read。 The remarks on the most fairy of philosophersPlato； on the greatest of all minds； that of Aristotle； are boyish。 Again ‘I speak but brotherly；' remembering an old St。 Leonard's essay in which Virgil was called ‘the furtive Mantuan；' and another； devoted to ridicule of Euripides。 But Plato and Aristotle we never blasphemed。
Murray adds that he thinks； next year； of taking the highest Greek Class； and English Literature。 In the latter； under Mr。 Baynes； he took the first place； which he mentions casually to Mrs。 Murray about a year after date：…
‘A sweet life and an idle He lives from year to year； Unknowing bit or bridle； There are no Proctors here。'
In Greek； despite his enthusiastic admiration of the professor； Mr。 Campbell； he did not much enjoy himself：…
‘Thrice happy are those Who ne'er heard of Greek Prose … Or Greek Poetry either； as far as that goes； For Liddell and Scott Shall cumber them not； Nor Sargent nor Sidgwick shall break their repose。
But I； late at night； By the very bad light Of very bad gas； must painfully write Some stuff that a Greek With his delicate cheek Would smile at as ‘barbarous'faith； he well might。
* * * * *
So away with Greek Prose； The source of my woes！ （This metre's too tough； I must draw to a close。） May Sargent be drowned In the ocean profound； And Sidgwick be food for the carrion crows！'
Greek prose is a stubborn thing； and the biographer remembers being told that his was ‘the best； with the worst mistakes'； also frequently by Mr。 Sellar； that it was ‘bald。' But Greek prose is splendid practice； and no less good practice is Greek and Latin verse。 These exercises； so much sneered at； are the Dwellers on the Threshold of the life of letters。 They are haunting forms of fear； but they have to be wrestled with； like the Angel （to change the figure）； till they bless you； and make words become； in your hands； like the clay of the modeller。 Could we write Greek like Mr。 Jebb； we would never write anything else。
Murray had naturally； it seems； certainly not by dint of wrestling with Greek prose； the mastery of language。 His light verse is wonderfully handled； quaint； fluent； right。 Modest as he was； he was ambitious； as we said； but not ambitious of any gain； merely eager； in his own way； to excel。 His ideal is plainly stated in the following verses：…
＇Greek text＇
Ever to be the best。 To lead In whatsoever things are true； Not stand among the halting crew； The faint of heart； the feeble…kneed； Who tarry for a certain sign To make them follow with the rest … Oh； let not their reproach be thine！ But ever be the best。
For want of this aspiring soul； Great deeds on earth remain undone； But； sharpened by the sight of one； Many shall press toward the goal。 Thou running foremost of the throng； The fire of striving in thy breast； Shalt win； although the race be long； And ever be the best。
And wilt thou question of the prize？ ‘Tis not of silver or of gold； Nor in applauses manifold； But hidden in the heart it lies： To know that but for thee not one Had run the race or sought the quest； To know that thou hast ever done And ever been the best。
Murray was never a great athlete： his ambition did not lead him to desire a place in the Scottish Fifteen at Football。 Probably he was more likely to be found matched against ‘The Man from Inversnaid。'
IMITATED FROM WORDSWORTH
He brought a team from Inversnaid To play our Third Fifteen； A man whom none of us had played And very few had seen。
He weighed not less than eighteen stone； And to a practised eye He seemed as little fit to run As he was fit to fly。
He looked so clumsy and so slow； And made so little fuss； But he got in behindand oh； The difference to us！
He was never a golfer； one of his best light pieces； published later in the Saturday Review； dealt in kindly ridicule of The City of Golf。
‘Would you like to see a city given over； Soul and body； to a tyrannising game？ If you would； there's little need to be a rover； For St。 Andrews is the abject city's name。'
He was fond； too fond； of long midnight walks； for in these he overtasked his strength； and he had all a young man's contempt for maxims about not sitting in wet clothes and wet boots。 Early in his letters he speaks of bad colds； and it is matter of tradition that he despised flannel。 Most of us have been like him； and have found pleasure in wading Tweed； for example； when chill with snaw…bree。 In brief； while reading about Murray's youth most men must feel that they are reading； with slight differences； about their own。 He writes thus of his long darkling tramps； in a rhymed epistle to his friend C。 C。 C。
‘And I fear we never again shall go； The cold and weariness scorning； For a ten mile walk through the frozen snow At one o