And wished he were a mighty wheel,

Turned by the restless world.

Thus lying in the lap of life,

And feeding on her breath,

He dreamed his drowsy days away

Into the lap of death.

Z.MILTON, March 1, 1875.TO THE EDITOR OF THE MAGENTA:-

YOUR articles in the issue of February 26, on the Beacon Cup Regattas and the right of Harvard to the magenta as her distinguishing color, seemed to contain a few errors which an older memory than yours might correct.

The first Beacon Cup was rowed for in 1857, when the Harvard eight oars came in first, with the Union six oars one second behind. Few who were present will forget the desperate struggle at the finish to get the nose of the Harvard past the line in advance of the Union. There was no hope of winning the cup, which the allowance of time gave beyond a doubt to the Union. One or more of the men in the Harvard had gone into the race without proper preparation, and were incapable of doing much more than paddle long before the race was over, but the magnificent efforts of the sound men saved the crew and college from the disgrace of being actually beaten by a weaker-manned boat. My scrap-book does not mention Harvard's colors in this race, - an omission which Mr. Alexander Agassiz, who pulled bow, can perhaps supply.

In 1858 the Beacon Cup was won by the Harvard six; President Eliot - then tutor - pulling No. 3, and Mr. Agassiz bow. This, I think, was the first time of Harvard's pulling a shell. She won in 19.22, beating several Boston crews, - the Fort Hill Boy (2d, in 21.20), the James Buchanan, Shamrock, Sterling, Thistle, etc.

In 1859 the Harvard (shell) six oars won in 19.11, beating the Leader (shell) four oars, from New York, and Quickstep (shell) four oars, of Boston. An allowance of 22 seconds was made to the four-oared boats. The Leader came in second, in 20.34.

In 1860 the Harvard again won the Beacon Cup in what was considered a remarkable race. They pulled a lap-streak called the Thetis against the Brunonia (shell), of Brown University, and two Boston boats (one shell, one lap-streak), winning with a strong tide running, in 19.37.

In this year - 1860 - the Harvards wore magenta, and I think it is probable that this name was used for the first time. It was about this date that chemistry was adding largely to the known colors by developing the beautiful shades to be extracted from coal-oil. Fanciful names were given to these shades, and two were called magenta and solferino from the victories of the French in Italy in the spring and summer of 1859. The date of the battle of Magenta will sufficiently establish the earliest use of the name, even if the shade were known before. Now my scrap-book contains no mention of Harvard's colors until 1860, when I find the following:-

1st. In an extract from a paper published in Cambridge referring to the victory of Harvard at a regatta in Charlestown on June 17, 1860, there are these words:-

"Next came the Thetis, manned by the celebrated red turbans of Old Harvard, which were greeted with immense applause."