"MY DEAR MRS. CLAVERING: After a great deal of reflection I have resolved that the all-important essay which the lucky three are to write shall be on the following subject--Heroism.  This opens up a wide field, and will test the capacities of each of the young competitors. The essay is to be written under the following conditions: It is to be the unaided work of the competitor; it is to contain not less than two thousand words and not more than two thousand five hundred.  It is to be written without the aid of books of reference, and when finished is to be unsigned and put into a blank envelope.  The three envelopes containing the essays are to be handed to you, who will not open them, but will place them before me on the night of the Scholarship competition.