introduce themselves, and need no padding from the author to make them stand out in the simple and natural proportions of life. We have all met them somewhere; the bril liant but ill-fated Anna, the high-souled Vronsky, the worthy but formal and unsympathizing Karenina, the impetuous and truth-seeking, yet pessimistic Levin, the devoted, motherly Dolly, the sensuous and easy-going Stiva, all have their counterparts in the world about us. The abundance of irrelevant and desultory details may repel some at first, but these are part of the purpose of the writer; for do they not equally abound in real life? We find no smiles here, although occasional gleams prove that the author possesses the gift of humor. Neither is there pathos, except that given by the facts themselves. Sombre and grim in its fidelity to its realistic coloring, the story moves on, enlivened by none of those light touches that in other authors serve to relieve the weight on the mind. Such a work as this is assuredly no light reading, yet of absorbing interest; and all may well lay it down exclaiming in the words of Howell: "This is not life-like, but this is life."

W. P. SHEPARD, '92.

Editors' Table.

THE editors of the LIT., in order to encourage the poetic spirit in college, have decided to offer two prizes for short poems: first prize, $5; second prize, $3. These poems must be handed to the literary editor on or before the first Wednesday of winter term. Each poem must be signed by a fictitious name, the writer's true name accompanying it in a sealed envelope. Competition is open to all subscribers. Professor Scollard has kindly consented to act as judge. The editors reserve the right to publish any or all of the poems received.

THE advertisers in the LIT. bear a large share of the expense incident to its publication. They expect and are entitled to consideration at our hands. They can afford to advertise only in expectation of receiving a share in the students' trade. Every student should feel it his duty to see that those men who contribute their money in support of our college publication, shall in turn receive whatever benefits we have to bestow. Give them your trade to the exclusion of non-advertisers, providing they sell as cheaply as their competitors. They will not expect more; but in justice they do expect this.

THE Junior Promenade will be held in Scollard's Opera House, November twenty-second. This time-honored custom, although for many years abandoned, was last year revived by the class of '90, and now, by the action of the class of '91, this institution bids fair to be perpetuated. Its maintenance is praiseworthy and at the same time desirable. Social events, in which the whole college is interested, are far too few. Such events have a salutary effect upon both college and students. They create a better and kinder feeling among the men, enliven and increase the college spirit and enable the college to be more favorably and widely known by students of other colleges and by our own prospective The committee having the affairs in charge, has taken particular care to select such a date as would least interfere with college work. The financial success of the Promenade rests with the individual students. If you would see it conducted in such a manner as will reflect honor upon the college and yourselves; if you wish the custom to be continued by future classes, manifest your desire by your presence on the evening of November twenty-second.

men.

ENDOWMENT OF HAMILTON COLLEGE.

We are indebted to the courtesy of Rev. Dr. W. J. BEECHER, 58, of Auburn Theological Seminary, for a copy of the report made by the Endowment Committee to the Synod of New York at its October meeting in Poughkeepsie. We regret that we have room for only a brief abstract of this report. The committee state that certain difficulties have been removed, and that the prospects of the College are more encouraging than they were a year ago. The President of the College informs the committee that in addition to the $20,000 invested in Silliman Hall, pledges have been given for $16,000 more. In addition to its buildings, grounds, and apparatus, the College has invested funds that amount to $284,000. It is the fixed purpose of Treasurer and Trustees, in no circumstances to allow the vested funds of the College to be used for current expenses. The committee emphasize the desirableness of doing whatever is to be done in this matter without further delay. It will be necessary to raise about $125,000 before the College can be brought into organic connection with the Synod of New York. The committee commend the loyalty and zeal of the Presbytery of Geneva in taking measures to establish a Presbyterial scholarship, and other Presbyteries are urged to take some specific part in the endowment work by founding similar scholarships, to be occupied by students who are candidates for the ministry.

The reading of Dr. Beecher's report to the Synod was followed by an earnest, stirring appeal from Mr. HORACE B. SILLIMAN, of Cohoes, who believes in the College, and inspired his hearers with the belief that the College has a future of independence and large usefulness in training young men for the highest service in church and state. Mr. Silliman was made the chairman of a new committee, and is already maturing plans for aggressive work.

A COLLEGE education should mean more than can be acquired from textbooks. Mere book learning never made a liberal-minded man. For success in life the college student should keep abreast of the best thought of the age. How can he do this while he is engaged for four years on the work of a college curriculum? For a long period he practically loses sight of what is occupying the attention of the world. He has not time to spend in grasping the best thought that is occupying the intellect of his time. Newspapers and magazines can not properly give him this knowledge. The only way in which this end can be accomplished satisfactorily is by a systematic course of lectures upon popular subjects. The enthusiastic reception given to the few lectures to which we have had the pleasure of listening, is a sufficient assurance that they were fully appreciated by the students. But alas! past lectures have only been to us an aggravation, increasing the desire for them and showing us more clearly what we are missing. Frequently the LIT. hears the question, “Why don't we have some more lectures?" We believe the reason is because no genuine effort has been made to secure them. Hamilton College has long felt the need, which to-day is more pressing than ever before. We should have a regular course of lectures, say four or five each term, upon topics literary, historical, scientific, political and philosophical. We believe that most colleges, worthy of being honored by that

title, have such lecture courses. We can see no good reason why we should not follow suit.

Shut up within this "little world of itself," and occupied for so long a period by one class of thoughts, students are apt to become bigoted and narrow-minded. A course of lectures by competent men as proposed above, would tend to broaden the mind of the student, would open up to him new avenues of thought, showing him more clearly for what walk in life he is destined. We hope that this matter will immediately come before the proper authorities, and that some decisive action will be taken to satisfy this need which is so seriously felt by the students of Hamilton College.

"EQUO NE CREDITE, Teucri," and as the old gentleman said this, he lighted his pipe, struck a comfortable attitude, and proceeded in his garrulous fashion to meditate aloud as follows: "A great many years ago, my dear children, there was a great and beautiful city. It was the home of all that was best in letters and art. Its children were great generals and statesmen and authors and poets. It had its priests and patriots, its palaces and temples. Yes, it was a beautiful city, and the glory of the whole country. And the city was built not only for that age, but for all ages. The record of its glory and its sufferings has filled all modern literature, and the poet who wrote that story, has had but one equal, in the extent of his influence upon the thought and imagination of our English speaking race. But another people, perhaps even greater and mightier, came and made war upon this beautiful city. They hedged it about with a mighty host and made bitter assaults upon it. For long and weary years they tried every devise. They exhausted all strategems and methods of attack, without avail. The beautiful city remained secure. But bye and bye a rascal of little courage, but some shrewdness, suggested a present to the beleaguered city and a famous wooden horse was prepared. The donors made fine promises. Only let the horse within the walls and all good ends would be subserved. He was a fine steed in outward appearance-beautiful to look at. But some of the wise old heads were suspicious. Laocoon, the old Dominie, denounced him as a fraud. Another citizen named Capys urged the people to sink the huge creature in the sea or destroy it by fire. But the boys and girls were pleased with the great toy. They seized the ropes with delight and tugged with childish glee and the famous horse entered the gates. You know the rest of the story," said the old gentleman as he knocked the ashes from his pipe. "You know that the horse was only a compound of treason and fraud. You know how the city which held its own for many years against the most bitter assaults of its foes, was finally destroyed through the folly and weakness of its friends. I may be a little old-fashioned and prosaic," continued the old man," but I have sometimes fancied a slight, a very slight resemblance, between the beleaguered city and a certain other fortress. I have seen this old yet ever new city which we call classical scholarship invested by jealous foes. I have marked the unavailing attacks for centuries past. I have seen science rally its forces and rush to the charge. I have seen the champions of practical life assail this beautiful city as a mere piece of useless ornament and a sham.

But the fortress has remained unshaken. If it ever fall at all, it must be by some wretched treason from within, or when indolence and stupidity open the gates and welcome traitors in the guise of friends. Equo ne credite," said the old gentlemen, as he closed his prosy speech. 'He is a stupid, wooden creature, with neither life nor beauty in him. He can never carry you over a ditch. He can never 'take' the grammatical hedges and fences which lie in your path. You may think that you have mounted a thing of life, but he's as dead as Bucephelus. The only motion that he has is purely mechanical. He is a traitor and a sham. You may bestride him and cudgel his sides till doomsday; but you will not advance one step on the road of classical learning." Saying which the old gentleman bade us good night, while we juveniles sat up to cogitate a little upon his old-fashioned notions.

It is now approaching that inevitable time in each college year when those who look after the exchequer of the various college organizations come around, blank book in hand, soliciting subscriptions for the support of the associations that they represent. This is proper and right and we heartily sanction it. What we do not sanction, though, is the limited amount of the subscriptions they receive. It is true that in the past the managers of the ball nine, glee club and athletic association have all been compelled to either run heavily in debt or else advance money from their own pockets, without any possibility of ever receiving it again. That this should not be we all acknowledge, and the questions therefore properly arise, Why are these subscriptions so limited? and, What can be done to enlarge them? It is very true that if success is to be gained in any branch of business its interests must be conducted on business principles. Implicit confidence in one's honesty and integrity without sufficient evidence to insure the justification of such confidence may be the characteristic of some philanthropic men, but in the majority of cases we think that the adage "believe every man a rogue until he prove himself honest," is to be preferred. When the managers, then, of the various college organizations use the money that they have received by subscription from the students without even keeping an account of their receipts and disbursements, and when there is no day of reckoning on which we may learn just what is the financial status of the association that we desire to support, and when we have complaints that there are many outstanding bills against the organization which can not be met, we begin to wonder where our money has gone, and why we were so foolish as to subscribe to an association that can not pay its debts. Wonder gives way to suspicion and suspicion to distrust, and therefore that confidence which we should have in those whom we have chosen to fill the offices of honor and trust is greatly lessened or entirely extinguished.

That such has often been true in the past, no one will deny; that it will prove true in the future, we should strive earnestly to prevent. No one should be asked to subscribe his money to an organization that is not run on strictly business principles, and none will give his money to an organization whose honesty is doubted. This, then, we believe is the cause of our limited subscriptions, and what is a remedy? In the opinion of the LIT. a remedy lies in the follow