EXCHANGE NOTES. The Alabama University Monthly and Amherst Student each contains an article on the "Druids." The subject is treated differently in each, but both are interesting. We will try to follow the good advice of our Amherst friends and read proof more carefully. "Faulty" for "Faculty" was a blunder. The College Herald has an article entitled "Books and Brains," which is full of good sense and sound suggestions. We are pleased with the article in the Virginia University Magazine, entitled, "University Reform.” One or two other articles however, seem to us, not exactly fitted for a College Magazine. The Brunonian takes a sensible view of "exchange" criticism. We see no reason why college papers must be continually endeavoring to blast and wither each other, especially by the too frequent anything but courteous remarks. If praise cannot be given, criticism should, at least, be polite. If a paper fails in this, we believe in giving it in return as good as is sent. College morals receive a pretty thorough discussion in the Chronicle. The Harvard Advocate had better be careful, or, by not falling in and giving unlimited praise to the Vassar Miscellany; it will bring down a horde of college papers on its head. Among our exchanges we find the Madisonensis, and after looking over it we are pleased with its contents. Its first piece is “Man as a Reformer." The characteristics of a reformer the writer thinks should be "moral individuality," "enthusiasm," "faith." While we do not think this an exhaustive analysis, yet these three are essential. They are the Sine qua non. The closing sentence contains much sound philosophy. "The fine intellectual endowments, and brilliant genius of a Voltaire, a Rosseau, a Huxley, have added little to the growth or high interest of humanity, but humanity would greatly suffer the deprivation of such characters as Luther Calvin, Wesley, and Judson." The College Argus appears as usual with several good articles. "The Characteristics of Byron's Genius" deserves much comment for its style and careful analysis of the subject. "Milton as a Puritan is much shorter, but by no means inferior in merit. The former shows more originality of thought. We notice "the Seniors have voted not to sell Class-day invitations to under-classmen." "Why this thusness ?” The Niagara Index gives us some pointed thoughts upon the subject "What to Read." The subject is old, but the writer has evidently devoted much time to his subject. He closes with a fine eulogy on the public press. We would advise some of our exchanges to "give us a rest on the type of the Index. The Irinity Tablet is as neat in its appearance as usual. The table of contents, no doubt, contains its view of a college paper. Its matter is nearly all home news. Its second piece on "Broken Idols" is short and pithy. The author condoles Whittier over the last Barbara Frietchie, Taking up the Nassau Lit. and looking over it till we come to "Exchanges," we find first on the list a notice of the LAFAYETTE MONTHLY. The notice is about the same strain as that which appeared in the April number of our Princeton neighbor-very malicious-very. It differs however in this respect. The mention of the April number may be anaylzed into two parts, an opinion and a blank untruth; the note of the June number consists of an opinion, and a slightly greater regard for truth, though the Ego of the article needs strongly cultivate the acquaintance of that quality, before he can be recognized as even a scanty possessor of its beauties. The first criticism (that of April) accuses us of plagiarizing and from Bryant, in the poem entitled "Life" which appeared in our March issue. Why, dear Lit. did you not name the poem upon which we committed this literary rape? Certainly you had good reason for being indefinite. You know if you were explicit, the meanness and falsity of your statement would at once appear. The June criticism is overflowing with the same spirit so well exhibited in its April predecessor. Its tone is explained by a short article we published last month, in our Editorial Notes, from the National Quarterly Review. -The use of sarcasm is due to ignorance." We quote from the Nassau Lit. How far down must be the exponent of Princeton sarcasm, in his soulless wit. We have "a work on synonymes," but it is deficient in that it fails to say that the synonomes for Princeton College are Bigotry, Conceit and Jealousy. Since our last issue we have received the following exchanges: The Nassau Lit.; Penn Monthly; The Dartmouth; The Bates Student; The Owl; College Argus; Amherst Student; Madisonensis; Niagara Index; The Trinity Tablet; Oberlin Review; The College Sibyl; The Harvard Advocate; College Mercury; University Review; Dalhousie Gazette; Eurhetorian Argosy; Journal of Education; The College Herald; The Virginia University Magazine; The Chronicle; The Alabama University Monthly; The Brunonian; The Crimson; The Cornell Era; Bowdoin Orient; The Berkeleyan |