LIGHT REFLECTIONS ON A WEIGHTY SUBJECT.

AT this time of year, when the probabilities for the day are falling temperature, snow, and hour-examinations, I am much struck with the altered demeanor of my classmates (I am in the latter half of my course, but will not commit myself so far as to say that I am a Junior), - with their altered demeanor, I say, in regard to those little soirees in U. E. R. compared with the nervous dread with which they anticipated their first examinations within these sacred walls. Now they merely express astonishment at the old-fashioned notions of a professor, who, wishing to know how far his disciples have profited by his instructions, takes the high-school way of making them commit to paper the knowledge which they have received from him during the past three months. But on the whole there is a sublime indifference to such petty annoyances; more, indeed, than a casual observer would suppose, for it is a sacred law handed down from all antiquity, that he who does not curse at an examination is a prig and a hypocrite. But this is all mere words, and but for the thought that five cents might be much better expended round the corner of Brighton Street than at the University Bookstore in a blue book, there is an intense calm excited in the breasts of us all at the announcement of an examination, which is only to be imputed to Harvard indif - I pause, lest I may be accused of plagiarism.

But then, how I trembled when I entered Harvard Hall, and how my knees shook together at the sight of some figures on the blackboard which looked to me like all the diagrams in my geometry crammed into one. How nervously I laughed when a then unknown gentleman, while explaining the programme of the unhappy days, made a joke. How I rushed on the first opportunity to the fresh air, and sought for consolation in discussing the point of the joke with a friend in misery, until a live Sophomore whom we had the honor of knowing came up and gave us advice upon doing our papers; such as, if we found them easy, not to do them as well as we could, since the men (how we swelled up at the word!) who do their admittance papers the best are sure to be called up very often at the beginning of the Freshman year, and all the rest of the rigmarole which befits the newly fledged Sophomore when discoursing to those who are inferiors by a year.

Now observe the anxiety and curiosity with which the now admitted Freshman takes up his first special paper. On his appearance at lunch with what admiration is he regarded by those who have yet to pass the ordeal? And how the paper is passed from hand to hand with wonder; how eagerly he buys a scrap-book to preserve the precious relic in!

But in the Junior and Senior years examinations become but a pleasant offset to recitations. If our residence here were prolonged to twice the present time, we should be extremely disgusted if an accident should prevent an examination, and would warn all our friends from taking the elective of a man who cared so little for keeping his promises.

F. M.