A PORTRAIT?

THE Harvard man does not conform to any fixed pattern in thought, word, or action. He has none of the bubbling effervescence springing from the rock of faith in self and college that characterizes those who have dwelt within the sacred precincts of Novel Harbor. Nor has he any of that immature maturity, that attempted sophistication, which marks the sons of freedom's namesake. He has none of that tendency to regard the earth as one huge football, which is the mote that dims the eyes of the Jersey princes. But it avails little to say what a man is not. In an infinity we cannot use elimination; what is more to the point, when we are on a special subject, we must not generalize. As we have already said, the Harvard man has no distinctive characteristics in the sense that men of other colleges have. He is patriotic - in a degree. He is blase - in a degree. He is a man of one idea - with a few more added. "Nihil nimis," and not "nimis" even of "nihil nimis," is the unconscious rule of life with him. What such a being will do in any given case cannot be determined by any formula. One can safely trust that he will not be laughed at for a fool, nor avoided as a boor. He will do the commonplace things - for all must. He may do some uncommonplace things - for a few must. More than these general statements in regard to his actions cannot be made; for he neither says what he will do nor does he do what he has done. Volition is developed in him to a very high degree. Precedents do not influence him; instructions and regulations do not find him - and yet he is not erratic. He is conceited - but his conceit is not vanity. He has assurance - which seldom degenerates into impudence. He is a paradox, - a man who has no distinctive characteristics, but is nevertheless entirely "sui generis."

M.