Princeton's Present Condition on the Foot-ball Field.

The Boston Globe of Wednesday contains a letter from Princeton in which the crippled condition of the eleven is commented upon and lamented. It says that the excitement attendant upon the Harvard-Princeton game of next Saturday is very high. The backing of the team on the field while practicing has noticeably increased of late, and all good plays have elicited generous applause.

Until lately, the work of the eleven has not been such as to encourage the college; but during the last few days a perceptible improvement has been shown, both in the work of the rush line and that of the backs; and, as a consequence, well-grounded hopes of victory are entertained by the college. The score made against Wesleyan was not one to encourage the undergraduates. But it must be remembered that no incentive was offered for extra exertion, while slow cautious play was indulged in lest the game should result in the disability of some member of the team. In accidents Princeton appears to have surpassed her competitors this year; but she has been fortunate in having good men to take the place of those injured. Mowry, one of their best half-backs, a swift runner and a sure tackler, has been laid up on account of sickness for a fortnight. It is expected that he will be so far recovered as to be able to play against Harvard next Saturday; still the loss of practice and the loss of strength attendant upon his illness will be a severe handicap upon his good play. Irvine, another strong player, of whom it is said he is the steadiest man upon the eleven, having had an experience of five years as a player, has retired on account of an injury to his ankle. Cowan, captain of the team, has resumed play after a week's absence. R. Hodge is one of the best players on the team, and uses his head as much or more than any member of the association. His presence always inspires the eleven, and he is of inestimable value to the captain as a coach. His long acquaintance with the foot-ball field enables him to give his men valuable hints about the characteristics of the Harvard and Yale players. He has but recently joined the eleven, although his play with a team in Albany has kept him in practice, S. Hodge has retired permanently. His injury in the Wesleyan game was such as to necessitate this action. His loss is a severe blow to the team, although Riggs, his successor, has thus far shown up well.