The December Monthly.

The last number of the Monthly, though its general tone is somewhat lighter than that of its precedessors, is excellent in every way with the exception of its verse. The dearth of real poetry of which the editors of our papers are loudly complaining is well illustrated by this number. Of the three contributions in verse, two are of little merit. They are lame in their movement and bare in their thought. The lines "A Picture" are better than the other verse.

Of most importance to the college is the elaborate editorial filling several pages near the end of the number. Its aim is to stimulate men to become more than mere plodders or idlers along the intellectual highway; to show the vast superiority of those students who. putting aside the petty spirit which drives men to work for marks or examinations alone, adopt instead an ultimate idea of true and broad culture. An abuse too prevalent at Harvard-the nursing system of private tutors-is treated with the open and unqualified contempt it deserves. If the Monthly continues thus ably to discuss matters of great importance for the welfare of the University, it will be certain to obtain a larger influence in directing college sentiment than it has had in the past.

Mr. Theodore Roosevelt contributes an article on "The Immigration Problem." While the article contains little that is new on the subject and is not noteworthy for the force of its suggestions, it is animated by a spirit sooner or later to be adopted by all true Americans. The almost universally accepted modifications of the doctrine of the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal" are fully upheld in the assertion that our country is not to be thought of as merely an asylum for the pporessed. The duty of selfpreservation is the central idea of the article.

The work of Mr. Duncan in his biographical sketch, "The Conversion of Geoffrey Varaille," is praiseworthy particularly for the way in which the thread of the story of the monk's life is sustained and for ease and clearness of style.

Under. the title "The Ascetic of La Beauce," Mr. Dodge describes with characteristic touch the old cathedral of Chartres. It is evident that the writer has carefully studied the subject of his theme, but his style is too sympathetic fully to impress our minds with the sternness of Chartres.

"The Triumph of Sorrow," contributed by Mr. Herrick, has a meaning so deeply hidden that we are not quite sure that we understand it. We feel rather than know the writer's thoughts. In spite of the obscurity, the piece is very well written.

Mr. Parker, in his "Mediaeval Symphony" has caught successfully not only the spirit of the old romances he clothes again with words; but the ryhthm of language necessary to suggest the movement of a symphony. These sentences of musical prose are really delightful.

Mr. Sempers's criticism of Robert Elsmere indicates that the writer has read more deeply in that book than the majority of critics. We do not think, however, that the speculative remarks added by the writer upon relation of "miracles" and of the "timeelement in religion" to the truth of the story will appeal to a large number of the readers of the Monthly.