Review of First Monthly

It is a pleasure on returning to find the Monthly starting its fortieth volume the day before College opens. As its first leader no subject more timely or essential could have been chosen than "The Union;" and no person better fitted to discuss it than H. S. Thompson, whose article is valuable and concise, and of great moment to members of the class of 1909. The tribute to the present undergraduate officers and committees of the club is well merited, the discussion of its policy and aim sound, and the estimation of its advantages to the individual is, if anything, too moderate.

No one interested in undergraduate literary work should fail to read "The Immigrant", by C. T. Ryder '06, which was awarded the Lloyd McKim Garrison Prize last June. This poem, written in three sonnets, shows a strong individuality and gives rise to the question so rarely asked by critics of college verse, "Who could have done it better?"

Of the stories, "Governor's Day," by C. H. Brown '05, is worthy of the number, but "Old Walls, Old Wines," by H. Hagedorn, Jr., '07, excels in literary merit. Though worth while for one picture alone, "the good days before Tilly swept up from the south on his way to Magdeburg", it has less interest for the average College man than "Probation (A Study in Geographical Antipathy)," by J. L. Price '07. It is refreshing to find in this a story that is local, of today and not of yesterday, and possible, with at least three entirely original expressions or ideas on each page. The one fault is slight exaggeration of the phraseology in undergraduate conversation--it is too clever. A new feature is the record of events in the University for the month.