Criticism of New Advocate

One may spend a pleasant and profitable hour with the latest number of "The Advocate." This issue has the merit of variety; it ranges from the flippant to the serious. The thoughtful editorial, prefaced by a letter from Professor Francke, discusses the evils of specialization, and suggests a remedy. The editor is to be praised for eliminating from the argument the irrelevant question of the alleged "Germanization" of Harvard. What care we whether we are imitating the Germans? For us an academic practice is good, not because it is German, but because it suits American conditions and carries out American ideals.

Another topic of importance, debating, is treated by Mr. E. R. Lewis. He clearly shows that undergraduate dislike of debaters is based upon misunderstanding; and that the Harvard system seeks to produce no ranting, narrow, or insincere orators, but speakers who are temperate, well-informed, and honest. His arguments, though they will interest the serious student, will hardly convince those whose aversion to any form of intellectual contest has made debating unfashionable. These, who are the very ones to be persuaded, may possibly be won by the formation of new debating societies, or by some ingeniously contrived rewards of a speedy and obvious sort, but scarcely by the suggestion that they might in the uncertain future become efficient leaders of public opinion.

Of the purely literary articles, all have the merit of attempting something difficult and interesting. The attempts are, however, not uniformly successful. Only one of the poems is satisfactory. In Mr. H. E. Porter's "Horace's Garden," we find marble statues keeping guard against the snares of wind and rain, and silence muffling a landscape with a counterpane,--figures too metaphysical to be happy. Mr. R. J. Walsh's "The Death of Cleopatra" has gained a prize as a translation from Horace. Mr. Tinckom-Fernandez's "Odalisque," clear in thought, admirable in melody, worthily maintains the standard of "Advocate" verse.

In "The Criticism of Room-mates," Mr. Porter has treated a good subject in a sprightly manner. He obviously aims at novelty of expression, and sometimes hits the mark. The author of "The Best of It," has, on the other hand, conspicuously failed. Turning to the morally pestilential life of a certain watering place, here called Nouvean Isle, he recounts with zest an incident which, though improbable, might have been made amusing. He is, however, so lacking in narrative skill that at the critical moment he does not present his leaf-clad personages vividly. Occasionally,--for example, when dwelling upon the physical peculiarities of middle age,--he comes perilously near coarseness. What is even worse, he seems to take a sophomoric delight in degenerate aspects of social life, and to look with smiling tolerance upon vices which a conscientious artist would lash with indignant satire.

Resisting the allurement of subjects which demand much experience and mature philosophy, Mr. D. M. Cheney wisely chooses to deal with incidents and emotions which, though not commonplace are well within his power. In "The Wizard of the Garden," he has a simple plot,--merely the growth of friendship between a lonely old man and an imaginative boy. Perhaps he has not always made the latter's talk sufficiently childlike, but possibly he was afraid thus to disturb the charming atmosphere of romanticism in which his characters dwell. His story has truth to human nature and beauty of expression. For publishing work of this quality, the editors of "The Advocate" are to be commended.