THE VOICE OF THE CITY

New York has summoned from Colgate University a scholar whose specialty is the study of noise, to tell its inhabitants the worst about their city streets and subways. He finds that the streets of New York are less noisy than those of Chicago, whether because silent powder is not used in Chicago guns he does not say; but the roar of the New York subways, equal to that of an airplane motor in the protected ears of an aviator, exposes New Yorkers to a greater volume of should than that in any other city. As to Boston, he says that the purpose of his presence in that place became known to the public, who accordingly refrained from their customary honks and tintinnabulations.

The presence of this learned doctor might be of service within the walls of other universities than Colgate. Who has been so lucky as never to have taken an examination in New Lecture Hall at a time when a riveting-machine, the noise-maker de-luxe and par excellence of all creatures under the sun, was pounding like Thor's hammer in the street outside, and on the temples of the student within? Who has calculated the exact amount of nervous energy consumed by hearing cries of Reinhartlate at night, or the tolling to the bell early in the morning?

Since a university is in many ways a small city, it might be well to see what conclusions are reached by the New York authorities. It is doubtful if Mayor Thompson is sensitive to noise, but Mayor Walker may proclaim a quiet hour, when traffic shall cease, dogs be muzzled and babies gagged, and "all the daughters of musick shall be brought low;" If this should be found practicable, some way may be found to add to the other mottoes of a university, Requiescat in pace.