HESPERIAN STUDENT UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA. Vol. X. LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, APRILS, 1882. No. XIII. Tennyson's now poem, "Tim Clinrjuc of Hie Heavy Brigade," lias called fnrlli very conflicting criticisms. The New Voik Sun heartily condemns it, "because It Is dull, labored, clumsy, and destitute of imagination." The Troy Times is of n different opinion, holding that "a second reading will show that it has character, originality, and beauty of its own. It will rank high among the Laureate's luteins; yet impnitinl critics will agree Unit, ail things consideied, it is not the equal of the immortal 'Charge of the Light Brigade.' " Smoking in the buildings and on the grounds is prohibited at a large majority "I the colleges and universities of the country. A large number of the institu. tiiuis object to Urn use of the weed on gen cial principles, while a few are compelled by Hip terms of their insurance policies l make the prohibition. Of course it is a great pleasure for the plodding student and the tired professor to indulge in the "fragrant" Ilavanna or the opiuin.charged cigarette during vacant hours, but in a coeducational institution the odor is extremely distasteful to fully one half the students. These have rights which are respected by true gentlemen, but as so ninny smokers have proven themselves unworthy of that appellation, the rule of the authorities becomes necessary. We always have entertained a kindly feeling toward the rural press, because we conic from a '.small town with only one iper ourself. But ere long, unless it re forms, as our Judgment is getting the bet 'r of our compassion, we shall look upon '" with changed feelings. To a great extent it lias plunged into the University turmoil not knowing any more about the facts in the case than the Lincoln Journal knows about the efforts now being made to get the M. P. to extend a branch road t Lincoln. Some papers are so enraged Unit they demand that the Legislature "I'lH'opriato no more funds untill all tho professors are dismissed, while others urge that the doors be closed uncondition ally. What good would such measures do V Would you deny the youth of tho Ntiite a chance of competing with those on all sides of us because, you consider something has gono wrong? Let that citizen, let that educator who advocates such nonsense blush for shame. Like, wise all who plunge into affairs they know nothing about. Prof. Woodberry's article on the " Ills tory of Wood Engraving," in the April number of Harper's Monthly, has called forth not a few favorable comments. It is only an earnest of what lie and other members of our Faculty are capable of doing. A University establishes its rep. u tut ion partly by the thoroughness of the work done within its walls, partly by the scholarship and literary ability evinced by the public efforts of its professors. The latter is more potent, both because it more frequently carries with it the former than the former the latter, and the field is broader, being unlimited, while the former is confined to the college curriculum. The point we are aiming at is this: Were our professors to come in contact will) the people oftener, cither as writers or lee. Hirers, would not the result be beneficial to both ? Henry Wadsworlh Longfellow died on the 21th, nit., at his home in Cambridge. The true gentleman, tho scholar and the poet is gone, lie tarried long at the "Way side Inn" ere the gentle ''Voices of the Niuht" called his willing spirit home. His "Psalm of Life" was earnest and real. Nothing written by him could add a word's weight to the bitterness or evil of any soul, but much to elevate and ennoble the lives of all. His pure, classic style has done very much to enlarge and enrich our literature, lifting it from the narrow cant and peculiarities of Atncr. icanism. His name Is a household word. Ho has sung himself into tho hearts of every class of people from the hovel to the throne, in every language and in every tongue. A life of simplicity and beauty, of measured I'tiUnes?, is over. He has heard the "Footsteps of Angels," "And fioftly, from that hushed nnd darkened room, . . , ,, Two antfela bsued whoro but one went in. Herbert Spencer remarks, "If you want roughly to estimate anyone's mental cal ibre, you cannot do it better than by ob serving the ratio of generalities to person, alities in liis talk how far simple truths about individuals are replaced by truths abstracted from numerous experiences of men and things." Never were truer words spoken. Go and listen to the talk of the gossipers. Of what does it con sist? Is it not about what James did or what John said ? It may be that some one is to be married, or some one has died. No matter, it is all the same. The average day laborer with his shovel or team indul ges in the frame kind of discourse all is personalities. He, too, is not able to grasp generalities. The man of culture and thought is able to see and grasp not only the particular but tho general. That heterogeneous mass to the untutored mind he brings into order and system. When lie writes ho evolves principles and laws that apply not to one individual case, but to all of the same class. The diilereneo between a mind that cannot grasp a gen end idea and ono that can, is the distance between Ignorance and Culture. The books whose covers bear the signs of wear are presumably the books read most in the library. Granting this we look over the shelves to see what volumes are favorites. We find on the shelves devoted to scientific works very much worn, especially all of Darwin, Spenser and Tyndall. Quatiefagus "Human Species," Draper's "Conflict Between He ligion and Science," Spencer's "Sociol ogy," and similar works are read. His lories are used only in connection with historical studies. Works on Political Economy are consulted quite frequently, Mill seeming to be the favorite. In the line of Philosophy, Porter, Reid and Mc Cosh am well thumbed. Some of the law books look a little old, Blackstono's espe cially, and the works on ancient law arc referred to not a little. All the books on Language, especially Taino's English Liu erature, liavo seen wear, and the references made in literature classes arc generally looked up in full. Our library is sadly deficient in novels, and such as are on the shelves bear marks of constant use. A onco complete set of Dickens is laid away for repairs and Thackory is quito out of his bindings. Ruskin and other author ities in art scorn to have received some attention. Tho North Americans and En cyclopaedias are in use constantly. Alto gether, tho library is extrpnudy useful and well patronized. v WIW!fWiw?y