THE HESPERIAN,
a
when the University seemed divided against itself, has
lately written from Johns Hopkins that adverse criti
cisms are perhaps as frequent and as violent there as
here. He had thought that the U. of N. was unfortu
nate in that it was a state institution, and there was
consequently greater opportunity for criticism, but a
wider knowledge pjoved to him that criticism is not
'worse here, and perhaps not so utterly groundless as
elsewhere. We too have been convinced that such
uncalled for criticisms belong to the community of
colleges and all similar well-meaning institutions
Groundless criticisms can indeed work to our disad
vantage. Friends of the school will therefore be ex
tremely careful lest in writing up the news for our state
paper, they should carelessly misrepresent us. We have
no sympathy however for those who call themselves
studentsand who profess friendship, and a common in
terest while in reality they avail themselves of our
confidences only to lay bare our shortcomings, and
make sport of our accomplishments. Such students,
students in name only, will sooner or later be discov
ered, and when known cannot be treated as other than
their actions stamp them.
Wr certainly agree with our- contributor in his
"opinions" concerning the work of the college edi
tor. We acknowledge the ground for complaint and
we appropriate the excuses made for us. The fact
that instructors and students do not support a college
paper so liberally as they should is patent. And yet
we of the U. of N. have little ground for complaint
on that score, but could of course reconcile ourselves
to any improvement in that line. Whether or not
instructors and students should feel themselves bound
to aid us by literary contributions, however, is quite
another question. It is true that many college pa
pers are thus supported. It is also true that The
Hesperian has been criticised timcand again because
its management preferred a paper published for the
students, subject to their control, but the work of
composing and editing delegated to a board of edi
tors, rather than a paper made up of literary contri
butions. That is, since the paper could at most con
tain but a limited portion of the articles written by
the students, and since those articles are of little val
ue or interest to others tl.an students, we have thought
it best to publish very few such contributions. In the
last number we asked for contributions from alumni,
but you understand that such articles must of necess
ity arouse a more general interest, and in general be
of a much more creditable style than those of the un
dergraduates. But as an editor we could suggest oth
er reasons why the publishing of promiscuous articles
.should be discouraged. In the first place we should I
be charged with inability to do the work required of
us, since we must ask others to contribute to our pub
lication. Again, we would'find it hard to discriminate
between the articles handed in for publication, and
would too often be accused of asking or accepting
such aid from a r-rtain class or clique. No, Sans De
tour, we prefer a college paper with a full local col
umn, a few editorial notices, and short, spicy contri
butions, such as yours are, to any miniature North
American Review, or similarly dry and weighty publication.
MISCELLANY.
REVIEWS.
While Oliver Wendell Holmes has attained eminence in
many lines of thought, he always sterns to remember that-he
is a doctor, and he never allows his readers to forget that fact.
Moreover, he is somewhat given to theorizing, and he often
carries his theories to conclusions that appear rather startling
to timid minded people. His object in writing Elsie Vcnnor
is to illustrate his ideas on the subject of heredity and its in
fluence on the vexed question of moral responsibility.
Some of these ideas are elucidated at the very beginning
of the book. As each character is introduced he is ticketed
off as belonging to a certain class, produced by a given com
bination of circumstances, much as as a naturalist might label
a collection of insects and write out the characteristics of the
species to which each belongs. The result of this is to give
the reader an uncomfortable feeling that he is looking at the
movements of a collection of automatons instead of real men
and women. Hut as Dr. Holmes' theory, carried to its logi
cal conclusion, would reduce us all to so many machines, we
cannot complain of this feature of the book. This theory ii
put into language by Bernard Langdon as follows: "Each of
u js only the footing up of a double column of figures that
goes back to the first pair. Every unit tells; and some of them
are plus and some minus. If the columns don't add up right
it is commonly because we can't make out all the figures. I
don't mean to say that something may not be added by Na
ture to make up for losses and keep the race up to its aver
age, but vc arc mainly nothing but Che answer to a long sum
in addition and subtraction."
Elsie Vcnnor is introduced as a strange and incomprehensi
ble being. Self-willed, violent, and capricious, she will sub
mit to no authority. Neither her father nor her teachers can
control her. Her most prominent feature seems to be her
piercing black eyes, which have the powef of fascinating and
drawing to her any whom she may fix her gaze upon. The
secret of her existence is not explained until .near the end of
the story, but hints arc so frequently thrown out that we soon
understand the case; and any resentment we might feel at her
conduct is changed to pity for her misfortune. "An r.nte-na.
tal impression has mingled an alien clement in her nature,"
and has poisoned her whole existence. This is the reason
that she takes her solitary rambles on the mountain, seeking
the fatal rattlesnake ledge. The serpents themselves seem to
feel her affinity,' and cower before the glitter of her eyes
The two natures struggle within her, resulting in constantly
varying moods. At length love comes to the aid of the wom
anly element, and from that time a change is apparent. It '
appears possible that had this feeling been reciprocated she
might have become humanized and, freed from the curse of '
her birth, lived a happy life. But Bernard Langdou, though
DRESS PARADE GLOVES 2 FOR 25 AT MAYER BROS. 10th ST. CLOTHIERS.'
-i
