Ihh HESPERIAN. 1 ! .! as a poet than in matters of mere form. He is more fortu nate again to this extent: he sometimes forgets his dignity, and his professional air, and then it is that the true poetry of his soul finds its own expression. But such occasions are of infrequent occurrence and of short duration. He addresses himself principally to the intelligence; and though he, with others, marks a movement of reform, yet personifications and matters purely intellectual form the major subject of his songs. The sentiments which Gray makes do service in his poe-s are not common to the English people, but are rather those of a very limited class. If one's religion required him to withdraw from the world at certain intervals, and there brood over things past and things to come, to moralize on the harsh judgments, the cruel fates, which befall his fellows; if,in fine, he must bring self low, by unfavorable comparisons and un natural inferences, then Gray's Elegy might fill a felt want might induce such a mood. But he must be a true puritan indeed, who could realize any enjoyment from his task, ex cept perhaps the consciousness of duty done. His poems then contain nothing for the modern reader. We must, of course, believe Gray sincere. He is frank; and we can scarcely question his honesty. He was very nar row, however, and his views of life will need revising. In this particular he was the poet of a certain class, and of a certain age. Gray cannot keep himself out of his poems. He is a poet by profession, and whether he withdraws alone to meditate, or whether he seeks the company of the muse, he not the less surely fails to invite the reader to keep him company, or to share his moments of reflection with him. Finally, I am led to believe that Gray was haughty, by na ture proud, and certain it is that he lacks that intense sym pathy which would lead him to sympathize with all his fel lows. He could stand ofi at what he deemed a proper distance ! and busy himself with grave reflections and words of seeming symyalby at the sight of "a youth to lorlune and to fame un known," but his sympathy and his good intentions appear to loose all their reality in traversing the intervening space; and a sense of ingratitude toward his distant friend, one feels, must inevitably come over the unfortunate youth. One must feel, 1 think, in reading Gray, that he presumes upon the reader's good nature to bear -with him while he shall tell what Gray thinks and feels, rather than grant the reader ei ther the choice of topics or the privilege of reading some thing more to his taste. Summing up then, I should say that Taos. Gray has small claim to the rank of a great or universal poet. POLITICAL SCIENCE. A CIRCULAR BY THE CHANCELLOR. The Science club met in the Chemical lecture room last Sat. urday afte.noon as announced. The inclemency of the weather prevented the attendance of many. However, there was quite a number in attendance. A resolution was passed recommending the purchase of such scientific magazines as, .when taken with those in our library, will furnish news in all sciences. The reporting committee presented a budget of news which was then discussed, D. T. Smith read a paper upon the history of Chemistry, and the cfrib adjourned to meet at 3 p. m., Saturday, Jan. 22. (J AKNOUNCEMEVT 1 have purchased all that are left of the ALMA MATER notebooks about 50 of them. For students they are by far the best book of lite kind ever placed on the market, and when gone no more can be obtained. Will sell them at 25 j cen, If you want 2. few of these books come down at once. W. W. Robertson, Hesperian Office. Under the lead of the Chancellor and Professor of Political Science the Seniors have begnn, as regular class work for the remainder of the year, the investigation of spe cial and important subjects of the day. The Labor Question will receive the major part of their time and study. The na ture of the work intended can best be understood by the fol lowing appeal which has lately been issued by Chancellor Manatt. The department of political science in the University of Nebraska is undertaking a special study of the labor ques tion. The course projected is, primarily, an inquiry into in dustrial wrongs and remedies, seeking to determine the pres ent actual status of labor, with its historical causes, and to consider fairly all suggested remedies. This inquiry can proceed intelligently only on the basis of a wide induction of facts. For other countries and many of our states tolerably full data are afforded by economical and statistical authorities and particularly by reports of labor bu reaus, for our own state, unfortunately, almost no data ol the kind have been gathered or published. This department, therefore, appeals to the public, fparticu larlj to employers and employes, and to other citizens inter ested in economic and social questions, for assistance in sup plying this want. Such assistance is asked and should be freely given in the public interest: I. Because it will promote the practical training of our youth for the duties of citizenship and for all civic and social service. This is a distinct and fundamental aim of public ed ucation, and to effect this, our training must not stop with generalities, but should note every essential fact of the en rironment. Experience and immediate observation impress and abide; the problems that come home 'to us are just as good for educational discipline as foreign or historical ones and a successful grapple with them yields the student a di rect preparation for his work as a citizen and social leader. 2. Because facts contributed, will, so far as means permit, be made available for the enlightenment of the general pub lic. It is believed that the University's independence of classes, parties, and sects should secure the confidence of the people in the facts it ma' send out, and guarantee substantia freedom from partisan bias or class prejudice in any conclu sions reached. This being admitted, the department of po litical science will appear to be fa-orably situated for render ing the state part, at least, of the service elsewhere underta- . ken by legally constituted labor bureaus. It will aim to class ify and tabulate all authentic and important statistics that may be forth coming; to collate and summarise properly certified data as to industrial interests and movements iu the state fiom the earliest history to the present moment; and, with the co-operation of the public press and such other means of pub lication as may be at its own command, to communicate to the people all practically valuable results of its work. The following lines of inquiry' may be now suggested: L Earnings and cost of living. IL Are the poor growing poorer? Inquiries I and II intended to draw ont data for determin ing the comparative condition and tendency of the profession al and industrial classes As representatives of thesp.are se lected clergymen, physicians, lawyers, teachers, clerks.prinf ers, masons, carpenters, painters, tailors, teamsters, unskilled laboieix, saleswomen, seamstresses and domestics. A table has been prepared covering the following points under in quiry I: 1. Annual earnings (number of days employed, a v-