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THE HESPEJtIAN.
give way. The ability to do original thinking must
necessarily be impaired.
The others are those who come merely foi sport
or for the name of coming, and manage in some way
to pass their examinations with the minimum of solid
work. They take their degrees, and may make a
success of life; but if they do, it will not be the result
of their years at college. These so-called students
become the graduates that will tell you how useless is
a college education.
Once last year, we took occasion to say a few
words about base ball. A western inter-collegiate
association was advocated, and the scheme appeared
to meet with the approval of the students. This was
probably because at the time we permitted ourselves
to be unduly elated by a few victories; but unques
tionably we then did have an excellent amateur nine.
It now seems that the glory of the maroon has de
parted, and that we could hardly hope to make a
contest even interesting to players from other col
leges of equal rank. The most of the old nine are
yet with us, and a number of good players have ma
triculated; but nevertheless it would be impossible at
present to rouse enthusiasm sufficient to take a dozen
students down to Crete. The reason is that the nine
instead of improving, snows itself to be poorer with
every game. Nothing else could be expected.
Very kw of the boys touch a ball during the entire
summer vacation. They play one or two games
in the fall, and then patiently wait for the warm
weather of the next spring. During all this time the
other players are practicing daily. Even in winter
they find some place indoors. In the spring they
are thoroughly prepared and in good form. Now if
this seems to take too much time and trouble, we
I ave little to say. A student's time is precious; but
we think he would gain rather than lose by taking
a moderate amount of exercise, and this might be
taken with the ball as well as in any other way. But
if the reward is not sufficient, there is but one course
left us. That is, to give up gracefully and at once,
and to confess that we can't play ball. Of course we
may occasionly find a kindergarden nine that we can
impose upon without practice; but no such thing can
be done with the leading universities of the west.
Now if there is still a longing to try our skill with
worthy foes, it might not be impossible for the com
ing nine to secure the occasional use of the new drill
hall, and so train themselves thoroughly for the
contests.
$25.00 to $75.00 a month can be made working for us.
Agents preferred who can furnish a horse and give their
whole time to the business. Spare moments may be profit
ably employed also. A fevr vacancies in towns and cities.
B. F. JoHNSOjt & Co., 109 Main St., Richmond, Va.
LITERARY.
How many of us look up every word we don't understand
in our reading? I may as well begin by confessing that I
don't always do it myself, although I try to do so as a rule.
Naturally I am not in a good position to urge the rule upon
others, but really there arc few habits more beneficial or
more characteristic of a true student. A college bred man
should have a perfect mastery of his mother tongue.
The "intelligent compositor" can stand an infinite amount
of abuse. It seems to be his lot in life. But the disdainful,
pitying look which the editor of 'Sketches" gave him when
he discovered three of his articles masquerading under the
title of "Literary" in the last issue, completely broke his
heart. Then when the Literary editor came in and gently
called to mind how, out of the goodness of his heart, he had
tried to bribe both the typo of the first and the typo of the
second degree, into giving him a clean "prools" this year
and when he saw the aforesaid Literary editor, weeping
copiously over the number, he was heard to mutter a resol
ution to the effect that in future he would stay awake while
making up the paper.
V
Did you ever think how important the perfection of each
detail is to a complete work of art? Take for example the
rendition of an act of "Faust". No exception could be
taken to it from a musical standpoint. The great soprano
sang and acted as well as ever beforr, and as well as could be
desired. She was efficiently supported too, considering the
fact that only a concert presentation was attempted. But
the artistic effect of the whole was ruined utterly and irre
trievably ruined by the alleged scenery. Everyone in the
audience would have been infinitely more pleased had no
scenery been put out, but the effort to construct in the
imagination, a garden scene, from the meagre basis of a few
flower pots and two glaring pasteboard vases, or to sur
render a mind haunted bv such a representation to the seduc
tive charts of Gounod's melody, was too great. A more
frequent example of the disregard of harmony in detail is
often shown in our societies. Members will present a pro
duction, admirably written, it may be, but with such utter
lack of care in its delivery that the effect of the whole is
ruined. A small detail, which if done properly would hardly
attract notice, if improperly, or inadequately done will
often utterly spoil the appreciation of other perfect features.
"As in a Looking-glass" is discouraging enough to
anyone who has at heart the interests of true culture.
But when the story is dramatized and presented by one
so thoroughly in the spirit of it as Mrs. Langtry, and
worse when the perfomance is crowded with the good people
of an intellectual city, the spectacle is unbearable. In
the first place the characters introduced in the novel are far
from being desirable ones to meet. An adventuress
and especially one with as suggestive a past as Lena Detpard
is not a savory character. However much prudishness is to
be commiserated, it is infinitely better than the blase air
which tries to establish an utter disregard for and disbelief
in, purity of life. No one denies that an evil life will bring
its own reward. So a novel which pretends to depict both
the life and the reward should do so truly. In "As in a
Looking Glass" the life is shown only too truly. But it is
absurd to say that after a life of crime and wantonness Lena
Despard should feel any true, genuine affection for a mat;
apparently better than herself only in degree. Even admit-