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Speaking of play-days, it was an unkind chance that made the Outing one of our first visitors. Had we not just resolved to put away all thoughts of vacation daysof their freedom and out-of-door life? With the resolve

must needs come the temptation—this time in the shape of an attractive magazine of sport, travel and recrea tion, full of articles on hunting, photography, yachting, and all kinds of delightful occupations; full, moreover, of charming illustrations, that, even more than the articles, arouse rebellious longings for the days when such open-air recreations were not impossible. But in spite of the fact that the Outing caused our good resolutions to be broken, we grant it hearty welcome, and look forward to its monthly visit as to a whiff of fresh air.

To forget the naughty desires prompted by the Outing and get more into the spirit of college work, could one do better than look to the University Magazine? The abundance of information it contains about our fellowcolleges reminds us that we are indeed inhabitants of a college-world, and makes us realize, too, that it is a world in no way lacking in interest.

The Amherst Student comes to us this year in somewhat more striking attire than it has heretofore worn. The first number is exceptionally interesting for a paper whose columns are purely local in character. The entrance of Dr. Gates upon his new presidency is a subject of interest to many colleges besides Amherst.

The only Literary Monthly that has yet made its appearance is the representative from Dartmouth. Why is it that we are so often disappointed on opening the Dartmouth Literary Monthly? Are our expectations too high? There seems to be something, certainly, in the substantial, well-to-do air of the magazine, that leads us to look for more than we find. In the September number the article on Robert Browning, though fairly appreciative, contains little that is original, while the

character of the fiction given space to make us second the editorial plea, elsewhere observed, for better short stories. It is interesting to notice a similar request-also needed, shall we say?-in the other paper from the same college, the Dartmouth, and, we cannot refrain from adding, it is amusing to observe the wording of the same: "Odd conceits in poetry and prose will be at a premium, Stories mostly pure love are not wanted in large numbers."

Unlike the Dartmouth Lit. the Wellesley Prelude sometimes surprises by the excellence of its contents. We do not look for much real literary merit in a weekly paper, but the Prelude occasionally gives us very pleasing little sketches and stories. Several such were contained in the opening number of the year, but to our regret they have not been equalled since.

We have received the first number of the Christian Cynosure, which is offered this year to all College reading rooms. The Cynosure is published by the National Christian Association, of Chicago, and represents the movement in opposition to secret societies. At the request of College officers the discussion of college secret societies, begun at the National Teachers' Association at St. Paul, will be continued in the Christian Cynosure, 'which is now open for a free expression of opinion from all interested in the subject, pro or con. Contributions from eminent educators and preachers are already provided, and all friends and opponents of these fraternities are requested to send their opinions to the editors of the Cynosure at 221 West Madison St., Chicago.

There is always a peculiar pleasure in reserving for the Century the last word in our comments upon the month's exchanges. The uniform excellence of its articles make it stand to us in the relation of a staunch friend, ever to be relied upon, and we turn to its richly illustrated pages with a feeling of confident anticipation. In the October

number the two papers of travel, "Out-of-the-Ways in High Savoy" and "An Artist's Letters from Japan," with their accompanying bits of foreign scenery, prove very attractive to the reader of leisurely inclination, while the lingering touches of anecdote and description in the final instalment of Joseph Jefferson's autobiography must make all regret that the end has come. The sixth and last paper on "The Women of the French Salons," treating of the salons of the eighteenth century, maintains the unflagging interest which has characterized the series from the beginning. We are glad that Mrs. Mason's success in these papers has led her to promise a supplementary one on Mesdames Roland and DeStael. In addition to these articles the Century contains many others on widely different subjects, calculated to meet the various moods of various readers.

BOOK NOTICES.

"Recollections of General Grant," by George W. Childs, is a tiny little pamphlet published by the Collins Printing House, Philadelphia. As its title suggests, the book is a collection of reminiscences, all simply and naturally told, and all illustrating what Mr. Childs speaks of as the three qualities most conspicuously revealed in General Grant's life-justice, kindness, and firmness.

"Among the Moths and Butterflies," by Julia P. Ballard, is a tastily bound, broad margined book, whose vivacious descriptions of insect life, together with the accompanying illustrations, cannot fail to interest the young people for whose benefit they are intended. The book is published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York.

From the same company we have also received a small volume entitled "Dust and Its Dangers," by T. Mitchell Prudden, M. D. This is written with the practical object of impressing upon people the dangers of dust-laden air, and of informing them how these dangers may be avoided.

From the Prang Educational Company, New York, we have received a little pamphlet on "Instruction in Drawing in Primary and Intermediate Schools in Europe and America." It is a translation of a critical review of the Prang Course in Form Study and Drawing, by Dr. Arnold Dodel, of the University of Zurich, and contains an introduction by Lewis Prang giving a brief account of the development of the course.

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From the Bureau of Education, Washington, we acknowledge the receipt of "The History of Education in Alabama, 1702-1889," by Willis G. Clark, The History of Federal and State Aid to Higher Education in the United States," by Frank W. Blackman, Ph.D., and "English-Eskimo and Eskimo-English Vocabularies," compiled by Ensign Roger Wells, Jr., U. S. N., and interpreter John W. Kelly, and preceded by a most interesting "Memoranda concerning the Arctic Eskimos in Alaska and Siberia," by John W. Kelly. The two firstnamed works are in the series of Contributions to American Educational History," edited by Herbert B. Adams.

We have received from the Department of State, Washington, the "Reports and Recommendations of the International American Conference" "concerning Treaties for the Protection of Patents and Trade-Marks," "concerning Sanitary and Quarantine Regulations in Commerce with the American Republics,"" concerning an Uniform System of Weights and Measures," and "on Customs Regulations;" also the "Message of the President of the United States and Letter of the Secretary of State submitting the Recommendations of the International American Conference."

All readers of "Looking Backward" will be interested in the forth-coming book announced by the Albany Book Company, entitled, "Looking Further Backward," by Arthur Dudley Vinton, the ex-managing Editor of the

North American Review. This story is both an answer to and a continuation of Edward Bellamy's famous novel, and as such it is sure to meet with a wide-reading, even if it does not receive the praise prophesied for it by those who have read it in manuscript.

May the editor be allowed the informality of a postscript? The unfortunate delay of the MISCELLANY causes the Exchange Notes and Book Notices to be o sadly behind the times, that we cannot let them go to press without an apology. Had time permitted, they should have been re-written, up to date-and would that time had permitted, for then we should be spared the humiliation of offering a few paltry remarks on the early-comers, when scores of other magazines and several new books are ready and waiting to be mentioned. But enough of apologies, for this month!

A. V. HAIGHT, KAGLE PRINTING HOUSE, POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y

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