THE BOOK SHELF.
{Conducted by ALBERT LEE, '91.]
** American Lands and Letters.”
One of the most interesting, and in
many respects one of the most impor-
tant, of recent contributions to the his-
tory of our American literature is
“American Lands and Letters,” by Mr.
Donald G. Mitchell, Yale ’41. It seems
hardly possible to some of us younger
chaps that this book can have come from
the same pen that gave us the ‘“Rev-
eries of a Bachelor.’”?’ We have come
to look upon that as one of the “good
old classics,’ and it seems almost as
if Ik Marvel of those days, and Mr.
- Mitchell of the present must be two
different beings. Fortunate, indeed, is
the Sage of Edgewood in having seen
two generations, almost three, sitting
by the fireside dreaming with that
Bachelor!
The present volume is not of that
strain. It is reminiscent, but in a dif-
ferent fashion, and along other lines.
Here we are told of those other writers
of our nation’s early days, and we can
only regret that the author, fearing to
write too long a book, has dwelt upon
no man whose birth date belongs in
the present century. This limit has
shut off a distinguished group of au-
thors, born in the first decade of this
century, whose names must come to the
thought of every one intent upon Amer-
ican literary work. But, as Mr. Mitch-
el says in his preface, some people will
say the book.is.too long and others
that it is too short—and, no doubt, at
times, he agrees with both parties.
To us Yale men it is interesting to
read of what names the University has
sent out into literary history, and for
that reason I am induced to quote some-
what freely of one of our tallest fig-
ures in that company:
adds 2OUg sere tee
Yale, in the second term of Freshman
year, a young lad of thirteen, who had
passed so much of his boyhood in a
border settlement among forests—who
had prepared for college with an En-
Slish Churchman at Albany, and who
(though the youngest in his class) took
his prescribed studies easily; so eas-
ily, in fact, and with such wayward-
ness in his -courses—whether athletic: or: >
ethical—that before Junior year was —
ended, he received his dismission at
the hands of President Dwight.
'-“His father being a member of Con-
gress, large landholder, and otherwise
important, came to argue for a stay of
Faculty proceedings—but vainly; and
the lad, then fifteen, took his rustica-
tion by going to sea. Twenty years
after, he was known all over Europe
and America by the stories he had
written about lLeather-Stocking and
Tom Coffin. Fortunately we have an
excellent biographer of Cooper—in Pro-
fessor Lounsbury, who shows a charm-
ing inaptitude for being overawed by
professional critics; and he has made
the book, in a degree beyond most cur-
aout biographies—honest, searching and
air.’’
It will be a consolation to many a
man to read this passage. Cooper got
“shipped,” but he became great nev-
ertheless. All ye who have to leave for
“Faculty reasons” buy pen and ink
and become Coopers. He would not
have ybeen eligible to the University
Club, either, had there been a Univr-
sity Club in those days, and so there
is good company for that small band
lacking sheepskins. :
“American Lands and Letters” is
full of anecdote and besides bearing
the charm of personal reminiscence,
it is written in much the same easy
confidential style that made the fame
of the ‘‘Reveries.’’
++
Yale Club Plan Approved.
The New York Yale Alumni Associa-
tion at its meeting on Friday, May 7,
approved the general plan of the pro-
posed Yale Club as submitted by its
promoters. Noah H. Swayne, 2d, pre-
sented the proposition to the Alumni
Association, and the result was that a
resolution was passed to the effect that
the Alumni Association approved in
general the plan as submitted. A reso-
lution was further adopted authorizing
the executive committee to meet the
promoters of the Yale Club, and if nec-
essary, call a special meeting of the
Alumni Association. Speeches in sup-
port of the proposition were made by
Julian W. Curtiss, ’79, and Charles H.
Sherrill, ’89.
There is a chance that the Club will
start in the not very far distant future
in the old club house of ‘‘The Lambs,”
where they can get a fully equipped
plant and a good comfortable club house
on fair terms.
entered at —
' bating organizations
WAT ALUN OU WHERKLY
Tittany & Co.
Silver-Mounted Glass
A rich stock of t&is sea-
son’s designs, new shapes,
cuttings and mountings, in
Ice Tubs, Water Pitchers,
Ale Mugs, Lemonade Jugs,
Carafes, Liqueur Sets,
Berry Sets, Whisky Sets, |
Loving Cups, Salad Bowls, —
Flower Bowls, Punch Bowls,
Jugs for Claret Cup, etc., etc.
UNION SQUARE.
NEW YORK. |
YALE LOSES IN DEBATE.
(Continued: from first page.)
inet system and the committee system
and. that Yale’s attempted combination
would fail 3°47
The judges required only five minutes
to form their decision and then ren-
dered it unanimously in favor of Prince-
ton. 'The spontaneous applause of the
house showed the approval of the de-
cision, in spite of the disappointment
that was felt universally and very
keenly. ‘A long cheer was given by the
Yale audience for the work of the
Princeton team.
THE BANQUET A LIVELY AFFAIR.
At the close of the debate, a banquet
was tendered the debaters at the New
Haven House. It was a very lively
affair, the best of good will prevailing,
as. evidenced by the.many expressions §..—+«$».
of cordial feeling exchanged betweeti
the representatives of the two Univer-
sities. Long cheers were given by Yale
for Princeton, and in return Yale was
heartily cheered by Princeton.
Covers were laid for fifty, and Col.
Norris G. Osborn, ’80, acted as toast-
master. The list of toasts was as fol-
lows:
Se TOUR. sey Fk. 4 o MGs 46 ee ee
...Professor Covington of Princeton
ONE oes. sd oe open es Professor Hadley
‘Debate as an Aid to Government”’..
Wises sob 6b sss Wises Se 55 0 OL ee
“ptabistics’’..........d40n. C. Di Wiartgies
‘he Debate’’...... Hon. Josiah Quincy
It was agreed by all who responded
to the toasts that Yale was exceptional-
ly poor in form. Professor Hadley, who
has been the prime adviser of all Yale
teams since intercollegiate teams were
organized, especially commented on this
fact. Afterwards, in explaining more
clearly the meaning of his remarks,
he said: ‘Relative to the debate, it
seemed to me that the substance of the
Yale men’s arguments was equally as
good as that of Princeton’s, but we
were far below them in our form and
style.”’
Hon. ©. D. Wright marked out the
debate on the system of a civil service
examination, by which it was shown
that Yale came out two points below
Princeton.
The complete list of guests included
besides the judges, the debaters, and
the speakers above mentioned, Profes-
sors Wheeler, Adams, Smith, Fisher
and Drs. Robinson and Raynolds of the
Faculty, Dean Wayland, Mr. Black, Mr.
Clark of the New York Evening Post,
Dr. Matthewson, the officers of the Yale
Union, the Presidents of the various de~-
in College, the
members of former debating teams and
members of the University who have
evinced a special interest in debating.
——___4 > —___——-
In the College Pulpit.
The list of preachers in the College
Chapel for the remainder of the College
term is as follows:
May 16—Rev. A. J. F. Behrends, D.D.,
of Brooklyn, N. Y. :
May 23—Rev. W. R. Richards, D.D.,
of Plainfield, N. J. |
May 80—Rev. A. J. Lyman, D. D.,
Brooklyn.
June 6—Rev. J. W. Cooper, D. D.,
New Britain.
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