THE AGITATOR.

BEFORE, Harvard indifference was the target at which he shot his blunt arrows; now it is the non-attendance of students at the lectures of the Rev. Joseph Cook. If it were only Mr. Cook and his lectures to which he wished to call our attention, he might be excused; but our agitator cannot do this without impeaching Harvard College of snubbing a genius, Cambridge of "Miss Nancyism," the Nation of making mistakes (!), and himself of ignorance.

The neglect of students to attend the Monday lectures can be explained without reference either to the "effete religion" of the Divinity School or to the Nation. The lectures are not attended by students, because they come at an hour when few can leave Cambridge without neglecting their studies. The writer seems himself to have recognized this reason, as he saw his "genius" on New Year's Day, - a college, though not a public, holiday. The presence of our professors at these lectures has several times been noticed by the public prints: does this look like snubbing Mr. Cook?

From the reports of these lectures one may easily see that the lecturer is very clever and very earnest, - qualities which should secure a crowded audience, - but we should hardly expect a reader of Richter and Schopenhauer to dub a man "a genius" on one hearing.

The most offensive part of his article is his denunciation of what he calls "Harvard contempt," "Cambridge Miss-Nancyism." None of his examples prove anything to his purpose. Of the worthlessness of student opinion as to the character and abilities of a fellow-student we are all aware. Harvard College has placed on its governing board two of the gentlemen mentioned, and has bestowed upon them other marks of honor. Of the influence Mr. Emerson and Mr. Adams have on the thought and opinion of Harvard students it is unnecessary to speak. The charge that Mr. Sumner was impolitely treated at a dinner in Cambridge was sufficiently disproved a year ago in the Advertiser. Phillips Brooks has more Harvard students in his congregation than any other preacher in Boston or Cambridge. It may fairly be doubted whether, in regard to Mr. Phillips, Harvard opinion differs from that of the rest of the world.

It may be remarked that the quotation, "A prophet," etc., is from the New Testament, - quite a different thing from the "Hebrew Scripture."

The extreme sourness - not to say impertinence - with which this agrarian inveighs against Harvard contempt and Cambridge conservatism makes one almost irresistibly infer that he has been - to say nothing of his deserts - a sufferer from both the one and the other.

U. U.