THE RETORT COURTEOUS.

"Oh, no, no ! I 'll never marry,"

So Chloe said, sweet and low.

"In this vain world I 'll not tarry,

But into a nunnery go."

"A nunnery ! faith," said Dorus,

Who happened the words to hear,

"You'd much prefer to enter

A monastery, dear !"

MR. WINSOR will be one of the editors of the new history of Boston, and Professors Gray and Shaler will contribute chapters on the floral and geographical history of the city and its neighborhood.

IT is rumored that the new Union Railway cars are to be named after the most renowned college professors. We may have the pleasure of riding into town in the Francis Bowen and the J. M. Peirce.

THE chair of German in Princeton College has become vacant, and has been offered to Dr. Herman Huss of the University of Jena, of the family of the great reformer. Dr. Huss has accepted the position.

FIFTY thousand dollars has been left to the College by Mr. Jonathan Brown Bright of Waltham. Half the sum is to be devoted to maintaining five scholarships, and half to purchasing books for the Library.

THE whole University will be delighted to know that the steam-whistle on the Brighton abattoir, hitherto sounded in connection with the fire-alarm system has been discontinued by order of the Fire Commissioners.

HANLAN is having a shell made for sculling on the ice. It will be run on skates, and the Canadian expects to make a mile in three minutes. There is no reason now why the college crews should not be on the river all winter.

Photographs of the University Crews of '77, '78, and '79 have been hung in the Gymnasium by the Executive Committee, and tablets containing records of the Class Races will be placed there in a day or two. The crews' flags are also to decorate the building.

THE following preachers will address the St. Paul's Society on Monday evenings during Lent, at Christ Church, the services to begin at 7.30: Feb. 16, Rev. Leighton Parks: Feb. 23, Rev. W. W. Newton; Mar. I, Rev. A. C. A. Hall; Mar. 8, Rev. Phillips Brooks; Mar. 15, Rev. Percy Browne.

ACCORDING to the Advocate's metrical method of measurement, one member of the University Crew is thirty-two feet around the chest, fourteen feet around the calf, and twelve feet around the upper arm. Let the Yale men hear and tremble, for the other men are proportioned equally magnificently.

MR. JOHN LANGDON SIBLEY, who for forty years has edited the Triennial Catalogue, is now engaged in preparing the Quinquennial for 1880, and all who are interested in having their names correctly printed, with all their honors, or who can make corrections respecting any of the graduates, or furnish information of deaths, ought to report immediately.

THE third in the series of Philharmonic Concerts was given in Sanders Theatre last evening. Mr. Osgood sang the "Erl King."

IN speaking of Harvard's chair of Chinese, the London Telegraph mentions the great need of a professor of the language in England. It seems that a large number of Englishmen would jump at such a chance of learning Chinese. Professor Ko cannot be spared here at present; but if these Englishmen would enter Harvard, he would no doubt be willing to increase the size of his elective.

THE addition of Dr. Hagen's library to the Museum of Comparative Zoology makes its entomological department by far the most valuable in the country. The card catalogue has 4,279 entries, of which 3,457 represent Dr. Hagen's books, 822 the others, which are almost entirely the gift to the Museum of Professors L. and A. Agassiz. The entire library is judged by Dr. Hagen to contain about 2,000 volumes and 3,000 pamphlets.

A FORMER President of a New England college, after getting a seat in a horse-car, noticed one of the Freshmen of his college curled up in front of him, and exhibiting obvious signs of vinous exhilaration. A close inspection revealed the fact that the state of inebriety was not hastily put on, like a hat, but had been worn closely, like an undershirt, for several days. For a few moments the President surveyed the undergraduate with an expression of mingled commiseration and disgust, and finally he exclaimed, "Been on a drunk !" The half-conscious student rallied his straying senses, and with a gleam of good-fellowship in his eye, somewhat unexpectedly ejaculated, "So-hic-have I !"