nature should bear; and the work of preparing the pictures for distribution is being pushed on with all possible speed.

A slight improvement has been made on the trunkless heads composing the general class collection, by photographing groups. This has been done whenever any college society has expressed a desire, and several societies have been taken whose names do not appear on the list. Those who were members of the Institute have not expressed a wish to have so large a group taken, although one who was not connected with the society has thought it desirable. One or two pictures on the photograph list need some explanation. All who saw the very beautiful picture Mr. Warren took last year of the only graceful group of trees on the College grounds will be glad to see on the list this year the clump of trees behind Appleton Chapel. The group near the Agassiz Museum is hardly inferior. Our Professor of Gymnastics has been photographed with his clubs and other professional surroundings, and for this reason has been placed on the list with the views and groups. Mr. Phillips may perhaps complain that both the Athletic Professor and the Scientific assistant have not been placed at the head of the list. But we assure all who are inclined to grumble, that the list is not constructed on the principle of the College Catalogue. Indeed, the printer arranged them pretty much as he pleased. We trust that the Professor will be sensible of the compliment which increases his value as a picture, seven cents. If another list should be printed, perhaps it would be arranged in accordance with the advice of those who see fit to interfere; in such a case such persons would be placed at the head of the list of views, a place they doubtless covet.

ANOTHER EXHIBITION DAY has come and passed. The morning showed a clear sky, and the ancient chapel was more crowded than usual. During the forenoon slight showers of rain without answered to the slighter showers of applause within; but both had ceased at two o'clock, and the traditional crowd at the bottom of the steps enjoyed without interruption their impertinent stare. The Pierian Sodality added to its previous reputation. A new voice (the third since we entered) pronounced the mysterious "exspectatur"; and this reminds us that we may hear yet a fourth at Commencement.

An improvement has been made. The hitherto inevitable star, explained at the bottom of the page by the words "Not spoken,” has this year disappeared from the programme in the College Record. By a new rule, no one is excused from speaking, except on condition that his name shall be omitted from the order of performances. No one gets the cheap honor of a place on the programme, without going through the labor of preparing his part, and becoming an actual exhibitor on the stage. The exercises seem more complete, and the audience are allowed to know with certainty what is coming next. Those unfledged exhibitors whose "programmic" reputation is thus nipped in the bud may console themselves with the assurance that they will not be waited on in the next week, by a polite Pierian with a mild request for two dollars. Perhaps some wealthy and compassionate gentleman who has "been through the mill," may yet give to the College one or two thousand dollars for the purpose of periodically replenishing the Pierian fountain, and providing three or four gowns for use on public days. The ministers of Cambridge and vicinity, or their societies, would undoubtedly

consider it economical to subscribe moderately towards this latter object. Some enterprising Poco might keep a few gowns to let, and, if successful in this venture, he could add to his stock a few dress coats for Class-Day.

The influence of the times is manifest in the list of subjects, especially in those cases where the choice was left to the student. Several of the versions are from recent works called forth by the rebellion. Washington's Farewell Address in Greek sounded like a new work. Even McClellan was made classical. The General would hardly have recognized his address in its new form.

THE GRAND COMBINATION✶ that has appeared at the Boston Theatre must not take it amiss if it suffer, at the hands of the public, criticism which it might have escaped under a less pretentious title. For although the people of Boston have been good natured enough to put up with much poor acting of late, there are still those among them who remember their stage in its palmier days, and to whom "Grand Combination" means more than it is apparently intended to signify in the present instance.

We witnessed the performance of " Wild Oats "last Friday night, and found in it something to praise, but far too much to condemn. Of Mr. Gilbert, who acted the part of Sir Harry Thunder, we could say, as usual, "excellent." Of Mr. Owens, who played Sim, that he made almost too much of a very insignificant part, and of Mr. Davenport, that he represented Ephraim Smooth with that completeness and finish for which, as an actor, he is justly celebrated. When we have said this, we have said (unless we except the part of John Dory, which was certainly well done) all that can be said in praise.

In the way of finding fault the play was, in the first place, badly put upon the stage. No attention was paid to the little niceties and elegances of decoration which are so important to the representation of "High Comedy." The furniture was of the shabbiest description. A table and two chairs, or a sofa and two chairs, were deemed enough to furnish the most palatial drawing-rooms. Then the dresses of the inferior parts had apparently received little attention. John Dory's whiskers, instead of adhering to his cheek, seemed, like the rings of Saturn, to be kept aloof from it by a nice combination of forces. One or two men who were introduced as ruffians seemed to have tossed on their beards as they had their caps, and with as little attention to the inclination they happened to assume or care as to what portion of their countenances they chanced to light upon. Again, the resources of the "Grand Combination were so scanty, that one man was forced to assume the characters of both landlord and bailiff, and shifted so rapidly between the two parts, that we were in momentary expectation of seeing him in one character arrest himself in the other, while upon another poor man devolved the double duty of performing and prompting. As regards the acting, the female parts were almost beneath criticism. Mrs. Gladstone, who acted the young quakeress, seemed to think herself successful in proportion as she rolled her eyes and assumed an artificial tone of voice. Miss Taylor was content to be noisy and Miss Wells entirely satisfied to do nothing at all. Mr. Wheatley who assumed the part of the

*This article should have appeared in the April number, but was unfortunately omitted.

"Rover," without being a disagreeable, is far from being an agreeable actor. In all the exaggerated acting which his part at times demanded, he was extremely successful, but he failed where fine sentiment and pathos were necessary to a nice appreciation of the "Rover's" character. His playing savors too much of the stage, and seems to be the result, not of a study of human nature and manners, but of the nature and manners of some other actor or actors, whose faults at least he has succeeded in making his own. Without separately discussing the performers, or picking the performance itself to pieces more than we have done already, we would say that the "Grand Combination" seemed to us undeserving of its name, unless the "Stock Company" now at the Boston Museum be worthy of a much prouder title.

H. N. H. SOCIETY. — On the 5th of May the Harvard Natural History Society held their 25th anniversary in Lyceum Hall. For several years past the custom of celebrating the anniversaries by a public lecture has been suspended, and this year renews the neglected custom. The evening was stormy, but Professor Agassiz was to deliver the lecture, and the hall was well filled. The President of the Society introduced Professor Agassiz, who announced as his subject, "The Origin of Species." To every naturalist the subject has peculiar interest, and to an audience not exclusively composed of Darwinists, the lecturer offered a vast fund of entertainment and knowledge.

The audience were invited to visit the Society Rooms immediately after the lecture, and for an hour the rooms were crowded with ladies, gazing with horror at the pale framework of humanity who hung silently grinning a welcome, or, patiently listening to the outrageous names or learned descriptions brothers of the society were uttering with the utmost freedom.

"What is this bird?" asked a damsel of one of the learned ones. "O, that is the Dolichonyx oryzivorus; and this by its side is the Scolecophagus ferrugineus." In other departments no less learning was displayed; the Entomologist of the Society exhibited magnificent butterflies and resplendent beetles, but whenever he saw a question as to the names of any of his pets arising on the lips of a lady he immediately decamped. Of all the collections, the eggs attracted the most attention; we saw many a bright eye glancing timidly at the mysterious names appended to the neat little nests; but we saw one other thing which we suppose caused the death of a society which formerly held its meetings in the adjoining room. An enormous goblet of several gallons' capacity, which purported to have belonged to Neptune, but was not now used to hold water, for directly opposite in an obscure corner stood an enormous barrel labelled alcohol! We overheard a sly dog declaring the evident connection between the two.

In the Botanical department we saw some of the "Husks that the swine did eat," and could not help wishing that on Brighton Market day such husks might be plenty here. There was also a fine collection of polished woods, many from Brazil.

We saw several fishes prepared during the Revolution, in an excellent state of preservation. The other departments looked finely, and we hope that the rooms may be opened oftener to the students. We congratulate the Society on their prosperity, and hope succeeding Classes will emulate the present members in their zeal for Natural History.

THE book before us contains an alphabetical list of the principal duels fought in England and this country. The author deserves credit for the masterly treatment of his subject, and for his diligence in collecting the interesting notices of those

"Who have been confronted hardily

In single opposition, hand to hand."

The judicial duel, or wager by battle, is of great antiquity. According to Blackstone, it was first recognized at the beginning of the sixth century, by Guldebald, King of the Burgundians. This sovereign promulgated the law, on the presumption that a brave man does not deserve to suffer, and that a coward does not deserve to live. The recognition spread rapidly among the half-civilized, warlike Franks, until the reign of Charlemagne, when it had become so universal, that not only the parties at variance, but even the witnesses and judges, were summoned to do battle in support of their testimony or decision. The trial by ordeal was known at a much earlier period among the Celtic tribes of Europe, whose spirit of freedom had not yet been subdued by Roman arms. The trial by ordeal soon returned to the custom of private duels, from which it had originated. In both these was a direct appeal to God that he would defend the right. If

* Notes on Duels and Duelling. By LORENZO SABINE. Boston. 'VOL. VIII. NO. 75.

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the accused was victorious, he was pronounced innocent; if defeated, he suffered the penalty prescribed for the offence with which he was charged. Ecclesiastics and women were exempted from the necessity of accepting a challenge in their own persons, but were at liberty to employ champions. We find, however, an exception to this rule among the Teutonic nations, where it was not customary to allow champions to the weaker sex. A woman could be challenged to battle in her own proper person, — but a strange device was resorted to by which the combatants were brought to an approximate degree of equality. The man was planted in a pit dug in the ground so deep that he sunk into it up to his girdle; thus a great advantage was given to his fair opponent, who could wheel round and round, striking him on the head with a thong, to which was attached a heavy stone.

It is contended by some that duels were unknown in the days of Greece and Rome. But unfortunately they can be traced back to the remotest period of antiquity. The combat between the Horatii and Curiatii was a duel; the mortal strife between Jonathan and Pudens, mentioned by Josephus, the meeting of David and Goliath, recorded in the Sacred Writings, were both duels. It is true, however, that duelling, as relating merely to points of honor, was not recognized as such before the reign of Guldebald. Prior to that time the judicial combat was resorted to only for the defence of property or innocence, never for giving the lie. But its great antiquity is no palliation for its prevalence to-day. It is truly humiliating that the enlightened gentleman of the nineteenth century should join with the semi-barbarous Burgundian of the sixth in giving it his support and recognizing it as a desirable institution. This is not without explanation. The changes in the customs of nations are external, not radical; the customs and institutions of the earlier ages have not been superseded; they have only been modified. The descendants of the Goths have long been separated and divided in creed, language, government, and pursuits, but strong resemblances can be traced back to the parent stock. Generations after generations, with their attendant revolutions, pass away before old abuses and prejudices are entirely eradicated; time but softens and modifies their features. The modern duel is the judicial combat and wager of battle, christened with a new name; a system that retains all the iniquity of the old, with none of its redeeming qualities. The judicial combat was sanctioned by the feudal system, at once a com