The spirit has moved Dr. Samuel Osgood to write a letter on the question to the New York Times, and Dr. Osgood's letter has moved Mr. Sargent, the president of the Club, to answer it in the same paper. The former gentleman defends the present seal, on the ground that

"while the spirit of the institution is unsectarian, and able ministers have gone from its walks into Roman Catholic, Congregational, Episcopalian, Baptist, and Unitarian churches, a positive and practical Christian influence is exerted upon the students; and one of the most learned, wise, and earnest men, the Rev. Dr. A. P. Peabody, is professor of Christian morals, and to all intents and purposes the chaplain of students and their adviser and friend."

In his reply, Mr. Sargent observes, that Harvard was in former times "to many intents a mere theological school," and was founded for the support of the profession of theology. Now that young men are trained for the other liberal professions as well, there is little propriety, he says, in the "Ecclesiae." Dr. Osgood says in his letter that he is "authorized to say that there is no purpose or wish on the part of the College to change its seal"; and Mr. Sargent pertinently remarks: -

"In the absence of any action by the College on this subject, - first brought before the alumni by Dr. O. W. Holmes in his letter to the Harvard Club of this city, at their recent annual dinner - I am not aware that any one can be 'authorized' to say that there is no purpose or wish on the part of the college to change their seal. The most that can be fairly said is that the college has not hitherto been called upon to discuss the subject. That the restoration of the original seal, in its grand simplicity, would be favorably entertained by a considerable portion of the college we have reason to know."

I have often been struck with the College motto, and Dr. Holmes has so nobly expressed my views on the subject, that I venture to call attention to his sonnets and the comments thereon, which, probably, many persons have not seen.

NEMO.