As the speaking for the Boylston Prizes is to take place in a little less than three weeks, those who intend to take part are beginning to be interested as to the method in which the two trials are to be conducted. We fully realize the difficulties in the way of a satisfactory arrangement, but it seems to us that something better could be devised for a preliminary trial than merely having the Boylston Professor select twenty of the speakers to take part in the final contest. When we consider the fondness of judges for making an award which shall astonish everybody, we cannot help feeling that it is impossible for one single man to pick out twenty men, and say that they, and none but they, stand a chance for the five prizes that are offered. It seems to us that the only really fair way is to have the same judges for the two trials. If this is too much for us to ask, we can at least be allowed more than one judge. It would be advisable, too, that at least some of these judges should be outsiders, who have no previous impressions of the speakers to rid themselves of. We were told a short time ago that the Professor of Oratory had decided not to be one of the judges at the final contest: we cannot see why the same reasons should not also prevent him from judging at the preliminary contest, much more from being the sole judge.