The first number of the Advocate appeared Thursday. It comes in the same tasty garb as last year, and in external appearance is certainly the most attractive of all our publications.

The contents of the number are on the whole good. The opening editorial is written in a strong vigorous spirit, and summarizes in a very successful way the causes of our lack of success in athletics in recent years. It is only too true that one of the fatal weaknesses of the college in an athletic way is our proneness to one-man dependence, or as the Advocate terms it, "the star system." A result of this is that we are easily discouraged; let anything happen to our star and we become despondent and down on our luck, lose half our energy for work, and are of course beaten. What we want is "a little more pluck and persistency," and a great deal more work.

In those of us who are beginning to realize that the promised improvements which were to result from the new janitor system are a delusion and a snare, the second editorial strikes a responsive chord. The better service which we have all summer been persuading ourselves we were to have this year has not yet materialized. And a great many of us miss the old janitors; they understood our ways better than these new comers, and we resent a change which has not conduced in the least to our comfort or convenience.

The plea for the maintainance of Bloody Monday Night as a college custom is hardly so successful as the preceding editorials. The half way defence of "punches" is out of place in the editorial columns of the Advocate. That the rushes do no harm, indeed that they are rather good fun, is admitted but it is not probable that even this part of Bloody Monday Night will long exist in a place where all the tendencies of thought and action are as maturing as they are here at Harvard. It is rather a difficult matter to incite much class enthusiasm among fellovs who are made to feel more and more the longer they stay here that the division into classes is merely an arbitrary one, and means practically nothing.

The only story of the number, "Mademoiselle White Mouse" is only fairly good. It has some bright and natural touches, and is interestingly told as a whole, but the end is weak.

In a communication the thesis nuisance comes up for a little more much needed criticism; criticism which is useless, however, so far as any effect upon the authorities is concerned.

Under "Topics of the Day" an effort is made to justify tutoring. It is hardly successful. The whole tone of the article rather inclines the reader to the opinion that the writer has not the matter very clearly delined in his own mind, and does not more than half believe much that he says.

The very interesting account of "The Inauguration of the New Sorborne," is one of the best things in this number of the Advocate. The account of the many courtesies extended to the unofficial representatives of Harvard by the French students is especially gratifying.

The verse of the number is very good that of Mr. Corbin particularly. The usual book reviews are omitted, and the number is closed by the regular Advocate Bri f.