In Mr. George Birkbeck Hill's interesting and valuable comments on Harvard life, he greatly regrets the lack here of any Hall or Common Rooms to help bridge the distance between teachers and pupils, and to be in some sort the center of the social life of the University. With such Common Rooms, and the hospitable gatherings in them, he had been familiar at Oxford, and so doubtless felt their want keenly; but though he desired them keenly; but though he desired them earnestly for Harvard, he cannot have desired them half so earnestly as she does herself. Fortunately she has not to wait for them, as Mr. Hill seemed to anticipate, till the rise of "some generous and wealthy benefactor," though she still must wait for several years. The recent financial crises made it necessary to give up all attempt to complete the fund towards the erection and maintenance of the Phillips Brooks House. Now, however, that the effects of that crises are wearing away, we look forward eagerly and hopefully to the time when active efforts in behalf of the noble memorial to Phillips Brooks may be resumed.

Harvard has never had a suitable place in which to offer official hospitality to her guests, and in this she has fallen behind European universities and lost a very delightful privilege. It will be pleasant at last to be able to welcome distinguished guests as they and the University alike deserve. But the greatest value of Phillips Brooks House will be that it gives for the first time to instructors and students a common meeting place where official dignity and the distant deference due to it may both be set aside; where the young man may meet the older as a friend and profit by influences which are not felt in the lecture room; and where the perfect harmony of view may be established which will raise the standards of this University as nothing else can raise them. Many other good services to Harvard Phillips Brooks House will surely do, but none greater than this, and none which is more needed. We are reluctant to see the good postponed even for the few years which we hope will alone be necessary.