Keeping to the old custom of the paper, the first number of the Monthly for the current academic year begins with a piece from one of the officers of the University, a discussion by Professor Hanus of "The Study of Education and the Professional Training of College Bred Teachers." Then follow, as usual, various articles, both prose and verse, contributed by students.

The best of these is Mr. Bernbaum's, "Three Years or Four?", a plea for the old four-year course. It is an admirable example of argumentative composition which is not only thoughtful, but readable and pleasant.

Of next importance is Mr. Bell's critique on Joseph Conrad, which, if not invariably concise, is yet always interesting. It may not make every one want to know Mr. Conrad's work better--his work is sometimes too disagreeable--but it is likely to make every one at least curious to learn more of the man.

Of lighter material, there is a one-act comedy by Mr. Welldon, and there are three pieces of verse. Mr. Sturgis's "Farthest North," is the most vigorous of these and apparently the most sincere; "The Unresigned," is the most musical; and a "Sonnet," is the most obscure.

One of the most interesting parts of the present number is an editorial which tells what the editors think the Monthly should be. "The only excuse," they say, "for such a paper is, in our eyes, that it encourages thinking on literary matters." It should aim, moreover, to print only articles which are free from affectation and are in good literary form. None of the articles which I have so briefly mentioned fails to reach this standard. They all show appreciation of literary form; they are agreeably free from affectation; and they encourage thinking, if not always on purely literary matters, at least on matters deserving of thought.