a point in their favor to announce their re
strictions upon social enjoyment.
To some such a course may seem perfectly
proper. You can take a course in Science,
Art, Literature, or Engineering, may complete
your course with honor, possibly attain dis
tinction in after-life, and yet never know that
social affairs have any claim whatever upon
you. But then, how purely mechanical is such
a life. It occupies a place in the estimation of
mankind much the same as the locomotive, the
printing press, the cotton gin, or any other
valuable invention.
Such a life must be entirely devoid of any
of the higher and better feelings, holding
nothing in common with humanity, demand
ing only the glittering bauble called Fawc,
which must be to such a one as gold is to the
What the flowers are to nature such is so
cial life to our existence. We break from
drudgery and find rest and enjoyment in our
social intercourse. If, perhaps, life is not so
bright, or if misfortune has overtaken us, it is
to our social relations we turn for "the silver
lining of the cloud." It is, we might say, the
very essence of all true religious faith.
And yet, can we say that a college is fulfil
ing its object that unnecessarily restricts social
life, that does not indeed make it a part of its
curriculum?
Secret societies have so far been the best
result of social suppression in most of our col
leges, but we go on down the scale to ban
queting clubs, hazing clubs, and the coteries
who have come to find social pleasure only in
the forbidden paths of vice.
Until a college recognizes that man has a
social nature, and that he is not a machine
put upon the market on the same principle as
the goods of some large manufactory, we must
doubt whether it is doing its best.
The students at Columbia College are now
obliged to wear caps and gowns.
THE FREE LANCE.
WHAT is beauty ? Let the philosophers
answer and disi:utc, Everybody knows
what is beautiful,
For my present purpose I will classify beauty
as of two kinds, moral beauty and physical
beauty, and I think the division is a just one,
and of general utility.
Moral beauty includes all that we recognize
as beautiful in the characters, or deeds, or words,
of intelligent beings, and this we dismiss from
present consideration.
By physical beauty I mean all that we rec
ognize as beautiful in the material world. This
only will be further considered.
All physical beauty is associated with sound,
color, or form. These three, sound, color, form,
if they arc not the very basis of its being the
substance of which its texture is wrought, are at
least its vehicle to us. The beautiful in sound
gives us music, making the airs of earth vibrant
with harmonies to which the hierarchies of
heaven might listen in intervals of the mighty
anthems that fill eternity. The beautiful in
color gives us painting, covers the earth with
delight to the eye, and fills the overarching
skies with glories that might veil to the weak
ness of mortal vision the ineffable splendors of
that eternal city which bath no night because
of the presence of the throne of Him who cre
ated light. The beautiful in form gives us
sculpture and architecture; nor without just
ness of form can painting please, however har
monious the coloring. Geometric beauty of
figure gives to the Greek vase its priceless
value; the harmony of geometric proportions
charms in the Apollo, and the Parthenon is a
marble dream of geometric glory. In capitol
and cathedral, in the palaces of princes and the
myriad dwellings of the people, sculpture and
architecture, employing the exhaustless har
monies of form, please and instruct, and make
GEOMETRIC BEAUTY