6
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
Lectures on criminal law by John Hutchings, one of the most able criminal lawyers of the West, were introduced into the course the latter part of last session, and will undoubtedly be continued throughout this entire year, thereby adding another essential feature to our already thorough law course. We are glad this Department is becoming so popular. There is a great need of lawyers in the West. The two, three, or four dozen signs hung out in every Kansas town of any size would perhaps suggest to you that the last assertion above is certainly untrue. But if you will notice these signs you will see in connection with the "Attorney at Law" of most of them, these other phrases, "Money to Loan," or "Notary Public," which nearly always means when translated: "A man who fitted himself for a lawyer, lives here, but being unable to make a success at his profession, he now offers himself to the public as a three per cent. man; will also hold himself in readiness to do any work in the inferior courts—the most inferior preferred—and will also hold himself in readiness to throw the weight of his influence upon that side that can count out the most money to him." That is what the majority of such signs mean, and that is one reason why the profession of law is held in such disrepute to-day. It is while reading these signs as translated that I feel justified in making the assertion before mentioned. The country is full of these second-rate lawyers, these professional men of three callings, these "legal lights" who dress in fine clothes, live from hand to mouth, owe every man in town, and who feel as if the good people owed them an office on account of some great good they had done the country. If such men are worthy the name lawyer, of course we have no need for more. But they do not merit such a title, for they have aided in making one of the most noble professions a fit target for the attacks of all lovers of right and justice. More true lawyers we do want. Men who are lawyers, not because the profession is so often a stepping stone to official position, but simply because they delight in aiding justice, and are willing to throw their whole soul into the work. And it is hoped that the Law Department of K. S. U. will ever give to this commonwealth, those who are worthy the title they gain. With the growing advantages here offered for obtaining a legal education, I think no fears need be entertained in regard to the ability of the young "Solons" who will leave our walls to engage in active legal work.
LITERARY.
1882x
Great England put her armor by and stretched Her stately limbs to slumber in the sun. The nations seeing then how long she slept, Communed together, and in whispers said: "Lo! she is old and tired, let us steal The crown f she will not know!" And C Her bloo
Her scabbard she will draw no more!" And so,
Thus gibing, flung with cruel hands the seeds
Of discord and of hate amidst her sons.
But from the East there a blast too loud,
As from the West there came a taunt too much;
And she, awaking, raised her head, and saw
Around her all her faithless friends, and all
Her sisters and her children jeering her,
And crying, "She is old!" and meting out
Her lands amongst themselves, and parcelling
Her honor. Then, swift as lightning flashes
From the blue skies, her glance of scorn fell on them,
And they crouched like wolves that are o'ermastered.
England stretched out her hand, and touched the world,
England arose, and spoke, and calmly said:
"Nay! I am mistress still!"
OUIDA.
A FABLE FOR CRITICS.
In the wilderness of thought which Lowell has given us, and which the fertility of his fancy has scattered with flowers of every hue and every odor, this "Fable" is perhaps one of the most fascinating of all his many productions. It has been truly styled "one of his foolish poems." The allegory of the fable is trite. Its sections are loosely united, the language and rhythm are at hap-hazard. Still there lies buried beneath all this rubbish of words, unmeaning rhymes, and unintelligible allusions to the Greek, many a sober, candid fact.
We glean much from it which cheers us, much which inspires us to live better and more useful lives. Many a shaft which he has hurled at those poets come home to us.
It is true that the poem is very uneven. Before we have read far we are conscious that to get safe into port we must be a provident skipper. It is a charming jen d'esprit, in which the American poets are taken one by one, their virtues praised, their faults condemned, and their follies heartily ridiculed. While sometimes his criticisms seem very unkind, still they show vividly the distinguishing characteristics of each. As for instance, in speaking of Emerson, he says that he talks of life, love and God as though they were dead, and that
"We are filled with delight at his clear demonstration, Each figure, word, gesture, just fits the occasion. With the quiet precision of science he'll sort 'en
But you can't help suspecting the whole a post-mortem."
He says in speaking of Philothea:
"There's many a beam from the fountain of day That to reach us unclouded, must pass on its way. Through the soul of a woman, and her's is wide ope To the influence of Heaven as the blue eyes of Hope."
Of Bryant he says:
"He is as quiet, as cool, and as dignified
As a smooth, silent iceberg that never is ignified. If he stir you at all, it is just, on my soul Like being stirred up with the very North Pole."
Nor is he blind to his own faults;he mentions them candidly. One could not put a surer finger upon Lowell's short-comings than his own in the lines upon himself.
Many of the passages of this poem are strikingly brilliant and original. It is not too much to say that the best parts of it are scarcely surpassed either in wit or felicity of expression, by anything of a similar kind in the English language.