Review of Magazine of American History.

Few, indeed, are the periodicals published which contain as much of an interesting nature to the students of the college as the December number of the Magazine of American History. The first article, "Our Country Fifty Years Ago," is a summary of Lafayette's visit to this country in 1824 and cannot fail to awaken in the minds of every one who reads it the appreciation of the vast strides in culture and wealth which has been made in the United States during the past half-century. The present generation are apt to forget the condition of their country so many years ago, and neglect to realize the mighty advancement of every branch of industry. The contrast is well set off by Mrs. Lamb in her chapter on the incidents in connection with Lafayette's visit. "Stephen A. Douglass and the Free Soilers" is the title of a brief but very enjoyable sketch of the political squabbles during the years 1850-61. Mr. Chas. H. Peck, in his admirable exposition of Aaron Burr's political career, has very ably supported the political role played by Burr in opposition to his rival Hamilton until he comes to the darkest page of Burr's life-the attempt to dismember the Union. It may be well, however, for those who are prone to criticize Burr too severely without ever having heard his side of the story set forth in the best possible shape to read "A Study of Aaron Burr." A strong plea, written in an ironical vein, is urged for the limitation of vast individual fortunes by Mr. W. W. Dickinson in the "Apothosis of the Plutocrat." It consists in part of an attack upon Professor Sumner's of Yale new book "what Social Classes owe to each Other," a very terse sketch of the position of the millionaires of to-day towards their more unfortunate fellows, the laborers. A very entertaining account of the unsettled state of Texas and California during the winter of 1846-47 is given in a story entitled "A Winter's Work for a Captain of Dragoons." One of the finest accounts of life at Harvard appears in this number under the head of "Notes from Harvard, its Physical basis and its Intellectual Life." Some important facts with relation to the college of which most of the students here are ignorant, strike the reader forcibly, and more honest, unprejudiced criticism is crammed in a few pages than has appeared in print for many a day. The last few pages of the number are devoted to a study of the origin of "The Treadmill in America" and minor topics, original documents, notes etc.