Lampoon Reviewed by W. R. Castle

The admirably drawn cover-design of the forthcoming Lampoon introduces us to the gigantic optimism of the number-an optimism that is fortunately perennial. The more "he thinks it over, the more Lampy thinks we will win." We often find that the prophecies of the humorist are the true ones, so we have the right this time to believe in him. The two long poems in the paper, the Kipling parodies, are well done, as were the verses in the last number on the graduates who do not get seats. The Lampoon is often the most efficient exponent of undergraduate opinion because its meaning is unmistakable and because it recognizes ridicule as the best medicine to cure abuses. In this case the abuse seems to be in the brutality of the game of football, a point which occurs as often and even more pointedly than does the danger of the Boylston Street bridge. Apparently in the mind of the average layman the new rules have not been entirely successful in this respect at least.

Perhaps the adverse criticism of this Lampoon will be that too much of its ample space is taken up with the reforming of the bad points of our dear enemy. Ridicule of our enemies has inevitably a sting which is absent from ridicule of ourselves. But it is all meant in good part, as simple fun, and after all, the puns and the really amusing illustrations that interrupt the sarcasm make it, as was intended, innocuous. The man who buys this number of the Lampoon, gets a great deal for his money, in space and in humor.