Review of the Lampoon

The versatility of the contributors to the Lampoon is the despair of the reviewer. In it one has always to reckon with pictures as well as print, and this time there is music as well. It clearly ought to be reviewed by a committee; no one man can cover the ground. The present writer has been obliged to call in the aid of musical and artistic friends, for whose judgement he is grateful, but not responsible. It is reported that the song may be burlesque, but it is not music; that the pictures may have humor, but have no art. Let us say, then, that the football song is excellent burlesque and that the pictures are very funny to those who can see it. In dealing with the alleged literature one ought to feel on firmer ground. The editorial is as clever as usual, and more profound than most. The satires on the CRIMSON, the Monthly, and the Advocate are up to the fortnightly standard, and the jokes on New-Year resolutions are well-timed. The verses on chorus-girls, the Memorial dialogues, and the allusions to Radcliffe hold sturdily to the traditions of the last twenty years. They show how rapidly the Freshmen fall into line. For, of course, the Lampoon is written by Freshmen-about four, as I count-and edited by a stalwart band of twenty-five, mostly Juniors and, Seniors. It may be rash, but I venture to make a suggestion, that for one number the editors do not confine themselves to composing the editorial and "By the Way," but write the whole number, and then send out canvassers for new subscribers. No one knows what might happen. At present the effect of our college journalism on readers in other institutions is much what might be expected if the first and the second elevens confined themselves to coaching the Freshman team to play Yale. If this suggestion seems to the present board preposterous, perhaps they might be induced to state under the title that the paper is written by Freshman candidates and edited by upper-classmen. Then the public will know what it is buying. It is a pity that our College journals should be chiefly periodical initiations into editorial clubs