FINDS XMAS NUMBER OF LAMPY HOPEFUL

This review of the Christmas Lampoon was written for the Crimson by George Parker Winship '93, Librarian of the Harry Elkins Widener Collection in the Library.

The Lampoon extends its Christmas greetings within a cover on which Saunders has successfully emphasized the festive season without a hint of mistletoe or the bearded ancient, and barely a touch of green and red, distinctly an achievement. There are signs of an earnest effort to give the rest of the issue both text and pictures, the same seasonal flavor, but with an indifferent result which suggests that there may be some foundation for the persistent reports that nobody is getting into the proper mood this December.

Child's Cartoon Will Be Copied

A full-page cartoon by Child is likely to be widely copied, not because it is as good a piece of drawing as the Lampoon has shown in many months, but because it is one of the neatest gibes at the prevailing craze that has yet appeared. Facing this is its nearest rival in this issue, whose own chief excellence is that it offers infinite possibilities, in style of treatment and in the heading. "Nursery Rhymes Retold", for a series of pictures hitting off an indefinite number of people and things within sight of Harvard Square.

Drawings Are Good, on the Whole

On the whole, the issue is decidedly hopeful. There are not more than two or three drawings whose only claim to funniness is the use of the Mutt-and-Jeff noses, and there are an unusually large number of contributions, mostly relegated to the latter half, which reveal acquaintance with what is going on at Harvard.

Not a Vulgar Line in Verse

More than hopeful is the verse. Neatly turned thought, a delicate appreciation of the meaning and use of words, a feeling for rhyme and for lyrical quality, frank delight in the fun of putting an idea onto paper, and not a vulgar line--all these make one wonder whether these verses can have come from the same group of youths who originated the prose. A momentary irritation at "Poppa", which is not an observant imitation of a child's pronunciation, gives way to an enormous sense of gratification upon finding a college author who can mention thirst without an alcoholic hint.