reformation in society, every improvement in government, every approach thus far made towards a pure and simple religion, has been in direct antagonism to established authority. Reason and judgment, the resistless innovators on cherished error, are the faculties with which we are endowed for our guidance; not blind faith and unquestioning submission, which would destroy our personality and degrade the dignity of our manhood. Independence of thought may be carried too far. It sometimes is. In such an event only does the conservative appear as an essential element of society. Its advantages are negative, not positive. It is a kind of contingent necessity-a balance wheel to preserve the equipoise of society.

The self-made then, we grant, are often paradoxical, but they are never intolerant. Their opinions being the result of broad and independent examination, the grounds that justify different conclusions are not to them unknown. This knowledge produces not only toleration, but also respect. And even when these views seem to admit of written justification or excuse, having traversed for themselves the bewildering maze of conflicting opinions, the feeling they experience is one of pity rather than of indignation. Not so with the conservative. "Whatever is, is right," is his ruling maxim. He has received his tenets on trust, and ignorant of all grounds for controversy, naturally attributes opposition to caprice,—to a vain pride of intellect or to some other weakness of the mind. Consequently he has not respect nor charity nor even toleration for opposing sentiments. He has ever been the primary cause and chief support of all persecutions, religious and political.

Intolerance, too, implies a narrow and bigoted mind. No class has more liberal views and broader sympathies than the one which we are describing. It is they who have appeared in all the dignity of the reformer, in all the grandeur of the philanthropist. In thought, they recognize no limit but reason; in action, none but the interests of humanity.

The self-taught, we concede, when devoted to scholarly pursuits, are often attached with a kind of favoritism to a particular branch of learning. This characteristic, far from being a defect, we claim is a positive virtue. The acquisition of a general and of necessity an imperfect and superficial knowledge is one of the most false and pernicious ideas of the age. Each science is, in itself, a field broad enough and sufficiently unexplored to afford ample scope for the most vigorous and gigantic intellect. So broad, indeed, that preeminence, any signal success, can be attained only by the concentrated energies of the mind.

Universal geniuses, it is true, have appeared at long intervals, who have seemed to include every subject in the wide range of their understanding: yet it is to men of "one idea" that we are mainly indebted for proficiency in the arts and progress in the sciences. General culture naturally produces an inglorious mediocrity. The division, whether of mutual or physical force, annihilates power, and is fatal to grand results.

That criticism, then, which stigmatizes "the self-made" as "the slave of appearances," and as "one from whom nothing can be expected save low vituperation and bitter impeachment of motive," all must acknowledge to be uncalled for and unjust, when they consider that his name is synonymous with progress and reform, with philanthropy, with wise and comprehensive statesmanship, with sound philosophy, and with scientific success.

C. N. H.

Mneme.

How oft in hours of sadness,
When all seems dark and dread,
And Earth can offer no repose
To soothe the weary head;
When Hope has left her altar,

And through the mournful shade
Hosts of black-pinioned Sorrows

The heart's lone shrine invade;
The gentle voice of Memory

Comes to the weary ear,
To cheer the grieving spirit,

And dry the burning tear;
She tells of past, bright blessings,
Of hours of gladness rare,
When Childhood's unstained spirit
Rejoiced in trusting prayer;
When heaven was so near us,
We seemed to hear the song,
In gushing, holy sweetness,
Swell from the angel-throng;

Before the heartless torrent

Of passion and of sin,

Had quenched the sacred embers
Of vestal fire within;

When all the world seemed radiant,

And thoughts of care and woe
Ne'er chilled the glowing fervor,
Nor made the pulses slow.
And though the Soul is saddened
By musings on those days,
The tear is chased by pleasure,
The heart is filled with praise;
The soul girds on its armour,

To keep the vigil lorn,

Till Earth and Darkness perish,—

Till Heaven and Light are born.

8.

The Class of 1862.

IT has become, of late years, the custom to preserve, in a printed form, the varied statistical matter pertaining to the graduating Class. With a view to continue this custom, and with the hope that this compilation may be agreeable and instructive to others, as it most certainly has been to ourselves, the following article has been prepared. Astonishing as this announcement may appear, yet, once upon a time' the Class of Sixty-two were Freshmen.

On this point tradition is silent, and memory forgetful, but, fortunately, we have sufficient documentary evidence to establish this fact, for the Catalogue for the Academical year 1858-9, contains that wellknown list, from "A. E." to Woodhull, under the heading, "Freshman Class."

By domicils, the arrangement of the Class is the following; prepared for the years of entrance and graduation.

Total number of Freshmen, 134.-Seniors, 96.

Of the number who commenced Freshman year with the Class, fifty-two have withdrawn, leaving eighty-two of the original number to finish Senior year. The entire number ever connected with the Class is 162.

The average age of Sixty-two, on Presentation Day, was twentytwo years and five months. The Class birthday falls, consequently, on the 25th of January, 1840.

12 men were born in the months of August, 11 in June, 10 in April and September, 9 in January and May, 7 in October, November and December, 5 in July, 4 in February and March.

The oldest man is twenty-nine years, eight months and twenty-two days; the youngest eighteen years, six months and twenty-one days. The ages, to half years, are as follows:

The tallest man in the Class is six feet, two inches; the shortest, five feet, four and one-half inches. The heaviest and lightest are one hundred and seventy-five, and one hundred and four pounds, respectively.

Of William, there are twelve repetitions in the Class; there are eleven Henry's-embracing the entire corps of Deacons; Charles is repeated nine times; James, seven; John, five; Thomas, four; Albert, Francis, Frederic, George, Harrison, Richard and Robert, each three; Edward, Franklin, Samuel, Wesley and Woolsey, each two; moreover, there are four H. H.'s and four W. W.'s.

Of nicknames, there is an abundance; of which the following are the more common; Boosey, Captain, Cockey, Cosy, Terov, Chunky, Daisey, (= Lethargic Pop) Great-mind, Infant, Job, Judge, Major,

P. J., Porker, Proggy, (i. e., Prock,)Scalliwag, for short, Scally, Secesh, South-College Pet, Skipper, Trunky, the Unprecedented and the Vigorious.

Of the inner man and his morals, it may not be becoming here to speak, save that Sixty-Two entered with a high reputation for morality, and graduate with that reputation untarnished. Of the external man, the following are some facts. Seven men sport eye-glasses, but only The number boasting a moustache is twelve; a beard and moustache, seven; goatee and moustache, three; beard plain, four; side-whiskers, six; side-whiskers and moustache, two; not classified, five.

four use spectacles habitually.

The Class has always been a Brothers' Class. The Banner gave for the Brothers, in Freshman year, three majority; in Sophomore year, one; in Junior year, eight; in Senior year, thirteen.

The Base Ball Clubs of '62 were flourishing in Sophomore and Junior years; one club is remarkable for being beaten in every contest save one glorious exception; the other, for having elicited a very formidable rival in the "Vis Viva."

The Banner of Junior year gave five members of '62 to the "Yale Temperance Society." Of these, one has left College, two have abandoned the principles of the society, while the remaining two are steadfast in their principles. The Class, as a whole, are temperate.

The periodical fevers for card-playing, coloring meerschaums, indulging in loud suits, "plunging into the vortex of polite society," &c., have not suffered '62 to pass through College unvisited. But amid all these trying seasons, she has acquitted herself most nobly. The Class of '62 have taken two Yale Lit. Medals.

66

The University Quarterly" arose in this Class, found its warmest adherents in this Class, and, we are sorry to add, has died with the Class.

The Boat Clubs of this Class deserve a passing notice. The Nautilus Club, not being very successful in the opening races of the course, has devoted itself to a life of "otium cum dig." It has continued to indulge in pleasure trips, to the very last.

The Thulia Club, we would hold up as worthy of emulation by our successors. It has pulled in nine races, and has never been beaten in this harbor. It won the prize of a silver cup, given by this city, and carried the champion flag for almost two years. Moreover, it has made the best time ever previously known on a race in this harbor, and, altogether, its career has been unparalleled.