SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading we notice such Books of ON week as haws not been reserved for review in other forma.] Twenty-one Years of Corporate Life at Edinburgh University. By J. C. Macpherson, M.A. (The Darien Press, Edinburgh.) —In 1884, when the Tercentenary Festival of Edinburgh Uni- versity was celebrated, tho students formed a Representative Council. This body received the sanction of the Legislature five years later. This year it "came of age," and celebrated its majority by a dinner, and by commissioning this record of its history. Evidently it takes itself—and is quite right in taking itself—seriously. It represents the students in matters affecting their interests ; it promotes social life and academic unity ; and it is the authorised means of communication—here the legislative sanction comes in—with the ruling body. It has the right to petition the Senatus Acadenticus on "any matter touching the teaching and discipline of the University "; such petition may be dealt with either by the Senate or sent on to the University Court. It is evident that there are largo opportunities for the action of the Representative Council both in its general and its particular functions. Mr. Macpherson, who is a Past President of the Council—the Council has three Presidents, on the model of the three Consuls of France, one being First President— has done excellent service to the body which he represents. His narrative fully explains the past and the present of the Council, and suggests large hopes for the future. It would be an excellent thing if the example so set were extensively followed. "Almost all the British Universities," we aro told, "have done so "; nothing, however, as far as we know, at all resembling the action which Mr. Macpherson records has taken place in England. We heartily wish that it may not be long delayed. There is plenty of energy which now displays itself in irregular ways, but might be made to do useful work. May the movement when it takes a definite form and attains a definite result be as fortunate in its votes sacer as Edinburgh has been !
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