matters artistic, economic, social or political, or of topics of especial present interest, like the War, or the situation in China, while a volume of fine sermons, such as those of Bishop Brooks, or of Henry Drummond may be substituted for the poetry or the literary essays.

The second class of library is intended for young people and children exclusively. Especial care is taken to have every book in these collections excellent of its kind. Not only matter and literary style, but illustrations, typography, paper-all are considered in making the selection. Finally, there are libraries upon special subjects. Not to multiply examples, there is one library on Canadian history and literature, one on the art, politics and letters of the reign of Queen Victoria, one on the writings of Tennyson, and of Scott, and so on. Many a graduate who has hitherto found himself practically shut off from good literature, owing to the cost and difficulty of obtaining it, will henceforth have occasion to think with gratitude of the founders of these travelling libraries.

It is usually easy, even in very small places, to find a dozen or fifteen people who agree at least in the wish for something to read; so that the fee for a library can be sub-divided until it becomes almost inappreciable to the contributors, while the care and circulation of the books demand but little sacrifice. Accordingly graduates now have an opportunity to obtain books not merely for their own use, but at the same time, for a reading-club or a school with which they may be connected, or for the community in the midst of which they live. Simultaneously, they can aid in bringing the University into closer touch with many of her sons and daughters who long since bade her adieu.

The growth of the library in material resources, coupled with the broadening of its field of usefulness, has made necessary and secured for it an immense improvement, which, strangely enough, coincided almost to a day with the proffered gift ten years ago of the beautiful building in which it is now housed. On the 12th of November, 1891, Mr. Peter Redpath, at the time Senior Governor of the University, wrote to the Chancellor, enclosing plans of the projected library, and proposing to commence building operations early in the following spring. On the last day of October, 1893, the then GovernorGeneral declared the new library open. By the close of 1899 it became evident that additional space both for books and administration was

needed; and in January, 1900, came from Mrs. Peter Redpath the offer of the magnificent addition to the building, which was finished, as has been said, almost ten years to a day after Mr. Redpath's proposal to erect the original building had been made. This addition has taken the form of an extension of the stack, inasmuch as the reading-rooms are still amply sufficient for their purpose. It consists of a lofty new building covering an area of about 2,300 square feet, and will accommodate 150,000 or 160,000 volumes, besides maps (both in sheets and rolled) and newspapers.

It also supplies two large seminary rooms and a very fine room, capable of holding 20,000 volumes, for the law library. In addition to all this the cataloguing room has been improved and enlarged by the erection of a gallery, and other parts of the original building have been altered in minor ways so as to better fit them for their purpose. The new stack itself is of the very latest and most approved type. The building, like that which it adjoins, is as nearly as possible fireproof, almost entirely devoid of wood, the shelves alone excepted. It has five storeys, four of which are on the same level with and form a continuation of those in the old four-storey stack, which, however, possesses no floor to correspond with the new fifth floor. The flooring is made of glass in order to offer the least possible obstruction to light, and yet to prevent dust from sifting through upon the books below. But down the centre of each passage runs an iron grating, six inches wide, to promote free circulation of air throughout the building. The walls and fireproof ceiling are of white enamel, so that they may be washed at any time; and the electric lights are adjustable. The shelving, too, which consists of steel framework with polished oak shelves, is readily adjustable. Each floor contains ten double rows of double presses, fifteen feet long, and affords almost exactly a mile of shelving. The fifth or lowest storey, being slightly different from the others, is of somewhat less capacity; but it may be said without exaggeration that if the shelves in the new stack were laid end to end in a single line they would form an oak walk nearly five miles in length. No less attention has been expended upon the comfort of readers than on the housing of books. The lighting is excellent, the ventilation good, and upon each storey bays so ample as to constitute in reality small reading rooms furnish every facility to those who may wish to consult books upon the shelves or to use them in large numbers.

Taken together the old and new stack form a single building, hardly to be surpassed in beauty and utility, with a working capacity of a quarter of a million volumes.

Let us hope that history will repeat itself in the case of the library, and that with such splendid provision for growth, the increase of the next ten years may again be twice or thrice that of the past, so that the shelves may soon be filled to overflowing with works needful alike to professors, to students, to all, in fact, who have any relations with the University-works, in the absence of which, original research or advanced study must be carried on, if at all, at a great disadvantage.

C. H. GOULD.

The Model Undergraduate is he who pays his fees,
His caution money and his fines, thus learning by degrees
How necessary in a world that is not all romance,

Are peaceful ways or, failing these, resources of finance.

He understands the Calendar, wherein are secrets hid

Concerning the curriculum and what the College did

Some years ago. This work abstruse he reads with deep intent of finding things which clearly mean much more than what was meant.

He must be studious, of course, and carefully avoid

All boarding houses where he might by riot be annoyed;

To construe Homer, when next door Homeric laughter rings,
Is almost as impossible as when one's neighbour sings.

He may attend the theatre perhaps twice in each term
Including Sports' Night; but he should be resolutely firm,
Nor e'er exceed this golden mean, for footlights interfere
With thinking hard, and have been known to cost a man his year.

As for athletics, much depends upon the size of waist,
And something, too, may be allowed for individual taste;
Football is indispensable. The Model need not play,

But he must go to all the games, at least, and shout and pay.

And then there is Society. If one is too sedate,
He's soon set down by those who know as being second-rate.
Our undergrad. need not expect to go to all the balls,
But he should be punctilious and pay his party calls.

Much more about his life and times might easily be said,

But 'tis extremely doubtful whether much more would be read.
The Model Undergraduate is that illustrious He

Who does not make himself disliked, and gets a pass degree.

C. W. COLBY.

UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETIES.

THE UNDERGRADUATES' LITERARY SOCIETY.

Officers.-President, Mr. C. Adams; Vice-President, Mr. M. Jack; 2nd Vice-President, Mr. Charles Ogden; Secretary, Mr. W. S. Johnson; Treasurer, Mr. O. B. McCallum; Committee, Messrs. Macnaughton, Murphy, Healy, Wainwright, and Archibald.

The "Undergraduates' Literary" is one of the most ancient of McGill Societies, and must originally have been a model organization, if one can believe the statements of succeeding generations of Seniors, who invariably find that the Society has distinctly degenerated since they were freshmen. Whether this is so or not it has certainly undergone a more or less complete transformation since the day it received its name. It is to-day a debating rather than a literary society. It aims at promoting facility of speech among its members and hopes through the medium of practice and criticism to enable them to express themselves in public. The "Literary" is the only Pan-university society which McGill possesses, and it is a matter of regret among its members that a larger number of men from all the faculties do not avail themselves of the privileges which it offers. For the past ten years the society has held annual debates with 'Varsity of Toronto, and this year Queen's of Kingston, has joined the union. In view of this fact it is to be hoped that the students will exert themselves to uphold the honour of McGill in this little advertised but very important phase of college life.

Oct. 4, 1901.-The Undergraduates' Literary Society held its first meeting for the present session in the Old Chemistry Room. Presi