The Smith College Monthly

Miss Scott has a review of "The Italian Renaissance in England", Columbia University Press, 1902, in the Journal of English and Germanic Philology, Vol. V, No. 1, September, 1903.

In Fanfulla della Domenica of Rome, Italy, there is an article by Miss Bernardy entitled "Castelli San Marinesi". Miss Bernardy contributed the article on "The Jews in the Republic of San Marino, Italy, from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century", to the Jewish Encyclopedia, published by the Funk and Wagnalls Company, New York.

Mrs. Lee has a story called "Mrs. Whitcomb's Ancestors" in the Criterion for October; a sketch, "Marcus Is Left Alone with the Tree Agent", in Life for October 1; a sketch, “One of Marcus' Theories Rises Up to Meet Him”, in the Outlook for November 28, and a story called "A House of Mercy" in Scribner's Magazine for December.

The B. F. Wood Music Company of Boston has just published a Christmas cantata, "The Saviour's Advent", by Professor Story. This cantata will be repeated at the Edwards church during the Christmas season, and given for the first time by many important choirs in other parts of New England.

Miss Jordan is preparing a review of Loci Critici by George Saintsbury for the Journal of English and Germanic Philology. A. S. Barnes & Company will publish in January a book entitled "Correct Speaking and Writing". by Miss Jordan.

Professor Gardiner is editing a volume of "Selected Sermons of Jonathan Edwards" for Macmillan's Pocket Classics Series. Professor Gardiner will write the volume, "Feelings and Emotions", for Baldwin's Library of Historical Psychology, published by Scribners.

OLIVE RUMSEY.

On Tuesday evening, December 1, La Société Française put on "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme", a comedy in five acts by Molière.

Musiciens et Danseurs, Muphti, Dervis, et Turcs.
La scène est à Paris, dans la maison de M. Jourdain.

The selection of the play was most fortunate inasmuch as the parts were well suited for college girls and presented opportunities for a telling farce. The fact still remains that the audience was unenthusiastic and refrained from applause except in one or two scenes. The production as a whole was unfinished and lacked spontaneity. The loss of the opportunity for a forceful climax in Act II is much to be deprecated. Unfortunately the general grouping was omitted even to the extent of a final tableau. The general acting on the stage was awkward with the exception of Miss Fillebrown and Miss Tyler. Miss Goode made a very effective entrance although the entrances and exits in general were bungled and ungraceful. The only stage setting was too refined and inoffensive to be in keeping with the character of Monsieur Jourdain. This effect was counteracted to some extent by the blaring costumes. On the contrary had the scenery been loud and typical of the "nouveau riche" and the costuming individual the result would have been more satisfactory.

The feature of the evening was an innovation in the form of a ballet. The ease and grace of the dancers was unusual and thoroughly appreciated by the audience. The incident of the Turks was well done and humorous in the extreme.

As for the individual characters Miss Pusey as Monsieur Jourdain gave an intelligent interpretation of the part. Some of her points were exceedingly well made although other situations were not worked up to their greatest possibility. Miss Walther looked and acted the part of Madame Jourdain unusually well until the climax where her acting lacked conviction. One of the prettiest characters on the stage was Miss Mason in the part of Lucile. Miss Fillebrown in the rôle of Dorante, although by far the best actress, did not attain her usual excellence. Particularly to be commended are her grace, spontaneity and fitness of gesture. Miss Goode as the Marquise although ineffectively made up succeeded in making a stupid part interesting. The parts taken by Miss Mann and Miss Stone were very acceptable and gave added zest to the play. The first act was enlivened by the vivacity and agility of the dancing master, a part admirably taken by Miss Cushing.

Greater familiarity with the lines might have given the play more vigor and obviated a tendency toward dragging, but this may be partially explained as due to the use of a foreign language. In the matter of accent Miss Goode and Miss Creevey were excellent, and the accent as a whole was extremely good.

Among the guests who witnessed the play were Mr. James H. Hyde, expresident of the "Alliance Française", and who has done so much to promote the study of French in this country, and Mr. Baldwin, Jr., a trustee of the college. The interest to which their presence attested was greatly appreciated.

In the finals of the fall interclass tennis tournament Katharine De La Vergne 1905, defeated Edith Kingsbury 1904, thereby winning the cup offered for the championship.

On Sunday, November 15, the Rev. Mr. Hudson of Newton, spoke at Vespers.

The Chapin House gave a dance in the Students' Building, Wednesday evening, November 18.

The Dannreuther Quartette concert, held Tuesday evening, November 24, in Assembly Hall, was an unusually fine performance. The sympathetic attention of the audience attested the excellence in the rendering of the program.

HOCKEY.

The interclass games for the hockey championship have been played off with the following results: