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of boisterous humour； which still clings to any collection of young men； jars painfully on their morbid sensibilities； and they beat a hasty retreat to resume their perfunctory march along Princes Street。 Flirtation is to them a great social duty； a painful obligation； which they perform on every occasion in the same chill official manner； and with the same commonplace advances； the same dogged observance of traditional behaviour。 The shape of their raiment is a burden almost greater than they can bear； and they halt in their walk to preserve the due adjustment of their trouser…knees； till one would fancy he had mixed in a procession of Jacobs。 We speak； of course； for ourselves； but we would as soon associate with a herd of sprightly apes as with these gloomy modern beaux。 Alas； that our Mirabels； our Valentines； even our Brummels； should have left their mantles upon nothing more amusing！
Nor are the fast men less constrained。 Solemnity； even in dissipation； is the order of the day； and they go to the devil with a perverse seriousness； a systematic rationalism of wickedness that would have surprised the simpler sinners of old。 Some of these men whom we see gravely conversing on the steps have but a slender acquaintance with each other。 Their intercourse consists principally of mutual bulletins of depravity； and； week after week； as they meet they reckon up their items of transgression； and give an abstract of their downward progress for approval and encouragement。 These folk form a freemasonry of their own。 An oath is the shibboleth of their sinister fellowship。 Once they hear a man swear； it is wonderful how their tongues loosen and their bashful spirits take enlargement； under the consciousness of brotherhood。 There is no folly； no pardoning warmth of temper about them； they are as steady…going and systematic in their own way as the studious in theirs。
Not that we are without merry men。 No。 We shall not be ungrateful to those； whose grimaces； whose ironical laughter； whose active feet in the 'College Anthem' have beguiled so many weary hours and added a pleasant variety to the strain of close attention。 But even these are too evidently professional in their antics。 They go about cogitating puns and inventing tricks。 It is their vocation； Hal。 They are the gratuitous jesters of the class…room； and； like the clown when he leaves the stage； their merriment too often sinks as the bell rings the hour of liberty； and they pass forth by the Post…Office； grave and sedate； and meditating fresh gambols for the morrow。
This is the impression left on the mind of any observing student by too many of his fellows。 They seem all frigid old men； and one pauses to think how such an unnatural state of matters is produced。 We feel inclined to blame for it the unfortunate absence of UNIVERSITY FEELING which is so marked a characteristic of our Edinburgh students。 Academical interests are so few and far between … students； as students； have so little in common； except a peevish rivalry … there is such an entire want of broad college sympathies and ordinary college friendships； that we fancy that no University in the kingdom is in so poor a plight。 Our system is full of anomalies。 A； who cut B whilst he was a shabby student； curries sedulously up to him and cudgels his memory for anecdotes about him when he becomes the great so…and…so。 Let there be an end of this shy； proud reserve on the one hand； and this shuddering fine ladyism on the other； and we think we shall find both ourselves and the College bettered。 Let it be a sufficient reason for intercourse that two men sit together on the same benches。 Let the great A be held excused for nodding to the shabby B in Princes Street； if he can say； 'That fellow is a student。' Once this could be brought about； we think you would find the whole heart of the University beat faster。 We think you would find a fusion among the students； a growth of common feelings； an increasing sympathy between class and class； whose influence （in such a heterogeneous company as ours） might be of incalculable value in all branches of politics and social progress。 It would do more than this。 If we could find some method of making the University a real mother to her sons … something beyond a building of class…rooms； a Senatus and a lottery of somewhat shabby prizes … we should strike a death… blow at the constrained and unnatural attitude of our Society。 At present we are not a united body； but a loose gathering of individuals； whose inherent attraction is allowed to condense them into little knots and coteries。 Our last snowball riot read us a plain lesson on our condition。 There was no party spirit … no unity of interests。 A few； who were mischievously inclined； marched off to the College of Surgeons in a pretentious file； but even before they reached their destination the feeble inspiration had died out in many； and their numbers were sadly thinned。 Some followed strange gods in the direction of Drummond Street； and others slunk back to meek good…boyism at the feet of the Professors。 The same is visible in better things。 As you send a man to an English University that he may have his prejudices rubbed off； you might send him to Edinburgh that he may have them ingrained … rendered indelible … fostered by sympathy into living principles of his spirit。 And the reason of it is quite plain。 From this absence of University feeling it comes that a man's friendships are always the direct and immediate results of these very prejudices。 A common weakness is the best master of ceremonies in our quadrangle： a mutual vice is the readiest introduction。 The studious associate with the studious alone … the dandies with the dandies。 There is nothing to force them to rub shoulders with the others； and so they grow day by day more wedded to their own original opinions and affections。 They see through the same spectacles continually。 All broad sentiments； all real catholic humanity expires； and the mind gets gradually stiffened into one position … becomes so habituated to a contracted atmosphere； that it shudders and withers under the least draught of the free air that circulates in the general field of mankind。
Specialism in Society then is； we think； one cause of our present state。 Specialism in study is another。 We doubt whether this has ever been a good thing since the world began； but we are sure it is much worse now than it was。 Formerly； when a man became a specialist； it was out of affection for his subject。 With a somewhat grand devotion he left all the world of Science to follow his true love； and he contrived to find that strange pedantic interest which inspired the man who
'Settled HOTI'S business … let it be … Properly based OUN … Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic DE； Dead from the waist down。'
Nowadays it is quite different。 Our pedantry wants even the saving clause of Enthusiasm。 The election is now matter of necessity and not of choice。 Knowledge is now too broad a field for your Jack…of…all…Trades； and； from beautifully utilitarian reasons