50 YEARS AGO

With the appearance of a new journal, Virology (pp. 140. New York: Academic Press, Inc.; 9 dollars per vol.), this useful, but ugly, word of doubtful parentage presumably takes its place as the official designation of the study of viruses.

From Nature 9 July 1955.

100 YEARS AGO

Even with things as they are, Oxford and Cambridge, though much injured by competitive examinations, have been far less injured than England in general; and this they owe to the residential system. Little thought of, perhaps neglected, by the builders, the head-stone of the educational edifice is here to be found. Where mind meets mind in the free intercourse of youth there springs from the contact some of the fire which, under our present system, is rarely to be obtained in any other way; and not only this, but many other priceless advantages in the battle for life are also conferred. To these influences we owe in large part all that is best in the English character, and so valuable are the qualities thus developed, or at least greatly strengthened, that we regard residential colleges as essential to the success and usefulness of the newer universities.

ALSO

An Angler's Hours. By H. T. Sherringham. Mr. Sherringham deserves the thanks of all anglers who have an idle hour and no fishing for having re-published his essays in book form, and he who is forced by sad circumstance to enjoy his fishing vicariously will find his time well spent in our scribe's company... he despairs of nothing, but finds good in all; if there are no fish he can study nature, and if there is no water he can shrewdly meditate on the ways of fish and men; an hour with him and his rod by a troutless tarn is as good as an hour by the Kennet in the mayfly time... A word of praise is also due to the publishers, who have produced a book the size and print of which add to its convenience as an adjunct to a pipe, an easy chair, and idleness.

From Nature 6 July 1905.