Letters, Feb. 26, 1934

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What your correspondent doesn't know is that it hurts the artist keenly to disappoint his audience! He is grieved, more than the audience, by the disappointment. He loves them as anyone would his followers and admirers. He would gladly perform if it were a charitable performance. But it isn't. And the very people who are loudest in their criticism will not contribute anything to let the performance go on. They want the artist to contribute all. Is it fair? . . . CHARLES L. WAGNER President Mgt. Charles L. Wagner, Inc. New York City

Topflight Penn

Sirs: On p. 26 of your issue of Feb. 5 I find two errors respecting this University, which I hope you will he willing to correct promptly.

Respecting the Harvard Law School, you mention it as the oldest and best in the U. S. This is a complete misstatement of fact. The first Law School on the Continent was founded at this University in 1790 by James Wilson. It has maintained its high standard and the reputation of Philadelphia lawyers is well established among informed people. . . .

You mention Harvard's Medical School as being ''in the U. S. topflight with Columbia's, Cornell's, Johns Hopkins'." The Medical School at this University was also the first on the Continent, having been founded in 1765 by Dr. John Morgan. Also in this case among informed people Philadelphia has been a medical center from the earliest time and our Medical School here is recognized over the world for its excellence. Our Post-Graduate School of Medicine is entirely unique on this Continent ami is therefore a step ahead of all others. H. M. LIPPINCOTT Editor General Alumni Society of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pa.

Pennsylvania's law school lapsed some time after its founding, was re-established in 1850. Harvard's, founded 1817, is oldest in continuous existence.—ED.

Asymptote

Sirs:

TIME magazine is a little rusty on its analytic geometry in the issue of Feb. 12. Under Science, second column, first paragraph, last sentence, you state: "A curve representing it would be a parabola approaching but never quite touching its asymptote." Hyperbolas and many other curves have asymptotes, but parabolas never. A. H. BEILER New York City

Sirs:

I should like to venture an estimate that at the time of receipt of this comment you will have received vigorous protest from no less than 1,500 mathematically minded readers regarding a statement appearing in your issue of Feb. 12, p. 22. . . . Possibly some of the 1,500 can tell you what the curve should be, but I can only state that if it has an asymptote, it's not a parabola. . . . R. L. CAMPBELL Oaklyn, N. J.

Sirs: . . . Please define the asymptote of a parabola (you're a better man than Kinstein if you do). . . . NORBERT CAROLIN New York City

The curve miscalled "parabola" by TIME was neither parabola nor hyperbola, but an "exponential decay curve" which does approach, never reaches, its asymptote.—ED.

Black Beans & Pink Rice