820 Darwinism and Other Essays. 



be placed very high, few students would think it 

 advisable to take up more than one. Thus or 

 ganized, the system of triposes would for all prac 

 tical purposes correspond to the Oxford class- 

 course. 



Many students will in every year be found will 

 ing to content themselves with the pass-course. 

 They have no desire to do more than the mini 

 mum of work needful in order to get through col 

 lege without disgrace. Or perhaps they are feeble 

 in health, or have been imperfectly trained at 

 school, and cannot therefore expect to do justice 

 to the severe requirements of a tripos. These 

 should be allowed to act their pleasure : the edu 

 cation they will get from the pass-course is vastly 

 better than none ; and there are better means 

 than direct compulsion for inducing the student 

 to follow the more laborious and profitable path. 

 Either a higher degree should reward the perse 

 verance of the class-man, as some have already 

 suggested, or the maximum of credit should, for 

 the pass-man, be reduced by one half or even by 

 two thirds. In any case, all the honours of the 

 university, all its scholarships, prizes, and emolu 

 ments, should be strictly reserved for those who 

 have distinguished themselves in a tripos. Be 

 sides this, for the class-men, the constraint of com- 



