320 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- 



