University Reform. 321 



pulsory attendance upon recitations and lectures 

 should be materially diminished. Every one pos- 

 sessed of the requisite experience knows that, for 

 the able and diligent student, too frequent recita- 

 tion is not only a hardship, but a hindrance. The 

 explanations of the professor, adapted as they 

 must be to the comprehension of all his hearers, 

 are often entirely superfluous to any one who has 

 properly gone over the subject beforehand ; while 

 listening to the awkward blunders of dull or lazy 

 classmates is not only a waste of time, but an irri- 

 tation to the nerves. Nor could any class-man be 

 expected to acquit himself satisfactorily upon his 

 final examination, if three hours were to be sub- 

 tracted from his time for study each day. Four 

 or five recitations every week in the studies of 

 the tripos would be amply sufficient. The class- 

 man should also be exempted from pursuing that 

 portion of the pass-course covered by the subjects 

 embraced in his tripos. Obviously, he who se- 

 lects Latin and Greek for his special studies will 

 gain nothing by following the instruction given 

 upon those subjects to the pass-men, though in 

 all other departments he must keep up to the 

 minimum required. As a further means of re- 

 lieving class-men from the distractions of contin- 

 ual recitation, and in order to provide all stu- 

 21 



