260 ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN GERMAN UNIVERSITIES. 



there are two to teach one and the same branch ; and 

 even if there is no difference in the official definition 

 of the subject, there will be a difference in the scien- 

 tific tendencies of the teachers ; they will be able to 

 divide the work in such a manner that each has that 

 side which he most completely masters. Two distin- 

 guished teachers who are thus complementary to each 

 other, form then so strong a centre of attraction for 

 the students that both suffer no loss of hearers, though 

 they may have to share among themselves a number of 

 the less zealous ones. 



The disagreeable effects of rivalry will be feared 

 by a teacher who does not feel quite certain in his 

 scientific position. This can have no considerable 

 influence on the official decisions of the faculty when 

 it is only a question of one, or of a small number, of 

 the voters. 



The predominance of a distinct scientific school in 

 a faculty may become more injurious than such per- 

 sonal interests. When the school has scientifically out- 

 lived itself, students will probably migrate by degrees 

 to other Universities. This may extend over a long 

 period, and the faculty in question will suffer during 

 that time. 



We see best how strenuously the Universities under 

 this system have sought to attract the scientific ability 

 of Germany when we consider how many pioneers have 



