THE FUNCTIONS OF A UNIVERSITY 245 



ledge of the subject on which they are engaged. That 

 this is possible, many teachers can testify to by experi- 

 ence; and it is the chief lesson learned by a sojourn in a 

 German laboratory. Where each student is himself 

 engaged in research, interest is taken by the students in 

 each others' work; numerous discussions are raised 

 regarding each questionable point; and the combined 

 intelligence of the whole laboratory is focussed on the 

 elucidation of some difficult problem. There is nothing 

 more painful to witness than a dull and decorous labora- 

 tory, where each student keeps to his own bench, does not 

 communicate with his fellow-students, does not take an 

 interest in their work, and expects them to manifest no 

 interest in his. It is only by friction that heat can be 

 produced, and heat, by increasing the frequency of 

 vibration, results, as we know, in light. 



The student should look forward to his examination 

 not as a solemn ordeal which he is compelled to go 

 through with the prospect of a degree should he be suc- 

 cessful, but as a means of showing his teacher and his 

 fellows how much he has profited by the work which he 

 has done ; those who pursue knowledge in this spirit and 

 those, be it remarked, who examine in this spirit will look 

 forward to examination with no apprehension ; not, per- 

 haps, with joy, for after all it is a bore to be examined 

 and perhaps a still greater bore to examine, but it is a 

 necessary step for the student in gaining self-assurance 

 and the conviction of having profited by his exertions ; 

 and for the teacher, as a means of insuring that his 

 instruction has not been profitless to his student. In this 

 connection I cannot refrain from remarking, that that 

 genius for competition which has over-ridden our nation 

 of England, appears to me to be misplaced. Far too 

 much is thought of the top man ; very likely the second 

 or even the tenth, or it may be the fiftieth has a firmer 



