258 ON ACADEMIC FKEEDOM IN GERMAN UNIVEBSITIES. 



equally surprised that the faculties so readily admit 

 young men who at any moment may change from 

 assistants to competitors ; and further, that only in 

 the most exceptional cases is anything ever heard of 

 unworthy means of competition in what is a matter of 

 some delicacy. 



The appointment to vacant professorships, like the 

 admission of private docents, rests, though not uncon- 

 ditionally, and not in the last resort, with the faculty, 

 that is with the body of ordinary professors. These 

 form, in German Universities, that residuum of former 

 colleges of doctors to which the rights of the old 

 corporations have been transferred. They form as it 

 were a select committee of the graduates of a former 

 epoch, but established with the co-operation of the 

 Government. The usual form for the nomination of 

 new ordinary professors is that the faculty proposes 

 three candidates to Government for its choice ; where 

 the Government, however, does not consider itself 

 restricted to the candidates proposed. Excepting in 

 times of heated party conflict it is very unusual for the 

 proposals of the faculty to be passed over. If there is 

 not a very obvious reason for hesitation it is always a 

 serious personal responsibility for the executive officials 

 to elect, in opposition to the proposals of competent 

 judges, a teacher who has publicly to prove his 

 capacity before large circles. 



