EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGES IN FRANCE 365 



First in importance is the College de France, rue des ficoles, over 

 the portals of which is seen the inscription Omnia docet. Here 

 science and letters in their most advanced stage are taught by more 

 than forty of the ablest specialists in France. The late lamented 

 Gaston Paris was administrator of the institution, and his col- 

 leagues in their specialties are well known to scholars making re- 

 searches in like fields everywhere. Some of the French professors 

 whose visits to America or whose writings have made their names 

 particularly well known to men of letters in this country are Joseph 

 Bedier, Michel Breal, Gaston Deschamps, Louis Havet, Pierre 

 Janet, Leroy-Beaulieu, E. Levasseur (who succeeded Gaston Paris 

 as administrator of the College de France), A. Longnon, G. Maspe- 

 ro, Paul Meyer, Morel- Fatio, A. Reville, Georges Blondel. 



Very similar in its aims is the Ecole pratique des hautes etudes, 

 Sorbonne. Over one hundred professors have charge of the in- 

 struction. The school is divided into five sections, each comprising 

 broad divisions: i history, language, and philology; 2 mathe- 

 matics and mathematical sciences; 3 physics, chemistry, min- 

 eralogy; 4 natural sciences; 5 religious sciences. The most com- 

 plete liberty in regard to pursuing one's chosen subject exists. The 

 professor meets his students when and where it is most convenient, 

 and continues his work with them for as long or short a time as may 

 be deemed practicable. Each student may be pursuing some one 

 particular part of a subject, in which case the student and professor 

 come together by appointment, and carry on the special research 

 in whatever manner they may consider most profitable. No ex- 

 aminations are given nor are any degrees conferred. Probably no 

 school in Europe stands higher in its field or is more widely and fa- 

 vorably known than the cole pratique des hautes etudes. 



The JLcole des langues orientates vivantes, 2 rue de Lille, is, per- 

 haps, one of the best known of the kind. In it are taught the lead- 

 ing oriental living idioms. The professors are assisted by native 

 teachers. The students pursuing the courses do so for political, 

 commercial, or philological reasons. Quite a number obtain po- 

 sitions as interpreters in eastern countries. 



The Ecole nationale des chartes, 19 rue de la Sorbonne, founded 

 over eighty years ago, is frequented by specialists in archeology, 

 philology, history, and diplomacy. They come from all parts of the 

 world, attracted by the unrivaled resources of the school. The ad- 

 vantages, particularly for the study of paleography, because of the 

 abundance of rare manuscripts, are unsurpassed. 



