190 EXAMINATIONS IV 



these examinations. In some cases it is easy to adapt 

 the examination to the work required of the future 

 Civil servant, and then if the examination be long 

 and thorougli I do not see what better system of 

 selection can be invented. Thus, for instance, in 

 selecting from among the gentlemen who apply to be 

 appointed to vacancies on the staff of the British 

 Museum, it is easy to apply an examination which is 

 directed to the subject with which the future curator 

 will be occupied. This method has been adopted not 

 so long since, and its results seem to be satisfactory. 

 It would be possible to adopt a similar style of ex- 

 amination in regard to other offices, and even the 

 candidates for Treasury clerkships might be examined 

 in such a way as to test, not their preparation, but 

 their general intelligence and mental agility. Prob- 

 ably the effort which has been made to throw the 

 Indian and other Civil Service appointments into the 

 hands of the upper classes by favouring in the exam- 

 ination the subjects taught at the public schools, is 

 chiefly to blame for the apparent absurdity of the 

 examination system as a test of a man's fitness to act 

 as an Indian magistrate or an inspector of primary 

 schools. The examinations might be adapted — no 

 doubt at the expense of some trouble and ingenuity — 

 to the special requirements of each kind of appoint- 

 ment. 



IV. Space does not remain for me to discuss, as I 

 should like to do, the subject of competitive examina- 

 tion for scholarships and for fellowships. Here the 

 competition falls within the school and university 



