Se 
JANUARY I, 1914] 
NATURE 
519 
these ideas:—‘‘This sympathy and help has been 
found, this action has been forthcoming, and it is 
possible to-day to say that in spite of some remaining 
hesitation, inevitable so long as the revolution in pro- 
gress is not finally carried out, the French universities 
are fully conscious of their three-fold function, or 
rather, of the three stages of their functions, in regard 
to learning. The first stage is to be a centre of 
general culture, the second to prepare for professions 
and careers, and, at the top, for picked students, to 
give opportunity for learned research. It is these 
ideas which have inspired the new regulations for 
examinations that have been submitted to the faculties. 
The best programme for a university is not to have 
one. The best regulations for professors is full liberty 
to teach, and for students full liberty to choose, at 
their own risk, out of the varied teaching of the 
university, according to their tastes, their aptitudes, 
and their plans for the future. In France, such a 
state of affairs is impossible, at least for many long 
years.” 
The difficulty, however, of attaining the highest aim 
in the French universities has not been found so great 
as might have been expected. In the first place, there 
has always been a considerable number of students in 
Paris continuing at their work until twenty-four or 
twenty-five or even longer, and, secondly, those who 
are now elected professors, are nearly all men who 
have devoted themselves to research, have gained the 
highest distinctions in their researches, and are there- 
fore well able to inspire students with a love of scien- 
tific inquiry. It is fifteen years since M. Liard’s paper 
was printed. During that time the University of 
Paris has made great efforts to carry out the ideal 
which he proposed, and there is no doubt that it has 
been strikingly successful. 
Thus these two great nations have come to 
conclusion that this is the best way to educate 
men who are to have the highest influence in 
State and the nation. 
In Germany every professor has to deliver public 
lectures for which no fee is demanded. The French 
go beyond this, and many of their best professors 
deliver lectures suitable for the general student who 
may not wish a degree but simply a knowledge of the 
subject discussed, and, of course, they can also attend 
the classes which have been arranged for the qualified 
students. Now surely if this is the way in which two 
great nations believe that they can best educate their 
highly endowed citizens, is it not time that we should 
attempt something of the same kind? I have again 
and again said that there would be no great difficulty 
in accomplishing this in the University of St. Andrews. 
We have many students who are eager to continue 
their studies at the University. In fact, the great 
majority of those who have obtained the highest 
honours would gladly remain behind if their studies 
could have been so arranged as are the studies for the 
doctor of philosophy of Germany or the doctorat d’état 
of France, and in this way we could bring up some 
of our men to reach the highest excellence in the 
comprehension of the various problems which arise in 
the government of the people and in the amelioration 
of society. The same remarks could be made in 
regard to the other three Scottish universities. 
But a very serious question emerges when we think 
not of Scotland alone, but of the British Empire. 
Are the universities of England and of the British 
Dominions to remain in a position unquestionably 
inferior to that of Germany and France? Is our 
Empire to fail in providing the culture requisite for 
the highest minds? Are we to take no means to 
supply the most perfect training to those who are to 
exercise supreme influence on the mass of men in the 
the 
the 
the 
‘nations under our sway—the teachers, the legislators, 
NO. 2305, VOL. 92] 
the governing officials, and the literary men who 
guide the Press? Surely something is far wrong, if 
we do not at once look into this matter with the view 
of establishing at least an equality with Germany 
and France. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
CaMBRIDGE.—A memorial fund raised by the friends 
of the late Humphrey Owen Jones, F.R.S., fellow 
of Clare College, who, with his wife, was killed in 
the Alps in August, 1912, has been gratefully accepted 
by the University, and a Humphrey Owen Jones 
lectureship in physical chemistry has been established. 
The General Board of Studies will shortly proceed to 
appoint a lecturer. The stipend arising from the 
memorial fund is about 3150/1. Candidates are re- 
quested to send their applications to the registrary 
of the University on or before January 17. 
In connection with the development of the forestry 
department in the University of Edinburgh, a second 
lectureship has been founded, and Mr. J. Lyford- 
Pike has been promoted to the post. 
A course of five advanced lectures on generating 
stations will be given by Mr. W H. Patchell, at the 
Battersea Polytechnic, London, S.W., on Mondays, 
at 7.30, beginning on January 19. Admission to the 
lectures is free, and no ticket is required. 
THE council of the Society of Engineers (Incor- 
porated) may award in 1914 a premium of:books or 
instruments to the value of 1ol. ros. for an approved 
essay on ‘‘ The Status of the Engineering Profession.” 
The competition is open to all, but, before entering, 
application for detailed particulars should be made to 
the secretary, 17 Victoria Street, Westminster. The 
last date for receiving essays is May 30, 1914. 
Courses of lectures in science and in literary sub- 
jects will be given in the University of Leeds on Tues- 
day, Wednesday, and Thursday, January 13-15. These 
lectures are intended primarily to meet the needs of 
teachers who find it difficult during the school term 
to keep in close touch with the most recent develop- 
ments of thought in regard to their subjects. The 
courses will, however, be open not only to teachers, 
but to all students, whether former members of the 
University or not. Among the subjects of the courses 
are :—'‘ The Réle of Enzymes in Plant Metabolism,” 
Prof. J. H. Priestley; and (1) ‘Artificial Partheno- 
genesis,’’ (2) ‘‘ Regeneration in Animals,’’ W. O. Red- 
man King. 
Tue Bulletin of the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology, Boston, for December, 1913, contains a 
catalogue of the officers and students of the institute, 
a statement of the requirements for admission, and a 
description of the courses of instruction. In the 
account given of the facilities for research particulars 
are included of the Hawaiin Volcano Observatory. A 
gift to the institute in 1909 made provision for special 
research in seismology and other branches of geo- 
physics. On January 1, 1912, the Hawaiin Volcano 
Research Association cooperated with the institute to 
establish an observatory and laboratory at the volcano 
Kilauea. Investigations are carried on by a resident 
staff, and properly qualified investigators are received 
at the observatory for special studies. A limited num- 
ber of advanced students engaged in research dealing 
with the problems of voicanology and seismology are 
received also, and the work is described as specially 
suitable to candidates for the doctorate. Among 
topics suggested as thesis subjects we notice the 
spectroscopic study of volcanic flames, collection and 
analyses of volcanic gases, and optical pyrometry 
applied to molten magma’ in the field. 
