in learning, in this region as in others, how ‘to save by 
losing itself.’ If then, as of course no one will seriously 
question, the older theory be sound, it will not be safe to 
leave the course of study wholly to the caprice of indi- 
viduals. The experience or instinct of academic bodies 
has aimed at giving effect to this principle by requiring 
that students aspiring to academic honours, and to those 
diplomas which are the passports to the so-called learned 
professions, should pursue a course of studies uniform, or 
nearly uniform, up to a certain defined point. In our day, 
when university training is no longer sought only by those 
who seek to enter the great professions, and when, too, 
the narrow list of these liberal professions is from time to 
time receiving one and another sister, it is a principal 
academic problem to show that the old principles ought 
still to be insisted on in their essence, and yet that modi- 
fications must be made in detail, in order that they may 
be applied with safety. It is when we have to meet the 
reluctance—the natural reluctance—of students of this 
new order to submit to the yoke of academic traditions 
that we are brought face to face with the rival claims of 
society and the individual. I say the rival claims ; but, 
in fact, they are not rivals, but complementary each of 
the other. I mean not only that each has its rights, 
which must not be ignored, but that each is necessary to 
the perfect development of the other; that unless due 
play is given to the special gifts and aspirations of its 
members, society cannot reach its highest form ; and that, 
unless individual men remember that they exist for the 
sake of society at least as much as for themselves, they too 
will fall short of their proper standard, and will leave 
some of their noblest faculties wholly unused... . 
i“... The subject matter of the studies selected is, in fact, of 
less importance than the discipline imparted. This only is 
essential—that there should be such a selection made as 
will (1) draw out and strengthen the several powers of the 
mind, and (2) afford a basis so broad that on it may after- 
wards be erected the structure of professional study when 
the career is chosen. These conditions are met if the 
common groundwork includes (1) letters, to cultivate the 
taste and judgment, to give a good style in speech or 
writing, and to place the student on the threshold of the 
best literature of home or foreign growth; (2) mathe- 
matics, to discipline the reasoning faculty, to give the 
habit of concentrated thought, and to place in the student’s 
hand a weapon indispensable for the thorough mastery of 
the physical branches ; and (3) some branch of physical 
study, to develop the powers of observation and inductive 
reasoning, and to impart the method of this study, so 
that, should the student afterwards take up a profession 
based on some physical science, as medicine, engineering, 
or manufacturing art, he may be able with facility and 
pleasure to provide himself with the technical knowledge 
proper to his calling. It might be added, too, in defence 
of the claims of this third prime element of culture, that 
it is singularly fitted to counteract the faults alleged, not 
without reason, to be inherent in the other two. But I 
must not proceed further on this field. I have placed the 
justification of the adoption of a common groundwork of 
culture for all students on two direct and, as I believe, 
sufficient pleas. But, over and above these direct uses, 
there are at least two others, which I can only indicate ; 
—(1) Grace and vigour are lent to social intercourse when 
men feel that they can trust tothe possession by all of a 
certain general culture—that a common atmosphere, so to 
say, is shared by all, and that subtle criticisms, delicate 
shades of thought, apt illustrations, will not fall flat on 
the ears of one half of those who listen. Those who are 
familiar with the social history of the first half of this 
century willagree with me that this element of social life 
was far more generally present with cultivated men than 
itis now. (2) And, again, from the want of this common 
elementary culture, men are without that sympathy with 
the pursuits of others which tends so powerfully to soften 
NATURE 
| Oct, 16, 1873 
the bitterness of controversy, and even to make fruitful 
discussion possible.” “ 
Sir Benjamin Brodie’s speech is specially remarkable 
as giving the impression which a long connection with 
one of the older Universities has made upon a distin- 
guished man, whose sympathies would naturally be with 
them. We have only space for the following extract :— 
“The foundation of such universities as Oxford 
and Cambridge is lost in almost prehistoric time ; 
and if I say that this is the foundation of an univer- 
sity, I say so from what appears to me to be a very good © 
reason, for I believe that Owens College boasts all the — 
essential constituents of an university; and I have no 
doubt that before long it will go forth into the world — 
equipped as an university in every respect. I know that — 
some persons take a very different view of universities — 
from that which I do. Some consider that the university _ 
is merely a sort of better grammar-school, which differs — 
from the ordinary grammar-school by having more and 
older students, and a somewhat wider range of study, I 
don’t believe that any enlargement of the curriculum of a 
grammar-school will ever elevate it into anuniversity. Some 
persons consider that an university is a body which grants 
degrees. I confess that the granting of degrees is an 
important and responsible function ; yet of all the func- 
tions of an university it appears to me the very least. To 
claim that function as the distinguishing characteristic of — 
an university is equivalent to saying that the man who 
puts a stamp on a sovereign is the maker of the coin. An 
university should not only be a teaching body, but from 
every point of view it should represent, further, and pro- 
mote the interest of knowledge, not only by teaching, but 
by preserving knowledge through the foundation of libra- 
ries, museums, and collections, and by the labours of its 
professors in furthering and increasing knowledge. I 
fully believe that that was the idea which was present to 
those who were concerned in the foundation of Owens 
College—namely, that it is to be not merely a grammar- 
school, but a great organ for furthering knowledge. . . . 
“We have heard many allusions to-day to the financial 
condition of Owens College, and I do not doubt that 
there are many here who, in considering this question, 
look perhaps, I will not say, with some degree of envy, 
but with a peculiar interest, upon the statistics relating to 
the pecuniary affairs of Oxford and Cambridge. These 
great universities differ from Owens College as plus 
differs from sinus. These institutions—Oxford and 
Cambridge—are in that happy position that their Chan- 
cellors of the Exchequer have no taxes to raise, and have 
only to consider the appropriate mode of distributing 
their budgets. But yet, really, any envy which might be 
raised from this consideration might be entirely removed 
by a more close intimacy and acquaintance with the sub- 
ject, for though undoubtedly money is a good thing, and 
money well used is better than money itself, yet in many 
cases these endowments of universities have been so con- 
nected and linked with inappropriate objects, that they 
have really done more harm than good. ‘The question ot 
University Reform has been debated for about 30 years 
without the end being gained as to how to distribute 
these revenues properly. These revenues are also inap- 
propriate and sometimes mischievous, doing great evil to 
the old universities in consequence of their application to 
objects which, though appropriate 300 or 400 years ago, 
are now useless, or worse. Unhappily these objects do 
not coincide with those which deserve attention at the 
present day, and the consequence is that a great amount 
of time and a large amount of energy and talent have 
been wasted in removing evils which have grown up in © 
connection with these endowments. I hope that this 
kind of work will never be necessary in connection with 
the University of Owens, and I think you may congratu- 
late yourselves that you have to begin de wove, and that 
you have only to adapt your arrangements to the purposes 
a a a wale 
