November 5, 1886.] 



SCIENCE. 



409 



one-sided view of scholarship and learning which 

 attaches a value only to such knowledge as bears 

 more or less directly upon practical life. Until a 

 comparatively short time ago, the higher study of 

 philology (with the exception of Latin and Greek), 

 archeology, and the like, received but little en- 

 couragement in this country ; and it is due to this 

 fact alone, that while, in the fields of medicine 

 and the natural sciences, American scholarship 

 has made such rapid strides as to be quite on a par 

 with European nations, in other fields we are still 

 in a state of dependence upon Germany, France, 

 England, etc., and do not hold that rank which is 

 our due. But there are clear indications that a 

 change will soon make itseK felt. Such facts as the 

 introduction of Sanscrit in all those higher institu- 

 tions of learning which aim to stand in the first 

 rank ; the creation of new chairs for Semitic 

 languages, Zend, Persian, and archeology ; ' the 

 contemplated fitting-out of expeditions to Egypt, 

 Italy, and Assyria, — are important symptoms, 

 which must not be overlooked. They indicate 

 that a broader conception of scholarship is begin- 

 ning to pre^'ail, which recogaizes the equal impor- 

 tance of all higher studies as. such. Whether the 

 field be one which is limited to a few specialists, 

 or one which attracts a large number, is of no 

 consequence whatever from this point of view. To 

 return, therefore, to the point whence we set out, 

 it is a matter of congratulation for the American 

 oriental association to find that oriental pursuits 

 are beginning to receive that recognition which 

 they merit ; for there can be no doubt that it is 

 due in some if not in a great measure to the silent 

 influence which that society exerts, that studies 

 bearing on the ancient and modern civilization 

 of the orient, in the widest sense of that word, are 

 rising into greater prominence. And we have no 

 doubt that this influence would be even stronger 

 and more directly felt in the future, if some means 

 were adopted by which the intelligent public 

 could obtain at least a general view, from time to 

 time, of the progress which is being made in these 

 fields of research, so that it may judge for itself 

 of their importance. It might be well for the 

 president of the association to assign to several 

 members the task of presenting at each meeting 

 a summary of what has been done in the various 

 departments of oriental pursuits, the important 

 publications which have appeared, the important 

 discoveries made, and the important projects con- 

 templated. The carrying-out of such a plan would 

 not only make the meetings even more interesting 

 and profitable to the members than they already 



I Yale, Columbia, Princeton, and the Universities of 

 Pennsylvania and Michigan are moving in this direction, 

 and others will no doubt soon follow. 



are, but would bring the society into that greater 

 prominence which it deserves, and, we may 

 add, needs ; for it must not be forgotten that an 

 association of this nature exists not only for the 

 piu'pose of forming a union among those whose 

 sympathies and interests naturally bring them 

 into contact, but that it has a distinct mission to 

 perform, — the advancement of those pursuits 

 which come within its scope. Every step, there- 

 fore, taken with this end in view, is not only per- 

 fectly legitimate, but will, no doubt, redound to 

 the credit of the society. 



With its ranks increased by the younger men 

 who have chosen to devote themselves to oriental 

 studies, the American oriental association can look 

 forward to a still more auspicious f utm-e. 



M. J., Jun. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



As announced in the Johns Hopkins university 

 circulars for July, 1886, it is proposed to give a 

 special course in Assyriology during the month of 

 January, 1887. The regular Shemitic courses in 

 Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, Ethiopic, Syriac, etc., 

 will be interrupted, and all the time exclusively 

 devoted to Assyriology, now universally recognized 

 as being of primary importance for the scientific 

 study of scripture. Paul Hauj)t, Ph.D., university 

 of Leipzig, professor of the Shemitic languages 

 in Johns Hopkins university and professor of 

 Assyriology in the University of Goettingen, Ger- 

 many, will teach Assyrian daily from 3 to 4 P.M. 

 In addition to Professor Haupt's classes, indi- 

 vidual instruction will be given three or four 

 hours daily by the fellows in Shemitic languages, 

 Messrs. Cyrus Adier and E. P. Allen, assisted by 

 other advanced students in Assyi-iology. The hall 

 of the Oriental seminary will be open as a 

 reading-room for those who follow the course. 

 There they will find all the books necessary for 

 the study of Assyrian and the cognate languages, 

 and some advanced students will usually be 

 present to facilitate the access to the exceptionally 

 well equipped Shemitic library, and to furnish 

 any other aid that may be desired. The Oriental 

 seminary possesses duplicates of the most impor- 

 tant Assyriological works. Additional copies, as 

 well as the rare pubUcations of Botta, Place, Lay- 

 ard, and others, on Assyrian antiquities, are 

 accessible in the reading-room of the Peabody 

 institute, five minutes' walk from the building of 

 the Oriental seminary. No tuition-fee will be 

 charged. Professors and students of other insti- 

 tutions, as well as clergymen, are invited to 

 attend, and arrangements will be made by which 

 they may easily obtain temporary lodgings, pro- 



