226 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XIV. No. 345. 



proper — i. e., knowledge of the repertories and 

 the record literature ; classification of knowl- 

 edge and history of science as the foundation 

 of the classification of books ; bibliographical 

 methodology — i. e., the principles of cataloging; 

 history of libraries and library administration; 

 history of printing and publishing. A com- 

 munication had been received from Dr. Med. J. 

 Leche, of Gottingen, assistant to Professor C. 

 Dziatzko, outlining the course of bibliography 

 given by the latter. This outline was supple- 

 mented by reminiscenses from a sojourn at 

 Gottingen by Mr. A. S. Root, librarian and pro- 

 fessor of bibliography at Oberlin College, who 

 also spoke of the courses given by himself. 

 Mr. G. W. Harris, of Cornell, and Mr. J. I. 

 Wyer, of Nebraska, told of courses given by 

 them. A most important contribution to the 

 discussion was made by Professor Charles H. 

 Haskins, of the University of Wisconsin, who 

 not only told of the course in historical bibliog- 

 raphy given by himself, but enlarged on the 

 importance of bibliographical studies, not only 

 for librarians but for scholars in general. He 

 heartily endorsed the views of the chairman in 

 regard to the importance of a special school of 

 bibliography. 



Several speakers, among them the librarian 

 of the John Crerar Library, Chicago, Mr. C. 

 W. Andrews, spoke of the difficulty of obtain- 

 ing for library service men trained in science 

 and at the same time familiar with bibliographi- 

 cal and library methods. 



3IE. CHAMBERLAIN ON THE FUNCTIONS OF 

 A UNIVERSITY. 

 At the first congregation of the University 

 of Birmingham, Mr. Chamberlain made an ad- 

 dress in the course of which, as reported in 

 the London Times, he said : What should 

 constitute an ideal university? It may be 

 presumptuous in me to attempt a definition, 

 and yet when we are at the outset of our career 

 it is necessary, it is desirable, that we should 

 have some clear conception of the standard at 

 which we are going to aim. And I would 

 venture to lay down four qualifications as 

 necessary to a perfect university. In the first 

 place, it should be an institution where all ex- 

 isting knowledge is taught. Such a university 



may, perhaps, never yet have been attained ; 

 want of means may always prevent it, but at 

 least that is the object at which we should 

 aim, and we should never rest satisfied until 

 we can say that no student desirous of in- 

 struction in any branch of learning shall be 

 turned hungry away from the doors of this 

 University. No doubt the enormous develop- 

 ment of knowledge, and especially of its 

 scientific side, during the present century re- 

 quires a certain specialization in the teaching of 

 that knowledge, and I think it may be desir- 

 able, I think it may be necessary, that uni- 

 versities also should be specialized, and that 

 one university should pay more attention than 

 another to particular studies ; but I believe at 

 the same time that it would be fatal if in our 

 desire as a modern university to give a special 

 development to the practical and thorough 

 teachings of our scientific work, it would be a 

 great mistake, I say, if we were to exclude 

 or to neglect the older branches of learning. 

 Well, then, in the second place, a univer- 

 sity is a place where the knowledge that 

 has been acquired has to be tested. And as to 

 that I will only say that in the multiplication 

 of examining bodies I hope that nothing will 

 be done, either by us or by our successors, to 

 lower the standards of proficiency, whether in 

 the ordinary pass or in the highest honors. I 

 conceive that common prudence should teach 

 us to keep up the value of the degrees which 

 we have begun to confer to-day, and nothing 

 would be more unwise, more fatal to our repu- 

 tation and to our ultimate success than that we 

 should endeavor to multiply the number of our 

 students at the expense of their quality. Then 

 the third feature to which I should call atten- 

 tion, and which I am inclined to say is the 

 most important of all, is that a university 

 should be a place where knowledge is increased 

 and where the limits of learning are extended. 

 Original research, the addition of something ta 

 the total sum of human knowledge, must al- 

 ways be an essential part of our proposals. 

 We want to secure that those who teach in this 

 University shall never cease to learn, and that 

 those who are students shall unite with them 

 in the work of fresh and new investigation. 

 And, lastly, a university is a place where the 



