182 UEYIEWS — THE COURSE OF COLLEQIATE EDUCATION. 



3. A farther extension of our Courses of Study may be effected in the direc- 

 tion of Agriculture. Throughout the Colonies attention is now being directed to 

 those scientific principles of farming which have effected such wonders in Great 

 Britain, and the introduction of ^vhioh is imperatively demanded in all the older 

 and more worn out districts of this country. I have no doubt that there are 

 within reach of Montreal a number of enquiring and intelligent young farmers, 

 who would gladly avail themselves of such a course during the winter months. 

 It would include the following subjects : — English Literature, Natural History, 

 Natural Philosophy, Surveying, Agriculture, Chemistry, Practical Agriculture 

 and Management of Farm Animals. 



These special courses will, I believe, rather build up than detract from our 

 general under-graduate course, while they will certainly extend our usefulness, 

 and give u» increased claims on the support of the community ; and thus tend 

 ultimately to increase the demand for collegiate instruction, while in the mean- 

 time they will give an important impulse to practical science and the arts of 

 industry. " 



Much of this is unquestionably suited to the present wants of 

 Canada, if it be really teaching that is intended, and not mere 

 attendance on popular lectures. "We attach more importance, how- 

 ever, to the scheme of " Options" now partially introduced into the 

 system of Toronto University. By this, in the first half of the 

 under-graduate course, the study of Classics and other branches 

 essential to the educated man, whatever his future professional 

 education may be, is rendered imperative ; but in the remain- 

 ing half of his course he is free to select according to his 

 own intellectual predilictions or the special objects he has in view. 

 The principle is admirable. The details of it want revision. The 

 divorcement of Classics and Modern Languages specially strikes us 

 as equally inconsistent in itself and arbitrarily opposed to the 

 likely choice of a youth of a philological cast of mind. But the 

 other divorcements are scarcely less arbitrary. The clause in the 

 University programme thus refers to under-graduates of two years 

 standing : " Students presenting themselves at this Examination are 

 not required to take the Greek and Latin Languages and the Modern 

 Languages, but either at their option. Neither are they required to 

 take Mathematics and the Natural Sciences, but either at their option." 

 The following we venture to suggest as at once a more natural and 

 a more useful classification of options : — 



I. Classics, Modern Languages, and History ; or: — 



II. Mathematics, the Natural Sciences, and English Literature; or: — 



III. Metaphysics and Ethics, Logic and Ehetoric, English Liter- 

 ature, Civil Polity, and History. 



Such a choice, following on the substantial ground-work of the 

 first two years' acquirements would admit of the student adapting 



