96 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. IV., No. 78. 



guard, if you like," he says, u at the doors of 

 your examinations ; but let your lecture-rooms 

 stand always open, like the churches of Cath- 

 olic Europe, so that thereby even the passing 

 wayfarer may hear the voice and be drawn in." 

 With the main intent of this remark, most of 

 our colleges agree, opening their halls to spe- 

 cial students ; but it may be as well to make a 

 note of caution on the margin of what we 

 read, lest the impression should be given that 

 ' happening in ' to an occasional lecture makes 

 the scholar. The regular and persistent atten- 

 tion to a serious subject is the first element of 

 success in universit} T -work. The group of oc- 

 casional attendants or special students in our 

 colleges, according to our experience, includes 

 a few of the very best, and some of the very 

 worst, who ever enter the academic walls. 



The third essential of the ideal university, 

 according to Mr. Bryce, is that it should teach. 

 This pointed remark is obviously directed to 

 the idea, which has been more developed in 

 England than anywhere else, that the chief 

 function of the university is to examine stu- 

 dents, and confer degrees. This is the avowed 

 end of the university of London and of the 

 Royal university in Ireland. In years gone b}^, 

 even the universities of Oxford and Cambridge 

 left the principal work of instruction to the 

 colleges, reserving the prerogatives of holding 

 examination and bestowing degrees. 



These three elements — breadth, freedom, 

 and teaching-force — are the essentials of a 

 university. Supplementary powers are the be- 

 stowal of honors (if it is thought worth while 

 to maintain the s} T stem of academic rewards), 

 the prosecution of research (which will take 

 care of itself, if teachers of real ability are 

 secured), and, finally, the acquisition of en- 

 dowments (on which Mr. Biyce lays but little 

 stress) . 



On the subject of endowments, Mr. Biyce 

 writes like one who has seen the evil which 

 comes from the long perpetuity of individual 

 whims ; and he boldly declares that the prin- 

 ciple should once for all be laid down, that 

 charitable endowments belong, not to the dead, 

 but to the living, and that each generation 



shall be free to use them for such objects as it 

 finds most presently beneficial. These consid- 

 erations ought to be weighed and discussed in 

 the United States, where eveiy year new and 

 generous endowments are made for charity 

 and education. One enlightened giver, whose 

 name we could mention, having had his atten- 

 tion called to this point, expressly provided 

 that the million which he gave, might, after a 

 certain period, be applied by his trustees to a 

 purpose akin to the original object, but not 

 identical with it, if in their judgment such a 

 course would be wise. The difficulties expe- 

 rienced at Andover and at Exeter in the man- 

 agement of the Phillips funds are examples 

 of the celerity with which conditions become 

 fetters. 



Bryce 's main doctrine is, that the ideal uni- 

 versity must ' give first-rate teaching.' This, 

 undoubtedly, is the true doctrine. But how 

 are first-rate teachers to be developed or dis- 

 covered, and how are they to be kept ' first- 

 rate ' under all the counteracting influences 

 to which they are exposed ? There's the rub. 

 On these points we should like to hear further 

 from Mr. Bryce. Shall only men of genius be 

 chosen professors ? There are not men of 

 genius enough to go round. Shall practical 

 instructors, those who are well versed in didac- 

 tic methods, be preferred ? The faculty which 

 is filled up with such men will be governed by 

 routine ; it will have neither eclat nor inspira- 

 tion : it will be like a military school, — a place 

 for training, not a place for the development 

 of great minds. But suppose first-rate teach- 

 ers are secured, men who have some genius 

 and some common sense, how are they to be 

 kept ' first-rate ' ? We reply, The university is 

 responsible for its treatment of its professors. 

 They must be kept at work, in actual instruc- 

 tion, or they will grow indolent and sterile ; 

 they must have considerable leisure, or the}' 

 will not think and write and investigate, but 

 will simply be repeaters of old stories ; they 

 must have ample supplies of books, journals, 

 instruments, for these are the diet on which 

 they grow ; they must have stimulants, the 

 best of all being the attention of bright and 



