549 
i88o.J Report on Scientific Societies. 
relative importance of the sciences is fluctuating, the abuse 
has crept in of electing members into a wrong division. On 
the other hand, such a proceeding not being always practi- 
cable, highly distinguished men are excluded from the 
Academy for many years if their proper sections happen to 
be full ; while if, from the dearth of cultivators or accidents 
of mortality, the number of vacancies happens to be gieat, 
the standard of admission is considerably lowered. The 
Academy publishes weekly its proceedings or “ Comptes 
Rendus,” which, from the celerity and regularity of . their 
publication, are a valuable means of conveying rapid in- 
formation ; on the contrary, its transactions or “ Memoires” 
are issued in a very irregular and dilatory manner. The 
practice of examining and reporting upon communications 
submitted has fallen into almost complete disuse ; and the 
prizes, which are in considerable number, are in gieat pait 
awarded upon the antiquated principle of putting forth 
questions. I have thus rapidly drawn the most distinctive 
features of the French Academy, roughly yet faithfully ; 
and I feel constrained to confess my inability to comprehend 
the enthusiasm which there appears to exist in ceitain 
quarters in England for this institution, and which shows 
itself in the desire to copy it. I have dwelt in a foimer 
letter upon the functions which any society should perform 
in order to be called useful, and I cannot bring myself to 
believe that those of the French Academy correspond in any 
way to the model. . 
I have spoken, in a former communication, in words ot 
unavoidable eulogium of the German Universities and the 
position which they occupy among similar institutions in 
Europe. Still I do not find in their organisation anything 
that I should be prepared to recommend for imitation or 
adoption. I shall presently mention the mischievous effects 
which the Universities in Germany, like the Academy in 
France, exercise on scientific development, according to my 
belief, when I shall enter upon the discussion of the princi- 
ples which underlie the organisation of both : here I wish 
merely to give an opinion upon the institution of so-called 
privat-docenten , which is generally considered as most cha- 
racteristic of the German University system, and which has 
many admirers out of Germany. A privat-docent is simply 
a lecturer who, as a rule, receives no pay from Government 
or the University, but may take fees from the students : he 
is simply a private tutor, who, in consideration of having 
passed an examination or other ordeals before the propel 
authorities, is admitted to the use of the public leCture- 
