The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-04 00:00:00

MR. GOLDWIN SMITH IN AMERICA.

.1 nose who are fond of following closely the utterances
of Mr. Goldwin Smith will be glad to hear of his first
lecture in America. It was delivered to the Cornell
University, of which he is now a professor. It consisted
:n a history of things in general as they bore upon educa-
tion and the university. He traced the history of
education through its three periods—the early part
of the middle ages, the later part of the middle ages,
and the period commencing with the Renaissance
—showing how the value of classical learning had ,
been diminished by the growth of modern literature and
of modern science. He then traced the history of labour
through the successive eras of slavery, serfdom, and free
hired labour, observing that the labourer, though free,
had still remained up to the present time excluded in
most countries from political life, and everywhere
from the intellectual priviliges of civilisation. To
those privileges he was now claiming admittance,
and the foundation of the Cornell University was the dawn
of a time when manual labour and intellectual culture
would be less completely separated than they had hitherto
been. The education given at the Cornell University, he
understood, was to be practical, and its test was to be
practical success in life. But the object of cultivating
the mind at the same time was not to be neglected.
It was not necessary that a study should be unpractical
in order to cultivate the mind ; any intellectual pursuit
would have the effect of culture. It was intended, how-
ever, as he conceived, to include in the course of instruction.
everything really essential to the citizen or the man. In
America every man had political duties to perform,
and it was impossible to be an intelligent politician
without some knowledge of history. But beside this
there was a special class of men connected with politics
who needed a training in political philosophy and his-
tory to enable them to perform entirely the duties
of their calling. He meant the class of journalists,
whose power in the world at present was immense, and
their responsibility equal to their power. He suggested
that as some manual industry was connected with other
departments of study in the university, shorthand writing
and printing might be connected with this department.
His special subject, he proceeded to say, would be the
history of England, which he should endeavour to treat in
no spirit of narrow nationality, proud as he was of the
greatness of his country, but in the spirit of those who
believed all the actions of nations as well as of men to be
subject to the moral law, and the nation itself to be subor-
dinate to humanity.

TILE TRANSPORT CORPS.—His Royal Highness
;he Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has sanctioned a
warrant which promises to be the stepping-stone to a most
needful and salutary reform in a very important branch of
the military service. This warrant, which will be issued
in a few days, will detail the position and emoluments of
the commissaries of the future transport train. The claims
of the officers of the existing military train who do not
wish to relinquish their positions of combatant officers
and accept service in the new transport train, will be care-
fully considered.

The Earl of Shaftesbury, at a meeting held on
Wednesday, at Southampton, in behalf the Curates'
Augmentation Fund, said that if the teaching of the
clergy was necessary when the power of the country
rested with the great and mighty, it was much more neces-
sary now, when the sovereignty had been transferred to
the people, and they were dominant in the State. He
said with Mr. Lowe, " Let us educate our masters ;" and
that their education may be taken in keeping with their
heavy responsibilities, let us take care that their school-
masters are not only capable but willing to do their work;
and let the laity consider their responsibilities in connec-
tion with the people's spiritual teaching. There could
be no doubt that the Establishment of the Church of
England was at this moment in very great Bang,
and that questions were likely to arise tending to shake
her to the very centre ; but he believed their grand
strength and support in the hour of peril would be the
endeavours which are now being made to redeem the time,
to repair past errors and omissions, and to make the
Church of England in reality what it has always been in
theory and intention—the Church of the nation at lam.