Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-08-17

thing that can he claimed for the best
students in our colleges Whether the kind
Of knowledge and discipline secured is az
available Tor the purpose Of life, whether,
practically. these examinations encourage as
useful Il method Of study or as desirable
spirit Of competition as one might boast
lie for our own Colleges may at least
doubted While this is matter not to be 50
summarly decided, of one thing | am
thoroughly convinced that although our
students could not compete with the first
class men Of the English Universities in res
pcct Of that fire scholarship which is tho re-
suit Of thorough training and pcrsevcring APP
/ lllcltion to books, they surtass them in that
tact and versatility by which their knowledge
i, turned to account in the practical phloso.
ply Of life.
And now, if may without offence, let inc
say Il word ON the practice of sending Acalc-
mlcal degrees to England. If you knew how
injudcionsiy very many Of those degrees have
been awarded, with what general disfavor
they are consequently looked upon, and the
low estimate in whic, they are held even by
the recipients themselves, | think YOU woulI
agree with me in begging our Colleges to be
more -rurirg of their honors The English
Ministers who have received the degree Of
Doctor Of Divinity from America are almost
without exception, useful, popular preachers,
and nothing more. The degree is by no
means SO common in this country as with u4,
and is supposed to imply no ordinary degree
Of cnlincnco and influence in matters per-
tanning to religion. am sorry to say that
r great deal Of ridculc is excited by the iacl-
ity with which II certain class Of men obtain
p the honor. 1t is proyerbial that if ono Of
L these plain, good, popular preachers can con
j. trivc holiday trip TO America, he is certain
to come back Doctor. A well know
preacher in London, who has believe NOR
Is than once resisted the sharp temptation, say
:, that about this season of the year Their
always comes such storm Of degrees iron
!, Amcrca, that one has to protect himself wit
al umbrella against the assault. The fe,
~ deserving men who share in this indiscrimin
Il ate liberality, find the honor so chearene
by its rromiscuous distribution, that the
81. i.in t. I'Irccatc rather than invite al
-, tcntion to the decoration. Rev Jane
Hamilton, the gifted and scholarly Ministc
Of the National Scotch Church, received
degree many years ago from one Of the olde
Of the American Colleges. but until very r,
Gently he has never appended it to his nan
in any Of his own publications. I rcmembt
being amused by reading not long ago at tt
end ola cuogy on a certain good Mnist,
that - he had not yet received the dubiOl
honor ofan American Decorate IN Divinity
Doubtless the good mans friends look up,
800 such a contingency as - the rough bral
that virtue must go through - but beg
ertrcat that in consideration of his mum
rous virtues he may be spared the inhictiol
1t is not that there is any inclination, SO ft
o as know. to disparage the American d.
6 grccs because they are American, but it mo
mr. unfortunately happens that they have falle
To- into strange hands and men ,riH judge of tt
,os value of an honorary title by the character
40 those who get it. No doubt the distinctio
oh has in many cases been conferred from m
70. tiyes of courtesy and comfy towards schola
~, So supposed-of another nation, but II
.o- result has been to lower our Academic
~. degrees in the estimation Of the English.
49,, Your Chronicler,
GkTrrI1II.