New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-27

Of knowledge. and in High Schools and Colleges
msy deem ourselves fortur ste above other Pcop"s.
When, however, We seek for the aids and aPPn-
ances for that more enlarged culture to when 'ne
Young student longs to devote himself the Plea7an'
academic groves where, in = HE consecrs'ei 10
science snd letters, he msy walk with the wise oil
oil sges, ill be bas earuered into hi own treasury
the lore Of all time; il is then that We cannot heiP
having forced upon rs the conviction that in the
American schere Of education, there u something
at fault. There is, it must be confessed, but little
high scholarship among US and when IL does exist
i,s ACQUISITION has almost always, II mol aiws!s
been made in other lands than ours. Indeed, Ii Is
only very few years since the INSTITUTION oi
University, in any proper sense oi that TERM WIS
attempted among us and those when deserve tue
name st all are still in q very youthful and exper'-
mental condition. As We rejoice, however, that
so much has been done, and that the blessings ot
common education are within the reach OF sii oil
u. so we welcome any new attempt to throw open
vide the portals Of the Temple OF knowledge, aud
TO reveal its most secret arodH1 10 those VINO
choose to penetrate to those mysteries.
Hitherto. Harvard and Yale have been our chief
and most influential seminares Of learning, and the
only ones which have enjoyed anything Ike na'
tonsl reputation, or have arrived at any more
comprehensiye education than could be impaired
in the usual four years collegiate course. Excel
lent az Columbia has been, and numerous rs the
distinguished men have been and are who have
called her their alma mater, they have been chiefly
sons of our own State and city. By our own people
her reputation and character are dearly cherished;
but be,ond our borders though not unknown and
highly respected, her position has been only Sec
ondary As the great commercial, and fast becom-
Ing if not already the great intellectual center OF
the country, NeN-York should have her University
which should give tone and culture TO the Nation,
and represent the standard of her mental growth,
her scholarship and her language. Such an insti-
tuition We ought to fnA in Columbia College; and
TO make il such, We are glad 10 hear the lnitatory
steps are taken which will put her on footing OF
friendly riyalship with her sisters at Cambridge
and New Haven. With this eud in view, the
Board Of Trustees have resolved upon what they
modestly call postgraduate course but
which they hope in due season, and as means
aud strength are given them, will result
in making the College a University, national in
character and influence. They do not start in this
new career with high-sounding pretensions, and
fourshes of magnificent promises, as is so often
the case with collegiate institutions which are
little ese except in name, than hlgh-schoOls for
advanced pupils. But, aiming to do what they
know is within their power, that which is clearly
practicable, and which they know will supply want
in this community, ard will confer a benefit upon
tie public they will begin in November upon this
new Course" The Course is to be divided into
schools: the Scientific School, the Philosophical
School, the Law School, ard the School of History
and Letters. In these various departments many
Of the present Professors of the College will
lecture and others of well-established reputation
in the several branches Of learning are to be
appointed for similar duty Among these the
Hon Mr. Marsh and Prof. Gyos are already named.
The lectures of the Scientific School are to be
delivered at the College, tho instruments and
apparatus necessary for that Course aud which are
now in that building, maki5g it impossible that
they should be given any where else. But the other
lectures will be delivered in some more easily ac-
cessible locality perhaps in the rooms OF the His
torcal Society, in Ninth street, and as they are to
be open to the general public it is hoped that the
students Of all classes, the lawyer, the theologan,
the engineer, the merchant, the mechanic, as well
~ that, as yet, small class among US who pursue
knowledge rather for pleasure than for profit, will
avail themselves of so rich an opportunity of in
teectua acquisition, open alike to professional pur
suit or TO scholarly taste. To those however, who
propose to enter upon this Course with the inten
ton of studying for the degree Of Master of Arts
a certain plan Of study will be marked out which
they will be expected TO follow for two years, and
will be subjected occasionally TO such tentdmlnd 30
the professors shall deem necessary to test their
progress and their title to diploma.
Such we understand TO be the starting g-point,
from which shall grow, at length, University
worthy of the name, and which shall make the
chief city of the country seat of learning as IT
now is of wealth and of power, and which, per-
hsps, may shed upon something of the ameliorat-
Ing and ciyizing influence which We much need
and which letters are generally supposed to bestow.
There is good deal Of grumbling and bad blood
among the Democrats Of the city because as they
cog ,ba;r ,op1d..a. t.r nff ra seacfei almost