New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-05

en-. horse colleges" we could have dozen men
engaged upon some one branch OF human learning
with ample sources OF study.
In Boan. some years since, 1 attended meeting
in the Aula of the University, where young man,
candidate for bis degree Ia read his dissertI-
ton or thesis. IL wss in Latin. Two students
we're appointed TO dispute his positions. One l
am happy 10 say, was an American. now profess
scr in Massachusetts. Upon finishing the thesis,
the Young man sat down, aid LIS opponents rose N
turn and had TO answer him ex temPore' IN the
same lar gusge. Two or three professors were
present who took up the subject, aud thus Tor Two
or three hours the discussion went on. care 1T
lie myself about the Latin. / 10 care, however,
for thi.-thst a. Il mere ability Ia make out Latin
book with the help of dictionary il all that most
students (takng the legion Of pseudo Universities
in America IS a whole ever learn of that language,
go a similar proficiency Is ususly the standard 10
modern languages and In the sciences.
Leaving philoogy, look st the Professors OF
Chemistry in tEeut. nine eases out OF thirty where
the Unic1si's has got so up in the world as 10 have
one. What has be 10 do To give one course of
popular rudimens lectures 10 each class, the great
end of which is TO make some fine displays CT
household fireworks, and an abundance of Cologne
the city. not the interchangeable stenches.
But, for fear that our man. whom no honest mining
company would trust to make an analysis OF
mineral should have time to really make researches
into his science be must give course OF eectrci
w and tell the BOYS something about geology; he
must talk 10 each class about mineralogy; and must
explain the thirty or forty stones, aud the BALI
dozen bones and the slab Of san istone with bird
tracbs-al which is easy enough, perhaps as be
probably has part OF series Of Siillnans Journal
as pony" How such a Professor OF Chem
istry do ANYTHING His time and talents are trt-
tered away in half teaching a dozen things u a
score or two of boys mostly, no one OF whom ever
goes beyond the simplest of textbooks. Even II
he had salary equal to the demands OF his private
scientific library he can have neither time nor
freshness of spirit enough 10 make any valuable use
Of his new books.
The last literary news from Utopia hast just
come to hand In that deectabe country of which
Sir Thomas More Will give you account, il seems
that the Liberal party has got the upper hand, and
has sold out the score or two OF Universities for
what they would bring as hotels and beet sugar
manufactures and the like The Government has
organized one grand institution of learning looking
out To secure the services of the greatest scholars
and scientists of Utopa asprotessors in all depart
ments of learning, except dogmatIc theology. This
they leave T. the various Ut0plan sects allowing
every one to appoint ard support professors of their
own particular views, if the man is a scholar and
not morally obnoxious. Thus far the Utopian:
have found the system 10 work as smoothly as the
same mode of dealing with Catholics and Protest
ants does in Bonn and Bresau, in Prussia. 1t may
De sdn IUdI the tHiktu Cbdth arc uoN tl"Pih
is fact; they DO not sell women aud children
there, nor are they blessed with Buchanan or
Pierce
There is no other civilized country 10 the world
where such mere smatterDg OF science Will give
man popular fame as learned man, as in the
United States. And yet no country IN the world
is spending much money for the purpose OF
giving boys a sO-called liberal education. No
country wastes go much in this way; gets so little
n. conv. ypd at A al "A cost
In Prussia there are in round numbers IL ,000, 600
inhabitants. For this large population six Univsr-
sites are deemed sufficient, and SO they are. That
at Berlin has ever since its establishment, been
ayOrite object with the rulers, and their determnl-
ton to make il the first in Germany-ln the world
seems to bid fair to be carried out. The money
wasted in some seven or eight States at home on
weak feeble institutions, with four to ten instruc
tors Libraries and scientific collections in proper
ton it, venture to say, more than this great insti
tuition has cost Prussia. Here il does seem as If
one could study eyerything-that the institution is
HnireTsdi. Would you learn Chinese, Sanscrit or
Any dialect may almost say of Asia; would you
like Ia get smatterlng of COptc, or of Egyptian
hierogb phics, Just come here. If you find IN
cOmpao ~ that sou are in an awkward position from
not knowing how 10 dance, go and take lessons OF
the University professor DO You wish to study
practical gardening, here you have instructors and
IA garden 10 work in. Are you fond of any art
]
University professors. Bueckh can probably tske
you M far in Greek as you desire to co. and if you
are ambitious Ia own comet, come and study with
Encke, who has had one a long time, as all the
world knows, and will tell you how 10 put salt upon
the tail Of one for Yourself Well then (to get back
where | started) the reason whyiBerin can boast
such magnificent array of great names in science,
art and literature IL, rot because 1t il great
capital but because the Government has fostered
one great institution of learning; has devoted to It's
increase funds which, IN our country, would be
wasted in starting God knows how many one
horse colleges; has made noble collections of
zoology mineraogy, comparative anatomy, spPa-
ratus, bOOks-indced. everything that the student
the professor ask; has made 1t for the inter
est and honor of to give their lives to the par
ticnlsr branches Of study for which their tastes
and geniUses hit them, and finally, has made mans
know ledge of anatomy the test of his fitness ~
teach anatomy, or his knowledge of astronomy the
test of his fitness TO teach that science, rather than
bis sOundBess upon the great goose question of
sprlpkhng or immersion.
Uengstenberg, who in America would be con.
sijered pretty stiff Trntarian, is not supposed
here to have any difficulty in teaching the theology
Of which he is a professor, because one or two of
the lecturers upon natural science, mathematics,
ancient Latin monuments, Inscriptions and the like,
do not agree with bim exactly M the Interpretation
of certain texts in tie jewish and Chris ian Scrip
lures.
Az | suppose very many Of the readers Of this
letter hAye the American Almanac within reach |
beg them 10 look down 10 the list of American
Universities, and compare the statistics there given
with the following from the Official catalogue of
TIE Berlin University for the current term.
THEOL,G Cal Faculty
Ordinary rIo Extraordinary Professor.
Tutors tf.;yst doceLteu... =.