Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-28

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make up for their BORROWINGS as hest
they may. This is precisely the sort of
legacy that the Democracy of this
State has received from Radicalism.
PROGRESS IN UNIVERSITY EDUCA-
TION.
The Popular Science MonthlyA for
May contains the inaugural address of
the Lord Rector of the University of
Aberdeen, in which Prof. Huxley treats
of the actual and the Ideal'' in a
mastery manner His ideal of univer-
sity facilities for the acquisition of
knowledge may be gathered from the
following statement: 81 have already
done my best, and, as long as l hold
my Office l shall continue to endeavor
TO do what in me lies 10 bring this
University nearer to the ideal-alas,
that l should be obliged to say ideal
of all universities; which as l conceive
should be places in which thought is
free from all letters; and In which all
sources of knowledge, and all aids to
learning should be accessible to all
corners without distinction OF creed or
country, riches or poverty. Do not
suppose, however, that 1 am sanguine
enough to expect much to come from
any poor efforts of mine. IL your an
mails take any notice of my incumbency,
1 shall probably go down to posterity
as the rector who was always beaten.
But if they add, as 1 think they will,
that my defeats became victories in the
hands of my successors, l shall be well
content"
The courage that calmly battles
through life for the right, expecting
defeat, and feelingreproach, isthe force
that reforms the world. A school or
church in which Thought is free from
all fetters,'' is indeed an ideal institu-
ton; but who dare say that man may
not one day rise to that intellectual
freedom? Think of universities all
over Europe and America, literally en-
dowed, accessible to all corners with
out distinction, creed or country, riches
or poverty" "An sources of knowl-
edge and all aids to learning" are to be
as free as the air we breathe, and as
abundant as the water we drink. Why
not? How many free schools would
the expense of the late war between
France and Germany have supported
in perpetuity, had the money been
loaned at five per cent interest? Be-
fore we are through paying interest and
pensions incident to our civil war, the
pecuniary sacrifice will be at least ten
thousand million dollars common
school fund of no mean proportions.
1t is not money, however, that our
so-called civilization lacks to educate
the masses as they ought to be educa-
ted. We have abundant means, but
not the disposition. Too many claim a
a prescriptive, hereditary right to do
wrong, and live by the sweat OF other
mems faces. Instead of helping the
humble to rise in the scale of humani-
ty by all the aids of learning, science,
moral and social culture, these advan-
tages are Systematically withheld to
bless favored few.
But things have gone in Europe as
far in this direction as nature permits, |
and a general reaction is in full play.
What words are these to fall from the
lips of the Lord Rector of Aberdeen
University: MY first duty in opening
this address is to offer you my most |
hearty thanks for the signal honor you
have conferred. upon mean honor of
which as man unconnected with you
by personal or by nationalities, devoid
of political distinction, and plebian
lghO stands by his order, l could not
have dreamed. And it was the more
surprising to me. as the fve-and-
twenty years which have passed over
my head since l reached in
tellectual manhood have been
largely spent in no .half-hearted advo-
cacy of doctrines which have not yet
found favor in academic responsibility"
Could any event well be more revolu-
tionary than for ''plebian who stands
by his order to be chosen Lord Rec
tor? Speaking of the old scholastic
system of university training, Prof.
Huxley says: The scholastic system
might be inconvenient and distracting,
but 1T was possible to hope to keep it
within bounds. Physical science on
the other hand was an irreconcilable
enemy, to be excluded at all hazards.
The college of cardinals has not dis
itself in physics or physiol-
ogy; and no pope has as yet set up
public laboratories in the Vatican"
To give the reader an inkling of
what the workers in the mines of edu-
reform are doing in England,
we cite additional remarks from this
admirable address: Within my re-
collection the only way in which stu
lent could obtain anything like train
ng in physical science was by attend
ing the lectures of the professors of
physical and natural science attached
10 the medical schools. But within the
asst twenty years Oxford alone has
sunk more than one hundred and twenty
pounds in building and fur
nishing physical, chemical and physio-
logical laboratories, and magnificent
museum, arranged with an almost
luxurious regard for the needs of
the student. Cambridge, less rich,
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