The sun., 1880-08-01

irresistible motives almost every person en-
gagged In tutorial functions at the smaller
seats Of learning IL prompted to shirk the
lecture room as much as possible, and give
the better part OF his time and energy to
labor with the pen. Through this means he
can not only exc out his scanty income, but
look forward TO chance OF translation to
more lucrative post at one OF the great GEN.
trail universities, boon reserved exclu-
sively for those whose writings have at
tracted notice.
At Berlin or at leipzig, and the same re-
mark may with some qualification be ap-
piled to Bonn, the professor is handsomely
or at least comfortably salaried. and at lib
erty to pay more attention TO his lectures.
Hence, students and teachers are alike at
tracted to the central institutions, the latter
by the glory and high pay OF professor
ship, the former by the certainty that they
will there enjoy better opportunities OF in
struction. Since this tendency has acquired
unmistakable momentum, posts 10 provin-
cial universities have come to be regarded
as mere conveniences for furnishing clever
mon with subsidies during the period which
must elapse before the coveted translation
to higher sphere. Meanwhile the occupant
Of these makeshift situations Is, Of course
burdened with certain lecturing duties,
which, however, he will contrive to get over
as soon as possible, or at oil events post
pone to the far more imperative business Of
literary production. Write, indeed, the pro-
fessors must, IL they would rise, and to tho
same necessity Mr. GooDRIcK ascribes their
abstinence from ordinary social enjoyments
save at Berlin and in isolated cases at the
smaller institutions.
In the picture here presented, the English
observer doubtless wishes us to recognize
widespread and controlling tendency rather
than an accomplished fact There nre un-
questionably some men Of great reputation
who yet cling to their own provincial uni
versities, partly from the attachment born
OF long association, and partly from the
consciousness that they are more conspicu-
Gus as the undisputed heads OF their own
little academy than they might prove amid
the blaze Of academic glory surrounding
the Berlin professorate. In spite, however,
Of such exceptions, the symptoms OF decay
seem numerous and decisive; nor could 1t be
expected that the old system would long
survive the disappearance Of the conditions
which gave 1t BIRTH The necessity for local
universities is fast vanishing, and with 1t a
number OF once famous institutions must
perish. or be essentially transformed by
consolidation with others. In word, tho
German universities, now subjected to the
centralizing influences Of the empire, seem to
be passing through very much such period
Of transition and reconstruction as marked
the beginning Of this century. In 1889 there
existed not less than five-and-forty univer-
stiles; in 1915 more than half Of them, in
cluding the world-famed academy Of Wit
tenberg, had disappeared. and the number
OF the survivors had shrunk to less than
twenty. The signs are that somewhat
analogous shrinkage will take place within
the next quarter Of q century, and we ap-
prehend that many characteristic features
OF the German university system will be
profoundly modified when three or four
great urban establishments replace null
titude Of INDECENT provincial seminaries.