New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-20
UNIVERSITY LIFE ABROAD.
WHAT OXFORD OFFERS AN AMERICAN STU
DENT-ENGLISlI AND GERMAN
METHODS


to pursue special studies after having completed
u college course in America, or TO get thai general
training in literature and science which, IN
every complete educational system, is treated ms
preliminary to special studies-that is, what we
call UNDERGRADUATES trimming In the present
paper will he considered, as briefly rs possible,
some Of the advantages which are TO be found
at tho greatest OF English universities For III"
sake OF simplicity and dstinctnrss Oxford will
be discussed alone and not in conjunction with
it's rival, Cambridge.
At the outset il must be said and the state
mcnt cannot be made too forcibly, that very hard
study is not in fashion at Oxford. 1t is not in
fashion at present has at no period in the long
history of the university been in fashion, and
probably will never come into fashion. 1t is
not in the English nature, as IT. is in the German.
The English nature is essentially and eminently
PRACTICAL the German is far NOR" enthusiastic,
sentimental and devoted. SO German who has
chosen study rs his occupation may literally
study so long MS his strength will hold ont III"
greatest possible number Of hours IN ench day
and OF days in each year, through all IN" years
Of his life This leads 10 the principle OF
Thorough" which WIS described in the paper
on Germany, and the principl" Of Thorough is
the peculiar distinction Of III" German universe
tics. The Englishman will not study with such
sent imcutal devotion or doGgrd persistence" IL"
has mercy upon his lungs; h" remembers his eyes;
he is seldom carried away by Snch passion for
learning that he loses all natural prid" in his
muscles The most donnSh Of oxford Dons Will
feel moro genuine pride In having won rnrc IN
his day than in having kept IN" Clarendon Press
husv sine" he became u teacher and n writer "f
learned works
II would however. 10 unfair 70 say that h"
studies the least possible number Of hours in each
day and Of DAYS in each year. No. that is not
tn" case. He is practical man. avoiding h",h
r\trrmrS He places before himself % drlnit"
task taking that IL Nh"ll moi b" 10" diIicnit.
and them keeping always we'll within his strength.
coolly proceeds to do his duty II follows. almost
rs u matter Of course. that his work is VOL ana
neatly done. lie does not attempt 50 much as
the German scholar but attaches morr Importance"
10 ncntnrss cNnctncss. elegance aud good form.
SO then. very hard study il not 10 b" expected at
oxford but sterling common scnS", whIrl insists
that quality rather than quantity III intellectual
work is the dc>dcratum, and that maninrNN IS
the first rcQuiSt" for the university man ~ for
other mcn-thl~ is decidedly III fashion
This practical spirit explains n l"aling feature
81 the lectures, which ARE commonly planned 20
no more. The average oxford lrctur"r docs not
attempt 10 exhaust his sub cct. hc TRAITS only such
portions Of his theme rs will be- brought up III
the schools" examinations. You may often
hear lecturer correcting himself in the midst
Of his reading with some such observation AS:
But never mind this paNshgr. don't THINK
there is any probability Of qu' sti"n> heinz n>Eri
about H." n lrc,ur,r "vrrlooks, or tries :"
fight against mis- cSt.ihl shed principle, his al
ings will bc but poorly attended.
II must be understood tina, 1T oxford trirhrn.
consists partly Of lectures. and partly Of prIvat"
and informal instruction adapted 10 the nc~is OF
each pnpIl The hitter variety Is supplied hv the
various colleges each Of which employs two or
three tutors TO undertake this work; aud th"
,tateppnt is sometimes made TINT this provision
is sufficient But, in point OF fact there Is % barge
class OF privat" tutors {" c"nch"s.' ~ they ar"
called who have regular official connection
with the colleges. The business 81 these men
is 10 know what is going TO be- asked hv III" "N-
amincrs and 10 mpart 70 students who employ
their services precisely what Will be- rGnirci-
neither more nor less. Some uf th"s' cnachrS.'
being Themselves occasionally appointed 10 hold
examinations, know pretty well what points 10
include in their teaching and what may he
omitted.
No hOth lectures ana private tH''ilhg llIlNlThl"
the emincntly practical srIlt IN which work is
undertaken AT oxford: but 1t would be n mistake
to assume that this naivcly direct training for
examination proves inferior scholarship. 1t would
certainly have that tendency unless the cNninina
tions were both searching and rNnctlng But they
are both; and u student can no m"rr prepare for
item without gaining fairly cd general mastery
Of the subjects required than an athlete can pre-
pare for boat race without gaining in general
strength, which will DC srrviceable In other EN-.
Payments besides handling AN oar. In the first
examination, called " RcsponsionS' the list Of
subjects proposed is small, hnt candllat~s
preparation In those subjects lat least III Latin
Greek and lower mathematics must he excellent
decidedly Of higher grad" OF excellence that is
tO say, than would be Thought requisite by eN
nmincrs at our leading American colleges. AC-
cordng 10 the writer's observation such answers
10 questions put In examination as might he
thought extremely good 1T Yale, for example
would be called only rather fair at oxford.
The candidate for admission must pass two
examinations, one of which is TO satisfy the Uni
Scrsity, while the other Is due 10 the particular
college with which he desires to identify himself
OF these, the former (thc R"spOnsions' just re-
ierred to- IL the more important; and, although
IL Is not technically an entrance examination it.
may Tor al prhctchl purposes 30 so regarded, IN
nSmuch il should be passed either before one
goes into residence or Immediately nfrtrwnrh. A
hint TO the high standard Of RrspOnsions7 is
therefore not out Of place, the list OF subjects
for that ordeal has easy look. and might mis-
lead u foreign student "Rrsponsions" arr held
four times year; tn" examination beginning a,
on the Thursday between September Z and Sep
TENDER % and the Thursday in the eighth
week OF 10 MiChnclmaS iAutumn) Term ic) IIilnry
Winter Term, d Easter and Trinity Summer
Term All these four open to any one who
intends 10 enter the University.
The examination referred 10 above rs due TO =
particular college with which wishes a. idcn-
tify himself varies in difficulty with the schoIar-
ship standard Of the twcntysiX colleges and halls
IL