The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-09

| ~ C0u IOuuN SAo PAOpOo0N So"ASASA>S
Of imperial. Newfoundland. and Dominion
representatives. controversies over her
ring and squid and the retaliatory customs
duties will quickly disappear.
Summer Meetings ut Oxford.
Up to short time ago Oxfordin midsum-
nler. and in fact throughout the long vaca-
ton. was the most sleepy looking and de-
serted OF English cities. At such periods
the cap and gown Of the commoner
would vanish. and the few Dons who re-
NAMED in residence had furtive step and
deprecatory air. asst with tho exodus OF the
undergraduates they had lost tho sole pre-
text for their existence. At last. however.
the spirit OF reform found something for
the idle Dons to do. and constrained them
to throw open for q part OF the holiday sea-
son tho extensive educational appliances OF
the university to far larger and less am
bilious class OF students than those whose
names are entered on the books Of colleges
and halls.
In July and August OF this vear. for In
stance. will take place the fifth so-called
summer meeting. in which may participate
on the payment Of trivial fee young men
and women engaged in the vocation Of ele-
mentary school teaching. and such other
persons as may desire to gain the tEcture
Of scientific and literary knowledge obtain
able from qualified lecturers in particular
lines of study. Some Of these visitors are
provided with quarters within university
precincts: men. for instance. at Keble Col
lege, and women students at Somerville
Hall and Lady Margaret Hostel. while those
who cannot be thus accommodated. are fur
nished with list Of approved lodging
houses. These summer students have
access to special collection Of books known
as the University Extension Library. and a
limited number Of them are permitted to
read in the Bodlelan. Concerts. exhibitions
OF prints. and what are called converse
ziones. are provided for their recreation.
The Oxford Union Debating Society allows
It's large debating hall to be used as recep-
ton room. The summer students will also
be made welcome to the gardens of st. John
and New College. and to the meadows Of
Christ Church and Magdalen. Altogether.
there is no reason why the expenditure Of a
few pounds sterling under such conditions
should not be Intellectually and Rstheti-
cally profitable: and even II the visitors
carry of nothing moro substantial than
some pleasant recollections. they will have
given the Dons something to do.
We have before US a list OF the lectures
projected for the summer meeting of this
year, and while some Of them seem to aim
over the heads Of the audience. others are
iudiciously planned for usefulness to per-
sons engaged In q teachers vocation. There
are, for instance. five lectures on the meth
DDS OF school instruction. including the
processes Of imparting the elements OF
history. Of English literature. Of language.
and Of art There are also some eighteen
lectures on the rudiments of political
economy. and there will be nine lectures on
modern literature. including some COM
ments on American writer's. Open also to
the summer students on the payment of
small extra fee will be lectures. demon
STATIONS. and laboratory instruction In
chemistry. geometry. botany. astronomy.
biology. mechanics. sound. light and heat.
electricity. physiology, and hygiene. Syl-
labuses Of many Of these lectures will be
published containing suggestions for homo
study and lists Of books. There are. on the
other hand. some courses of lectures whose
utility to the summer students Is not so
easily discernible. Thus. the history of the
University Of Oxford. to which eight lee
lures are devoted. Is an interesting topic to
men OF academic associations. but its bear
Ing on the functions Of elementary school
teachers Is not obvious. Neither. when we
consider the modest requirements and
aspirations of the visitors. can we UNDER
stand why twenty-three lectures should
be allotted to Greek literature and art.
The chances are that not one In a
hundred Of the summer students can read
ten words Of Greek. Like objection can
scarcely be made to the hundred lectures on
the Renaissance and the Reformation. We
doubt. however. whether the summer audi
ence will appreciate the exquisite. not to
say excruciating, euphuism OF MIR. WALTER
PATER, who will. 1t Is announced. deliver
discourse on RAPHAEL. Somewhat Ill
adapted, also, to ON assembly Of elementary
school teachers seems the proposed dis
cussion Of JOHN LYLY by Mr.. ]. CHuRToN
COLLINS. The latter. by the way. is set
down for lecture on Lord" BACON. a
curious blunder to be perpetrated In cir
cular emansting from an Oxford press.
There lived In the reigns OF ELIZABETH and
JAMES parsonage known at various times
as FRANCIS BACON. Dir FRANCIS BACON.
Lord (Baron) VKBULAM. and viscount ST.
AnBANs. but no such person as Lord BA-
CON" ever existed.
It seems thst the programme Of lectures
for the summer meeting Of the current
year at Oxford will be repeated In July and
August OF 1894. There will DO no meeting
OF precisely the same kind In 1898. as during
August In that year the Examination
Schools and all the educational appliances
Of the University will be thrown open to
! working people In pursuance Of . plan. ad-