Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-10-05
Tho First University.

lNtsHHh,tfF hfttfN'l
The first university! In what age,
upon what soil, and under whose In.
flusnc- did II arise? The "Unlversity"
W which all the world might come aud
learn u the then exkting knowledge
It's foundation dates from n period n
little more than two thousand years
ago; the soil Is Egyptian; Its name Il
Alexandria, and its founder Aluxan.
der tho Great. For Alexandra was
the nrst city TO deserve the name.
Athens might have won II, but when
Athonian politics had become thing
Of the past, and the field WAS open TO
other pursuils, Alexandria had already
iorestalled her. Hundreds OF years
antoil or TO tho foundation OF Alex
andria, priestly schools existed Mt
the ancient Egyptian cities OF
Assyrlan city OF Babylon, aud al
TO thuao at tho Tursnian or early
Chhldean cities Of Ur and Agade.
where the kings OF Assyria sent lhslr
subjects to be Instructed Ina the science
anu mysticism Of the day. Still none
OF them deserved the title OF "Univer-
sity"-i, c., rs have already said,
"a place whore nil mankind might
come aud be instructed IN nil the
learning then in existence"
Among the Greeks, Athens was
never n university" Her practical
citizens were absorbed in polite, her
philosophers in metaphysical speou.
latiop. The true Schools OF Science
tho Inducttve Schools--uuver Hour.
ishod Mt Athens; tho observatories OF
tho Greek astronomers were al Cnidus,
on the south 90 ut OF Asia Minor, or Mt
Cyzicus on the Hellespont; the
School OF Medicine was maintained
by ono illustrious family on
the island OF Cos. The Pefipatetic
school was az unscientiilc us tho Pin.
tonic. Arlhtotle, though ho lived at
Athens, was never one VI Its cltizons.
He disliked It and left 1t, and was
never able 10 command an audience nj
Athens for anything except mo,aphy-
sizes. Alexandria was the firsl school
10 deserve the titlu OF "a "University."
On the sits OF the village Of Rhacotis,
Alexander founded, In the year 3S2
b. O., when no returned from Pales.
tine into Egypt, that city which was
to DO the entrepot OF tne commerce VI
the East anu the Wcst, and where, In
after years, the intellectual glory made
manifest within her walls has given
Nh all.endurlng luster to her name.
Her long career Of commercial and
intellectual prosperity and her com.
manding position, US regards the ma
terial Interests OF the world, well Justi-
q ed the craftsmanship Of her foNnier.
The site was chosen, tho ground
plan drawn, aud the mode OF colo.
nization directed, II Is said, by
Alexander himsef. Tho building OF
this city, entrusted TO Dlnocrates, the
architect Of the temple OF Diana ut
Ephesur, was not, however, completed
until many years afterwards. When
completed II was divided Into three dis.
trials-the Greek, the jewish and thc
Egyptian; for Alexander was before
everything cosmopolitan, md doliber.
ately attempted ON every occasion to
break down tho barriers OF race and
creed. Tho travels and exploita OF
Alexander had excited throughout the
civilized races new and burning de.
sire TO zoe ana know more OF each other
and Of the world, md Alexandria wa
the place where this curiosity could
best be- satisfied. On the death Of
Alexander and the breaking up OF hi,
empire In the year 823 b. c., Egypt
and In consequence the mAgnitlSeuI
city Of Alexandria, fell Into tho hand,
OF Ptolemy, the son OF Lagus.
Ptolemy was a man who had caught
much OF Alexander's own enthusiasm
and he II was who created the Uni
vsTsity OF Alexandria, the iinporta ne,
OF whose foundation-although 1t hai
boon hitherto but little understood
admits OF no exaggerallon as far as Tia,
Intellectual advancement ef Europe Il
concerned. 1t gave, az n writer has OBJ
served, 10 the wofks Of Aristotle thoi
wonderful duration; II impaired /,
them not only Grecian celebrity, bu
led 10 their translation into Syriao b,
the HISTORIANS In tho fifth century, an,
irora Syriac by tbs Arabs into thel
tongue. Four hundred years later thel
exercised y living Influence over Chris
tiAns and Aahpmmedans indiilvrently
from Spain to Mesopotamia. Demp
illus Phalareus was commanded b.
piolemy 10 collect all the writings ii
Tho world, and DO great was the success
II his patient and laborlons exortlOn
That two great libraries were collected
he Just pride aud boast OF antiquity.
The larger contained, In tho Time q
ptolemy philadelphus (about 2oO B.C.l
lOO,OOO rolls, representing about 30, OJ
ilBtinct works; aud there was anolhe
library In tho Egyptian quarter, con
aiming about 10000 works. Bot
heso were, In after yesrs, greatly N
ireased, and were always under IN
lafe-oi some distinguished scholal
Snloying as this university did unds