The sun., 1894-02-14

some untoward effects upon the college
system. In one college Mr.. GOODWIN
SMITH found the head practically the only
resident. with the maintenance Of disci-
pline wholly on his hands. IL seems that the
relations between the university professors
and the college tutors are not yet settled
| Practically. line is drawn, to large eN-
tent. by the subjects OF instruction. Physi-
cal science Ia taught In the profes sorial
| hall, while classcs and mathematics are
taught in the tutors rooms.
IL is Interesting to hear from this
| trustworthy observer That more lib
| eral curriculum, with wider choice OF
| studies and tho Improvement OF teach
| ing, have been followed by II marked In
| crease OF industry among the students.
In his own college. Magdalen, he was told
that nearly all the men were reading for
| honurs. All those who have protted by
| university education will applaud Nir.
| GOLDw1N SMITH for declaring that only
| honor men. or men destined to some dis
| tinctly intellectual career. ought to DO ad-
| mitted to Oxford. In his opinion. the
three years spent by n pass man in acquir-
| ing smattering of knowledge, are n poor
| investment; and we may add that the pres
| tige which he was supposed to carry into
| the world was obtained on false pretences.
| We also hear with satisfaction that the un-
| dergraduates having become more indus
| trious. have become more frugal. Wine
| parties. several Of which used to be on each
| evening In almost every college, have gone
| out. and the number OF hunters kept ls very
| greatly reduced Only In the furnishing OF
| rooms does luxury seem to have advanced
at Oxford. As to the development OF ath-
| letics. Mr.. GOODWIN SMITH plainly thinks
| that IL is carried too far, and that
the homage paid to 1t by the authorities
is somewhat slavsh. He points out that
whether athleticism produces permanent
health is still matter of dispute; and he
finds 1t hard to believe that the same fund
OF nervous energy can suffice for intense
exertion both OF the body and OF the brain.
We are reminded that PHILIP OF Nncedon
pronounced athletes OF little use In war:
they must be OF less use now than ever,
since the lance has given place to the rifle.
with which THERsITEs might pick off an
ACHILLES at thousand yards. In tho
meantime. it appears that the University
Rifle Corps Is kept on foot only with diff
Guilty. 80 that, II a war wero suddenly to
break out. the athlete would have the honor
OF standing by and seeing his tailor march
out to defend the country. 1t is also noted
that athleticsm even at Oxford. Is now
clogGcd by professionalism and betting. the
first Of which was unknown. and the second
almost unknown, as connected with games,
fifty years ago.
Among studies. Mr.. GOODWIN SMITH
found the classical school, although de- |
prived of its former monopoly. still holding
its own. Mathematics. on the other hand. |
has not made much way. In the classical |
school. the present tendency seems to be to |
put premium on strict philology. rather |
than Oh elegant and brilliant scholarship. |
such as the composition OF Latin verse. |
The history school and the law school are |
said to be doing well. especially the lat
ter. In which. however. there is an in |
clination to specialize. and make the |
school distinctly preparatory to pro-
fession. To the question. what is
the paramount object OF the university
Oxford has not yet returned definite
answer. Whether she Is to be a mart OF
knowledge and seat OF research. or a place
OF liberal culture and training for life
In general. is still undetermined. The
examination system which MARK PAT
TIsoN and his friends desired to see aban-
doned. finds defender In Mr.. GOODWIN
SMITH. He admits. OF course. that study
from love OF the subject Is best. But how
many youths he asks. are enough In love
with subject to study IL for its own sake?
What. then. is to fix and test thci- efforts
but examination Besides. those who
would study from love Of the subject would
hardly be hindered by examination: to pass
test in mathematics would not have done
NEWTON any harm. As to the alleged in
compatibility OF the examination system
with spontaneous and sustained research,
We are reminded that there was not much
research at oxford In the days before the
class lists. and that there Is a good deal
now. though examinations have long been
In full play.
ltis evident that Mr. GOODWIN SMITH does
not approve Of the newest Oxford project.
namely. II school OF English literature
What. he asks Is to give substance to such n |
school? Is Anglo-Saxon 10 be its backbone?
He submits that Anglo-Saxon is proper
subject for PROFESSIONAL chair, but that. as
a general study, it is meagre. having for
most people little mo- q than an chronological
value. and unlikely to be effective in the way
Of intellectual training. He seems TO think
the charge we'll founded that a school OF
English literature would be what. at IIar-
ward. is called soft option" lie thinks
the cat was let out OF the bag by the mem
Der OF COnvocation who advocated the
creation OF the school in theinterest Of the
ladies'" In short. this innovation Is re-
garded by Mr. GoLDwIN SMITH as the first,
but not likely to be the last. demand for re-
taxation OF the masculine character OF the
system. relaxation which, in ,
his opinion. would unquestionably follow {
the admission OF women To the class lists.
Professor Wilson.
NVTTT ! a