New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20

Wilson established
hardly likely that II will. There is general desire,
however ir which President Beers. as is evidenced
by his letter a year ago In The Alumni "eeni!'
sympathizes that man of this stamp DC ueo'"ou
upon There Is now no chair In rhetoric. a''"o"s'
there are two instructors engaged In TINS WORK.
the vacancy occasoned by the death OF froie'so,
McLaughlin who died shortly after being ADVANCED
10 a professorship OF rhetoric and oel'es-e''''
having never been filed. The practical oo,ee''oh
to utilizing the Emily Sanford funds IN ths way
is that IT would be difficult TO secure a man OF
eminence who could take up the drudgery OF me
work with any dignity. 1t would he lmpossiDie., ior
to correct several hundred compositions week
and yet this is precisely the KIND OF work mat
needs TO be done.
FIGURES SHOWS AN INCREASED INTEREST
The recent undergraduate interest in the EnSilsh
department is attested by statistics. The recl'a-
tons and lectures at the present time are attended
by large majority of the undergraduates ahd' III
least from a numerical point OF view. they VII" MOI
lose by comparison with the most popular courses
During the present year there are 1S4 elections OF
the English courses, in comparison with the lIo OF
1861 and the go OF the preceding year There
are COZ men In the Junior and senior classes ana
thus. making allowances for the men VINO TAKE
one more courses. 1t would seem as though ever!
work The most popular courses are rf Sih 81
Phelps's course in American literature whicn -
and senior classes Professor Phepss course in the
El!zabethan drama elected by l5l men: MI Lewlss
century taken by ia. and Professor Beers course
In Shakespeare, regularly attended by 81 me
which Will not unfayorably compare with the other
n dneTe Dr. are Badwn IN and
augmentation, 1t will be observed therefore, that
nre condition that comedies with Yaes concep,
ton OF The department The great amount OF
Yale. where the department is based upon the
theory that the idea is more important than the
expression. and that the study Of literature itself
is more conducive to happy style than the drill
work of the compostion-room;
lessor upon this question Is well known. lie has
never hesitated to make public his views. in maya
zine articles and in private conversation. MS at.
utude is not one OF hostility to me teachnG o 0i
IL SBed IS Sne OF hcsy h
requirements when they were mentioned a lev
work Of the freshman Year. His position on this
ground, however. is hardly owing 10 any particular
Suirements in any branch OF the curriculum. lie
is one OF the strongest advocates OF the eectNe
primarily to the literary side of his pupils lie is
rare man Of Of of Rsem
incisve faculty and quiet though eniy,eniinf3;
romantic movement during the eighteenth century
and on the Victorian poets, are among me most most
mass of college students; he prefers to pick his
own men, 10 surround himself with a few cholGe
literary spirits, and TO pursue some congenial topic
in way" Sud{ eSu nap from ' an un
scientific point OF view at once Grdyliates toward
hmself and axis his Suburban Pastoral collection
OF stories published three years ago In their tran,
their originality OF treatment and theme. are char
acteristc Of the most genial Yale professor as ne
has done. well a great deal Of writing in.o and
compilation in connection WIN ms Gnd
has written one book, "The Ways Of Yale" that
Of OFT the 'i graduate and undergraduate World
Professor Resrs che ProfefiSr s cGSk
distinction early at the German universities, ana
has sustained his reputation since as as one Of t the
called from the University OF California IN lS''
W aSds rbe "snon e Pross6r Beers and the
faculty He is Incorporating deyote tee, OF the
admit that English literary history begins with
Chaucer To this end he yearly engages the larger
other Anglo-S Saxon WORTHLESS. among whom he has
man OF method and n philosopher and cares little
FOR literature which has no more purpose than It's
of sayins must have some definite end some bear
ing upon the never,endng problems, OF the world;
% c but must maze b eay SoTses
thore.ore he is most successful In dealing with
such mon as Browning and Ben Jonson. in whom
PT e ,esson COOKS ambition Is TO conne Ms acn
ton to graduate work and 70 the superntendienee
no undergraduate work.
DIR. PHELPS AND HIS HARVARD IDEAS
In many ways however the most successful Eng
lsh Instructor at Yale is Professor William Lyon
Phelps DR.. Phelps is a graduate OF Yale. in the
class of 81 has taught at Yale for four years. and
was last June advanced to assistant professor
ship. Dr.. Phelps is also man OF Harvard train
ing and has brought many OF the Cambridge Ideas
or English literature to NeW-Haven he Is pre-
AT Yale his exposition Of tho Harvard ideas has
been constant inspiration to the young ing, men;
read, and it is IN this direction that hat he Is Of espe-
c S Sai mat 70 on Ezabethan drama has been at
tended by ns many as 80 and the success OF his
qGyel The Study g0 of george Moore D
Maurier, Howells, Anthony Hope and Robert Louis
though the older members of the faculty disap-
proved 1t is believed 10 have exercised a health
a large amount OF original work. and the value OF
his researches in the Elizabethan drama was APP
n,ociatiyely recognized two years ago, when he
was requested TO edit volume on Chapman for
tho Mermaid series.
w-Haven as of Yale. His University Extension
lectures last fan were largely attended and 10 the
Ing the role of literary dictator. In the college
his ambition is to reach the majority OF men ana
Use He does not aspire 50 much to scientific
ana hH1e of groGnd HIS idea is to make the
undergraduates read and in this he is wonderfully
lie arde dncad OF an nde a a
puaziing the more conservative Yale faculty for
five yeaTs d rs fHdf hm 'a' heS are beginning
' The outlook for the Yale English department is
favorable for the succeeding year. A few changes
are to be made in the faculty and both the under
tended. Dr. Herbert A. Smith, who has been con-
sever his connection this year. He will devote the
ncs vS SHs s aGe w be taken
by DR.. Frank Herbert Chase, the Valedictor!an OF
work at the English universities. b. ]. H.
NewHaven Conn, March y. 1895
THE CASE OF GENERAL MLEWEE.
The friends Of General McLewee who have been