can tell, be granted more easily than an ordinary degree in another. No person can know anything whatever of the real proficiency of the candidate except his examiner on each subject, who at present is the same person, by whom he has been instructed on that subject. It is not desired that the professors should necessarily be excluded from the office of examiners for degrees, but that they should be associated in the office with other persons, and that in no case should they be the sole tribunal by which the merits of their own pupils are ascertained. We shall briefly indicate the advantages likely to arise from bringing the students of the different colleges into competition with one another before an independent tribunal :the additional publicity given to the results of academic teaching; the stimulus thus applied to the professors, and the necessity imposed on them, both of zealous and efficient teaching, and of keeping pace with the educational progress of their time; the reality of the honour which will result to the successful candidates in so wide a competition; the stimulus that the prospect of competing with unknown antagonists will give to the most advanced students in the different colleges; the substitution of a manly for a boyish method of study, from the necessity imposed on the students of mastering a subject, instead of preparing a daily lesson; of grappling with the materials of education as a whole, instead of being merely immersed from day to day in unmeaning details: the probability that part of the long summer vacations, now often wasted even by the best students, will henceforth be properly employed in private study, to which this final examination will afford an adequate motive and a steady direction: the training in examinations thus supplied, which will give to Scotch students a better chance of competing for Indian appointments, &c., with their English and Irish rivals. Provided that the different universities were willing to lay aside all jealousies of one another, and professors to make some sacrifice of personal dignity in favour of a national good, we cannot see any real objection to the adoption of this scheme. We have heard such as the following urged: that the prospect of honour without emolument will not be a sufficient motive for exertion on the part of the students. We answer (though the whole question of additional endowment is too wide for our present discussion), that we may fairly hope to see some emolument granted to the most successful candidates, sufficient to help them in the first years of professional life, or to support them while prosecuting their further studies, though not sufficient to tempt them to lapse into a life of ease and idleness. But in any case, by the proposed scheme there is nothing withdrawn from such stimulus to exertion as at present exists. Those who are familiar with the excessive ambition with which Scotch students at present strive for trifling honours in their own classes, which are only heard of within their college and in their own homes, might be inclined to fear that the stimulus of concentrating all their efforts on the attainment of an honour, sure to be recognised by the country, and to be accepted as a test of ability and industry in entering on any profession, likely, too, to lead to such appointments as professorial chairs and the best endowed masterships in schools, would have the effect of raising the youthful ambition to an unhealthy pitch. Of the two at least we should be more inclined to apprehend this latter evil. It has been objected that there would be some difficulty in finding examiners unconnected with the universities. It would undoubtedly be essential to secure a board of examiners who would inspire perfect confidence and respect. But we cannot for a moment doubt that among the professional classes, the men of leisure, and the masters of schools in Scotland, a sufficient number of gentlemen may be found perfectly able and willing to cooperate with such of the professors as might from year to year fill the office of examiners. In a short time examiners would easily be provided out of the most successful candidates of previous years. We do not know if the objection 1856.] Objections answered. has been made, but we fear it may be made, that this scheme of final examination is borrowed from the Oxford schools or the Cambridge triposes. Now the English and Scotch universities are so very unlike, their characteristic faults and excellences are so diametrically opposite to one another, that we need hardly say that we should regard any attempt to remodel Scotch universities after the pattern of those of England not only as wholly impracticable, but as extremely undesirable. It was a common charge against Oxford reformers that they sought to imitate German and Scotch universities, while they merely sought to supply what was most defective in their own system by the adoption of certain means which common sense indicated, and which they did not choose to reject merely because they existed elsewhere. We admit that such a scheme of final examination is a part of the Oxford system-and is that part of the system to which, in the main, all improvement for the last fifty years is due-an improvement which even the bitterest enemies of the English universities would not deny, if they had any knowledge of what Oxford was before the first examination statute was enacted. The Scotch universities may, if it gives them any pleasure, congratulate themselves on having escaped many of the abuses and obsolete usages prevalent elsewhere. They are especially fortunate in having escaped ecclesiastical ascendancy and intolerance. But we do not think that the desire of being as unlike Oxford as possible can be a sufficient reason for objecting to this measure. At all events while valuable public appointments are, whether wisely or not, given after such examinations as we speak of, the universities which train their sons best in such a system will, cæteris paribus, carry off the prizes. We may briefly advert to one other objection. We have heard it said that the tendency of the teaching of the English universities is to produce a certain uniform type of character, opinions, attainments, and intellectual capacity, allowing no free play to individual bent or genius. We believe that this uniformity is apparent rather than real; and is not more remarkable than what a There are other questions con- proposed addition of so many professorial chairs. The points of agreement and disagreement cannot be fully elicited by the discussion of a public meeting, which is most suitable for the enunciation of views on which no diversity of opinion exists. It seems to us that in the present state of the question the most natural suggestion to make is the appointment of a commission of inquiry, similar to those which elicited such important evidence and submitted such judicious recommendations in reference to the English universities. It may be objected that two royal commissions have already sent in reports on the subject without leading to any result. But at the time of their appointment there was little interest felt in the question; the public was apathetic, the universities, we believe, were generally antagonistic to the inquiry. The precedent of the English university commissions would afford a ground of confidence, that a similar inquiry would now A com lead to practical results. * While complaining of the absence of endowment in the Scotch universities, we omitted to mention the valuable small exhibitions from Glasgow College to Balliol College, Oxford, to which many Scotchmen gratefully acknowledge that they have been indebted for advantages which would otherwise have been beyond their reach. The stimulus given to education by these exceptional endowments is a strong argument in favour of further endowment. The candidates for these appointments are encouraged by the hopes of future distinction to carry on their private reading extensively, and are thus enabled to derive full benefit from the excellent teaching and prelections of their classical professors. But we call these endowments exceptional not only because they are limited to one university, but because they are attainable only by that very small class of students who desire to finish their academic studies at Oxford. Their necessary action is to withdraw young scholars from the Scotch to the English universities. While fully acknowledging the great benefit of these endowments, we desire to see an equal encouragement held out to the much larger class of students in all the universities, who complete their academic course in Scotland. In leaving the subject, we must again repeat, that, if the Scotch universities fail in affording a thorough education to their students, the cause of failure is not any want of ability or attainment on the part of the professors. In respect of the qualifications of the individual professors, we believe that the Scotch universities would bear comparison with any similar institution in the kingdom. The whole scope of these remarks is to find some means by which the gap between the attainments and capacity of the teachers and those of the taught may be filled up. The reform that is wanted is not in the learning, &c., of the professors, but in the circumstances and condition of the students. FRASER'S MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1856. FRIENDS IN COUNCIL ABROAD. VII. SCENE. The Public Gardens near Aix-la-Chapelle. Present-ELLESMERE, DUNSFORD, Milverton, Mr. MIDHURST, Blanche, Mildred, and the Dog. ladies, young At last they were all seated. MR. MIDHURST, after having offered the softest and most comfortable hillock of moss to each of the took it himself. MILDRED endeavoured to place BLANCHE next to ELLESMERE (an old man sees these little things), but the bright girl preferred nestling herself up close to her cousin, and MILDRED was obliged to take the place next to ELLESMERE. They insisted upon my sitting on a log which ELLESMERE called a metaphorical woolsack, and said that he wished every Judge sat upon as hard a bench, as it would make them more intolerant of long speeches from counsel. He hoped, he said, it would have a little of There was then some talk about ivy the same effect in the present case. leaves, bonnets, and other frivolous things, which I need not recount; and, afterwards, ELLESMERE began to speak more seriously. ELLESMERE. I really shall get into a great scrape with that good physician, Sir James Kinder, if I allow you, Milverton, to plunge us all into serious The last thing he said to me was, discussions while we are abroad. 'Mind, Milverton must do no work.' Besides, rest is the object of the Dunsford comes out, if not to rest himself, at least journey for all of us. to let his parishioners rest; Mr. Midhurst, to give some rest to the French cooks of the metropolis; myself, to delay the ruin of various families and why can't you, Milverton, let the wretched public rest? I wish one could put a clog on the mind, such as one sees on some poor animal. By the way, I don't know how it is, but I never see a donkey turned out on a dreary common, with a heavy clog to his hind leg, but I think of a newly married man spending his honeymoon in the country,-so suppose great, as a philosopher would say, are the powers of association. It is not that there is the slightest resemblance in the circumstances, but I that, upon some occasion, when I saw a newly married couple setting off from the paternal mansion, I had just seen an unfortunate donkey with a elog to him, and thus the two things became inseparably connected in my mind. Philosophy explains everything. DUNSFORD. And I suppose on the same day when you saw a bachelor in the Albany you had just seen a solitary donkey without a clog, but drearily mooning about the pound. ELLESMERE, with a stage laugh. Ha, ha, ha! That is very good, Dunsford, immensely witty for a rector in Hampshire. MIDHURST. Man without a companion is dejected: man with a companion is, for the most part, oppressed by incomplete companionship, and miserable-at least with one companion. What might be done by having more I do not know. Perhaps he would be still more miserable-perhaps not. It is a curious question. ELLESMERE, sidling up to DUNSFORD and whispering in his ear. VOL. LIII. NO. CCCXIV. I MILVERTON. No earwigging of the jury. As you have now finished your conversation on donkeys and matrimony, I will tell you what is the subject upon which I want your earnest consideration. I had a letter yesterday from the editor of the Review, telling me that there is shortly to be a general election. I do not see any present symptoms of such an event; but editors, of course, know everything, and I suppose it is to be. And what he wants me to do is, to write an article upon the subject, which, he says, may be of some use. But what a subject it is! And then my thoughts upon these matters, and upon all questions connected with official reform, do not take the shape of any system. I am always for improving the things before us, making the best of what we have, relying greatly on individual effort, and not thinking that anything will do away with the necessity for men. You make a plan ever so good, and an unwise man has the working of it, and it comes to nothing; while, out of the uttermost confusion in human affairs, a skilful fellow draws force and nourishment and vitality. MIDHURST. I see, Mr. Milverton, you are very much in earnest, and therefore I assure you I will say nothing that is merely playful or paradoxical, or meant only to bring other people's opinions out; but I must honestly tell you my conviction that, to do any good in these matters, you must look very far, and go very deep, and have very little hope of any success. Are not the representatives of the people quite good enough for the people they represent? Look at the insincerity throughout all life-the bad workmanship in all directions; and how are you to expect a great result from such unworthy materials? Look at each one of us, at this present moment-people that wear 'severe shirt-collars' and hard hats, and who live in houses cumbered with laborious absurdity, and dine at stupid ill-contrived dinners, and enjoy the least pleasure at the greatest expense of any people in the world. What right have we to a better House of Commons than we have? MILVERTON. You know that I have a large and very varied acquaintance. Amongst others, I have the honour of knowing a few of the great retired scholars― there are still some in England. Well, the other day I went to see one of them, to consult him about a point of science, which bore, however, upon one of the social questions of the day. After answering me as well as he could, and giving me the benefit of his knowledge, he looked at me very mournfully, and said, 'Leonard Milverton, Leonard Milverton, why will you fash yourself about these matters? You can't do any good in them, you can't alter the framework of society. You used to be fond of science, come more often to see me, come and work in my laboratory, we might do great things together. Here you can get positive results. Cease to disquiet yourself about public affairs. Jobbery and inefficiency will have their way, but nature answers only careful and honest questions; and some answer she is sure to give to the men who put such questions.' MIDHURST. And you went away quite disheartened, no doubt, as any wise man would be. MILVERTON. Then I am a foolish one, for his words only stimulated me the more. I do not believe in these harsh views of mankind. My experience may have been very fortunate, but I have come across excellent men in all professions and employments-men most anxious for the public good, and ready to devote themselves to it. As each year has gone on, instead of finding more worthlessness and corruption in the world, I have been struck at the new veins in society, if I may so express myself, of excellent, hardworking, true men, one comes upon at every turn. Of course we do not go through life without being immensely deceived and played upon, and penetrating into dense masses of scoundrelism that appal us; but, I think if we observe |