consequence is, he becomes unfitted to master the situation, while the theory of college education is that he will master it more easily. The study of Latin, Greek, and mathematics is the chief agency in putting him into this idealistic, unreal condition, of losing him, as it were, in the world. These studies touch life so remotely, they abstract the student so far from the world, that when he gets into it he is like a babe, and much must be explained to him. After sundry mishaps and no little ridicule his eyes are opened, and he ceases to see men as trees walking. Root out the ancient languages and mathematics, substitute French, German, and English, and men will be sent into the world better equipped than they are now. They will remain near enough to the actual world in college to know how to act when they go outside. It is true that we are as soldiers fighting in a foreign land, understanding not the plan of the campaign;" but we shall fight with more heart and energy, and with stronger hope of winning, if our preparation, though inadequate, seems fitted for the work before us, than we shall if distrustful of our preparation. Life always becomes Life always becomes solemn as soon as we discover what it really is but in the former case solemnity is brightened with hope; in the other, it is darkened with despair so great that many flee from the field as soon as dan

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gers appear.

(3.) The next line of study pertains to the cultivation of the body and mind, and to the moral and social relations.

The first three studies in this line should be anatomy, physiology, and hygiene. Through the first study we should learn how the body is constructed, through the second what are its dynamics, and through the third how to conserve the body and use it most effectively. These studies, therefore, should come first in the second line, and run parallel with the first line. They form the physical groundwork for all future

study. They properly stand at the portal through which we must enter the temple of knowledge.

Next in the same line of study should follow logic and mental philosophy. These studies are needful to teach us what are the powers of mind and how to employ them. Of course, some persons maintain that mental philosophy is dreary and useless, because no certain knowledge can be attained. They say that the whole ground is a battlefield on which men have been contending since the earliest ages, and that nothing has yet been settled. Should such a study as this, they say, be pursued in our colleges? This, however, is a shallow way of regarding the matter. Many of the questions lying in the domain of mental philosophy are asked by every thoughtful person, and whether answers shall ever be found satisfactory to all minds, many desire to know what answers have been given. But there is a considerable body of valid knowledge concerning the mind which surely should be acquired. Besides, this study has an excellent disciplinary effect. The student learns to discriminate, to analyze, and to construct. In no other study is the synthetic faculty more powerfully exercised.

The study of anatomy and physiology is a good introduction to logic and mental philosophy. There is a physical side to this study which, until recent years, has been too much ignored. Most of the teachers of mental philosophy have known nothing about anatomy and physiology, and consequently have taught a one-sided mental philosophy and psychology. While many of the anatomists and physiologists have gone to the other extreme, it must be apparent that by pursuing these four studies in the order named, more useful and satisfying results are likely to be attained than by continuing the present course of study.

After unfolding the physical and mental powers we reach the moral ones.

This is by a regular and natural gradation. Then follows the study of man in his social relations, and thus a knowledge of the state and of our duty as citizens is a proper outgrowth and completion of this line of study.

(4.) The aim of the third line of study is to acquire facts. These are to be drawn from history. History is the record of the world's experience. A high value should be put on this knowledge. It is true that prejudice may be fed in studying history, while no danger of the kind is possible in studying the binomial theorem. But the risk may be wisely taken for the sake of the knowledge. In every field containing wheat, tares abound; yet it is better to work in a wheat-field than to dig wells in a desert.

But, says the defender of Latin and Greek, if we would learn all the lessons which Greece and Rome have for us, we must master their languages. We will not deny that an accomplished Latin and Greek scholar ought to draw more wisdom from Greek and Roman history than he who has an imperfect acquaintance with the Latin and Greek languages, or none whatever. But we must remember that only at rare intervals does a Latin or Greek scholar of high order blossom in our colleges. They educate far more sunflowers than century plants. Most of their graduates do not advance so far as to drink in the lessons of Greek and Roman wisdom more fully than others do by a different and an easier method. On the other hand, if the time spent in acquiring these languages were devoted to our own, and French and German, and in storing up the best experience of mankind, the college student would get a better culture than he is getting now.

Beginning with the cave and lake dwellers, and following with the geography, history, and archæology of suc ceeding peoples, this third line of study should be extended to the present time,

Such knowledge shows the action of man, his influence, his victories over nature. It is one-sided, however, regarded from one point of view, because it does not show the power of nature over man. To supplement, correct, and complete this knowledge a study of man's environment is essential. But instead of studying nature in a fragmentary way, as colleges do now, by merely peeping into geology, mineralogy, astronomy, botany, physics, chemistry, and the like, it is proposed that instruction should be given in the physical history of the universe. This would comprise the different theories concerning the origin of the earth, its form and motions, the composition of the sun and planets and the probable history of the solar system, the forces of nature and their operation, an inquiry into the materials composing the earth, and the order of the vegetable and animal creation from the beginning to the present. This study would be an unveiling of the wonders of the universe, a blending of all the sciences into one, whereby their mastery would be easy and useful. The study of science would no longer be fragmentary. It may be objected that this knowledge should precede the history of man. Though it relates to the world chiefly before man appeared, yet it would be easier to study his history first, and the order of knowledge might be reversed in the mind as soon as the student had traversed the whole field. This third line of study, it is also proposed, should run through the entire course.

(5.) These three lines of study would form a broad and solid foundation for any kind of superstructure of knowledge. Considered with reference to future studies, the proposed course is preparatory only, the vestibule to the glories which may be seen by all who

be more easily seen and understood, and our power and happiness be materially increased.

The criticism may be made that such a course would be too rigid, and would not give sufficient play to the different types of mind. So far as possible, college teachers should understand these types, and adapt studies to them in order to produce the highest mental development. Surely, if a student be incapable of comprehending the calculus or metaphysics, he should not be forced to pursue those studies. Such treatment is both disheartening and demoralizing. Other studies should be substituted, but the teacher should have the controlling voice in choosing. The studies which a student intended to pursue when entering college should not be dropped when half completed, unless for reasons which are thought sufficient by his teachers. The claim is made that since the introduction of "the elective system" students choose studies that are congenial to their tastes, and which are adapted to their mental capacities; but the greater truth is, they generally choose the studies that are easiest, and for the reason that they desire to escape from work. Like electricity, they move along the lines of least resistance. If the proposed course be adapted to students generally, the substitution of one study for another in a particular case should turn on the question of the student's capacity, and not on his inclination. In no case should a student be permitted to depart from the course without the approval of his teachers, whose decision should be based, not simply on the desire of the student, but on the belief that a better result would be obtained by pursuing another study than the one prescribed in the

course.

A few words may be added concerning the adoption of the course: (1.) It may be adopted as a substitute for the present course. This may be regarded as too daring an experiment. (2.) It

may be adopted as an indepee acodent course, and tried alongside the core. This would be a very interesting exfus ment, because the inferiority or superority of the proposed course would more clearly appear. The experiment, however, would require another corps of instructors, and the cost of maintaining them doubtless would be too great for most institutions. (3.) A third way is to adopt parts of the proposed course at different times. Latin and Greek might be reduced by degrees, and more of English, French, and German put in their place. Mathematics might be supplanted by anatomy, physiology, and hygiene. The physical history of the universe might be substituted for the studies in physical science. Thus one study after another in the proposed course might be substituted, until the reconstruction of the course was complete. Changes so slowly made would probably excite less opposition, would involve no additional expense, and could hardly be regarded as experiments.

Is there not truth enough in the ideas herein set forth to repay their consideration by those who are studying the question of higher education? Something must be done without delay. The theory is fallacious that students who know but little about themselves, and still less about the ends of education and how they are to be attained, know best what and how to study. Let those who have meditated on the question longest and most deeply undertake the long-needed work of reconstructing the course on sound principles. The task may seem arduous, but the loss occasioned by every year's delay is very great. In the vivid knowledge of innumerable shipwrecks, caused too often by an imperfect outfit, a mighty effort should be made, if need be, to start our youth on the voyage of life better prepared to encounter the many difficulties which even the most favored voyager cannot escape.

Albert S. Bolles.

WE are getting into the last days of Jefferson's Rip Van Winkle. We shall see it now and then, of course, so long as Mr. Jefferson keeps the stage; but it is not likely to be his pièce de résistance after this season, and, unless signs fail, it will in future be something like a wedding suit, taken out on anniversaries and admired or criticised, but not worn for every-day occasions. Besides, Mr. Jefferson will probably not play except for parts of seasons hereafter, and then for the greater portion of the time in other pieces than Rip Van Winkle.

No

At the close of his last engagement in Chicago, it was estimated by Mr. Jefferson that he had played the part of Rip forty-five hundred times. modern play we doubt if any play, ancient or modern has ever been presented so many times by one actor. From the commercial stand-point of the business manager, the play is alluded to as worn out; but that gentleman must use the term in a comparative sense, for, although the piece has been acted in Chicago several hundred times, it drew, during the last week of its performance, houses that would have been considered large and very remunerative by the great majority of combinations.

As almost every one knows, the version of Rip Van Winkle played by Mr. Jefferson is the work of Dion Boucicault. That is, Mr. Boucicault has the credit of dramatizing the story, and his deft handiwork can be observed in its easy movement; but the character of Rip Van Winkle, as interpreted by Jefferson, is largely his own creation, in a literary as well as in a dramatic sense. Mr. Boucicault recently stated that Mr. Jefferson's idea was to make Rip much older at the opening of the story, but that he (Boucicault) finally had his way, and in the early scenes the char

acter was represented as youthful. The memory of the dramatist is probably a little treacherous as regards this fact. The original version of Irving's story was the work of Charles Burke, a near relative of Mr. Jefferson, who played quite successfully in the part himself. Mr. Jefferson succeeded him, and the character then, as now, was made youthful at the beginning of the story. Indeed, the leggings worn by Mr. Jefferson in the play to-day are the very same worn by Burke a quarter of a century ago. It is quite probable that the idea. of making the character old at the start was canvassed; but Jefferson had already been so successful in the play that it is scarcely likely that the thought was seriously entertained. Mr. Boucicault gives Mr. Burke less credit than he deserves, for the play as now performed is really an adaptation of his work, rather than a dramatization of Irving's story.

I read a paragraph in the dramatic column of a newspaper the other day to the following effect: "Mr. Jefferson has been drawing good houses during the week in Rip Van Winkle, his remarkable delineation of the title rôle giving an interest to a play that is not only worn threadbare, but which is of course dramatically worthless."

Now this is a great though very common mistake. To be sure, the play would amount to little without the chief character, but that can be said of many of the best works of the kind. The test of dramatic construction is the interest a play excites when presented by a competent company; and judged by this, Rip Van Winkle is a piece of no mean pretensions. There are humor, pathos, and philosophy in it, and the utilization of Irving's idea of the ghostly crew is a capital scenic idea.