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第78章

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 four years with a small amount of study。  But his doing so does not insure him his degree。  If he have utterly wasted his time he is plucked; and late but heavy punishment comes upon him。  At Cambridge; in Massachusetts; the daily work of the men is made more obligatory; but if this be gone through with such diligence as to enable the student to hold his own during the four years; he has his degree as a matter of course。  There are no degrees conferring special honor。 A man cannot go out 〃in honors〃 as he does with us。  There are no 〃firsts〃 or 〃double firsts;〃 no 〃wranglers;〃 no 〃senior opts〃 or 〃junior opts。〃  Nor are there prizes of fellowships and livings to be obtained。  It is; I think; evident from this that the greatest incentives to high excellence are wanting at Harvard College。 There is neither the reward of honor nor of money。  There is none of that great competition which exists at our Cambridge for the high place of Senior Wrangler; and; consequently; the degree of excellence attained is no doubt lower than with us。  But I conceive that the general level of the university education is higher there than with us; that a young man is more sure of getting his education; and that a smaller percentage of men leaves Harvard College utterly uneducated than goes in that condition out of Oxford or Cambridge。  The education at Harvard College is more diversified in its nature; and study is more absolutely the business of the place than it is at our universities。 The expense of education at Harvard College is not much lower than at our colleges; with us there are; no doubt; more men who are absolutely extravagant than at Cambridge; Massachusetts。  The actual authorized expenditure in accordance with the rules is only 50l。 per annum; i。e。 249 dollars; but this does not; by any means; include everything。  Some of the richer young men may spend as much as 300l。 per annum; but the largest number vary their expenditure from 100l。 to 180l。 per annum; and I take it the same thing may be said of our universities。  There are many young men at Harvard College of very small means。  They will live on 70l。 per annum; and will earn a great portion of that by teaching in the vacations。 There are thirty…six scholarships attached to the university; varying in value from 20l。 to 60l。 per annum; and there is also a beneficiary fund for supplying poor scholars with assistance during their collegiate education。  Many are thus brought up at Cambridge who have no means of their own; and I think I may say that the consideration in which they are held among their brother students is in no degree affected by their position。  I doubt whether we can say so much of the Sizars and Bible clerks at our universities。 At Harvard College there is; of course; none of that old…fashioned; time…honored; delicious; medieval life which lends so much grace and beauty to our colleges。  There are no gates; no porter's lodges; no butteries; no halls; no battels; and no common rooms。 There are no proctors; no bulldogs; no bursers; no deans; no morning and evening chapel; no quads; no surplices; no caps and gowns。  I have already said that there are no examinations for degrees and no honors; and I can easily conceive that in the absence of all these essentials many an Englishman will ask what right Harvard College has to call itself a university。 I have said that there are no honors; and in our sense there are none。  But I should give offense to my American friends if I did not explain that there are prizes givenI think all in money; and that they vary from fifty to ten dollars。  These are called deturs。 The degrees are given on Commencement Day; at which occasion certain of the expectant graduates are selected to take parts in a public literary exhibition。  To be so selected seems to be tantamount to taking a degree in honors。  There is also a dinner on Commencement Day; at which; however; 〃no wine or other intoxicating drink shall be served。〃 It is required that every student shall attend some place of Christian worship on Sundays; but he; or his parents for him; may elect what denomination of church he shall attend。  There is a university chapel on the university grounds which belongs; if I remember aright; to the Episcopalian church。  The young men; for the most part; live in college; having rooms in the college buildings; but they do not board in those rooms。  There are establishments in the town; under the patronage of the university; at which dinner; breakfast; and supper are provided; and the young men frequent one of these houses or another as they; or their friends for them; may arrange。  Every young man not belonging to a family resident within a hundred miles of Cambridge; and whose parents are desirous to obtain the protection thus provided; is placed; as regards his pecuniary management; under the care of a patron; and this patron acts by him as a father does in England by a boy at school。  He pays out his money for him and keeps him out of debt。  The arrangement will not recommend itself to young men at Oxford quite so powerfully as it may do to the fathers of some young men who have been there。  The rules with regard to the lodging and boarding houses are very stringent。  Any festive entertainment is to be reported to the president。  No wine or spirituous liquors may be used; etc。  It is not a picturesque system; this; but it has its advantages。 There is a handsome library attached to the college which the young men can use; but it is not as extensive as I had expected。  The university is not well off for funds by which to increase it。  The new museum in the college is also a handsome building。  The edifices used for the undergraduates' chambers and for the lecture… rooms are by no means handsome。  They are very ugly; red brick houses; standing here and there without order。  There are seven such; and they are called Brattle House; College House; Divinity Hall; Hollis Hall; Holsworthy Hall; Massachusetts Hall; and Stoughton Hall。  It is almost astonishing that buildings so ugly should have been erected for such a purpose。  These; together with the library; the museum; and the chapel; stand on a large green; which might be made pretty enough if it were kept well mown; like the gardens of our Cambridge colleges; but it is much neglected。 Here; again; the want of fundsthe auqusta res domimust be pleaded as an excuse。  On the same green; but at some little distance from any other building; stands the president's pleasant house。 The immediate direction of the college is of course mainly in the hands of the president; who is supreme。  But for the general management of the institution there is a corporation; of which he is one。  It is stated in the laws of the university that the Corporation of the University and its Overseers constitute the Government of the University。  The Corporation consists of the President; five Fellows so called; and a Treasurer。  These Fellows are chosen; as vacancies occur; by themselves; subject to the concurrence of the Overseers。  But these Fellows are in nowise like to the Fellows of our colleges; having no salaries attached to their offices。  The Board of Overseers consists of the State Governor; other State officers; the President and Treasurer of Harvard College; and thirty other persons; men of note; chosen by vote。  The Faculty of the College; in which is vested the immediate care and government of the undergraduates; is composed of the President and the Professors。  The Professors answer to the tutors of our colleges; and upon them the education of the place depends。 I cannot complete this short notice of Harvard College without saying that it is happy in the possession of that distinguished natural philosopher Professor Agassiz。  M。 Agassiz has collected at Cambridge a museum of such things as natural philosophers delight to show; which I am told is all but invaluable。  As my ignorance on all such matters is of a depth which the professor can hardly imagine; and which it would have shocked him to behold; I did not visit the museum。  Taking the University of Harvard College as a whole; I should say that it is most remarkable in thisthat it does really give to its pupils that education which it professes to give。  Of our own universiti

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