The American Colleges and the American Public. By Noah Porter, D.D., Professor in Yale College. [pp. 622-640]

jJJc~1~o(~ ~X J~~c~~/, f41?~c(i(io1~. (3o~9
to }~)C set f\~rth, ~nd the v~giie~~ess of eoi~jeetnre, ~~iere notJ~ing
but ~uii)ec'tnre exists, sJ~o tild l)C 4istiI)(~tty set over ~gaiI)5t
I~osi~ive kno~Jed~e, ~here that exists. lIOM to test tlie eredible ai~d distinguish its features, ai~d ~vbat features niari aI)5T
flt~10"' as incredible, is a point esseittially bolonoino' to the
saiiie connection.
V~~r such purpose M-as geonietry employed by t}ie Greeks,
and Ja~' }).y tiie iZon~ans. La~-, studi C(i as a profcssi{~~i, is out
of ~~J~cc ill a collec~e course; but 1a~', to all tlie extent of inculcatiiig tlie reality of tlie great principles of civit order, is
oric of tlie u~ost valtiable instruments at tlte d~sposal of liberal
edti c'~ti()ii.
;~ good college education may as properly be laid out upon
a voutl~ destiued to be a iiicrciiant, or a farn~er, or a tradesin an, as upon one MliO lias a VlCNV to a leartied profession.
Tlic diffureuce is o1~ly that tlie lii~eral pr{~fcssions dci~~aiid, if
not by rule, by the nature of' tile ease, previous attaii~i~~cnt
in college studies, and other occupatiolis do not so demand it.
There caa be little doubt, lio~vcver, that all tiie respectable
occu}~'~tions of hunian life ~~ould bc better coiidueted if iii
tlie liaiids of liberally educated ineti. Bat that ittiplics a
breadth of culture exteiidii~~ to all the studies ~)riO~ to, and
itidepetideat of, ti~ e particular professional traiii ilig. ~Iost
indu~tri'~} pursuits depetid upon science. i4ut an education
coiitaii~ing uotliiiig but science is not a liberal one. It cultiyates only a part of a man, and that tlic harder pai't, ~vliicli it
liardeits. There can be no liberal culture ~vitliout art
aiid tlie most available of all arts for the purpose is that of
literat nrc.
Tlie work of Professor Porter, of Yale College, tke ~iaiue of
which stands at the ii cad of this article, is a defence, and a
verv able defence, of tlie syste1~~ and methods pursued ii~ tlie
oldest and best American colleges. Cou~mei~cii~g with an
historical revie\v of the rise ai~d progress of tlie existing agi tation on that subject, the author takes tip tlte line of argument,
as before tlte bar of tlie American public, and discusses the
studies of tl~e regular course, in comparison with those now
recoittiuctided as better; the enforcenient of fidelity in study,
`ts ~oiup~i cd M itli ~i eater license; the cv ils of tlie college sy 5