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Maps, plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top io bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre fiimAs A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour fttre reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 e^^t f ilm6 d partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diafjrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 uw UniVwBity Oommittee of l&e LagisWe Jbi^iob^. ' *■ V* wN. v^v * B^ wt»aVeIoqii«>ncc to amura «p ix^tlAd* - but MwUti*» *wl £-^ . "® ■/^ -w -^ -^ ^ -V, -. xJWl ■\ ■-^/:#."^ '" ^" l:Z DR. RYEIISON'S llEPLY TO THE RECENT PAMPHLET OF MR. LANGTON & DR. WILSON^ ON THE UNIVERSITY QUESTION, IN Jibt Ittttrs lo \\t ion. II. Caratroir, Il.I.C. CHAIRMAN OF THE LATE University Committee of the Legislative Assembly. " A writer who builds his arguments on facts, is not easily to he confuted. He is not to be answered by general assertions and general reproaches. He may want eloquence to amuse or persuade ; but speaking the truth, he must always convinco." — Letters of Junius, CToTonto : FBINTED XT THB " OUAHDIAN" OFFICE, KINO STKEET BAST, TOEONTO. 186U 1 UNIVEHSITY QUESTION. Dr. Ryersou's Reply to a Recent Pamphlet of Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson, TO THE HON. M. CAME HON, M.L.C., &C., (feo.^ &c. Letter I. {Petitions and Parllnmcntriry Inveatigatlom on the Uidvenlty Question.) Sir, — To you, as an old friend of Victoria College, and an avowed advocate of the views of the Weslcyan Body on the University Question, was confided last year for presentation to the Lciijisiative As- sembly the memorial of the Conference of the VVesloyan Methodist Church in Canada in behalf of Victoria Collep;e, and in favour of a national Uni- versity on a national basis. On your motion, that Memorial, with various others on the same subject, was referred to a Select Committee, of which you were Chairman. That Memorial alle:^cd, that the national objects of the University Act of 185o had been departod from in the nature and prodigality of expenditures, and in lowerin;< instead of keeping up the standard of University education as prescribed by the Statute. That these alloccations were proved to a demon- stration, I believe neither you nor any other persons who witnessed the investiji'ation, or have read the Minutes of it, have ever for a moment doubted, whether they agreed in the theory or prayer of tho Petitioners or not. {Effect of the Investigation at Quebec.) The Committee, by the close of the Session, ceased to exist without re- porting ; but the convictions produced by the investigation in the minds of the members of the Legislature were amply attested by the fact, that the Parliamentary jjranls to tlie two Colleges of the Petitioners, which had never before passed the L(;gislative Assembly without some debates and divisions, were not only continued, but increased £500 to each College, and passed without division or objection — a proceeding unprece- dented of it^ kind in Canada, and illustrative of the irresistible power of the truth, justice and patriotism involved in the Christian principles and national views of the Petitioners when brought into contact with the minds of intelligent men of all parties. And the effect has been and will be the same wherever the same principles and views are brought into con- tact with cnliglitened Christian minds. I :, I 1 1, I (Dr. fiijcrnon^ Ponillon ovd Propnatl at Qiirhir.) You will recollect thiit I iipi)e!ir(i(l bd'oro the (!i»iiiniitt('(! in no official cupicity, but iis an individual witniiss in dbcdicncu to your Kunimons ; that I was subsc'iuontly tlinist into an unusual proniinonco by the the attempts made to break down my evidence. You know I };avc Mr. Ijanuton and Dr. Wilson the advantage of the last word, without lejoindcr, though it was my rij^ht. You will also recollect that, at the close of the invcsti;_fation, I said, bo far as I was concerned, I was for peace, and willinj;- to let the Ijei-islaturc and country jud^o and decide by the publiealion of what had been re- corded in the ndn'ifes of the Committee on both sides; but that if my assailants were still resolved on war, they .should have it to their heart's content. (Kdi'h piirli/ Ir/t fi> piihllah its oirn Ei'ulrni'c. — I/iilvcmiti/ propifjandlsfni. — Ml'. Laiir/ton and Dr. Wibon rcnciv the late, anttcst with J)r. Kijerson.^ Only about 50 copies of the Minutes of l*]vidence before tlie Connnitteo having been printed for the use of members and witnesses, it remained for each party to publish and circulate its own ovidence at its own dis- cretion and in its own way. I had my defence of the I'etitioncra, in reply to 3Ir. Latigton and Dr. ^Vilson, printed without note or comment, just us it was recorded in the minutes of the Committee, without the alteration or addition of a sentence. Mr. Lanjiton did the same in lofjard to bis speech. Br. Wilson, not bein<^ satisfied with what he had laid before committee in writint;, and which was recorded in its njinutcs, wrote out, a month after delivery, a pseudo version of it luidev the iiom de plume of a Mr. A. K. Edwards. A system of Toronto (JoHeue propa- jiandism was set on foot, and openly proclaimed at a public tlniversity dinner at Toronto, the Chancellor enjoining; each of the faitliful to execute his mission on the house tops and in the streets throuiihout the hind. This challenge was answered by tlie speeches and proceedings of the Wesleyan Conference, held in Kingston in June, and various public meetings. Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson have lately renewed the contest with me by jiublisliing a closely printed i)amplilot. (with copious notes) of 90 pages, and entitled " University Question. The statements of John Langton, Esq., M. A.. A^icc-Chancellor of the University of To- ronto, and Professor Daniel Wilson, LL.D., of University College, To- ronto ; with notes and extracts from the evidence taken before the Com- mittee of Legislative Assembly on the University." In reply to that pamphlet, or ratlier to the notes of ii, I now desire to address you. The speeches, or text, of the pamphlet are those to which my Defence of the Petitioners was a reply ; and I should deem it super- fluous to add a word to that Defence, were it not for the numerous notes in which Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson have spared no pains to impugn me and misinterpret the facts of the question. At this busy season I will answer them as briefly as possible — first correcting the misstatements of each, and then stating and establishing the general facts and principles of the question, — the question of questions for the pi'ogress and welfare' of Canada. {Mr. Tl Tl I •* i! (;l/r. Lanjtnn nvil Dr. ]\"(hnn piiilinh a comlthinf rdition of thu'r ji iiiiph/t't (it the v:fj>s;iil are as nmeh ineiiiliLirs an tl'euisclvos, — a tact which I shoulil not iiave known hail not Mr. liiin^tnii been rojocteil IVoiii eontinnin^- V^ice Ohanet'llor. While in that oHicc, Mr. Jiati;iton eonlil come to Toronto ami providt! i'or any sort ol' oxiuMiditiiri! out oi' the liniversity Kiuids and (hen ,<;o to Qiu'Ikk; and andit and pass the accounts nt'tlK'in. In the invi.'stiposeii to occupy him i'ully. and for which lie receives a full .^alarv — niiiiht, I think, have s|)ared the I'niversity funds in this instance, if Dr. Wilson had no such sense of jiropriety and i'air!>ess. Of this I am con- tideut, that had I proposed to do the same thinu; a.s to my speech in behalf of the petitioners, Mr. LaiiL'toii would have held it unlawful, as is his and Dr. Wilson's proeeediiiji in publishin;^' their speeches and notes out of the income of the \ 'niveisity. They may pervert the Cnlversity Act to such a pur))ose, as it has been to many similar purposes ; but such clearly was not its design. And it is an insult as well as a wroii;^^ to the petitioners of University reiorm and their representatives, i'or Mr. Jiani>ton and l)r, Wilson to as- tiuuie a riL^iit and use of University i'unds for their personal and party purposes against others equally ami more disinterestedly concerned in tlie National University than themselves. (Mr. Langton and Dr. IVitson's Anialgamntion Speeches.) ^ly second remark is, that these speeches are the same wliich Messrs. Langton and Wilson published last May and June. They were then pub- lished separately and without notes ; but they seemed to fall still-born. The authors appear at lenutli, to have thou;j,ht that tlie two abortions miiiht, by incorporation toji;ether, and by.swathinj^ the feebler parts with the ban- da^'es of personal and vitujiarative notes, be metamorphosed into a very Hercules of strength to crush the Chief Superintendent of Education. The thought was an iiij^enious oonception of necessity ; but the new-born lunaljramation seems not answerable to the labour of bringing- forth. The law of nature is still too strong for the feeble artifice of the ex-Vice Chan- cellor and his attendant I'rofessor; for even " in this Canada of ours, " two blacks cmnot make one white, or even chemical aHinity add to the weight of volatile ptirticles. (Origin of Peraonnlilies — Summary View of the Question.) jMy third remark is, that this discussion ought never to have been en- cumbered with ])ersonali(ies. This i'eature of the discussion was intro- duced by Dr. Wilson, and has been j,ursued by him and Mr. Langton with rcli iitlcss toniicity in ordi r to divert ntliiilidn froni ilio pioiil piin- ci{)lf.s ami nirrilH ol' the (|Ui'sti()ii. J)r. ^V ilroii in his last |)iijn r Initi l)0- fore lli(! Couiniittj'i', HayH, in rcfcn^nco to his sprccli, (which conmicnct'd the jM'rHonalitioH of the; discussion) " On ohtaininji; iicrniission to adtlicss you," " I felt it to ho my duty to show to tin; coiiiinittct! th.il, lu iiher hy previous t'dncation, by sjnt-iul traininj;' or (■;';|)('rient'i', m/V hy lid', iity to thi* trust reposed in him as u niemhiT ol' the h'enatc of the rninrsity, dots Dr. Uyerson merit the confidi-nce oi'tlie Committee, or ol'the I'rovince, as a fit adviser on a system of I'liiversity eduention."' 'I'his is Dr. WilsDnV* own admission and avowal of liavinji tnrned attention from the merits of the (jucstion to the demerits of Dr. llyerson. IIciie(! the p:iinftd neees- sity of my answering these personal attacks (whicli are renewed in the notes of the now jtamjihlet hy iMr. lianuton and Dr. ^Vilson) while dis- cussin;:; the general (|uesti(»n. Mut that the reader nuiy, at t\\v. outset, understand t!>" whole (juestion, (apart from any personalities,) 1 willcon- cludt! this introductory letter hy giving a summary view of i*. 1'he advo» cates of Tniviusity reform maintain the following i^sition:- : , 1. That there shall he a National University lor Tpper Canada, a.s wu8 contemplated hy the Mniversity Act of IH'u't, 2. That the Senate of the I'nivcrsity shall 1)C under tlie control of no one college more than another; shall be inde])endi;nt of all colleges, and prescribe the standard and coiirse of studies for all colleges (except in Divinity), and direct the examinations, and confer the University honors and degrees on the students of all the colleges. 3. That no college connected with tlio I'nivorsity .shall confer degrees in the Faculties of Arts, l^aw, or ^Medicine ; that no college shall receive any public aid for the suj)port of a Faculty or Professor of Divinity. 4. That each college connected with the Cnivor-'-ity, (whether denom- inational or non-denominational) shall be entitled to public aid from the University Fund according to the nunibcu' of its students matriculated (not by such college but) by the University, and taught in the course of studies prescribed by tlie University: i)rovided that ti stipulated sum adecjuate for the efiUcicnt support of University College at Toronto, as the college of these who wished to have their youtli educated in a non-denoni- inational college be allowed ; and })rovided that no denominational college shall receive more than half the amount allowed to University College. This last is a generous concession on the part of the adv( cates of denom- inational colleges, upon the ground that those colleges will do as much work at half the public expense as a non-denouiimitional college will. 5. That the public provision for University (as for Common or (Jlram- mar School) education, whether arising from the sale of hinds or par- liamentary grants, or both, shall constitute one University Fund, and dis- tributed, as in the ease of Common and (iranniiar Schools, to each college according to its works in imparting the education prescribed by national authority. The advocates of University Keform complain that the present system of college monopoly at Toronto is at variance with the intentions of the University Act of 1853 ; that most extravagant expenditures of the Uni- versity endowment have been made, while the standard of University education bus been greatly reduced, instead of being kept up as intended die T i by tlic act. Tlioy claim thai tlio roform which thoy advocnte is but the fiuthful c;irryin;4 out of the avowed intentions and iiroviHions ol' the IJni- vcr«ity A( l of 185:5; tluit it providoH one hii,'h standard ofchication for all tlu! collo;^i'S, and ri'coj^'nizcs the t'ljuai riuhts of all (rlasso8 accordinj; to their works" that it (•i>nihi»i(>s tl.(! effortH of all denominations, as well a» those of no denomination, in the <,'roat work of liberal cducati(MJ ; that it will contribute ^'reatly to the cxtennion of University education, while olcvutinK its character; that it is in harmony with the furidamental prin- ciples of our ])u])lic .school system — the state aidinji; each section of the community aeeordin;:; to its works in teaehin.i,' the prescribed Kubjcctn of public education, and providiiiL' (hat parents and the clerfzy of each cliurch can in the one case as well as in the other, aocf)rdini!; t(» the nature nnd circumstances of eaeli kind of oducatifm, provide for th(! reli.iiious instruc- tion and oversi^'ht of their sons while taught the secular branches of edu- cation. The illustrations and proofs of ihsso statements will bo ^'ivou hereafter. The sole plea for the present system of monopoly is the pretext of keep- in{^ up a hi^'h standard of University cducatioti, while the whole course of the proeccdin'.'a of it8 nianaj^'ers has been to lower that standard beyoud all authoritative precedent or parallel, as 1 shall demonstrate in uiy next two letters. I have, &c., E. Ryerson. Toronto, March 2Gth. 18G1. Letter II. Sir, — I now procenl to particulars, and address myself first to the notes appended to Mr. Langton's speech, which occupies (with its appeu- dices) the first fifty pages of the pamphlet. {Misstatement as to Dr. Harrett representing Victoria College in the iienate.) To all that I^Ir. Langton has slid in the first twelve pages of his speech about the intentions of the University Act as to buildings, other Colleges, Library and Museum, I have fully replied in my Defence of the Petition- ers ; but in a note on the 8th page, in regard to Dr. Barrett (of U. C. College) sitting in the Senate as a Representative of Victoria College, Mr. Langton says — *' Dr. Wilson and Mr. Langtc" never said that ho (Dr. Barrett) now represents Victoria College ; but i ey said that he first took his seat and for some time sat there as I'resideiit of the Toronto School of Medicine, which was at that time the Medical Faculty of Victoria." And on page 02, Dr. Wilson says, that " Dr. Barrett, it is well known, never had a seat in the Senate in any other capacity tlian as Dr. Kolph's or the Toronto School of Medicine; and who as such took liis seat for the first time to represent the Medical Faculty of Victoria College at the meetings of the University of Toronto, while its students were systematic- ally prevented from graduating there." The character in which Dr. Barrett took his seat in the Senate is not of the least importance to the University question ; but Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson both magnifying it into so much importance, shoWiS how, in thoir paucity of materials of justification, they have laid hold of the most trivial eiicumstancc that couhl be construed into a show of plausibility in their favour. I will now demon- strate the absurdity and f^roundlessness of their assertions. In the first place, ])r. Barrett never did ond never could sit in the Senate '• to rcpre- nent the Medical Faculty of Victoria Colle;i;e ;" and no man should know this better than Mr. Langton himself. When the Senate was constituted in 1854, tiie Governor in Council appointed certain persons by name as member?, and certain others by office. Of the latter class \'ere the Chief Superintendent of Education, Presidents of several Colleges named, and the President of the Toronto School of Medicine, which was then by the Gov- ernor admitted on application as an affiliated College of the University ; and it has remained so ever since. As President of the Toronto School of Medicine Dr. Worknmn took his seat in the Senate. That was long before the Medical Faculty of Victoria College was in existence. When Dr. Workman resigned his place as President of the Toronto School of Medicine, Dr. Barrett was elected in his place, and as his suo- t«sior took his seat, and as such occupies it to this day. Nearly a year after the President of the Toronto School of Medicine took his seat in the Senate, one of its Professors appeared before the Board of Victoria College, and sought on behalf of liniself and colleagues to be recognized as iho. Medical Faculty of Victoria College. The application was entertained ; but Dr. Barrett has declared, and it appears made oath before the Court of Chancery that the Toronto Schoolof Medicine never didbcoome the Medi- cal Faculty of Victoria College, and the Court has so decided. Yet in tho presence of these facts, Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson state that *• Dr. Bar- rett took his seat tc represent the Medical Faculty of Victoria College !'* (Scholarships — Mr. Langton answered.) To Mr. Langton's lengthened observations and tabular sophistry on Scholarships in tho English and Irish Universities and •Colleges, I have amply replied in my Defence of the Petitioners ; and tho criticisms in his notes on the 10th page do not in the least weaken the force of tho English djcumcntaiy authorities by which I estab- lished my positions. On the contrary, any one who, after having- read Mr, Langton's criticisms, will turn to my statements and au- thorities \pp. 20-23 of the Quebec edition, or pp. 36, 37 of the Toronto edition of my Defence of the Petitioners,) will be the moro confirmed in +hcir conclusiveness. Dr. Wilson quotes the remarks o^f the Rev. Provost Whitaker, that the case of Scholarships in tho English Universities and Canada is so unlike, that there is no analogy. That was my chief argument in reply to Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson; and I therefore showed that Mr. Langton's ref <•- ences and statements as to Scholarships in England and Ireland, were fallacious and irrelevant. I shall also have moro to say on this subject, as also on several other topics over which I now pass, in my concluding General Observations. (Standard of Matriculation— Mr. Langton's statements corrected and re- futed.) On no subject have Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson evinced more » i 8cnsitlv(!noss (as well tliey uiii^lil) tlian inulor the witherin;:!; expo- Riires ni!ul(! as to tlio rodnctioii of the slaiidard of Matn'cuhitioii or admission into the UiiivtMsity; and no elfoits liavo b(;eii spared hy thoin to justify its neccissity and rniti,!j;'ule its enormity. When the proof of it ceuhl no h)iij.;x'r Ix; resisted, it was then allegv^l that tho former hi<^li standard had been h)ndly coini)hiiiier standard was too higMi, and to emj)loy specitjus references and comparisons to justify that assertion. One. of these i-efercnces is, tliat students are Bometinies matriculated into an English University on the certificate o^" a g-raduate master; another, tliat tlie candidate is test(;d by being* examined in one Greek and one liatin autiior, to which is adih'd " some facility in Latin writing-, and a fair accjuaintance with the g^rammatical prin- ciples of Greek aad Latin,'' arithm(;tic and a portion of the elements of Euclid, yow the fallacy of these references will appeal' from two fads. The t)ne is, that the standard of admission to the En- glish L'liiversities has been as delin'tely established by the practice of ag;es as the standard of morality, and a graduate master would no more ji,M)pard his character by giving' a false cerlilicate than would a College Tutor or University I'rofessor. The second fact is, that the same words and ])hrases ai'o used in very dillerent senses at Oxford and at Toronto. VVh^*^ is called wealth in Canada and g'ives its possessor the cntiee to tin; first society is Init slender competence in England. So the test of examination in a (areek or Latin author at Oxford anil Toronto is as different as day is from ni^ht; and what is there regard(!d as "some A.cility in Latin writing'" for matriculation, is regarded here as ami)le for graduation, and perhaps with honours and a scholarship, as I sliall show in another place. Besides, the attain- mcnls of boys in the Forms of llugby or otlier Grammar Schools in England an* as accurately d(,'f]ned by long usage as are tho attain- ments of students at a degree examination in the University. But I will mention one fact, which all can understand, and admits of no cavilling. The usual age of a boy on going to tho famous liugby Grammar School is eleven years, and the usual period of his con- tinuing there his preparations foi the University is eight years. In that interesting book, ^'Tom Broirn's ilchool Jjai/s at J?ii(/L?/" the author, in the last chapter, describes his I ero as le:iving Kugby, after eight years' residence there under LIjc care of the then recently deceased and lamented Head Master, the loved and great Dr.AuNOLD. But with to us,a boy will go through both the Grammar School and Univ'orsiiy,too in oigiit years, and some in six ! Yet it takes as clover a lad as Tom Brown, and in so famed a School as ]tu{^by, and under so un- rivalled a Master as Dr. Arnold, eig'lit years to prepare ibr admis- sioji into the Oxford University! This siuf^'lc fact speaks volumes as to the immense inferiority of the standard of admission and tjtudies in the Toronto University to that of Oxford, and the folly and self-contradiction of Mr. Lanj^ton and Dr. Wilson pretending at the same time that the standard of admission anr' degree in the Toronto University is ecjual to that of the English Universities 1 (Mr. Langton's statements as to Dr. Ryerson and the incompetency of the Masters of Grammar Schools corrected, and his injurious anddoionward policy exposed.) In justiiication of the great reduction of a year's work in the stand- ard of matriculation, IMr. Lan,L>;ton rcprcpontcd mc as having supported it. 1 affirmed the reverse. In a note (p. 2G) Mr. Langton says, " Dr. Ily- erson states that he never was in favour of reducing the Matriculation Examination. Let hiui have tiie benefit of his denial, though there are many persons who have a different recollection." On this insinuation, I remark, that during the session of the Senate referred to (1854) the standard of Matriculation was settled the same as it had been in the time of King's College, with the addition of the elemenls of chemistry and na- tural philosophy^ notwithstanding the efforts of Mr. Langton and others to reduce it. 1 remark further, that after my return from Quebec last yeur 1 addressed a note on the subject to the Prcsidert of University College. My note and his reply are as follows, and speak for themselves : " Toronto, June 2, 18G0. "My Dear Sir, — As you were Vico-Clianccllor, as well as member of the Senate of the Toronto University in 1854, when tlic whole course of studies was largely discussed and revised, I will thank you to inform me whether you recollect of my having advocated or o{)posed the reduction of the standard of matriculation at the University. "Yours very faithfully, (Signed) <'E. Ryerson. " The Rev. Dr. McCaul, President of University College, Toronto. Dr. McCaul's answer to the foregoing note — " Univ. Coll., Toronto, June 11, 1860. " My Dkau Sir, — I have delayed answering your note, as I wislied to refresh my memory by consulting the Minute Book of the Senate. But as it has not yet been received from Quebec, and as I do not wish to defer applying to your query I write to state, that, so far as I recollect, you never suggested or sup- ported any proposition for the reduction of the standard of matriculation. " Yours faithfully, " John MoCaul. " The Rev. Dr. Ryerson." Mr. Langton's next plea for reducing the standard of matriculation, was the incompetency of the masters of the Granunar Schools. This I denied and gave my reasons. On this Mr. Langton, in a note on page l!6, re- marks — " Dr. Ryerson, in his reply, produces the names of ahout a dozen Grammar Schotl Masters who are fully competent for their important last 11 functions, which is readily admitted by every one; but the inferior con- dition of the seveuly live t-cliools as ii whole, from tlic inadequacy of remu- neration, is as iinivorsally acknowledjj^ed." In ti)csc words Mr. Langton clearly conveys the impression, that I represented only twelve Masters oi (rrammar (Schools as comjK'lent to j)rei)iire jiupils for the University accoruint; to tiie old standard of niatricidatiiMi. Suppose this were so, arc not twelve Oraniniar .Schools ample leeders for one C-oUejre? and is it not a wronrty-two of the Grammar School» iirc graduates of Dritish and Canadian Colleges ; and several of those who tcieh under Provincial certilicates, are eom})etent and able teachers. Sir, the plea of i^Ir. Langton and ])r. Wilson as to the incompetency of the (irammar Schools, is an unjust and groundless imputation upon the quali- ficatiotisof the great majority of the Masters of (Irammar Schools in Upper Canada: for however |)our may be the accommodations of (Jrammar Schools in some places, and however inadeqate the salaries paid, it is clear that the Masters genernUij arc coitipetoit to train oar Ijoj/s to any standard of niatrlv aid turn a. Provincial l/nirersiti/ might require. The reason given for the reduction is a more pretext, contradicted on the one hand by the con- sideration of the objects for which Upper Canada College was founded, and on the other by the competency of the Grammar Schools in various parts of t!ic Province. It is for the want of those who wish to pursue a course of Univer.>ity study, that men have not come to enrol themselves on the University books ; and perhaps another reason is, the unwillingness of some to go up to Toronto. Every effort has been made by offering prizes and scholarships, by abolishing fees, by the reduction of the standard, to increase the number of the students ; and as if that were not enough, these gentlemen have attached to the University College a Tutor, whose special work it is to asslL-t the maimed, the halt, and I had almost said the blind. Is it, I ask, for the interest of the several localities of the country, for the interest of the Grannnar Schools themselves, or for that of Uni- versity Education, to take off what Mr. Langton admits to be a year's work from the Grannnar Schools, and tack it on to University College by the assistance of a Tutor, with the duty assigned to him of coaching those who come up from the country to enter the University even according to its present reduced standard?" {Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson a backsliding policy of reduction, strongly condemned by the Queen's University Commissioners in Ireland, as most Injurious to the interests of both Grammar School and University Edu- cation.) Such were my statements and arguments in regard to the con)petency of Grammar School Masters in contradiction to what Mr. Langton's words attribute to me ; and such is my statement in regard to their general com- petency now, notwithstanding the pressing want of well qualified teachers 12 in several of tliCTTi. But in the Queen's University in Ireland, where tlie defective state of the Graiiuuar Schools is so well known and so much lamented, and where the University standard is so much hi,t!;lier than it is in Toronto, so f.ir from its beinii' proposed to reduce the standard of inatriculation, after the Toronto fashion, and thus make the l^iiversity College a Superior (Jranimar School, and an University Education only another name for an English (jlranimar School Education, the lloyal Com- missioners of the Queen's University in Ireland in 1858, condemn, in the most explicit terms, and in words also of the late Sir. V\ iliiam Hamilton, the very course pursued in the Toronto Un\versity and advocated by Mr. Lantjjton and Dr. Wilson. The Commissioners condemn the lowerinu; of the matriculation examination by the Cork College, which Mr. Langton (through Mr, Meredith) adduces as an example to justify for the reduction at Toronto, and recommended that the ]ii<>h standard of matriculation originally lixcd for all the Colleges ^^and still retained in Belfast College) be maintained. The Commissioners express themselves as follows : " Preparatory to entering on the College course of study, the council has in each College prescribed Matriculation Examinations, Avhich now differ, though they were orUjlnaUj/ the name in all. " The Matriculation Examination is the first point of contact between the College and the School, and the only point through which the action and reaction, of each on the other, are being constantly communicated. IWis Examiivition must, therefore, he < of age, in the mid year of the fourth form of a Grammar School, having mastered more than the little Latin and Greek and Mathematics required for matriculation, is intent upon donning the cap and gown of an Univer- sity Student, though it will be for his interests as well as for the repu- tation of the Master and that of the school for him to remain until he shall have completed the fourth nnd fifth forms of his Granmiar School studies. This is an instance — a fact — one of many — illustrative of the 13 pernicious cITccts of this surface hot-bed system upon the Grarmnar School, by depressing and deprivina; it of its legitimate work and impor- tance, upon the lad by putting him among men as a man, and under the prelections of the I'rolessor, when he ought to be with boys in ths exercises and studies of the Grammar Fcliool, and upon the University College in reducing it to a higher thammar kScliool : fur in comparing tho courses of studies in Toronto l.nivorsity Collfge and in the Kugby Grannnar School in ] facta, I will pivo tho fiicts themselves. No thorough University Education can be f;iven M'itliin the usual period of four years which coiiimenees with u low standard of Matriculation. The remarks on this ])oiut of tliu lloyal Commissioners to enquire into tho .state of Queen's University in Ireland are conclusive The whole (luestion of thor- ough University Education i», therefore, mainly involved in tho standard of Matriculation^ and in the system of optiom. I will here ,u;ive tho programme of studies in tho Rw^by (irainmar Scluiot (one of the 47.") endowed Grammar Schools in England) furnished to tho En,a:lish Journal of Education, (vol vli., pp. 225-227,) by the late Dr. Arnom) himself, than whom the present century has not produced a more practical, thorough, and successful instructor of youth. With a view of preserving; the sixth form (so noti'd in England) sub- divisions are made in some of tho others. A boy remains on an average a year (sometimes more) in each of tin; eight classes or forms. It is after completing tho studios of tho sixth form, (or cifj;hth class), that boys go to Oxford or Cambridge University. This will serve as n specimen of the standard which usage has established for matriculation into the English Universities, though doubtless many idle and inferior boys are got in there, and go out in tho poll. After a youth has gone through such a Gr;immar School course of stuxlies, the certificate of tho master might be f afely substituted for a matriculation examina- tion at the University, or tho attainments oi tho candidate can bo easily tested by a single book and composition. I?ut what a contrast does tho following programme of studies present to tho standard of Matriculation into the Toronto University ! And how utterly absurd and preposterous are Mr. Langton's assertions and attempts to show that tlie standard of matticulation horo is equal to that of the English Universities ! And even the following programme, as the learned and lamented author explains, does not include tho exercises in Greek and Latin prose and verse which are required. PROGRAMME OF STUDIES IN THE RUGBY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, (ENGLAND,) BY THE LATE REV. DR. ARNOLD, HEAD MASTER. FIRST FORM. Classical Division. — Language time. Latin grammar and delectus. History time. Markham's England, vol. 1. Scriptural instruction, Sfc. Church cate- chism and abridgment of New Testament History. Mathematical Division. Table. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, simple and compound. Reduction. Fkencii division. Hamel's Exercises, vip to the auxiliary verbs. SKCOND FORM., Classical division. Language time. Latin grammar and Latin Delectus Eutropius. History time. Markham's England, vol. ii. Scriptural instruction, 4rc. St. Luke. Genesis. Mathematical division. The work done in the first form repeated. Rule of three. I'ractice. 14 is a humlHating state of tlilnj2;s, and presents a melancholy prospect, a^ the fruit of the attempts during the last four years to swamp the other Collej^cs by free tuition and many options, scholarships, and prizes in Toronto Collcnjc, and by "stooping with considerate kindness to the level of the crowd," as the Kev. Dr. Lillie stated and eulogized the Toronto system for doing, in a speech dolivcrcd at Montreal in Juno last, on the University question. Comparative View of the. Standard of Matriculation into Torovfu University College and other Colleges. The Programme of Studies in llugby Grammar School, which has been given in a note, shows the standard of preparation settled by the common law of usage for matriculation into the English Universities; for what is true of Rugby is also true of Harrow, of Winchester, of Eaton, &c. ; and these institutions deterniino the standard at which other public or private schools or private tutors in England nmst prepare the pupils for the Universities, without reference to any matriculation examination. Mr. Bristcd's book of his five years' experience in an English University after Fkkncii division. Ilf.nK'l's ExcrcisoR. Auxiliary verbs. Regular conjuga- tions and some of the irregular. Gaultler's Geography. TmnO FORM. CiiASSiCAii DIVISION. — Language time. Greek grammar (Matthi.r, Abridg- ment.) Valpy's Greek. Exercises. Valpy's Greek Delectus. Florilegium. Translations into Lat-n. History time. Eiitropius. Physical geography. (Useful Knowledge Soci(!ty.) Scriptural instruction, 8fc. Exodus. Numbers. Judges, i. and ii. Samuel. St. Matthew. Mathematical division. Rule of three. Practice. Vulgar fractions. In- terest. French division. Ilamcl's Exorcisfes, first part, continued Elizabeth, ou les Exiles en Siberie, LOWER REMOVE. Classical division. Language time. Greek grammar and Valpy's Exercises. Rules of the Greek Iambics. Easy parts of tlie Iambics of the Greek trage- gians Virgil's Eclogues. Cicero de Senectutc. History time. Parts of Jus- tin. Parts of Xenophon's Anabasis. Markhain's France, to Philip Valois. Scriptural instruction, ^c. St. Matthew, in Greek Testament. Acts, in the English Bible. Mathematical division. Vulgar fractions. Interest. Decimal fractions. Square root, FrexNCU division. Hamcl continued and repeated. Jussiu's Jardin dcs Plantes. fourth form. Classical division. Languas^c time. vEschylus, Promcth. Virgil, ^n. ii. •and iii. Cicero de Amicita. History time. Part of Xenophon's Hellenics. Florus from iii. 21. 21 to iv. 11. History of Greece. (U. K. S.) Markam's France, from Philip of Valois. Detailed geography of Italy and Germany. Scriptural instruction, Sfc. Acts, in the Greek Testament. St. John, in the English Bible. Old Testament History. Mathematical division. Decimals. Ivolution and evolution. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of algebra. Binomial theorem. Euclid, Book i. Prop. 1 to 15. French division. Hamel's Second Part, chiefly, chiefly syntax of the pro- nouns. La Fontaine's Fable's. UPPER REMOVE, Classical division. Language time. Sophocles' Philoct .^schji. Eumcnid. Irregular verbs. 15 having graduated at Yale College in the United States, furnishes ample proof to the same effect. It waa maintained, at least to within a recent date, that the standard of niatieulation in the London University was quite as high as that at Oxford or Cambridge. This was tlie avowal and understanding when the Toronto University Act of 1853 was passed. But in Ireland, as in America, where the Grammar Schools and Acaden-'cs have not the same defined course of study as the English (jrammar h'chools, and where settled usage has not fixed the period at which the pupils proceed from them to the University, a more specific and strict matriculation exam- ination is required. Mr. Langton admits that the Queen's Univcr^ty in Ire- land furnishes the latest, freest and fullest exprc^^sion of practical Education- ists and the Government, us to what the present age requires an University education to be. I have showm that the Queen's University Commissioners in Ireland in 1858, condemned the reduction in the standard of matricula- tion in Queen's College, Cork, and required the original standard of ma- triculation, then and still retained in Queen's College, Belfast. It is wor- thy of remark, that Cork College Council had adopted precisely the clas- sical standard of matriculation which has been adopted at Toronto, with the exception of not retaining the chapter of the Cataline Conspiracy. Homer's Iliad, i., ii. Virgil, Mn, iv., v. Tarts of Horace, Odes, i., ii., iii. Parts of (.'icjcro's Epistles. Hislonj time. I'arts of Arrian. Tarts of Tuterculus. Book ii. Sir J. Mackintosh's Enghmd. Scriptural instruction. St. John, in Greek Testament. Deuterouoniy and Epistle of St. Peter. Selections from the Psalms. MATUKMATicAii DIVISION. Equation of payments. Discount. Simple equa- tions. Euclid, P>ook i., from 15 to cud. FiiENCii DIVISION. Translation from English into French. La Fontaine's Fables. LOWER FIFTH. Classical division. — Language time. iEschyl. Sept. Contra Thehag. So- phocles, (Ed. Tyr. Homer's Iliud, iii., iv. Virgil's Ainakl, vi., vii. Extracts from Cicero's Epistles. Tarts of Horace. History time. Tarts of Arrian. Herodotus, iii., 1,38, 61, G7, 88, IIG. Livy, parts of ii. and iii. Hallam's Middle Ages. France, Spain, Greeks, and Saracens. Thysical and Tolitical Geography of all Europe. Scriptural Instruct icn. St. John. Epistles to Timothy and Titus. IJibte hi.story, from 1 Kings lo a'"^. hemiah, inclusive. Mathematical division. Exchange. Alleg;tion. simple equations with Bwo unknown qualities, and problemns. Euclid, Book iii. French division. Syntax and idioms. A play of Moliere, to construe, and then to turn from English into French. FIFTH FORM. Classical division. Language time. >paratory programme of studies at Kugby shows) proscribes a matriculation examination including tlie follawing books and subjects ; as specitied in its official Calendar and Catalogue lor 18G0-t)l : KEQUISITES FOR ADMISSION. Candidates for admission to tho Freshman Class tiro examined the following books : — Latin Dki'autment. Tho whole of Virgil, Tho wiiolo of Cj'sar's Commontariop, Cico"o's So'lect Orations, Folsom's or Johnson's edition, Andrews and Stoddard's Latin Oramuiar, including Prosody, And in writing Latin. Greek Department. Pclton's Greek Reader, or the wholo of the Anabasis of Xcnophon and the first three books of the Iliad (omitting the Catalogue of Ships in the second book), Sophoclcs's Greek Grammar, or Crosby's, or Hadley's, including Prosody, And in writing Greek with the Accents. Mathematical Departmextj Davios', Chases, or Eaton's Arithmetic, Enler's Algebra, or Davies's Frst Lessons in Algebra, to " The Extraction of the Square Hoot," or Sherwin's Common School Algebra, And " An Introduction to Geometry and tho Science of Form, prepared from the most approved Prussian Text-Books," as far as the Seventh Section, or Hill's " First Lessons in Geometry." Historical Department. Mitchell's Ancient and Modern Geography, Worcester's Elements of History, — tho Ancient History only. [After 1861, Smith's Smaller History of Greece, or Sewell's History of Greece will be substituted for so much of Worcester's History as relates to Greece.] of Demosthenes. Cicero against Verres. Parts of Aristotle's ethics. History time. Parts of Thucydides and Arrian. Parts of Pacitus. Parts of RusselPa Modern Europe. Scriptural instruction, Sfc. One of tiie prophets in the Sep- tuagint version. Different parts of the New Testament. Mathematical division. Euclid, iii., vi. Simple and quadratic equatioiw. Piano trigonometry. Conic sections. French division. Parts of Guizot's Historie de la Revolution d'Angleterre, »nd Mignet's Historie de la Revolut. FranQais." 17 The Htandard of matriculation into Yah CoVegu (Ncw-IIaven) is as follows, as stated in the oliicial Catalo<<;uc for Tkhms of Admission. Candidates for adiiiiHsinn to the FruHlimuu Class arc examined in the foilow- ing bixjks and snbjects : — (Mcoro — seven Orations. Virgil — the BueoIicH, Georgics, and the first si.^ books of the iEncid. Hallust — Catilinarian andJugurthine Wars. Latin Grammar — Andrews and Stoddard, or Zumpt. Latin Prosody. Arnold's Latin I'rosc Composition, to the Passive voice, (first XII Chapters). Greelc Header — .Jacobs, (Jolton, or Felt(»n. Xenophon — Anabasis, first three bookst Greek Grammar — Sophocles, Crosljy, or Kuhner. Thomson's Higher Arithmetic. Day's Algebra, (llevised Edition), to Quadratic Equations. Playfair's Euclid, first two books. English Grammar. Geography. Tlie standard of matriculation into tlie Toronto University in 1852, was as follows, as reported in Appendix L. to the Journals of the Legislative Assembly for 1862-3 : "By a Statute by the Senate in 1851, the following have been appointed as the subjects of examination for candidates of admission : •* Classics, vost Whitaker, what is meant hy the Iii/tnncdintc I'^xumination, ur Moderations, at Oxford, and the Pnr.iniis Kx( I munition, at Cand)ridjj;o ; and that the former is hi},'her than th.t .e- <(uirod lor a decree at Toronto, and that the latter is c(iual to tlu; former oxandnation for M. A. at (jambridj;e. And it is not until after they have passed tho.so exuiuinutions (hij^her than deforce examinations here) that under-;;ruduate3 at Oxford and Ca»nbrid<;e are allowed to take options at ull. What a contrast to tlie Toronto syhtem ! If we turn to the London University, there arc no options whatever, cither for ordinary or honor students, in tlic cxamimitiouH forB.A. It is only when the eandidates come up for exannnation for M. A. that they are allowed options or choice of subjects. In the Queen's Colley;os in Ireland, no options whatever are allowed until the third or hint yvar of the course. I will now illustrate and establish the fore^'oinjj; statements by examples and proofs. I have already reuuirked upon the comparative stiiudardKof matrlc.aliition, and upon the periods in the courses of study at which options arc allowed at Toronto, in Kngland and New Enjjjland ; but it is more material to show the amount of work done and the standards of at- ta'nmcnts required before options are allowed. First^ take the London Univcrsifi/. In referrinji; to its standard of matriculation T omitted to remark that it included an examination in French and (Jcnnun, not required at Toronto, and four books of Kuclid, instead of one, as at Toronto, — a tolerable indication of the compjirative standards of matriculation in the London and Toronto Universities in other respects. In the London University there are two B. A. examina- tions, one at the end of not less than one year, the other at the end of not less than two years. Tlio first examination includes two Latin authors, translations from English into Latin, and from Enulish into German or French. The Calendar says, — '' Candidates shall not bo approved by the Examiners, unless they show a competent knowledge in 1. Latin and Roman History. 2. English Language, Literature and History. 3. Matheraatic?. 4. Either the French or German Languages." The >S^eco/«Z Examination for B. A. includes both a Gicik and Latin author, as also translation from English into Latin ; and the Calendar says, " Candidates shall not be approved unless they show a competent know- ledge in 4. Classics. 2. Grecian History. 3. Natural Philosophy. , 4. Animal Physiology. 5. Logic and Moral Philosophy. These are for the pass examinations ; and in neither of them is any options allowed. It is not until the very severe examination for M. A. tal'cs pl'^cc (for which there is no examination in the Toronto University) that options are allowed. tUcwndltj, Turn to Queen's University, in Ireland ; and to the classic- al department alone. It will be recollected that the matriculation exami- nation includes Homer, Books I. II. ; Xenophon's Anabasis, Books I. II. ; Virgil's iEneid, Books I. II. III. IV. ; in contrast to the Toronto ma- triculation examination ol one book of the Annbasis, and Sallust's Catallne, and now one book of the yEneid. The subjects of the Jirst year (in Queen's University) are in Latin, Cicero — De Natura Deorum. Cicero — Do Finibus. Juveyial. In Greek, Homer's Iliad, Book XIT. ^schylus — Prometheus Vinctus. Demosthenes — Contra iVIidiam. In Toronto, the subjects of the first year's classical course are the 6t]i Book of Virgil's iEneid, C'cero's De Amicitia, and the Gth Book of Ho- mer's Iliad 1 The subjects of the second year's classical studies in the Queen's Uni- versity in Ireland, are, in Latin, Tacitus — Annals, Book IV. Plautus — Capteivei. Horace — Epistles. Lucretius — Book IT. In Greek, Herodotus, — Book IV. Aristophanes, — The Frogs. Plato, — Timaeus. Four Latin and three Greek authors, while in Toronto University, the subjects of the seco^JtZ year's classical studies are only the 11th Book of Homer's Odessy, the Odes of Horace, and Cicero's first Oiation against Cataline, and his Oration for Arcbias. Now, Mr. Langton admits that no options are allowed in the Queen's University in Ireland until the third year ; and he maintains that the Toronto standard is as elevated as that of tlie Queen's University in Ire- land, because options are not allowed to pass men before tlie third year. But who does not see from the above comparisons, that the classical course of Queen's University in Ireland is vastli/ above that of the Toronto University ? If we turn, thirdly, — not to the final, but to the intermediate examina- tion (in the third year), at Oxford, the contrast is still more humiliating, as that includes the Four Gospels ia Greek, six Books of Homer, or their equiv- alent in other Greek authors, and Horace's Odes, Epodes, and Ars Poetica, or their equivalent, instead of the little that is included as above, in the first two years of the Toronto University, apart from the corresponding difference in the character of the respective examinations* 23 FourtJiJy, Let us come to ATiicrioa, and oinittinp^ the examples of Yalo and Columbia Colleges, I will confine myself to Harvard — the roj)resenta- tivc University of practical New Enjjland. The first and second year's classical course of studies in Harvard is as follows : — First Year, Greek. — The Prometheus of iEschylus; Homer's Odcssey, three books ; The Paneuericu-i of Isocrates ; Felton's Greek Historians [Thucidides] ; Lysias ; Greek Antiquities; Exercise in writinui; Greek. — Latin. — Livy [Lincoln's selections] ; Horace, Odes and Epodes ; Cicero de Senectute and de Amicitia ; Zumpt's Grammar ; llamsay's Elementary Manual of Roman Antiquities ; Exercises in writing Latin. Second Year, Greek — Demosthenes, both terms ; Grote's History of Greece, vol, xi. ; Exercises in writing Greek. — Latin, Cicero pro Sestio ; Satires and Epistles of Horace, Beck's Syntax and Zun)pt's Grammar ; Exercises in writing Latin. While the standard of matriculation h\ the Toronto University has been shown to be more than a year's studies below that of Harvard, how im- mensely does Toronto fall below Harvard in its ftrst two years' classical course ! Yet Harvard has a third year of still more severe classical studies than either of the two former, before it allows any option whatever between classics and any other department of study. Were I to institute the same inquiry in some other departments, the result would be still more j. amiliating. Take for instance modern languages, under which imposing cognomen is included French or German. In other Univer- sities, where these languages are recognized as part of the University course, a matriculation examination is required in them as in Latin and Greek. Not so in the Toronto University college, which is a mere girl's school for French or German, where the students learn the sounds of the letters, and so on to the pronunciation of the words, the declensions of nouns, adjectives and pronouns, and the conjugations of the verbs. Yet a learned Professor is employed to teach, and honor University students are engaged in this profound a, b, c, of French and German, and even scholarships, prizes, and certificates of honor are instituted to reward the successful competitors ! I happen to know that the examination questions in one of these '' Modern Languages," given to the University scholarship candidates, were also given to a class of boys in a grammar school, and the boys quite distanced the undergraduates in their answering ; yet the one was an ordinary grammar school exercise, and the other was an University scholarship examination ; but the prize of the best gownsman in the scrub race was a thirty pounds scholarship and a convocation enlogy, while the reward of the still better boy wf s the approval of his master and a direction what to get for his next lesson. But for a pass-man, there is not so much as a single exercise of conversation in French or German in the whole University course which, it appears, does not advance so far in these modern languages as in an ordinary school for young ladies. Y'et this is what Dr. Wilson boasts of as the study of " modern languages" in the University, and for which (the appropriate work of the school boy and of the Grammar School,") under graduates should leave their Latin and Greek, Mathe- matics and Metaphysics, since, as he says, *' every educated man in this country, and especially every medical roan, ought to know at least French 24 — which is here a spoken language — and German also." What masters of French and German will University graduates hecome by such a course of one or two lessons (I beg pardon, Lectures) a week I What an abuse of terms, what a misuse of an university student's time, what a peculation of the rightful work of the grammar school, and what a descent for the gowns- man of the University from the classics and the sciences to the elementary studies of the school boy or school girl I In review of the whole, then, how preposterous is Mr. Langton's asser- tion on the 38th page, ** that in no sense is the atudy for our degree below that required in our best models !" But I have now to examine some of Mr. Langton's specific statements and imputations on this point.^ In his notes on the 32nd page, he asserts, options '' practically com- mence at the third year in the University of Toronto," and charges as "misrepresentation," what I had asserted in saying that options commenced the Fecond year. Mr. Langtou then quotes what he calls " the rule for the second year ' as follows : '* A candidate for honors in any department who has obtained first class honors in the University, in his first year, either in Classics or Mathematics, or in both Modern Laguage>j and Natural Sciences, is not required in other departments to pass an examination in any branch in which he has already been examined in his first year ; but having only been examined in pure Mathematics in his first year, he must also take applied Mathematics this year." Now then the common sense reading of this rule is that any man who has obtained first class honors at the end of the first year can omit any branch whatever (except Mathematics,) in which he has passed his first year's examination ! And I ask what is this but commencing options at the end of the first year, and not in the third year? But Mr. Langton at- tempts a forced and unnatural interpretation of the rule which the words themselves will not hear. He sayfe : — " Now the eifect of this rule is, that a student who has taken first class honors in either Classics or Mathematics, need not take a second course •Mr. Langton having stated at Quebec that I had employed two graduates of the British Universities, who had not succeeded as teachers (a statement which I corrected; attempts in a note on the 38th page, to make a little capital by saying, — " there was a third master selected by Dr. Ryerson, and found for some reasons inefficient, who was a graduate of Dublin." In this small matter Mr. Langton is as wide from from facts as I have shown him to be in some important matters. The pentleman alluded to was, I think, the third in the estimate of the Senate on the list of some twenty candidates for a mastership in Upper Canada College. An additional master was required in the Model Grammar School, and required immediately. That gentleman was unemployed. The Council of Public Instruction resolved to employ him from October to January, and advertise for a master. The gentleman consented to the temporary engagement, with the statement to him in writing that the mastership would be advertiesd. He per- formed his duties satifactorily ; was a candidate ; but an honour Oxford man and experienced teacher was preferred ; yet I felt that the same " graduate of Dublin" was entitled to a strong letter of commendation, and he is now teaching one of the most important Grammar Schools in Upper Cantda. It would have been for the interests of education if Mr. Langton and some others had made provision for the removal of incompetent instructors after a trial of six months, as I have invariably done. • 25 of Modern Languatrcs, or of Chemistry, or of Natural History, and several have availed theiuselvcs of the option. But with the essential subjects of Classics and Mathematics, the case is very different. 31 athematics cannot be omitted the second year by any one, and Classics only in two cases : 1 st, by a student who has taken first class honors in both Modern Languages and natural Sciences, a contingency which has never occurred yet ; and 2nd, by a student who has taken first class honors in Mathematics." Now, let the reader examine the rule again, and I submit to him whether Mr. Langton's interpretation is not at variance with it? I will suppose, (what takes place at every examination) that a student obtains first class honors in Mathematics, and only passes in other subjects and in Classics — that is answers one fourth of the (juestions asked on the only three classical subjects of the first year, — namely the sixth Book of the Iliad, sixth Book of the Aeneid, and Cicero Amicitia — I ask whether he cannot omit not only his classics, but even all the other subjects except his Mathematics? Is not this, then, options before the third year — nay, at the end of the first year — and options to an extent unknown in any other College in the British dominions, and in very few colleges even in the Western States of America ? But this is not all ; there is an unfairness in Mr. Langton's quotation which ought not to be expected from him. He has quote 1 the rule, not as it existed and was quoted at the investigation last April at Quebec, but as it has since been amended. (I understand a large business was done in the Senate in the way of amending regulations, and making new ones during the nine months after the Quebec investigation.) The rule as it was published in the Calendar (p. 11.) for 1859-1860, and quoted at Quebec is as follows : " Candidates for honors in any department, who have also in the first year obtained University first-class honors, cither in Greek or Latin, or in Mathematics, or both Modern Languages and Natural Sciences, are not required to take any branch in which they have passed the University examination in the first year," kc, as above quoted. The or between Greek and Latin instead of " and" as given in the rule since the Quebec investigation, is material, and spoils to a still greater extent Mr. Langton's argument, as well as the fairness of his quotation. But I will go further, I will show that the case of options at the end of the first years is even stronger than I put it in my Defence at Quebec. The University Statute of 1857 on the subject goes farther than the in- terpretation of it given in the College Calendar for 1859-60 quoted by me. The Statute is as follows : *' A candidate for honors in any department, who has obtained honors in the Unversity, in his first year, is not required in other depart- ments to pass an examination in any branch in which he has already been examined in his first year ; but having only been examined in pure Mathematics in his first year, he must also take applied Mathematics this year." There are three words in this clause of the statute which merit special notice. The first is the word '' Honors" — not ''Jirst class honors," as in the present rule, but " Honors," of which there are two classes ; and the names of these two classes of men of " honors" will be found to cover more than a page of the College Calendar, and include a great proper- 26 tion of the Students; 3'ct every one of these numerous men of honors could ranf>;e at will over the wide field of options The other two words of the statute, deservinijj notice, — namely, *' depart- ment," and "branch," — indicate tlie extent of those options. Now, in another part of this same statute on Studies, I find the studies of the first year divided into six " departments." 1. Greek and Latin Languages; 2. Mathematics ; 3. Modern Languages ; 4. History ; 5. Natural Scien- ces ; 6. Natural Theology and Evidences of CMiristianity. Two of these " departments" are divided into two " branches" each. Under modern lan- guages are classed the two " branches" of English and French ; and under Natural Sciences, are classed the two " branches" of Chemistry and Natural History. Now, anj student who obtained ''honors" (of either class) in any one of these six departments, and barely passed in the others, could abandon them all (except Mathematics) at the end of his first year, and exercise his choice,not only as to the six " departments," but even in regard to the four '' branches" of two of the " departments !" In my Quebec picture of the Toronto University options, I, therefore, fell quite below the reality, and my shading was dull and tame in com- parison with the brilliancy of the original. The material change made in the statute since 1857, is placing the words " first-class" before the word honors." Such are the options allowed during the second year of the University course — options peculiar to the Toronto LTniversity, and remarkable for labour-saving on all sides, and equally remarkable for erecting an educa- tional structure of show, and without solidity or foundation. If we have not found a " royal road to learning," we have certainly got a Lang- ton and Wilson road to " degrees made easy." Upper Canada wants what is solid and substantial, not, (as the late Sir James Stephen expres- sed it in the preface to his Cambridge Lectures on History,) " a shabby superficiality." If we follow Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson in their tMrd and fourth year's University course, we will find their options a atural sequel to the *' shabby superficiality" of their second year's course. In regard to the third year, we have the following rules : •' A student who is not a candidate for Honors, or who may not exer- cise the options permitted in honors, is not required at this examination to take both ' Greek and Latin' and the ' Modern Languages,' but either at his option." (That is, he can abandon Greek and Latin Literature to study the school boy elements of the French or German Grammar.) " A candidate for honors in any Department, who has obtained first class Honors the second year, is not required to pass an examination in more than two branches [there are three ' branches' in one ' department'] in which he has already been examined in previous years, and he may select these branches amongst the different departments." fin this year there are six ''departments," and three of them subdivided into seven " branches 1") Then if we proceed to the f(3urth year, which is for the degree ex- aminations, we have the following regulations : " A student who is not a candidate for Honors, or who may not exercise the options permitted in Honors, is not required at this £7 oxaminution to tfike * Grouk and Latin,' and tlio 'Modorn Lan- guag-cs/ but eitlior department at his option.' Neither is a student required to take Metereology, Mathematics, and Chemistry, but any one of these subjects, at his option." [Thus a i)ass-man can puss his doj^ree examination without being- examined in either Greek, Latin, or Mathematics, and without having been examined in eitiier of them during the preceding year. For the candidate for IIon(3rs the latitude of pick and choose is still wider, as the following regulation shows:] " A candidate for Honors in any department who has attained first class Honors in the University in his third year, is not required to pass an examination in any other department than that in which he is a candidate for Honors." I submit, therefore, whether my remarks at Quebec as to tlie nature and extent of options in the Toronto University are not more than borne out by an examination of the Regulations themselves. I submit whether these Regulations do not refute the assertions of Mr. Langton and the appeals which he has made on the subject. I submit finally, and what is most inq)ortaut — that in such a sys- tem of low matriculation requirement, and then of selecting and declining, gleaning and omitting, from the very end of the first year, and at length of emasculation and diminution, as you advance, whether there can be any solid University education, and whether degrees thus conferred can have any definite signification beyond the fact that the graduate has attended a certain period a kind of omnibus institution where a little of many things can be snatched up, but where there is no required thorough system of intellectual training in any thing. I have, kc, March 27. E. RYERSON. Letter 1Y. (^Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson compared — the latter objects to Dr. Ryer- son^s qualifications to advise in regard to a System of University Education.^ Sir, — I now address myself for a short time to the 40 pages of this pamphlet which bear the name of Dr. Wilson, — a man quite inferior to Mr. Langton in mental acumen, though his superior in supercilious pretensions. Mr. Langton understands his subject, however narrow and partial his views ; Dr. Wilson misunderstands his subject as well as his own position. Mr. Langton reasons ; Dr. Wilson declaims. Mr. Langton accumulates plausible statis- tics ; Dr. Wilson multiplies offensive insinuations. Mr. Langton abounds in artful sophistry ; Dr. Wilson revels in spiteful invective. Mr. Langton's notes are so many desperate efforts to defend what is indefensible ; Dr. Wilson's notes are so many ejections of feminality and venom. The essence of his thrice-varied speech and notes is embodied in one of his concluding remarks (to which I 28 made no reply) to the Committee. He said,— "On obtaining per- mission to address you," " I felt it my duty to show to the Committee tiiat, neither by previous edueation, by speeial training or expc rience, nor by lidclity to the trust imposed in him as a member of the Senate of the University, does Dr. Ryerson merit the confidence of this Committee, or of the Province, as a fit adviser on a system of University education." The confidence reposed by the Representatives of the people in Parliament in Dr. Wilson, the " unauthorized representative" of the UniversityCoUege, after his speech and the reply to it,may be inferred from the fact that, they unanimously added £500 to the grant to Victoria College, which I had advocated, and which Dr. Wilson had assailed as having no claim to public; support. (^Examination hij icaj/ of retort of Dr.Wilson's Qualifications ^ and how he obtained his Degree.^ When Dr. Wilson urges and demands ray diaqualification in regard to the system of University education, he of course assumes to him- self all the requisites to " merit the confidence of the Province as a fit adviser on a system of University Education." Though he deals as flippantly with the systems of the English Universities, as he does with Dr. Ryerson's history and qualifications, ho yet confesses — " I have no great familiarity with the systems of Oxford and Cam- bridge. I was educated in Scottish halls," But it turned out in his cross examination before the Committee, that even in the " Scot- tish halls," he had never passed a degree or even a matriculation examination ; he took no degree — was no graduate — but an attend- ant on some courses of lectures in the " Scottish halls" of the Edinburgh University, as many persons are in the halls of Toronto University College, but who are not undergraduates. When he got the appointment of English Professor in University College, Toronto, he had no degree Avhatever, but got one as an outfit for " this Canada of ours" from the University of St. Andrews, (long noted for its lucrative trade in degrees,) and not from that of Edin- burgh, where, as one Scottish gentleman of science and literature lately said, " Daniel Wilson was considered a very light horseman," and where, as another said (a native of Edinburgh and a scientific writer of reputation) Dr. Wilson could not have had the presumption to make the speech he did in Quebec. Dr. Wilson flourished in Edinburgh under the shadow of a truly learned and distinguished brother ; but he sets up in Toronto on his own account, first to extinguish and supplant Dr. McCaul, and then to annihilate Dr. Ryerson. (Z)r. Wilson\ suppression and variation of passages in his speech and additions.) Then this published speech itself is characteristic of its author — a piece of mere pretence. It is not the speech that was handed in to the Commitiee and printed in its Minutes ; nor is it the speech that was delivered before the Committee : it is an emendation of both, got up and published a month after its professed delivery I w ir I can appeal to you, air, as tlie Chairman of that Committee, and to all who heard me, that in not one instance did Dr. Wilson object to the accuracy of the passuj^es which I quoted from his speech as I wrote them down at the time of delivery, anrl to which I rei)lieokvn sjiecch, and resumed his scat in the midst of tiie laugh created by his allusion to my having med- itated a system of public instruction for Canada on some of the highest mountains of Europe, which accounted, as he f^ipposed, for its being so " very windy." Tiiese, as you, sir, and all present, well know, were the last words of Dr. Wilson's sjwkcn speech ; yet, on turning to his printed speech in this pamphlet, you find the allu- sion not only dilTerently expressed, but followed by three, jxiges of the alleged conclusion of his speech, — a conclusion which was not delivered at all, — which, therefore, could not have been reported by another — but which has since been written out by himself, and is now published by him, and that out of the funds of the Univera- sity, as the veritable speech delivered by him before the ConiTnittec at Quebec I The speech raally delivered by him, I have sufticiently answered in my Reply made before the Committee, printed in its Minutes, and since published. Nor does this apocryphal version of his speech require any further remak. How far, therefore, Dr. Wilson's career in the " Scottish halls," his speech at Quebec, or this new version of it, — or all together, — give him special claim to the contidence of " the Province as a fit adviser on a system of Universitj' education," may be left to you, sir, and to the public to judge. (Other illvstrationa of Dr. Wilson n qualifications to the exclusion of Dr. Ryerson in University matters.) But Dr. Wilson has furnished other samples of his rare qualifi- cations as a " tit adviser'' for Upper Canada in its " system of Uni-. versity education." The one is, his historical research in discovering that, " the age of Pericles, in which Greece lavished her resources upon stone and marble" — (as have the resources of the Toronto University been) was but the harbinger of her highest intellectual and moral grandeur, though Tytler says, " The age of Pericles is the period from which we may date the decline of Athens ; " and Rollin says, — " Plato, who formed a judgment of things, not from their outward splendour, but after truth, observes, (after his mas- ter, Socrates), that PmcZes, with all his grand edifices and other works, had not improved the mind of one of the citizens in virtue, but rather corrupted the purity and simplicity of their ancient mayiners." But as neither Plato nor his master, Socrates, was a graduate after Dr. Wilson's fashion, their authority must, of course, yield to his, 30 'iil m especially in his own department of History. Nor do I suppose ho will have more respect lor tiie opinion of Ei'Ictetus, who said — " You will confer the greatest benefit on your city, not by raising* the roofs, but by exalting- the souls of your fellow-citi/ens. For it is better that great souls should live in snuill habitations, than that abject slaves should burrow in great houses." — With research and accuracy equally characteristic, does Dr, Wilson assert the expe- rience of Protestant countries to be against denominational colleges, although not a few scliool-boys know that England and Ainerica are dotted over with denominational colleges, and non-d(jnoniina- ti()nal ones are the exceptions, and are becoming comparatively fewer year by year. But that which exceeds in originality and antiquity any of Dr. Wilson's otiler researches, is his discovery which he announced in tt printed address to the Canadian Institute— namely, " the Pen of Socrates" and its marvellous effects. Plato and Xenophon have reported many of the sayings, and opinions, and doctrines of Socrates, which have also been satirized by the bull'oonery of Aris- tophanes. Hut tlie " peit of Socrates'' is quit as quoted by Dr. Wilson himself : '•!. The Exhibitioner must have taught a common school in Upper Canada. 2. He must have attended the Provincial Normal School at least one gession. 3. He must have been recommended by the Council of Public Instruction. 4. He must •«ngage to teach a granimer School in Upper Canada for at least three or four years ; and provide for tho Ailfilment of this promise, or refund the :■! SI amount of his Kxhibitlon with uitcrcst." In my letter to the ficnnto proposing those Exhibitions, I loniarkeil, (as quoted by Dr. Wilson, also) '* In our present Normal and Model Schools, and in our proposed (inuii' mar ScJiool, the Kxhibitioners would r(!eeive a t/mroiiffh pirpni'dtori/ traiiumj, both as students and teacliers, lu, all the .suhjrrtH in which nnuH^ diitcH lire cnimincd for mntrirnlitiini into the i^nircrsiti/.^^ Now, Dr. Wilson omits one fact, but a fact which destroys his whole ari;umeiit, if its omission does not prove his disinjrenuousness. It is the fact, that tlic standard of matriculation at that time wan not v/hat it is now, but as it was established in 1854, — a standard which Dr. Wilsou says in his speech was higher than that at which degrees are conferred in the Scottish Universities. It is also v/orthy of remark, that the .Model (iramnmr School thoroughly trains its pupils in all the sulyects reipiired by law to bo taught in the (Irammar Schools- A student, therefore, thus prepared, (and especially in tlie case (»f a young man who had served a successful apprenticeship as a Common School teacher, and had then been trained in the Normal and Model Craunnar Schools,) and entering tlie University at the former standard of matriculation, would have been much further advanced at the end of one year, than an undergaduate now is at the end of two years, when both classics and mathematics become optional studies. Of the propriety of .such a proposition, under such circumstances* and of its advantages both to the ablest Conunon School teachers and to the Grammar Schools, every intelligent and practical man can judge. Bui as the standard of matriculation is now reduced, such exhibitions would bo of little use beyond the training given iu the Nornud and Model Gram- mar Schools, as candidates for Grammar School Masterships having certi- ficates as second year's men in the University, have been jjliivLcd for incompetency by the Committee of Examiners. {Dr. Wilsons statements and j^roceedings as to evidence arising out of the reports of Grammar School Inspectors refuted and cwposed.) I next advert to a statement of Dr. Wilson on page 81, more disre- putable than any I have yet noticed ; and I think, sir, the perusal of it can hardly fail to excite indignation in your own mind, and in that of the Hon. Mn Foley, and of such other members of the late University Com- mittee as were present when the circumstances referred to transpired. It relates to what I alleged as to the comparative efficiency, upon the whole, of graduates of the different Colleges as Masters of Grammar Schools, as gathered from the reports of the Inspectors. The scandalous proceeding of Dr. WiLson in this matter cannot be understood without a brief refer- ence to the circumstances of the case. You will recollect, sir, that on my first appearance before the Connnittee, in obedience to your summons, I made a verbal statement, which I was requested to prepare and hand in in writing. I did so, but with some delay in consequence of bereavement and affliction. But I wrote it out at intervals as I could, sending to the printer a few pages at a time, and mostly without even reading after writing them. You left Quebec a few days before the adjournment of the House for the Easter holidays, and the Hon. Mr. Foley acted in your place as Chairman of the Committee. During the last sitting of the Committee, before the Easter holidays, Beveral copies of my evidence, printed in slips, were brought into the com- 32 M'-- mittcc room. On ulancin^ down Hr'sc slipfl, I obsorvoil it was a proof of uiy uvidi!MCo, wliioh had never been sent nic, which I luid noL corrected, and in which parts of my statement were misphiccd, words omitted in Ronie phici'S, and wron;j; words net up in others. I ininmdiately addressed publicly the (.'liairnian of the Oonniiittee, (Mr. Foley,) statin<> that copies of my evidence hud been sent in slips, without the i)roof having; been cor- rected or seen by mc — that parts of the evidence had been misplaced, and many words of the manuscript had been mistaken by the printer. Tho Chairman Ibrtliwith j^uvc directions that I should be allowed to correct and revise the proof at my discretion, and that my statement should not bo sent out until corrected by me. Yet some copies of these uncornctcd and unrevised proofs wore sent out, and parts of them published in some of the papers. After the adjournment of the Committee, the Hon. Mr. Cayley (who was reading a proof copy of my statement) drew my atten- tion to certain exprcf^sions winch lio thought might cause pain to S'-nie individuals, and suggested whether it would not be better to omit them. I acceded to his suggestions, so far as to omit one or two expressions, and modify otliers. I forthwith corrected and revised the proof, and got a number of copies printed in slips at my own expense, and addressed them to several parties. Thus matters remained until tho Committee re-assem- bled after tho holidays, when you were present and presided. In the course of the proceedings, Mr. J^angton intimated that he did not desire now to summon the Inspectors of Granunar Schools, as Dr. llyerson had witlidrawn the imputations which he wished to rebut. 1 then appealed to the Committee that I had withdrawn nothing, as no authentic statement of my evidence had been given, except that before the Committee, and recapitulating, as above stated, what had transpired in the Coniniittec during its last sitting before the Holidays, and what were the directions of the Chairman of the Committee. Mr. Langton denied the accuracy of my statement, and Dr. Wilson rose to support Mr. Langton, when some conversation took place between some members of the Committee (including Mr. Foley, Mr. Iloblin, and, I think, Mr. Simpson, of Niagara), and you, in a clear, strong voice, said — " Mr. Langton, three members of the Committee, who were present, understand the matter just as Dr. llyerson states it." You will recollect. Sir, that I re affirmed the statements as contained in the first printed proof of my report in the points objected to — that the reports themselves were there from which I had received my impressions and drawn my inferences — that I knew not what the Inspectors thought or intended — that I appealed to the reports, that I was ready to go over them with any one or more members of the Comnxittee, and let them say whether I was justified in my inferences and statements, which Mr. Langton (to whom I had lent the reports,) denied. You will doubtless recollect, likewise, that in reference to my proposal or challenge to exam- ine the reports themselves with any members of the Committee, Mr. At- torney General Macdonald remarked, *' that is fair." Yet after these occurrences, and in presence of these facts. Dr. Wilson, on page 81, en- deavors to impugn me on this subject, and charges me with an "extraor- dinary and unfounded statement," which " was forthwith investigated, and the inspectors of Grammar Schools called upon to state what were V''A t 1% 33 the facts of the ciiso." The absurdity, as well as groundlessness of thii itateuicnt is ni!inif(-st from the t'uct, that the question had tu)thin<^ to do with the Iiisptriors, but with what was contained in their rriMnts, which were laid bclore the Cojnniittoe.'*^ Finally, to complete the citr\ln;;aft of inconsistcncie?, Dr. Wilson ((uotcs from a letter of mine published in June, 1R28, on *' The llnivorsity," in which I objected to the first charter of Kin^^'s Collej^e, as hcinu; fir ono church alone. In the passages which Dr. Wilson (juotcs, I rcf rrcd ti) the perseoutinjij hii^otry of Oxford University in having; expelled John liocke and John Wesley from its halls, and objected to an rniversity bciiii; es- tablished by the State in Upper (>atiada on the same principle's. Dr, Wilson thinks he has discovered " a marvellous change in my sentiiuonts" since then as to denominational or nnii-denominational C(tllexes.. It is rather hard for a man to be hounded over a period of thirty-threo years — froni the ai^e of 25 to that of 57, in search of an inconsistency ir» Ids sentiments on a |.'reat social ([ucstion in a younu; .country whose insti- tutions are underi^^oin;^ frenucnt and rapid chan:^es. It is pissiblo that it was in this search for a " relic" of my inconsistency, l>r. Wilson discovered the more remarkable " relic" of the " pen of Socrates." How- ever that may be, his research seems to have been as su{)erfi('ial and one-sided in re<]^ard to the sentiments of my youthful letter of 1828, as I have shown him to be on other .subjects with which he ouu;ht to be acquainted. I mij;ht claim to be more competent to jud,;i;e on this as well us on other subjects now than I was 33 years ago. IJut I am willinpj to have my consistency tried by so severe a test, as it happens that my first impressions on this subject arc my present views. With his usr 1 un- fairness, Dr. Wilson omits to state what were the defined objects i ngg • The following arc the remarks which I made on this subject a tew days after, in my general defence before the Committee, in reply to Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson : *' Then, Sir, Dr. Wilson impugns another statement of mine, not on his own authority, but on that of Mr. Langton, in whom he says lie lias full confidence, as to the comparative etlieiency as teacliers of Grammar Schools of the gradu- ates of University College, and those of other Colleges. And lie presented a formal indictment against me to the Attorney-General for Upper Ciinada, draw- ing his attention, as an adviser to tlu; Crown, to what I had saiil. The inten- tion of the appeal was manifest. It was with a view to my dismissal from office. Sir, if my official position depended upon the course; I have taken in this question, I should take the course I now take, and cast office and its emol- uments to the winds, ^oner thar. abandon the rights and interests of a people with whom I have been associated from my youth. But, Sir, 1 think tlie Min- i.stcrs of the Crown are not such men as the gentleman imagines. Ncivertheless, I take my stand, and I will bear the consequences. If my office depends on the course I pursue this day, let it go, and let me betake myself to tin? kind of labor in which the sympathies of my heart, especially at my period of life, are most deeply enlisted. He tells you my statement must be incorrect, and quotes what he says is an expression of the Rev. Mr. Ormiston's. Sir, I should require better testimony than that, to believe that Mr. Ormiston would say anything to my disparagement. I refer to the reports of the inspectors, which give their opinions, and these, as the members of the Committee may see, bear out the truth of my remarks. I doubt whether Mr. Ormiston used the expression attributed to him — here is his Report, and the Report of Mr. Cockburn, too, both speaking for themselves." f , 1 * h ^ College projoctod in 182S, of tlio provlHioiis of its charter, and of tbfl grounds of objection to it. Adilros.sinfj; tlic thon Archdeacon of York, (Dr. Strachan^ who iiad iirocured th« Royal (Ihartcr, and rofcrrin<^ to tho contoniphitod (inivcrsity, I said — " All its ollicers and proftsHors arc ro- quired to be of the Cliureh of Kii^land —it i.s entirely under tho direction and control of that ('hiireh — and vt»u your-teif Haid in your appeal to tho lucn of literature and reli<,'ion in hnp^laml, that * it would bo essentially u Missionary CoUejj^c for tho education of Mi.ssionaries of the Clmrch of of Enjj;land ;' and, as an argument to obtain frou» tho members of that church eontributinns towards the funds of tho Colle;i;e, you men- tioned that 'the cfTect of e,stablishin<; it will bo ultiniately to mako tho greater portion of the population of the Province meniborn of tho Church of England.' " — It may appear strange at this day, even to many mem- bers of the Church of England, that such were the publicly and sincerely avowed objects of tho only endowed University of llj)pei Canada in 1828 \ and it will perhaps be thought ecjually strange that at that time Wesleyana and others could not only not be married by their own Clergy, but had no law by which to hold a piece of ground on which to ertot a place of worship, or in which to bury their dead. Nor may it be improper for me to remark, that my own advocacy then (and for two years previously) of ecjual civil right« for all classes, and on the University question, (from which Dr. Wilson urges my proscription on the ground of ii;norance and unfaithful- ocss) was the result of deputations to me iVum Ministers of did'erent reli- gious persuasions, (who furnished mo with many valuable books then ficarcc in the country) some of whom were graduates of liritish Univer- sities, who had obtained their titles on tiie ground of right, after liaving passed both matriculation and degree examinations, and not by begging or purchase. But even in 1828, the objection against the University charter, was not upon the ground of non-denominational Colleges, as against denominational Colleges, but upon tin; ground of a one Church College monopoly against all other Churches, just as wo now contend against a no-Church College monopoly against the Colleges of all Churclws. Thus in the very letter of 1828, from whicii Dr. Wilson quotes, 1 concluded one part of my argument in the following words : '' Hence His Majesty's grant of tho present Charter, which was intend- ed to ' conduce to the welfare of the Province,' being nothing but an applo of discord, a sourer, of unjust monopoly oil one hind, and of birharou^ exclusion on the other, ought to t;.; EXTENDED or withdrawn altognther.^' Then as the School System <*{' Scotland had bee# adduced as an argu- ment to support the system of a one-Church-CoUcge, I gave a brief ao- count of that system from the Edinburgh Chrlatiun Jnstracter and from tho Edinburgh licview, and remarked as follows : ** Such is the System of Education to whicli Scotland owes its high reputation for intellectual improvement, and such is the System of Educa- tion we would advocate for Canada — a system established by Acts of our Provincial Legislature — a system on an economical plan — a system con- formable to the wishes of the great mass of the population — a system pro- moted by the united efforts of the laifj/ and Clergy of every dcnominati^m." I submit, therefore, that tried even by the extraordinary ordeal of what the n\\\\ am twi ilsc h'uu nee W( pat ye:: / 36 I vtToto in 1828, the Sohodl Sy^tt;ln I then .skttclieJ \s now a rotilily, an»l tlio IJiiivursitv Sy«t«!ni I thuii hintcJ iit is now tho dosidonitunj.* Jiiit Dr. WiU'iii scvjins not to iinJurf^tanJ how 1 (Mn honour tho scliolnr sliip iind lit(M-;uuro of Oxford now, wiu!ii in ISliS I (K'nounci'd its hii^otry and ('xchisivcm's.s. llcdoos not ;i|>pi!.ir to oonH)ro!i(Mid tho dilforonco be twoon hi;;otry iind litcr.ituri;; and liuit oven in rfspeot to cxclusivonchs ilst'lf, Oxlltrd, Hinco tho rojavil of tho Tiist aiid Oorjior.ition Acts, ani Hincotho repeal of its own texts hy Act of I'iii'liii.iuMit in IS.'il, is, I ,sc:irccl n(U'.d N!iy, not tho Oxford it was in tho (hiys of .lo'.m Locke and John Wesley. JJut oven in lH-8, whilu 1 donounood tiie bi;,'otry of 0,\ford, f paid iioinairo to its literature in stronger ternia than I did at Quebec ia.-i, ^eur, and in tho foljowinu; wor \s : '• The L'niveif'ity of Oxford, which has existed (as Cowpor says) * tinier out of luindf' and that ol Canibiidj^e, also venerable for its untiipiity, havo thrown a literary ^plendour around (Jrcat IJritain, which very justly i\Ir. llincks in I Sf)!^, a professorship of tlie saute kind i» rr rruvinrlal Ifnivcnilji, In my d(!fence of tho Petitioners at Quebi'c, 1 gave my rca- HOHS for tijinking that i)r. Wilson's professorship, IVom its topics and con- nexions, belongs to tho (grammar School, rather than tho College, an ! what is the true method of teaching the Knglish language and l*inglis;i literature itself in the cour.sc of College studies ; whi!e in my letter to Mr. llincks, 1 suggested professorships and lectures that should be t:'Ufjj;c- •nwntnri) to and abvm those of the (Jollege. In my letter I. said — "I would propose further to mD'utain and to give eiFect to the ido i ♦ I may observe that in 1832, Vietoiiu College, tlion Upper Canada Acadom\ , Avas projected; that in 1H3G-7 a Uoyal (jliartor with a piiblie giant in its uid was obtaiuoil ; that in 1840 (two years before Toronto UnivorHity waso})ene(l.) it was incorporated as the University of Victoria College witli a grant of JtOdO per annum ; tliat in 1840, when 1 presented my lirst report on a system of jjul'- lie elementary instruction in Upper Canada, 1 regarded denominational Colleges iisau integral part of the system; that in 1849, 1 ollicially announced my deter- mination to retire from ollice sooner than assent to a law that would cxcUkkj the Bible as a right of Protestants from tlie Schools, or that ignored tliy right of parents and pastors in regard to the Schools and the religious ii-- fitruction of youth ; tlrnt in 1852 I explained and urged at large in a letter ti> Mr. llincks, tho duty, rigJit., and jMitrlotism of recogniKing and aiding denoi/«- iuational Colleges as an essential part of our educational system, and that that was the very time I was defending that system against the a;.';gre88ions of n Roman Catholic Bishop ; that in my official school report for 1854, while 1 vindicated at large our school system, I pointed out denominational seminar ia and colleges us the hai-rnouious and natural sequel to it. Thus, for more thini thirty years I have held and advocated a denomin-ational college system as tlio proper supplement to and counterpart of, a non-denominational common Bchocil system ; and tho church to which I belong, and of which I bave often been the agent and representative in these matters, is known to bave hold and sup- ported, as it still holds and eupports, the same views. m 36 which has been vaguely, though popularly, held, namely, the iJea of a Provincial Universitfj, sustaining a mmmon relation to all the Colleger of tlie country, and providing instruction in subjects and hranclies of seience and liteniture which do not come loithin the undergraduate curri- cubun of any College,^' *' I would connect with this University such pro- fessorships as those of Ancient and Modern Philosophy and Literature, rreneral History, Natural History, Astronomy, Political Economy, Civil Engineering, Agriculture, &c. I would make the Library and Lectures free to the Professors, Graduates and Undergraduates of all the incorpor- ated Colleges, and perhaps to the members a'ld students of the professions generally, according to prescribed regulations. I would have the lectures easily accessible if not free to the public." I might very properly recommend such professorships and lectures (and they could have been effectively provided for had not the University Endowment been so reduced by wasteful expenditure), and yet regard as rather injurious than otherwise such lectures as Dr. Wilson's, to youth from 14 to 20 years, admitted at a low^ standard, and in the midst of the severe and confessedly essential studies of a sound collegiate eurriculuni. Dr. Wilson may think that information talked into pupils is the true way ri '. to make full men of them ; he may regard the young men in " this Canada of ours" as a spocies of the animals described by Pliny, that fatten upon smoke, and think that his smoke is the best of food for that purpose; but I rather agree with the late Dr. Arnold — tlie prince of instructors and scholars, — wlien he said, " I care less and less for information, more and more lor the true exercise of the mind ; for answering questions con- cisely and comprehensively, for showing a command of language, a deli- cacy of ti'ste, and a comprehensiveness of thought, and a power of com- bination." Sir James Stephen, late Professor of History at Cambridge, said, — ■*' I am extremely sceptical as to the real Vcilue ol' public oral ieuch- iiig on such a subject as mine | Modern History], If Abelard were living now, I believe he would address his instructions, not to the ears of thou- sands crowding round his chair, but to the ci/cs of myriads reading them in studious seclusion." Lectures on history and cognate subjects, which are a time-losing and an attention-distracting farce for college boys, may be of great value to men who have completed, or are far adanced in, the mental training of a solid college curriculum, as even conveying useful information, but espe- cially as suggestive of the various sources of knowledge and the manner of aciiuiring it. But Dr. Wilson's views seem not to reach an inch be- yond the little horizon of his own petty prelections, or above the low standard of his disjointed and attenuated college curriculum. Nay, ho looks with amazement to the height of the former standard of matricula- tion, as " a higher requirement than a man can take his degree in any University in Scotland,"* though the standard of matriculation in the • In his published speech Dr. Wilson has added, " in Oxford or Cambridge or in the London University ;" but he did not go beyond Scotland in his speecli as delivered. The addition haa doubtless been made in consequence of my reply, that by Dr. Wilson's own confession, he had never advanced so far as the former standard of matriculation at Toronto. His reference to the Englisb Universities is simply absurd. Qu( higl Uni trai at fron fitUf It Wei 37 Queen's Colleges in Ireland, in Harvard and Yale, is still higher, and higher still in the English Universities. Young men enter the English Universities at the average age from IR to 20 (after a thorough school training up to that period) ; but in the Toronto University, boys can enter at the age of \i, and may come out full blown graduates at the age of from 18 to 20, after an unprecedented system of pick and choose in their studies from the end of the first year, — that is from the age of 15 or IG. It is impossible but the educated mind of Canada must be belittled as vCell as inflated by such a system of '' shabby superficiality," and money misapplied in its support. I doubt not but many worthy and able young men are among the un- dergraduates and graduates of this system ; I trust some of tneni will become ornaments and benefactors of their country ; but it will be not in conserjuence but in spite of the system itself; by their own strong sense and manly energies, they will lay deep and broad foundations, and raise an intellectual superstructure of magnificence and grandeur beyond anj- thing embraced in this feeble college system. They will owe their dis- tinctions to themselves, under the Divine blessing, and derive no prestige from '• degrees made easy" under the low matriculation and endlessly optional scheme of 3Ir. Langton and Dr. Wilson. I have, &e., E. Ryerson. March 29. P.S. — The policy of Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson having been to raise as much dust as possible by personal attacks upon me, so as to divert at- tention from the real merits of the question, I have felt it necessary to occupy a considerable part of this and the preceding letters in replying — I hope for the last time — to those attacks. As personal iinpuations and insinuations against ine were, for a transparent purpose, used for argu- ments, it would have been alleged that I had not answered their argu- ments, had I not replied to what was substituted for arguments. But while repelling and retorting personal attacks, I trust I have not failed to develop throughout the great principles of the question, aiid to exhibit the unjust and downward course of the managers and advocates of a one college monopoly. I may remark that T have abstained from noticing again two or three of Dr. Wilson's impugning statements involving the names of third parties, who have no connection with the present discus- sion, though to have noticed these statements would have furnished addi- tional illustrations of his garbling as to facts and quotations.* * It may, however, be proper to give the follomng replies from the Rev. tV. H. Poole to certain Notes in the Langton- IVilson University Pamphlet. 1. To the notes on pages 14 and 89, impugning the correctness of the Rev. W. H. Poole's list of 45 salaried officers, that gentleman replies as follows : — "If I had so far done injustice to the official returns of the Bursar of the University, as Messrs. Langton and Wilson pretend to affirm, it is remarkable that neither of these gentlemen, nor the Bursar himself, dared to question the accuracy of my evidence when I was before the Committee, and when I could have shown the truth of my remarks from the documents on the table. My statement was made on the authority oi ihv, financial report of the Bursar ofthi University. There arc forly-five separate salaries given in the Bursar's report; 38 k '.-■■■t/J P I I Dr. Wilson, in liis olvjcctions to Victoria Collep:o, alloTrs no credit for (ho fact that, by its Charter, the Speakers of both Ilou&es of Parliament, Mnd two members of the Executive arc ex-officio members of the Senate, brcanso they do not attend its meetings. Were anything objectionable introduced into the College — any sectarian tests or exclusivcness — they would doubtless attend and see the yrrong rectified. They have the right to attend, and to inquire at all times in all things pertaining to the Col- lege. But, on the other hand, in every report and in other official papers of the Toronto University, the names of the Provost of Trinity College, the Principals of Queen's, Kegiopolis, and Bytown Colleges, and of and if some of the recipients were pluralists, the remaikablo case of Mr. Plu- ralist Lanpton had not then been sufficiently brought to light to put me on my ifuard against confounding the item of single salaries with single individuals, it is piobably not generally known that this gentleman combined in his single person (with separate salaries or allowances) the office (1) of Auditor of Public Accounts for the Province of Canada ; (2) Commissioner (in the matter of the Picciprocity Treaty) to the Eastern Provinces; (3) Vice Chancellor of the Uni- versity of Toronto ; (4) Co. Inspector of Prisons and Jails in Upper and Lower Canada ; and (5) Joint Commissioner to inquire into the affairs of the Grand Tnmk Eailwny of Canada. How many more offices this oflticial mono- polist fills does not yet appear. In the list of 45 separate salaries given in the F.ursar's report, the only one I was in any doubt about was that of the; Chair- man of the Board of Endowment, Avho received $400 salary for attending one vicetin^ ; that chairman being the Bursar himself with a salary of $1,840. I hiive now in hand the memorandum I made in the Committee room on which I based that clause of my evidence; and I believe thatif I had now the reU.rr.s before me, as I then had, I could give the names of all the parties. My mtmo- randum contains the following names : Buchan, $1,840 ; Cameron, $1,840 ; Drummond, $1,440; Nation, $1,000; Smith, $750; Morrow, $400; Langton, $800; Lorimer, $1,200; Morris, $750; , $1G0; Newton, $109 ; then the ( bven Professors and the Tutor ; after them, Orris, $500 ; Coady, $425 ; Patter- son, $425; Drew, $425; King, $425; Nelson, $340; Millar, $349; Kewon, $340 ; then follows the house-keeper, gate-keeper, bell-ringer, &c. I need not enlarge the list of names, as they are all in the report, with a salary attached to each. "2. In Mr. Langton's note on page 18, he denies having charged Dr. Byerson with the extravagance of which we complained, especially on the scholarship question. I have not the Globe in Avhich it appeared ; but I am quite sure it did appear in that newspaper; and my notes show that Dr. Wilson in his vehement personal attack cu Dr. R. repeated it over and over again. He may venture to deny it now, as the varied editions of his speech differ from each other in many things, and all from his speech as it was delivered before the Committee. He may well be ashamed of himself in this matter. « 3. In Mr. Langton's note on page 24 he tasks, " Is here no error in calling the expenses of Victoria College $1,G00 less than Dr. Green says the salaries amount to." My statement was taken from the official report, printed by order of the House of Assembly. I gave the salaries at Victoria Colb'ge as they were reported that year ; thus gleaning my figures in reference to our own College from the same source from which I took the others, There is also the important fact (conveniently omitted by Mr. Langton, but stated in my answer to question 199) that I gave the Victoria College salaries as officially reported ; but Dr. Green gave them after another professtr and another tutor had been added to the staff of Victoria College. In this the monopolists misre- present me ; and they do so knowing that I was right, as I took my figures from the same year's ofiScial returns of all the Colleges, If I had been wrong on any of these points, they would most gladly have exposed me before the Committee." 39 others, arc published as members of tlie Senate, althou>:;h they never attend , and some of them have given notice that they would not attend. Mr. Langton also state., that "one reason why Denominational Col- leges have not adopted the Uni .crsity course hns been stated to be that they are unable, from insufficient means, to teach all the subjects re- quired." I believe this stateniant to be wholly unfounded. I never heard of it except from the pen of Mr. Langton, for it was never uttered, at least in my hearing. The course of studies required in the Denomina- tional Colleges is more thorough than that required in tlie Toronto Uni- versity ; but they do not allow their students to pick and choose their subjects, but to take all the subjects of the course. 1 believe the reasons assigned that undergraduates in Dcnonii national Colleges would not com- pete for honors and scholarships in the Toronto University were, that they would not be allowed, apart from the question of examiners, to leave all other subjects of their course, to study ouo or two ; nor were the Denomi- national Colleges able, or disposed if they were able, to employ extra pro- fessors, or employ the time of ordinary professors, to teach students in subjects not embraced in the course taught to and studied by all. i t 4 Letter V. {Fads and references — Testimony to Professors in University College — Dr. McCaid — Dr. Wilson s imputation upon distinguished persons and three Senates, in a note.) Sir, — I will now address myself to the principal facts and vital princi- ples of this great University question. I have thought it needless, in the preceding letters, to dwell again upon the vast and extravagant expen- ditures of the University Endowment, reducing its income in a sum suffi- cient (allowing even $^ 00,000 for the erection of College buildings, had the Statute autliorized it) to support two efficient Colleges. The great fiicts on that subject have not been questioned; and the Hon. Alex. Campbell, of Kingston, in a late published speech, has exceeded all previous disclosures as to Toronto University expenditures. It has been shown that Mr. Baldwin's Government, in 1850, proposed £20,000 for the erection of University baildings, which were to provide for the Faculties of Law and Medicine, a well as of Arts, and as the sole College of the country. It has also been ih' wn that Her Majesty's Government, here erected three splendid Univer- '^'uy Colleges in Ireland, with accommodations in each for the Faculties of Law, Medicine, and Arts, and residences of President and Vice President, and at much less than half the sum than has been expended on the University buildings at without residences, and where there is only the Faculty of Arts. Nothing more, therefore, need be added on the subject. Nor have I deemed it needful to re-discuss at length the question of scholarships, as my pre- vious arguments and facts have not been answered, and the scholarships- are only one of the outcrops of what lies deeply embedded in the system itself. Neither have I again referred to the IJniversity College composi- tion of the Senate, as no attempt to question the liev. Mr. Poole's oonclu- for each College Toronto^ 40 I :\ m if sive evidence on the Bubject has been made. Nor, finall}/, have I rcfcrred to the honor or voluntary studies and examinations in University Col- lege, lis distinguished from the pass studies and examinations, as these do not relate to what is required. Had I compared the honor studies and examinations at Toronto with those of the English Universities, the dif- ference and contrast would have been more remarkable than those that have appeared in comparing and cpntrasting the pass or required studies and examinatioms at Toronto and in the English and other Universities. In addition to which nearly one hall' of the time of the publiclj'-paid Profes- sors in Toronto University College is employed in lectures, not in tiie pass or required subjects, but in the volui tary subjects of candidates for honours and scholarships; whereas all such Candidates in every English or American College provide whatever instruction they need or desire in subjects f )r which they expect to be rewarded by honors, prizes and schol- arships. This is the more exceptional still in regard to both professors and students, when the candidates for honors and scholarships in the To- ronto University College are allowed to omit many of the pass subjects, whereas in the English Colleges, the honor subjects and examinations are in addition to what is required in the pass subjects and at pass examinations. The honor and scholarship men there, are those who do all the work of pass men and a very ^ .-^ d'>nl more, and at their own expense ; the men of honor and scholarsn^ -"e are those who pick and choose certain subjects; — omitting others — an devote the chief part, if not the whole, of their time to these selected subjects, with the aid of professors whose whole time ifi paid for by the public, and which ought to be devoted to the public or required work of the College for the benefit of all students performing that work. It now remains to enquire whether the Toronto University College has any good grounds to be regarded as the solely endowed institution of Uni- versity education for Upper Canada; and, if not, what the national system of University education should be. Let it be here observed, that in discussing the course of studies in the Toronto University College, I have not intended in the preceding letters, nor do I now intend, any disrespect to its professors, to whose attainments and abilities I have more than once borne my humble testimony. The fact of Dr. Wilson not being a graduate of any University, and of his acquirements being so superficial, cannot materially detract from the effi- ciency of the Faculty as a whole, especially as his prelections are an excrescence, rather than an essential part of the curriculum, and he must be well up by this time in Craik's pjlements and Spaulding's Compen- dium, as also tolerably versed in Latham. Dr. McCaul's reputation as an accomplished scholar and able instructor has been long established. The curriculum established in old King's College, of which he was Pre- sident, and the curriculum established in Toronto University in 1851 and 1854,^ when he was Vice-Chancellor, and prepared by him, express his • Dr. Wilson, in his speech at Quebec, savs, '< I hold in my hand the original matriculation examination of the Toronto University, inherited from the old King's College, which I do not hesitate to say, if persisted in by us, would have been the most solemn farce educated men ever attempted to perpetrate in any country." He insinuates that it must have been a deceptive " paper programme." Now, the author of that programme, which Dr. Wilson charac- " •^m 41 views of what an University education for Canada ought to he. Though I have never exchanged a word witii him on the suhject, 1 am Rure he must naturally feel pained at the gothic invasion of his own department, and the depredations which have hcen committed in it ; but he knows that in pa.st years he has annually sent out graduates worthy of the name, and that no one will attribute to him the late reductions and emasculations of the Univcrj^ity curriculum. It is to be ho])ed he may yet be able to restore it to an elevation, solidity, and comprehensive- ness worthy of a National University Institution. ( Why the defects of University College have been noticed.) i'for should I have felt it my duty to notice any delects in the system of Toronto I'nivorsity College more than in any other College in the country, were it not the only state endowed College of the country, and advocated as the only College worthy of such endowment. The gauntlet was thcrerore thrown down to the advocates of the e(jual rights of other Colleges. I was resolved to volunteer no expression of opinion before the Committee; but that if called upon by the Committee I would take up the gauntlet whicli monopoly had thus thrown down, and te.^t (he claims of Toronto University College to be the only publicly endowed University College of Upper Canada. This is now the essence of the University question. I remark then that Toronto University College has no right to be the only endowed College of the country for the Ibllowing reasons : (First reason why University College shoidd not he the only endowed Col- lege of the Country — it is not acccjitable to large portions of the Inhabitants.) 1. It is not acceptable to large^sections of the inhabitants. The exist- ence of Colleges in connexion with four of the largest religious denomina- tions in the country, — and these colleges established by voluntary effort — proves how large a px'oportion of the people of Upper Canada dissent from terises as a "solemn farce," and insinuates was deceptive, or designed as a means of erecting a cruel monopoly, &c., was the Bishop of Toronto, (now so veneraV)le for years, labours, and virtius,) aided by Dr. McCaul, and one inember of each of the English Universities, and by the counsel of such men as Sir John Robinson, &c. However many may differ from the Bishop of Toronto in some points of religiotis doctrine and polity, all know that he is one of the most experienced, practical, and earnest educationists that Canada ever knew. He had been a Canadian Grammar School teacher himself many years ; he thoroughly knew the country ; he was the last man for educational " farces" or " paper programmes," as were those associated with him. For Dr. Wilson to charge such men (including the Senates of the University in 1851 and 1854) with adopting an University programme higher than that of the English Uni- versities, simply betrays his own ignorance ; and for him to impugn such men as the perpetrators of shams and farces in the curriculum of a Collegiate edu- cation, is something more than " a solemn farce," which I leave the reader to characterize. His own familiarity with educational " farces" and " paper programmes" may have suggested to him the imputation on the three succes- sive Senates of the University, and on men "whose shoe latchets he is un- worthy to unloose," whether they are regarded as scholars and educationists, or fts long residents and benefactors of the country. For such men as Dr. Wilson And Mr. Langton to impugn the venerable Bishop of Toronto, Chief Justice Robinson, Dr McCaul, and three successive Senates of the Provincial Univer- sity asempiriOb and authors of " a solemn farce" in a system of University edu- cation, is the very climax of assurance and absurdity." 42 i^ '^1 m a College under no rcH;iious faith or oversight, and prefer Colleges of their own religious faith, heart and practice. The only perceptible diflFer- ence among the members of any of these great sections of the community, is in the Church of England ; but that difference is owing to local and I trust temporary causes, and not to a difference on the question of a Church of England College itself. I believe there is Fcarcely a member of that Church in Canada who would not rather have his son educated in a Church of England College than in a non-denominational one; but many members of the Church of England think there is a kind of religious teaching in Trinity College, Toronto, not consistent with the evangelica'. Protestant faith of that Church, and worse than no religious teaching. But were that objection removed, the heart of the Church of England throughout the land would be one with Trinity College, and fill its halls; and were the religious test to students abolished — now abolished in Oxford itself — not a few would resort to Trinity College from other religious per- suasions, from the excellence of its classical and mathematical teaching, and its courses in mental and natural science, preferring sound religious instruction and oversight, though not of their own persuasion, to exposing their sons in such a city as Toronto in attending an institution of no such guardianship and influence. Even the section of the Presbyterians who more generally support the monopoly of Toronto University College, do so from denominational convenience— supplying, it appears, a large pro- portion of its students, caring for thom in their own Theological (college, and using University College as the literary school for their Divinity stu- dents. But the traditional history and practice of all branches of the Presbyterian Church -^ in other countries, is to establish Colleges for them- selves, and conduct the collegiate educStion of their youth under their own oversight. They will ultimately find that to be for the best religious and intellectual interests of their educated young men in Canada, though pecuniary considerations may influence them at present to adopt an exceptional course. Now, no College can be considered alone national and alone entitled to a nation's liberality, when such large portions of the people not only do not confide in it, but erect Colleges of their own in preference. If a Church of the minority of the people exclusively endowed by the State, is a wrong and an outraize upon the excluded classes, is a College of the minority to the exclusion of the Colleges of the majority, a less wrong and outrage upon the excluded classes ? If the members of a Church ought not to be deprived of the equal protection and favours of the State because of dissenting from another Church, ought their College to be ignored and proscribed because it dissents from a College of no Church ? AH govern- • I am aware of a partial exception in the case of the Free Church in Scot- land, in availing themselves of the Edinburgh University for the literary education of their students, and giving them religious and theological instruc- tion in their own Theological College in Edinburgh. But that is also, as at Toronto, a matter of convenience and economy, and especially as there is no such difference between the Free and Established Church of Scotland as would pre- vent thoir uniting in the same University College. But in England neither the Presbyterians of Free Church nor Kirk adopt the non-denominational University College of London, but have one of their own affiliated to the Lon- don University. 43 mental or legislative wrong to any portion of tlio people, however small, embodies tlie elements of weakness anil decay, as well as of injustice. The excluded classes will gather strength as tliey dispel the mists of error and prejudice; a sense of common wrong will combine them more and more in u common cause — as was the case in former years against the Clergy lle- servc monopoly — until they prostrate a Toronto College monopoly as they have done a Clergy llcscrve monopoly in the dust, either by placing a'' Colleges doing the same work upon equal footing in regard to the Univer- sity endowment, or by sweeping it away altogether ibr the improvement of the Grammar Schools, and leaving equally all parties who want CJni- versity education to provide it for themselves, as tliey do so largely in the neighbouring States. The principle of c(|ual rights among all Colleges, as among all Churches, must prevail, cither by all or none receiving public aid. Both branches of the Legislature of Upper Canada once passed an Act (after securing certain individual rights) to divide the Clergy Re- serves among all religious persuasions according to a census to bo taken once in five years, and leaving each persuasion to apply its share to edu- cational purposes, if it desired not to apply it to other purposes ; but those who claimed exclusive right to the lleserves got the Canadian Act disal- lowed, and an Imperial Act passed in place of it. But the inevitable re- sult of equality came at last, though delayed liftecn years longer, and the exclusive claimants lost all that did not appertain to individal incum- bents. The advocates of the Toronto College monopoly may learn a lesson from these facts as to the future results of their resistance of the equal rights of others. {Second reason — does not provide a sufficient guarantee for the religious , princijdes and morals of Students.) 2. Secondly, the Toronto University College system provides no suf- ficient guarantee for the religious principles and morals of students, and is not tharefore entitled to be the only endowed College of Upper Canada. A late Act of Parliament declares ihc prcnmhlcs \o be a part of the Acts themselves ; and the Preamble of the Toronto University Acts speaks of " many persons being deterred by the expense and other causes from send- ing the youth under their charge to be educated in a large city distant, in many cases from their homes," who " from these and other causes do and will prosecute and complete their studies in other institutions in various parts of this Province, to whom it is just and right to afford facilities for obtaining those scholastic honors and rewards which their diligence and proficiency may deserve, and thereby to encourage them in the pursuit of knowledge and sound learning; and whereas experience both proved the principles embodied in Ilcr Majesty's Koyal Charter to the University of London in England to be well adapted for the attainment of the ob- jects aforesaid, and for removing the difficulties and objections referred to ; Be it enacted," &e. From these words of the Statute, two things are clear ; first, that the Legislature intended to afford the same facilities for the prosecution of University education in institutions in other parts of the Province as in Toronto; secondly, that there were "other causes" than that of '•ex- pense," to deter parents from sending their sons to so " distant" and 44 Wi' " lar^G a city" as Toronto to pursue the studies of an University education. Those " other causes" arc doubtless moral cases, and are painfully cxeni- plilied i 1 the ruined principles, morals, and prospects of more tlian one youth who have come to Torotito for the noblest purposes, but without the rcs-triiints and counsels of home, or the oversi};ht and influences of a church institution of their own, and have fallen untimely victims to the tempta- tions iwul vices of " a large city." It is true that in the best regulated families, and in the best conducted Collcf^es of Christian Churches, there are instances of the triumph of youthful passions and vicious propensities over all the means and influences exerted to check and control them ; but those instincos are " few and far between" in comparison of what they are in a *' large ^'ty," and with no sub.ititute for a parent's care and a pat^tor's oversight in the exercises, instructions, and discipline of a religious insti- tution. It is also true, that many youag men of established religious prin- ciples and habits may come to Toronto and bcproof against all the tempta- tions to which they are exposed, and extract the good without being con- taminated by the' bad ; but they are noble exceptions, and owe nothing of their principles and feelings to Toronto College life or influences, and present very different cases from those of boys from fourteeen to eighteen years of age coming to Toronto and remaining for years without any substitute for a parent and pastor's instructions and oversight. It is doubtless true, likewise, that the Theological Colleges of certain Presby- terian churches (now about to be united in one) exercise effective care and influence over the numerous students of those churches attending Toronto University College. Were it not for this happy incident of jux- taposition, by which they can care for student members of their own ohurehcs, and use Toronto University College as an appendage of their own for the scholastic teaching of their theological students, tliey would doubtless be amongst the most earnest and able advocates of denomina- tional Colleges. But these individual eases and denominational incidents, and (he fact that many students of University College are residents of Toronto, do not attect the general facts and considerations above referred to, and which fehovv how contrary to the intentions of the Legislature is the supposition, and iiow insufficient is the guarantee for the religious principles and morals of youth throughout the country, that Toronto University College alone should be endowed for the College education of all Upper Canada. m In {Third reason — fund of education given defective.) 3. Thirdly, the kind of education given in Toronto University College is not worthy of a national ihstitution, and does not give it any claim to be the only endowed college of the country. I need here only refer to the second and third of the preceding letters for proofs and illustrations of the kind of education provided in that College, arising from its low standard of matriculation and its unnumbered options, which may impart a vague and superficial knowledge of several things, but cannot discipline the mind, invigorate the powers of thought, or bestow any thorough scholarship. The magnificence of the building cannot compensate for the meagre and piebald character of the curriculum. The single argument for one col- lege centralization at Toronto, is establishing and maintaining a high itandnrd of University education ; but the outstanding^ fact if. tlio roccnt hifltory of that Collej^e is lowering the standard and cnervafiiiij; the sys- teni of University education given there. Fact is stronjicr tiuin theory, and in this case contradicts and destroys it. {fls system of management not compatible with the leg ilimate functions of Oovernmcnt.) 4. Fourthly, the Toronto ono-cn]lcp;e monopoly system is incomj/iliblo with the appropriate fanctinns of (Government, which iiccouiits lor both its cxpcnsivene.sH and incffiiuoncy, and is a I'ourtli reason a<:;iiiisl its clain)S to cxchisivc public support. It is a great error in govcrnniotit of any kind to govern too much. Bhiike has well said, that "the fir(*t problem in legislation is to dctcrmino what the State ought to take upon itself to direct by public wisdom, and what it ought to leave with as little interfer- ence as pos.siblc to individual exertions." In no department ol govern- ment is this problem more important than in that of odocition. In despotism.^, the government is, of course, the sole edueator of t!.*; jioople, as well as sole uiakcr of railroads and director of the pre.ss. J^ut in a free country, government should do nothing in educational matters which the people can do themselves. Government should be the watcliful guardi-m and liberal patron of education, to aid the people to educate themselves, not to educate them independent of their own co-operation. Government should not erect school-houses and appoint school-masters, for general education, any more than it should build railroads and numufactures for general improve- ment, though it should encourage and aid local exertion in the work of education, and see that public money be applied only in .support of teachers duly qualified, and might encourage and perhaps aid parties, in certain circumstances, to build railroads, and provide guarantcijs an;e monopoly have souirht to mistify this question hy eonfoundin;^ the words (Jn'uurriti/ aiid (^ollegr. — by usinix them interchan;.;oal)ly — and l)y representinj^ those who oppose the one College monopoly an eiideavouiiiiji to pull runt8 to churclufi Hum it liiis to do with i^rnnts to he moon/'-. It has to (Jo with ct»Ile;:e<, and with oollejroH not (ircmfing to their tirtiomiii'ition or nothdiiiomuKition, HUT A(M>'()!U)IN(1 TO TUBIR >VOKKM. ( iyfint a \'(ttinn(il Si/ati'm of Colkgutle Edunithn indmUa.) The collo^rihto pyptom of cduciitiot), thcrofbro, which I hold to be national, is that which inclndcH an rniver.sity connnon to all (.lassos and nil C(>llt';;,('S, and in Cdnnoxioa with which not one collci^t^ (»nly, bnt all (J(tllt'<;es shall ho rcooLiJiizcd and aidiul in proportion t(» tin: ]»ri'.-;cribcd University work tluy p(;rliirMi. Sonu; of my reasons lor tliiM liberal and ooniprehensivc ^yHt(MM are the lullowing. (Fimt rcaaoti for such a sijiUi'vi — il ncmnfn with the, objects of the Hf)yal JJndownienl.) 1st. It accords with tho letter a»»d sj)irit of the ori<:;inal despatfih of the Pnke of I'orthmd in 1707» coininuiiicatinjjj the intention of His Majesty (loorge III., to set apart a portion of the (.Irown fjands for the purpose of hi^'her education in Tpper Canada. That despatch directeil tlie!-ettin<;ap!irt of a large (|uantity of (Jrown Lands. " First for the establishincnt of Free (iranmnir .Schools, in those districts in which they may he called for, and then in due process of time lor establishing ^ttniiutrus of a turi/cr and ¥ • Wliilo thcHc Hluu'ts are passing tliron^h the; press, my attention has been (liroctiMl to a printed " Petition (to Parliament) ]»v and on belialf of llu; An- nual Miu-tin;,' of Stihs* ribers to tlie ('anadian (.'on,i,'rei,'ational Tlu-ological Institute (now ))earing tiie name of Oongregalional (Joliegc of JJrit '• North America) lield in Montrt'al on the Ifttli day of June, IHGD." Tiiis V e remove d. These state- ments are not only disproved by what I have said in tho text, but by the express declaration of the Wesh>yan ('onfercuce Memorials, both of the last and the present year. In the State of New York, the State Lit .rature Fund 19 distributed among the Seminaries of Learning throughout the State, upon the same piincipli! as that i)rayed for in the Wesleyan Memorial in regard to the dis- tri.uition of the University Fund ; and among said seminaries are those under the eoutrol of thu Congregationalists and Baptists, as well of the Methodists and Presbyterians ; men have too much intelligence there to call such a system Church and State Union. But there is no institution in all Canada whoso " Subscribers" are so largely relieved by means of tho University endowment as those to the very " Canadian Congregatiomil Theological Institute" from which this Petition emanates. Its classical tutor is actually the salaried classical tutor and Il.'gistrar, of University College and its students have received their oducational instruction by attending the lectures in University College, or by the teachings of its Tutor. Hero is not indeed "Church and State Union," not indeed " a sectarian distribution" of a State endowment, but a Theological Institute having one of its two instructors salaried by a State endowment, and that Institute living half its life in a State endowed College 1 The Wesloyans repudiate any endowment for a Theological Faculty or Professor ; they ask no aid for their Literary College as a Church institution, nor for anything that it 49 ' more rotuprrhnist'rr nafiiir,'^ [tliiit in, of cnurHO, f^uiirrsitlea or Culhgrs^ "Jor tin' jn-oinntinn of rill ij ion K mid timni/ Irunilnij, nnd tin' ntinli/ af the Arts (iiul SrifiKTM.^' How can this object u|' tlio Kciyiil i^il't Im> ucooni- plishod by ciulowiii^^ oiif Seminnry or ('<»ll«'i^o iiltmc? and that one wliicli i;»iioro.s all " religion!!* Icarninir," in coniioxion with the arts and s( icnccH? Tlio object of the ctidowment cau only 1)0 attained by the endowment of more higher Seminaries tiian one, and those combinin;^ "religious uud moral learning witii the study uf the arts and Hcienccs." 2. The system of one I'rnviiu'ial I'liiversity with (%>lle;^'es in different partH of the Province, e(|ually I'aeilitated and eneonra^i'd in their instruc- tions, alone accords with the |)reand)le, and acknowlcd;^'ed inti'iitiuiis aiul provisions of the Uidversity act ol' iSf)^, as has been i'ound in the j)re- ccdinjx letters, as well as on other occasions. .'J. 'file Cnlles'' of them from the end of the first year I On the other hand the University Reform Commissioners in Kng'land recommend that the standard of admission even at Oxford should be made Ingher than it was before, and that followed by between two and three yi'ars of classical studies and two public exannn:iti(nis, before the essential studies of Classics and Mathenuitics are allow- ed to be omitted by any studcmt, or impeded by vai ions other studies. In accordance with these vi^ws, I have insisted that the standard of admission in the Toronto University ought not to be Jowered, nor the essential studies of an University diminished by the immediate multiplicati(ui of other studies, and then soon made optional. There cannot be a high and thorough University educa- tion, without a high standard of admission; and it is only l)y mak- ing the standard of admission high, that the studif;s of modern science can b(> introduced during the latter ])art of the course, without so reducing as to render all but vahudess the classical and mathematical studies of the course. AVhen the mind is Avell dis- ciplined and developed by these studies, it is then prepared to pur- sue the new studies. But as the system now is, in the Toronto Univerisity, what is said by one of the writers of the Cand)ridgo Essays on another subject, is, to a great extent, realized in Univer- sity College: "All the sciences, and all the arts, a dozen languages, ancient and modern, are ofl'ered at an unprecedontedly low figure." But this is any other thing than a sound University'' education. Sucli theories have been rife in the n(!ighbouring States ; but they are now })assing away there, though taken up by Mr. Langton and Dr. Wilson here. * The superiority of Harvard, Yale, and Columbia ,4-...l i 11 ' i • Mr. Langton, in liis speech, has made much ado about the scholarships, cxhibitioHH, and fellowships at Oxford. My answer at Quebec was that these scholarships chiefly belonged to the C!olleges, and not to the University, and that tho colleges were not established centuries since, but were for the most 1 1 61 Colloj:;os in inaliilfiiniii;;' llic (^^\ and lliiiroiif^'li curriiMilnni of X^n\- VLM'sity stuilit's, is now iilinosl, iinivcrHally adniitliMl. TIk' inalnrcJ jutl;^nu'nt of tlio Atncrican bo.st ciIiumUmI niind on tlii.s Knltjcct, it) vvoll cxprcsstMl l)y I)r, llunry, author and editor df many American Text liookn, and lat(; Professor of Mental and Moral Science in tlio UnivcM'sity of New York. ll»> nays : — " Let tlie course of Htndie.s Ik; ' liheral ' stiidie.s. Let not tlic object be the ae([niHition of Hpecial knowU,'d;;'(> for this or that par- ticidar destination in lile. Let siu.'h special acvpiisitions come ufterwaivls as any oik? may i-hoose. Let the Cojle;.;-(! course! of undergraduate; Kludies be niaiidy a disripline for the mind. Let it atlbrd Hcope and means f(^r the frecHt, iulleat, and most harnjonious development and culture of all the mental facullie-s, without refer cnce to any i)articidar dcMlination in life; and for those ai'(|uisition8 of kuowled^i^-e and aecomplisiunents of taste which form the true liberally eeUicated man. And bu" this end, there is n(^ coiiceiviiblo org-ani/alion of studies so well atbijited as the g'ood old-fashioned rldwin 8mith) gives an historical statement on the liv<' Halls and nineteen colleges at Oxford. The Halls are minor colleges, in which students iiv(! under a Master in Arts, or Doctor in one of* the Faculties, who is th Rrcator dignity nml Influoncf? Tt oiipfht not to ho forgotten thiit tlic iitoHt valuiilili) rcHiilt of ii <'oI1<'K)> ('(liication in tli(> mi;ntal culture rather than the technical acqiiircmcntH of l(•arnin^^ Nodoiiht a knowledge of Latin, (heck, nialhcniaticH, moral and natural philoNophy liaH ittt Hpecial uho8, which oii^ht not to he overlooked, hut, in a courNo of liheral education, the 4;rcat uhject to he ainicwerof ac((uirin^ know- ledge. The technical hranchcH of learnii.K are Hcatfolding, tin; training of thn fa<:ultieH In thi^ Holid Htnicture, 'i'he HcalUlthlitig may he ren)oveo (;orreKpondiii{^Iy low. If it comincnees ut ii hi^'h Htaiidard, its <'Iiaracter at the end of four yearn will bo pnjportionally liig'li. If, on llio other hand, th(! tmininution of (IraniiM.ir Scln)ol education Ix? I(»w, the character and iniportaniu; of the; School must Hiid; uccordin;^ly. JJiit if the terndnation of (iraniniar School education 1)0 hi^h, tlu; charact(!r and importance of th(! fJratnniar School will bo [)ro{)orti()iiabIy elevated, Tlu; ntandard of adinis.sion to tht; lltdvcM'sity therefore, advocated by Mr. Lan^tiU* and Dr. Wilson, invohc.-i not ouiy tho character of thu University education, as I have shown in this discussion, but also tho character and interests of tho (Iraniinar Schools; and in advocatinj^ a hij:,'h standard of admission to tho Univ(!rsity, I am at tho sanm time advocatin;^ what is most im- portant to th(! just ri;^'hts and b(\st interests of tho (Jrammar Schools. One reason assi<^-n(3d by tho Queen's Irish Univ(!rsity (Commissioners for c.stablishin,LV and maintaining a hi^s^h standard of admission to the Cineen's CoUej^'e in Ireland, is its '• iidluence u[)onthe <.';eneral standard of Grannnar Schoi>l education throug-liout the country." And Akchuisiioi' NVjiatiu.v, in reconunending" to tin; Oxford Universitj' Comnussioners a hi;^'h prelindnary examination before adnussion to the University, urg-ed it not only as tho best means of improvinf^' University education (as I have (juoted above) and preparing- tho way for the extension of University studies, but also pressed it upon the /ground of its salutary intluencc upon Grammar St-hools, even in Engdand. He says — " The introduction of a preliminary Exandnatittn would bo an uiestlmahlc. stimulus to Srhoih. They would then become more what schools ought to be, and the University would, instead of being' a School (and a very poor one), become a real University." If such a remark would apply to Eng;land, where both the Grammar Schools and tho Universities are so much above ours, with how much more force may it api)ly to Canada ? How cruel, then, is the blow that 3Ir. Lang'ton and Dr. Wilson have in- ilicted upon the Grammar School education of the country by depress- ing* it to the extent of the best year of ita work, whiie they have 0(iually depressed the character and efRciency of University Col- leg'o, convertiuf^ it into a Grammar School, and as Archbishop Whately says, " a very poor one," to do that year's Grammar Scool work, and consequently do one year less of its own proper work I For more than forty years tho Grammer Schools were the jiigbcst educational institutions of our country ; and during that time, they pro- duced a class of men that have as yet never had their equals in this country, whether (not to fpeak of the pulpit) at the Bar, in the Legislature, or on the Bench, besides many others. Charles and Jones Jones, John S. Cartwright, Robert Baldwin, Marshall S. Bidwell, Christopher Hagerman, Sir James Macaulay, Sir John Robinson, have as yet luvd no equal in their day (whether among University graduates from abroad or at home) ; and it remains to bo .'seen whether they will have any equals 64 anion;* tlic'ii- successors. Witli scarcely an exception, if not without exception, they gave (antl one of tiuna still t^ivcs and may he long con- tinue to i^iyo) to their country not only great talents and high attainments, but what every public man ought to give to his country, and what a coun- try has a right to claim from its public men — an example o/jirivi.fe virtue — the. ouly bond of domestic society, the only safe-guard of public liberty; a servic(! and legacy to a country far more valuable and patriotic than the most brilliant talents or the largest attainments. If a country may do without an University, it cannot do without Grammar Schools ; and far better would it be for a country to be without an University, than that that University should be the instrument of depressing and impairing, instead of elevating !>Tid improving its Grammar Schools. 1 have now done. Leaving the personalities of this discussion out of the question, I appeal to every statesman, patriot. Christian, of every sect and party, to eveiy ])arent and lover of virtue and knowledge, whetlier the University and College system I have advocated, is not that which is besfc for both Gramnier f^chool and Collegiate education, most economical, most just to all parties, most in harmony with the fundamental principles of our Common School system, best adapted to develop that voluntary and benelicient activity on the part of both individuals and communities which is the life and iilory of our age, most consonant with the proper functions of government and the true genius of our Divine Christianity,, most conducive to tiie interests of religion and morality, and nujst potent to raise our country to an equal footing and elevation with the most ciAai- ized nations of the world — even with our blessed Mother Country — in all that is pure in virtue and sound in learning, advanced in civilization, and generous in patriotism. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your faithful servant, Toronto, April Gth, 18G1. E. Ryerson, » lOUt con- oun- irtue jrty; tho ( do far that •ins, 'the sect the best nost s of and ities )per lity^ tent lall and