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TT 
 
DUTY 
 
 i OF TnE 
 
 LEGISLATURE OF NOVA-SCOTIA 
 
 WITH RESPECT TO 
 
 COLLEGIATE EDUCATION. 
 
 BY 
 
 ^ 
 
 THE REV. ALEXANDER FORRKSTEU, 
 
 Minister of Chalmers' Churck, Halifax. 
 
 IP' 
 
 HALIFAX, N. S. : 
 !*iUi<TKD BY JAMES BARNES, 179 HOLUb bTRLET, 
 
 1852. 
 
 \, 
 
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 TO THE 
 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, 
 
 AND 
 
 OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY OF NOVA SCOTIA, 
 
 THE FOLLOWING PAGES 
 
 ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 
 
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DUTY OF THE LEGISLATURE OF NOVA-SCOTIA 
 
 WITH RESPECT TO 
 
 COLLEGIATE EDUCATION. 
 
 I. National Education is one of the most engrossing, though, 
 nnfessedly, one of the most difficult subjects of the day. The axiom, in 
 political economy, prevention is better than cur.;,— better in a pecu- 
 niary, and vastly better in a social and moral point of view,— is gradual- 
 ly commending itself to the approval of enlightened statesmen, and sound 
 philanthropists; and, in more recent times, many schemes have been 
 propounded, and plans resorted to, for the purpose of carrying it into ef- 
 fect. These schemes and plana, have, however, in too many instances, 
 been altogether of a superficial character ; and, though a right and befit- 
 ting thing for Governments to pass Sanatory Bills, Enactments for the 
 management of the Poor, Laws for the regulation of Charitable Insti- 
 tutions,of the Licensing System, «&c., &c.,— these.and such like Legislative 
 proceedings, as they do not strike at the root of the evil, never will, and 
 never can, accomplish anything more than a temporary, or an external 
 reformation and benefit. The source of all social disorder, as of all 
 individual misery, is moral, and demands a moral appliance, and that ap- 
 pliance is alone to be found in the wholesome Christian Education of the 
 whole population of a country, old and young. When will Statesmen, 
 when will Magistrates, when will Pliilanthropists, when will communi- 
 ties at large, be thoroughly persuaded of the incontrovertible truth, and 
 despite of all conventional hindrances, can-y it into practical operation, 
 that'll is infinitely less expensive to support Churches, Colleges, and 
 Schools ; Ministers, Catechists, Professors, and Schoolmasters, lluiii it is 
 to support Houses of Refuge, Hospitals, Alms-iiouses, Penitentiaries 
 Constabulary Forces, Military Garri-sons, &c., &c. ? 
 
 IL But there are epochs in the history of a Nation or Pro- 
 vince, when the subject of Education in general, or some one department 
 of it, demands the special attention and interferenc* of every paternal 
 Government. It may be, that Nation or Province has, generations nfeo» 
 enjoyed a well-equipptd and adcr[uate amount of Education for its yo ulh' 
 
 I 
 
 MRH 
 
u^ 
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 but iho populntion hni far outgrown the supply provldeJ, ant^ the im- 
 proveraenta in Education have, ainca that period, been «o fundamental 
 and extenaive, that the whole aystem demands revision and addition. Or, 
 it may be, that Nation or Province id juat emerging from a state of scmi- 
 barbariam, or, at leaat, of aoprerao inditFerence in regard to its 
 mental culture, and is awakening to aee the indinpensable necea- 
 aity of providing an amount, and a kind of Education for ita youth, a- 
 dapted (o ita circumstances and peculiariliea. Or, it may be, that Na- 
 tion or Province is rapidly advancing in population and resources, in 
 ita thirst for literature, and science, and refinoment,--ha9,for a considera- 
 ble period, been fully alive to the importance of a common Education, 
 for securing an enlightened and industrioui people,— ha: exerted itaelf* 
 according to ita ability, to make such provision as shall bring this Edu- 
 cation within the reach of the poorest of the land, and, in 'orae cases, 
 has laudably endeavoured to do something for the promotion of Educa- 
 tion of a higher grade, and more suitable to an advanced state of aociety. 
 Now, this last, is, in our estimate, the present position of maltera in 
 this Province. A praiseworthy desire has been manifested, by this aad 
 preceding Governments, to provide the best common education 
 for the youth of the Province, and not only so, but more recently have 
 eirorta been made by the Legislature, and by different Churches, through 
 the medium of Grammar Schools and Academies, to procure, in the more 
 thickly settled districts, an Education of a higher and more advanced de- 
 scription. And, considering all things, the quantity of Education given, 
 i. e., the proportion of the population receiving Instruction, is highly cre- 
 ditable, and will bear a comparison with any other colony in the British 
 dominion:. As was to be expected, however, the quality is as yet sadly 
 defective, and it is with the view of endeavouring to elovate the whole 
 standard of the subject-matter of Education, that we have ventured to of- 
 fer the following suggestions, believing, as we do, that the time has now 
 arrived in the history of Nova Scotia, when the Legislature should take 
 into its most serious and calm consideration, the establishment and en- 
 dowment of a College for Literature, Philosophy, and Science, upon a 
 broad Christian basis, with the rights and immunities of a University, so 
 that, at any future period, classei for Law and Medicine, might be insti- 
 tuted. 
 
 III. W'3 are not ignorant of the strifes and divisions that have ob- 
 tained in this Province, on the matter of Collegiate Education — 
 sfriftis and divisions naturally arising from the early history of the 
 I'.'ovince, and thrcngh which almost every colony in the British domi- 
 nions, that has arrived at any thing like an advanced stage in itsEduca- 
 
 WfMf 
 
 Hn 
 
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 tionnl Iiiitituten, ha* been mndo to pait. Now, whiUl we do not nl al| 
 rhallftnge or call in question the sincorily or the good intentions of thoHo 
 who have contenJcd for the state support of Denominnlionul Colleges, an 
 they arc called, or of thoae who have conten letl as slre.iuously for it* 
 abolition, we are inclined to think that, on both sides, rot only ban an o. 
 verheated vehcroonce boen manifested, but a vagueness of apprehension 
 on the whole matter of religious endowments, if not, in some instances, a 
 direct violation of sound principle. The former, in their zeal for the ro- 
 ligiouc element entering into all literary and scientific studies and pur- 
 suits, and thftt, as viewed by their own particular denomination, seem 
 to have overlooked altogether the pcsiiion in which they thereby placed 
 the Legislature of the land, even compelling it, on the gcound of even- 
 handed justice, to endow error m well as truth : nay, some of them- 
 selves, from the sheer constraint of consistency, actually defended such a 
 course, though they would have been perfectly astonished at seeing it re- 
 el .j'-cd to practice in the endowment by the stale of the Roman Catholic 
 piicHhood, as well as of all the sections of Protestantism throughout the 
 Province 7'he latter, again, seem t'* have fallen into the opposite ex- 
 treme. If thfci." <irdour for tfie annihilation of all sectarian distinctions, 
 r.A they arb called, they would fain have divorced religion altogether 
 fro'a t'*e h'.ghfr bian hea of learning, and countenanced and supported a 
 jyot-j"; rt puiely secular Education, forgetting that it H Christianity 
 wnich e.inoUes ami renders of enduring benefit, every, even the highest 
 dcpurtmcr* of knowledge. And what, is it asked, is the course which, in 
 these circumstances, they ought to have pursued, without any direct vio- 
 lation of principle? They ought to have pled for the endowment of the 
 purely Literary and Scientific classes taught in these Colleges, entirely 
 on serular grounds, and left it to the respective denominations to regu- 
 late Uii matters connected with the introduction of the religious element. 
 But whilst we think we can descry faults on both sides, we are satisfi- 
 ed that good has resulted from these discussions. At all event*, thisj one 
 advantage has been gained by the experiment, Denominational Col- 
 leges have been fully tested, and in so far as Literature, Philosophy, and 
 Science are concerned, have proved an uttjr failure. We say nothing 
 in reference to the Theological department of these Institutions. We 
 speak entirely of the above named branches, and, we repeat, that these 
 ha ve totally failed. What is the i eal s»Me of matters ? Why, with all the 
 assistance derived by some from the Public Treasury ,as well as from other 
 sources ab extra, and notwithstanding the length of time that some of 
 these Colleges have been in existence, the utmost that any ot them has 
 been able to muster for all the preliminary branches, is one solitary 
 
 __,_L 
 
 
. .J«d, vimou.lj, dcsignaiod in ,l,c Alra.n..k. On. i. c.ll.d Vic. PrI' 
 
 1 rofe«or of Clnwicl l,,l„r..uro, and M.nl.l „„d Moral l'|.ib,„„l,v 
 
 my, and 1 „,ca Vlnlosophy, and Head M,,,cr , anoll,»r, l',or„«,r o( 
 I.oi!,c, Moral and Natural l>hil„,n,,l,y. ])„, ,1„ ev.r llt^l. l 
 .on.,,., are generally u„dor..„^d '.. oon duo "gTe.V S 'entr?; 
 
 raenl. ol to !..„„ ,„d Greek Language.. lv„w, far be il from u. m 
 m er one d,.paragi„g .en.ence in reference ,„ .be attainment, orgualio 
 canon, ol U,e«3 gentlemen. We believe .hat tl.ey .,0^111^1^ 
 goodgener,Uchol.r.l,ip, and. in .Ue circum.tane.Mi cWgTt e^ner- 
 ou. duue. .mpced upon them in the most eredi.aW. m„„„er "j^ Zl 
 .ome of them, if allowed to prosecute their favourite s.u, ly ^itZndW 
 ded at entmn, would arrive, in proec. of ,i,„e, a. an emin'ene end a " 
 ■n ..on .n that particular department, that would entitle tbom to IW 
 .onal rank and dtgntty many Univer.i.y on the Continent of Eu7ope 
 or .n & eat Unta.n. Bui how is it pcsible .ha. ,,ith such a muhipTiei ' 
 y of .ubjeet. eotamitted .o .hem by .heir constituent,, they "."do tv' 
 .htng l,ke justte. to them .11, „r arrive a. I'rofessoria profie enc. in anJ 
 
 ^ .h. tsTUd .bl'? "t"' " "' ■'■"' "'= P'"i»' -n.id:::;on of 
 ail .h« res., a,^, .herefore, it ,s no. at all .urprising to us tha.som,. „f 
 
 Ihese general Professors, and these the mos. distinguish reaZ„c 
 
 knowledge the diffteulty of their .ituation, the imprlcl Ibilit, nf 1 
 
 any thing like justice to .bemselves, in the mid..'„r ch ' var et o'f 
 
 eobjeels, and long to be released from all but on. denar.menl ^ ! k- ! 
 
 .h.y mightdevote all .heir.im.and energy, and ^ene a" ^en- 
 
 And .ft. ,s so with .be Professors themselves, how much rredisad 
 
 stble .b., they, coming, as most of them do, from rural district i^th; 
 Provmce, where tbe advantages of Education are scanty indled and rt 
 quiring, a. many of them thereby do, to commence the'n;:.. iLen,.;" 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 brnnchu* ut' kornin^, liuw, we n»k, it it (lOMiblo that in (he eooratof (wo 
 or tbrM leMiooa nt Colifgc, and thete not extemiing beyond (tvo or lix 
 monthM, they can arrivo at any thing liko {."oticiency in any one do- 
 partment? Why, ihcy would have required »U that time fur being tho- 
 roughly drilled in tbo Latin, Greek, and Hebrew Languageif to vnabio 
 them to enttr with any meajiuro of succeis upon the study of the Sacred 
 Scriptures in the Original. And what is the roituU ? They 
 enter upon their profeiaionnl studies without anything like a suusfuclory 
 foundation laid in Cltisict or Philosophy, or even in gc- 
 neral knowledge, and thus they are utterly unable to derive thu 8«mo 
 amount of benefit from their Theological Professors, however erudite, 
 and however skilled in the art of communicating instruction. Tlioy aro 
 hurried too, through their Theological curriculum— the necessities of the 
 country, and the lamentable dcflcicncy of divine ordinances, crying aloud 
 for their labourn. They are set apart for the Ministry of the Word in 
 some portion of the Lord's vineyard, where, without having acquired any 
 taste for the literature of their profession, and destitute of external sti* 
 mulus, they too often sink down into a state of mental supinoness, nei- 
 ther improving themselves, nor the flocks over which they have been 
 placed. And all this, not because of any deficiency of natural talent on 
 the part of the youths of our population, for, generally speaking, as far 
 as our observation goes, they are more precocious, and more acute itt 
 their intellectual powers, than in the Parent Country, but entirely be> 
 cause of the circumstances to which we have been adverting — circumstan- 
 ces over which they have no control, but whioh operate most unpropiti- 
 ouflly upon the whole of their ministerial uaefulaoss; for never was there 
 a greater misapprehension, than to imagine that a slendev measure of mi- 
 nisterial attainment is all that is required for the Colonial field. 
 
 And this state of things is, we fear, destined to continue, unless 
 some radical change be wrought on the whole Collegiate arrangements 
 of the Province — unless some common Institution be set agoing on a 
 grand scale, for the various branches of literature and science, on pretty 
 much the same looting as King's University, Toronto. Thou^i we be- 
 lieve all the leading religiou3 denominations in the Province, the Episco- 
 palians, theWesl jyan8,the Presbyterians, — both the Free Church and the 
 Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia, and the Baptists, are perfectly 
 competent to support one or two Theological Professors, there is not one 
 of them in a position, whether we lock at population or means, to support a 
 fully equipped staff of Preparatory Professors, such an would be sufTici- 
 ent for laying anything like a suitable foundation, before the Students 
 entered upon the purely professional department of their coarse. And 
 
 i ^— 
 
lywrn 
 
 !!t 
 
 why iliouiJ tlifjr nim at, why jhouKl Ihiy nltompt auchathlng? In 
 Sco.Und, KngUnil. uml Irelnml, ihoks denomlntttiont, '*r at leiut thoso of 
 lh«tn that nre beyond (he pule of (lie K«(Ablishrnent, have iieTera((emttt> 
 od tuch an undertaking, and nre perfectly aatUfled when the Students, be* 
 ford they enter the Theolos'*nl Hall, product their certificatei of atten> 
 dance on the I'hilMophical Clauefl in any of the National Univeiiiitie*( 
 «Tan t!iougli the}* have not the ahndow of control over these UnivertU 
 ties. Kven the New College of Edinburgh, erected at an enormous ev- 
 pcnte by the touniflcet.t liberality of a few friends of (ho Free Church of 
 Scotland, does not profess to bo anything more thpn an Kcclc^ia^.tcal In- 
 atitulion, though unqjestionaHy, in this respect, the most complete of 
 ony in Great Britain. And surely it were p.'npoiterou«, in a young 
 country like this, for any one of these denominations to nim nt nnytuing 
 aaore. 
 
 We have taken no notice of the Academics that have, with creditable 
 jjeal, been set agoing by some of these denominations, suppor'' J partly 
 by their own fundf, and partly by Provincial Grants, with the view of 
 remedying the want of pre ira^ory training for a horae-mar.ufucturcd 
 Ministry, simply because, in cur opinion, these Academior aro nothing 
 more than Grammar Schools, and even some of them scarcely entitled 
 to that appella(ion. Here too, we often find one Teachtr, cumpe'led, as 
 (ho Professors in the Colleges are, to act the Encyclopediast, and to tra- 
 vel over the whole range of Education, from the English Grammar up 
 to (he Diffl;ren(ial Cakulus ; and how is it possible that such an indivi- 
 dual can do justice either to himself or his pupils? To meet the exigen- 
 cies of the case, these Academies would require to be furnished and con- 
 ducted after the model of the Gymnasia in Germany, one of which has 
 been attempted witu considerable success, at Aberdeen, Scotland, i. e., 
 they would requ.re to occupy a kind of intermediate place, between the 
 best managed Grammar Schools, and the Colleges. The Academy at 
 Pictou, and Dalhousie College, Halifax, according to its present arrange- 
 ment, approximate to these Gymnasia. But these are no longer identi- 
 fied with any denomination of Christians, and, therefore, do not at pre- 
 sent come under our consideration. On the whole, we aver that there is 
 nothing in this Province in the shape of an Institution for tho higher de- 
 partments of Literature and Philosophy, and until the Legislature bold- 
 ly and independrn'.ly undertake the establishment of such an Institution, 
 without any^rasitg^e or preference given to any religious body, the whole 
 common and general Education of the country, even with the best con- 
 cocted Legislative enaciments, will continue in a dwarfish condition, and 
 the youth of our population, ontcring the varied learaftd professions, be- 
 
 I 
 
( • ) 
 
 ing 10 dof«otir« io ike «l«nri«nUry oalluM Aod mioing ol Um mibd, will 
 n«ver ArrivA «t general eminence in tbcM proftiiiont. 
 
 IV. IlftTing, we tru«t, •MlUfactortljr %homa vtaat if the grtoU (le*U*er- 
 •tum in (be nir.tter of Collegiate Education, in No?» Sooti«» and the al- 
 ter bopelo«Mr.4ff of that being tuf plied b/ ft oonliou«noe of tbe pre* 
 sent ijitem. wo are cow prvpared t<^ proceed «o tbc oontiderfttion of tbe 
 propoeal wc bare to oflVsr. Tiiat propoHAl i* just tb« eetabliebment of a 
 common College, for Liter&turu, Tbilotopb/, and SdMMC, bftied upon 
 broad Chri'^tiK.a principles, without any Cba'r of TLaology, and, there- 
 fore, wiibooi tbe recogniti«jn of any one branch of the visible Catholic 
 Uharrh. Wbilit we hold it to be altogether Utopian for any one roligi* 
 oui l>ody in \Wi Province, from iti own reeourcna, to attempt the ureo- 
 tion of a Literary and i'hiluaopLical Institute, with a weil furniithet' staff 
 of Professors, truly pre-eminent in V ' disti"cti/e departments, \. o do 
 uot see the sligLtest obstacle in the vt of all the moie influential Pro- 
 testant bodies uniting for such a p'ir;;ose, e cb Church prescribing thf 
 curriculum for hev Students in said CoMego, on the fulfllliaf' of which 
 they might repair to their own Zoological Halls, or £ccle<iiastioal 
 Professor? i and those who intend .u prosecute '.he Legal or Mec*' 
 cul Irofessiond, having it in their power to attend any of *.heae ola"''-ji 
 that their respective faculties may deem advisable. Donot Prervj».eri- 
 ans, Episcopalians, Wesleyans, Baptists, and Independents, all belioTe in 
 tbe essential doctrines of Christianity, in a lawful and regular Ministry, 
 and in the due administration of Gospel Oi'dinances ; and bein.; thus all, 
 confescodly, seciiuns of the visible Catholic Church, hov can thero bti 
 any objeclions to (heir co-onerating in such an Institute, or how can thero 
 be, by this act, any merging of their distinctive conscientious ditTe.' ;ce8? 
 For tbe managen.int and regulation of such an Institution, let a College 
 Council, consisting of not less than nine, and not mors than fifteen lu- 
 dividuals, be appo'nted by {h>i Governor in Council ; let two members bo 
 taken from the Legisla.ivo Council, and two from the House of 
 Assembly, and two from each of the Protestant Denominations in 
 the Province, that has twenty regularly organized congregations, 
 either Clergymen or Laymen - and in the case of those bodies that 
 have Theological Colleges duly incorporated, lot the representatives of 
 these bodies be two of the Pr&fessors of these Colleges. Over this Board 
 let a Chancellor preside, who shall be chosen friennially, the first, by the 
 Governor in Council, and, thereafter, by the Convo-tatioi., composed of the 
 Members of tbo College Council, of the Senalus Academicus, and of all 
 the Students who have, during the three preceding years, regularly ma- 
 triculated, and attended some of the classes. Let this Con :il have 
 
( 10 ) 
 
 full power to frame such statutes and regulations as they may think ne- 
 cessary or expedient for the good government of the College, to e\e<rtthe 
 Professors, Lecturers, or Tutors, and to determine all matters connect- 
 ed with the duties of t^eir office, their emoluments, &c., to make regula- 
 tions for «' e general conduct of the Students^ Fees, Degrees, &c., &c. ; 
 and, in short, to have the general superintendence of all the affairs of the 
 College. 
 
 For the management and execution of all the internal concerns of the 
 College, let a Sanatus Academicus be appointed, composed of all the 
 Professors, with a President chosen by the Governor in Council, from 
 amongst the Professors. This President, being also, ex officio, a 
 member of the College Council, shall exercise a general super- 
 intendence over all the Studen ts and members in statu pupillari, and 
 over all the officers aad servants of the College, and over all tlie Lectures, 
 examinations, exercises, and literary pursuits, according to the Statutes. 
 To the Penntus Academicus shall be committed the ordinary general 
 discipline and government of the College, with the right of appeal to the 
 Council, in all matters directly affecting any of the Professors or Officers, 
 or involving the expulsion of any member from the College. Both the 
 Council and the Senatus shall of course be invested with full power to 
 make rules and bye-laws for their guidance in their own provinces. — 
 But on this and similar topics wo need not enlarge. We have said enough 
 to indicate the basis of a Legislative enactment, such a basis as, we fond- 
 ly trust, would meet the views and feelings of the great mass of our po- 
 pulation. The details can be easily supplied. 
 
 V. So much for the constitution and organization of the Collegiate In- 
 stitute. It may be proper that we now adveit to the Professorial Chairs. 
 It is our d*^cided opinion thai even, at the very outset, there ought to be 
 six distinct classes, with as many Professors, and that the following 
 might constitute a pretty complete list for the object contemplated : — 
 1. Classical and General Literature. 
 
 Logic and Metaphysics. 
 
 Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. 
 
 Natural Science. 
 
 Chemistry, 
 
 Moral Philosophy. 
 And,along with these Chairs,a Tutor of Modern Languages, not merely 
 those of Europe,but, if possible, the leading ones of Asia— such us «he Hin- 
 dustanee, Persic, Syriac, and Arabic, &c. 
 
 With such an equipment four Sessions, of at least six months dura- 
 tion, would be required to go over, and do anything like justice to the 
 
 2. 
 8. 
 
 4. 
 6. 
 6. 
 
i k . 
 
 i 
 
 ( 11 ) 
 
 course. The following arrangement might be pursued. Each Frofei* 
 sor being supposed to have a Junior and Senior class, the Stud9nts might 
 tiitcnd for the ^first Session: — 1. TTie Junior English and Classical Li- 
 terature, embracing a thorough review of the structure and philosophy of 
 Grammar — English, Litin, Greek ; reading in English Classics, such ns 
 Milton, Cowper, Addison, Robertson's and Hume's Historical Works ; in 
 L<\tin, such as Caesar and Ovid ; in Greek, such as Xenopbon, Herodotus, 
 Homer, with critical exercises on the whole. Greek and Roman Anti- 
 quities, &c. 2. Junior Mathematics, going over the philosophy of Arith- 
 metic, and the first six books of Euclid's Geometry. 3. Junior Logic 
 and Metaphysics — Elements of Mental Philosophy — and Elements of 
 Logic. 4. Modem Languages. 
 
 FoH THE Second Session. — 1. Senior Literature — A continuation of 
 the same,in the high'^r branches,such as Elements of Criticism, (..jcompani- 
 ed with the perusal of the Beauties of the Dramatic and Epic English 
 Poets — the highc^r Classics in Latin, sach as Livy, Cicero, Virgil and 
 Horace — in Greek, such as Xenophon's Memorabilia, Thucydides, Ho- 
 mer, Euripides, Sophocles — with Greek and Roman Antiquities, Ancient 
 Chronology and Geography — Prosody and Mythology, — 2. Senior Ma- 
 thematics, including practical Geometry in its various branches. Algebra, 
 Conic Sections, Differential and Integral Calculus. 3. Junior Natural 
 Philosophy, Properties of Matter, Attraction, Mechanics or Laws of Mo- 
 tion. 4. Senior Logic and Metaphysics — Application of Logic, Rheto- 
 ric, Syllogism, &c. 
 
 Fob the Thied Session. — 1. Senior Katural Philosophy, Hydro- 
 btatics. Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Optics, Eleciricity, and Adtronomy. 2. 
 Junior Chemistry — comprehending an outline of the elements and princi- 
 ples of inorganic Chemistry. 3. Junior Natural Science — comprehending 
 Synthology in all its brandies, i. e., the elements of dead bodies, and iheir 
 laws of union — the various forms of attraction. Mineralogy, &c. 4. Ju- 
 nior Moral Philosophy — the active and moral powers of Man. 
 
 For the Fourth Session. — 1. Senior Moral Philosophy — various 
 theories of Morals, Political Economy, and Political Philosophy. 2- 
 Senior Chemistry — organic Chemistry, with a practical application to 
 Scientific Horticulture and Agriculture. 3. Senior Natural Science — 
 embracing Biology in its two grand departments, Phytology and Zoology » 
 Vegetable and Animal Physiology, classification of both — Geology, &c. 
 4. Modem Languages, Oriental. 
 
 Such is a brief outline of the subjects of the various classes proposed to 
 be established in this College,and the classes that may be taken each conse- 
 tive year, provided the whole curriculum is attended. The list of classes 
 
 •^. 
 

 n 
 
 ^i 
 
 I -Mi^aB^. 
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 might easily be extended. As the population increases, and the Institu- 
 tion flourishes, the Mathematical and Natural Philosophy departments 
 might each have a separate Professor. The chair of Natural Science 
 might be broken down into t-vo or three Professorships. A chair of 
 Scientific Agriculture might also be established with great adv mtage to 
 the Province. And in process of time chairs of Law and Medicine might 
 be instituted, auvl a Legal and Medical Faculty appointed, and then the 
 College would become, in reality, a University. The number of classes, 
 however, that we have stated, will, in our opinion, amply meet the 
 present exigencies of the Province, and if diligently and perseveringly 
 attended throughout, the course cannot fail to lay such a foundation, in 
 Literature, and Philosophy, and Science, as will fit and enable the Stu- 
 dents to enter upon the study of any of the learned professions with ad- 
 vantage and success. And we have not the slightest fear, if an adequate 
 endowment is made, that able and learned Professors will be found for 
 each of these departments. We believe that there are individuals, at this 
 moment, in the Province, perfectly competent to occupy some of these 
 chairs, and who, were they in a position to give their undivided energies 
 to their own favourite studies, would not only grace and dignify the Col- 
 lege, but rise to general eminence and distinction. Whilst, in the first 
 election, a decided preference, caierts paribus, ought to be given to these 
 candidates who hold a: present the situation of preparatory Professors in 
 the Denominational Colleges, on every subsequent election the College 
 Council ought to disregrxrd every other consideration but haracter and 
 actually acquired fame in tha department of knowledge appertaining 
 to the vacant chair, and, ere long, will the Institution arrive at celebrity, 
 and be largely attended, not only hj Students from all quarters of the 
 Province, but also from the other Lower Colonies, 
 
 VL And never, we believe, was a country in a more favourable posi. 
 tion for starting an Inedtutien, such as the one we have described. We 
 do not here merely allude to the fact, generally admittted, that the De. 
 nominational Colleges, in so far as Literature and Philosophy are con- 
 cerned, have proved a failure ; neither do we allude to the acknowledged 
 deficiency in the whole quality and soyle of the higher branches of edu- 
 cation ; nor to the desire evinced, in so many quarters, that some great 
 and vigorous effort ought to be made for the purpose of supplying this 
 desideratum ; we allude mainly to the circumstance that a Building, com- 
 modious, and in every way adapted for such an Institution, along with a 
 considerable endowment, is in a state of readiness, and awaiting such a 
 movement. No one, we think, who examines with any measure of at, 
 tentjon, tlie Deed of Incorporation of Dalhousie College, c«o fail to per. 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 ceive tLat to devote it to the carrying out of such an Institution as we 
 have described, is just to devote it to the verv purpose for which it was 
 originally intended. The £arl of Dalhousie, with Lis family mansion in 
 the immediate vicinity of the Metropolis of Scotland, and well acquaint- 
 ed ai his Lordship was with tlie whole character and standing of the 
 University of Edinburgh, and, seeing, during h'm administration of the 
 Government of this Province, the immense destitution of the higher Se- 
 minaries of learning, was evidently desirous to set agoing, on a limited 
 scale, a similar one in Halifax. Accordingly, it is distinctly stipulated, 
 in the original deep of Incorporation, that it was to be moulded after the 
 same principles as the University of Edinburgh, and three chairs were 
 to be instituted at the very commencement, — one for Classical Litera- 
 ture, another for Natural Fhilosopoy, and another for Theology (obvi- 
 ously Natural Theology) and Morals. Now, this edifice was erected at 
 the expense of £11,750 of the Public Funds, of whic': £9,750 was grant- 
 ed by the Crown, and £2,000 by the Province, to which latter sum there 
 was afterwards added £5,000 in the shape of loan ; and though it has 
 been finished for nearly 30 years, it has never yet been fully applied to 
 the purposes for which it was originally intended, save, perhaps, during 
 the very short period it was occupied by the Bev. Dr. McCulloch and 
 his two colleagues. In 1S48 a new Act was passed by the Provincial 
 Legislature, authorising the Governor iii Council to appoint a new Board 
 of Governors, and to take such steps as shall render the Institution use- 
 ful and efficient, as to His Excellency may seem meet. These Gover- 
 nors were appointed in due form, and took immediate steps to convert 
 it into a Grammar School or Academy. But this devotement of the 
 Building, with the endowment attached, was not, we have reason to be* 
 lieve, supposed by these Governors to be in exact accordance with the 
 original intention of the Fabric, and was regarded by them more in the 
 light of a preparatory than a permaneut arrangement, in the hope that 
 by this means a step in advace would be taken; towards its more legiti 
 mate use ; and, surely, no one will venture. to deny that it was vastly bet- 
 ter that it should be thus employed, than that it should remain in a state 
 of empty desolation. These Governors, will, we doubt not, rejoice to 
 see the Legislature taking steps, by which it may be occupied more in 
 harmony with its original design, and will have the satisfaction of con- 
 gratulating themselves that they have done what they could to prepare 
 some youths to derive benefit from the proposed College. Besides, there 
 is also an Endowment conni ed with Dalhousie College, which, rre 
 maintain, is only properly applied in the support of the Literary and 
 
HIMPMk>> 
 
 ( 14 ) 
 PhiloMpMcal Inslituiion referr«fl tn in ♦»,- - i. 
 
 in .0 .ar ., .,. ad,.„oed\™„c Tre J':!?" 7^ ^''r""""""' 
 »>oner.tion held out to men of talent a^jT ''"'•"'M'>^1» re. 
 
 the ineon,, of . labourerid n n,l ""-°™'- 1° """y c«i„, 
 
 ohanie, i, f„l„ ,,J7luTtZ:: TZZ ZT"^ °'" «°"\*"- 
 
 And what is the result? r„ ,„„„;» " . Common School, 
 
 individual, who eann earl aUZ^ ' V **"'°°'^ '""«•" "' 
 
 do «„d then. t.u,ht h, ;:o:-ii7:r ,::.:/;::; ::^- -ttr "- 
 
 uv'rc-rd tn-eettrrh ""'" -H - -"- 
 population ^ .orvrtrsiiTiTerdrLx^n;":: 
 
 leaching as a profession A Nnrm«i c • . . "'^ °«PP"y> to 
 
 ;«. ror the proUon°:^,etrrd:'o.!i:rr ^:xTi::z 
 ;:^rx:K:t.^:=ernr^^^^^ 
 
 energies to the business of taachi " sZ I Se ° ' "" """ ""^ 
 great me«,ure, nugatory ; and so wUl l h. • ? ^ "'" '"'""' '" « 
 Which we have hee"n sp^aC UmL' hVUtrts'oMhf'^f "' 
 Bors are such as will form an obiect ol amhi,!^ j . "''^'^ 
 
 of high and comtnanding qualSon ,t whol. ,r'""f ^ '" ™'' 
 .he scheme wiU be frJL. C^h ^i. m ." b '^Lrou^htth "' 
 emolument, ,„ be ? It is our decided conviction thit thet oth" .o b» "' 
 Uchedto every Professorial Chair an Endowment of no Jess than Is °«' 
 
 FeesT^rn'^r ^''"''"'"™'"-«°'''«' «>C'hre«Ius veof b^ 
 Jbees levied by the reeulationa nf tv,^ n u ^ o^*^""* occlusive ot the 
 
 rrj^r:rtre%?"'-^^^ 
 
 .he D:n7nS;uoruxxr;rii''''/rr "^ '^^-'^ '-- 
 
 dowmen. of each Ptofcssofto av^.^ fsoo tfL u """-"^ "" '"• 
 To meet this, there is first of all T. 7 '' "''"'" *''8""'- 
 
 housie CoUege, comp:.et.^l;'' o^ ^rrX:?/.? '" °'"- 
 Governors, to be worth about £625 n«. ^^emorandum of the present 
 
 .oKin.. college, ^^^^^^^zix::::^^^ 
 
) 
 
 Mary's, and Sackville, each jI:250, making in all £1810. But erm lup- 
 posing all these sums were not available, and that a certain amount, at 
 least, required to be drawn from the public Treasury, for its support, 
 who that reflects upon the bcneBti) accruing from such an Institution to 
 the general cause of Education, its dirocc bearing on the advancement 
 of the higher branches of learning throughout the Provi 8, or on the 
 nterests of the learned professions at large, would begrudgx. such an al- 
 lowance as part of the Educational Grent. The whole matter resolves 
 itself into this. Whether the Legislature is prepared to grant a competent 
 endowment ^jr such an Institution, or allow the whole style and tone of 
 Education to remain stationary for another quarter of a century, and 
 thereby compelling the youth of our population, who aspire to nothing 
 more than a liberal Education, to repair to other lands for that instruc- 
 tion which they ought to have received within their own Province? 
 
 VIII. We should now address ourselveSjmore pointedly, to the advan- 
 tages likely to arise from such a College being put into healthful and vi- 
 gorous operation, but as these must appear palpable to every enlightened 
 mind, and have been again and again adverted to in the course of these 
 remarks, there is little need for enlargement. Such au institution, 
 we are persuaded, would confer innumerable benefits upon all ranks and 
 classes in tliis community. In all probability, it would be attended by 
 the great body of the youth of our population, from all quarters of the 
 Province, whose position in society demands a liberel education ; und 
 thus would general knowledge be more widely di£fuse(l, and a taste for 
 the Arts and Sciences generated and fostered. The young men who 
 are devoting themselves to Agricultural and Commercial pursuits, 
 would, we have little doubt, attend several of the c'lasses, as amateurs, 
 and thus would they carry into their respective spheres of action a more 
 dignified and refined cast of mind, more acute and accurate powers of 
 observation, and a greater spirit of inquiry into the causes of things,— 
 the Farmer entering, more thoroughly, into the theory of Agriculture, 
 and the Merchant, into the Philosophy of Trade. The Teachers too, of 
 many of our Grammar Schools and Academies, in Halifax and through- 
 out the country, as well as many of those who intend to devot") them- 
 selves to Teaching as a profession, would attend a session or two at this 
 institution ; who would not only thereby derive an impetus in the more 
 systematic prosecution of their studies, but elevate the whole status and 
 importance of the profession, and thus procure for it, in the public esti- 
 mate, the influence and respectability to which it is so justly entitled.— 
 But certainly the greatest benefit arising from this College would be, the 
 preparatory training of those who intend to devote themselves to any of 
 
 iiH 
 
( 10 ) 
 too m„y enter upon '^^1^ , '""""''° """"l-'nc i., ,h., 
 
 r;;^ to";rK„; er.rrro7; 'r'""r. -^ ^''-- 
 
 upon .he profe..,c„, and, afterward, ^^ ,•,''*"'' ■!" '•' "'"' " '""'' 
 tinciioD. Over and al2. "ii 7u ' " '° «°°''™' «°=!"e"=o and die- 
 
 io.p.r.ed a .xctr." '^z ir;:!? Sit 'I "°""' ^ 
 
 Chair., ^oMi'^Xl'ZtjZr^ """■ °' "" ^™'■-'"'• 
 noel reaoluto per.eyer.„r T^ .K emhue.as.le ardour, and .be 
 
 NeUher must we foZr^^r "'fj"""''"'"' "f "■«'' '"ourilo .,„dy. 
 B7...ondinTauchrnTn.l.t„ .rr^'""'"' ""' P°''""=" '«""'"• 
 
 when.helffe:.lra Ir .tVerare;' 
 
 ing tapreesiouMhan in a moreadrc d ::::;,^rrrd7fr 
 
 be formed, which miuhi nr™. "»"'■'' ">'"'•. »ndlfcuBfnend»hipa 
 
 •heir whoi; fu. recrfer Zl ° "'°'" ''™''''"" '"'»"«='«'. "P«° 
 
 17 lo'';d^etTo rfew"'. zT r"",'- " ""■' """ "» '"""p- "»"•- 
 
 Bible Trulb, liei at ih<. f«M„j..- T ,. ""orahtr, based upon 
 
 higber aud I wer dCr i ™s Id .If ^°°^/^"«''"°-'' """e in the 
 guard agains'. .he admWon ^^ Z^HXT *"'.', "^ "'"'' "> 
 posi.ion is, .hat suffleien. seeu iH IvmL fl ™ "'^ '?"""& «« 
 in the con.,i.u.ion and charaofeTo .hrafjl c. ".T' """ •"■'■■• 
 .b. Counoi, being .he e.eetor. on£'.^Z^X\:^r: 
 
(17) 
 
 IrX of thniuo ClhoUc Church. Aecoraing 7. .hero are no 
 
 rrc?4;.a,e..uh.e««^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 ous Christ an deDominations, and tueir ccruin.»i.c 
 
 0U8 v.ni.M u „«rfprtlv valid for their admission into their rea- 
 
 dme, aro considered perfectly ^aiiu lo ^^^^_ 
 
 nnrHve TUeolocical Semmanos. And wny suouiu un-io « 
 
 bo dovoled .0 .ho purpo.es for which .hoy woro ongmally mlondoci v,z., 
 
 tho reaZ of « home minUtry for occup,i»g the var.ous Polp.U m our 
 
 and Z our decided conviCion is, Iha. .hose Colleges would be va..- 
 
 rle nlelsly a..endod, would more ^'^^"'y .-^^2^'^^:ZZ 
 i-.^™.ni of the end in view, would be belter equipped w.th Prolessors 
 TheoWy proper, and a., nded by S.uden.s be..er qualified .0 dcr.ve 
 beneattom .h" prelections. The Academies .00, al.ached .o .hese 
 CoUet mth. also be carried on wUh encreased vigour, and occupy .ho 
 Saee of Gymnasia, or intermediate Schools, between .he common Gram- 
 ™r Sch«.Che country, and .he Ins.i.ution for which we have been 
 Zata. These Academies might also continue to receive even larger 
 g ants ftom the Provinci..! Treasury, though under Denom.nat.onal 
 ^ragemen._said grant, being given entirely °» -"•^^^ t;h "^n 
 a, au expression of approhalioD, on the part of the .^tnte, for such an 
 
 ^ AuoAe"; and .he only Cher objection that we can notice, is, .hat this 
 In«Hutn is exclusive In its character, and especially that .. shuts out 
 fCus benefits the Koman Catholics, who compose a considerable pro- 
 JrTion of the population. VTe deny the charge .ha. the propo ed 
 ?Si°ge is exclusive in its character. It is no doubt .ntended, that .. 
 
( 18 ) 
 
 «botild be foundod on broad Catholic Protestant princinle, ana ' 
 opinion, the constitution indicated will secure tlLrj^ '. "*"' 
 
 ins «"d longmX „ rv.- ' .r*''"' '"PP"".-"™- '" f«c', wail- 
 
 •^> 
 
 * > 
 
1'**^