scraps of Greek, which she vents on all occasions. She told me some days ago, that, whereas I use some Latin inscriptions in my shop, she advised me, with a great deal of concern, to have them changed into Greek, it being a language less understood, would be more conformable to the mystery of my profession; that our good friend would be assisting to us in this work, and that a certain faculty of gentlemen would find themselves so much obliged to me that they would infallibly make my fortune. In short, her frequent importunities upon this and other impertinences, of a like nature, make me very uneasy; and, if your remonstrances have no more effect upon her than mine, I am afraid I shall be obliged to ruin myself to procure her a settlement at Oxford with her tutor, for she is already too mad for Bedlam."* In No. 66 of the same work, we have a letter from a suffering husband, on fashionable education. In No. 328 another husband has a long and lugubrious complaint to make against his wife's accomplishments, or, rather, against the bad use she makes of them; but it is needless to pursue this branch of our subject at further length. We cut it short, all the more readily, because we do not apprehend the least danger from an excess of learning obtained at "The Abbot Collegiate Institute." Indeed, in our opinion, its graduates are as safe in this respect as those of the famous college, which, according to Tom Hood, "Looketh south and west alsoe, Because it hath a cast in windows twain ; We are willing to excuse the Rev. Mr. Abbot, however, for being so anxious that his school should be regarded as a university, because, it seems, that it was from a similar institution he obtained his highest, if not his only, academic honor-namely, from the "Ingham Female University”—to which, we are told, he is indebted for the degree of LL. D., and the title of whose descriptive catalogue we have placed at the head of our article. As already observed, we know nothing of the Ingham University, further than we learn from the pamphlet referred to, which is certainly a curiosity in its way. For aught we Spectator, No. 278, Jan. 18, 1711. know to the contrary, the honors of the former may rank higher than those of any other institution in our country; for we confess we had never heard of it before. At all events, nearly two thirds of its "faculty" are of the gentler sex; it consists of sixteen ladies and six gentlemen, one of the latter bearing the title of Colonel, though appointed to the Vice-Chancellor's chair some time before the present war. Mrs. Marietta Ingham is styled "Principal Extraordinary," and we think, with all due deference, that she might be called an extraordinary professor, with equal justice and truth, since the "chair", which she occupies is that of "health" and "economics." With such a large majority of female professors, it is not strange that the old terms applied to different classes of students, such as Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors, &c., have been set aside, as no longer suitable in this enlightened age; and in their stead we have such a very appropriate and expressive nomenclature as Palmarians, Amplians, Cardians, Novians, Mathians, second grade Mathians, first grade, and Supernumeraries. The strict propriety of each of these titles is proved by an exuberance of learning and logic; neither of which, however, we pretend to understand; a fact that shows, we fear, but too plainly, that we are in the benighted condition so elegantly described in the following paragraph: "Some seem to doubt, at least are very indefinite, about anything like system, in the education of woman-the relics of a barbarism, or fog, not soon exhaled, by the morning light of superior Christian civilization! Yet the sun is risen."-p. 20. Those sinners who have money, but decline to contribute it for the benefit of the Ingham Female University, are scolded, as they so well deserve, by the Principal Extraordinary, who, however, refers their chief punishment to a higher tribunal, thus: "If those who ought, will not do anything for this cause, through avarice, there is ONE who sees, and can avenge it; in this world, as well as the other! There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." -p.22. Neither the exclamation point, the index, nor the italics are ours; we give all just as we find them. In the midst of a great deal which, in our opinion, is absolutely silly, if it has any meaning at all, we occasionally meet with a remark that may be compared to an oasis in a desert; such, for example, as the following: "Only a proper and capable 99. teacher is worthy of confidence and patronage.' This is very true; but, if we are to judge from the style of the pamphlet, it is rather against the "Ingham University." We should not like to say so, however, were it not that we are told, with characteristic emphasis, that "The Christian public ought not to forget that this University is no longer private property." Whether we shall be regarded as belonging to the Christian public here alluded to, is, however, another question. The "Greenleaf Female Institute" may be regarded as combining the more salient characteristics of the two female Universities. It yields to neither in "fine promises." Nothing is too abstruse or profound to be learned, even to perfection, within its precincts. Nor does it matter at what period of life the student enters its halls; whether at the age of ten, or five times ten, it is all the same; the same great end is attained. "Pupils are admitted at any age, and at any time, being charged from entrance, and are enabled, by a well-directed course of studies and exercises, to attain to any desirable proficiency in science and literature.” -p. 11. This is no casual remark on the part of the Principals, who give their reasons for undertaking to teach-no matter what; assuring us that, "familiar with the methods and management of the best educational establishments, both at home and abroad, (they) devote their entire time and attention to the education and supervision of their pupils. They are aided by an able corps of THOROUGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS; and their AIM is to secure to each pupil intrusted to their care good health and accomplished manners, as well as the inestimable advantage and benefit of a well developed, well disciplined, and well-balanced mind."-p. 12. Thus, it will be seen, that the Greenleaf Institute leaves nothing to be desired. Ladies, stricken in years, that have grown tired of the vanities of life, may here become savantes, enjoying all the advantages of a nunnery, with few, if any, of its inconveniences. None need have any fear as to their physical constitution, for good health will be secured to them; nor need those, whose manners had been neglected in their youth, despair of becoming fine ladies; what is more important still, if possible, suitable efforts will be made to keep their minds "well balanced;" so that the Greenleaf Institute combines the advantages of all other institutions which human ingenuity, science, and skill have hitherto invented for the benefit of the mind, body, and soul of the fair sex. The regular course of instruction in the "collegiate class is, as might be expected, of a very high order; and such is its extent that, so far as we can remember, it omits nothing which a veritable savante ought to know. We need hardly say, therefore, that it includes geometry, algebra, trigonometry, astronomy, geology, Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, German, &c. Among the minor studies of the same class are criticism, æsthetics, analysis of Milton and other poets, rhetoric, logic, &c., &c. It has not been our privilege to see Milton or any of his brother poets analyzed by the students of the "Greenleaf Institute," but we are willing to believe that the analysis is complete. 'It may be supposed that it would require a large number of professors to teach all the branches, of which those mentioned are but a small portion; but nothing of the kind! The two Principals, themselves, possess all the necessary resources and qualifications. Thus, the Senior Principal is announced as professor of "moral and intellectual science, English and general literature." (p. 4.) Without undertaking to discover what sciences may be included under the head of "moral and intellectual," we may ask what is it, in the literary way, which may not be included in "general literature?" May it not include the literature of China, Arabia, Japan, Russia, Persia, &c., &c.? If it does not, however, the matter can be easily settled; for, if there is any one thing in the whole circle of knowledge, sacred or profane, within the compass of mortal ken, which the Senior Principal does not understand, the Junior knows all about it! In this we may seem to give him too much credit; but it is no more than he claims; since he calls himself professor of “natural sciences, mathematics, and ancient languages and literature." (p. 4.) Boileau, the French Horace, mentions a variety of studies, and says, in some of his finest lines, that one might as well drink the sea (Tout cela, c'est la mer à boire) as to pretend to be acquainted with all. If this be true, it would be nearly as easy to eat half the Pyrenees mountains after drinking the Mediterranean, as to learn all these two gentlemen are capable of teaching. The individual who discovered, or, rather, invented, the art of manufacturing nutmegs from hickory wood, is justly famed for his ingenuity; but we think it will be admitted, that some of the professors in our female colleges may claim to rival even him, at least in the faculty of invention. Seriously, it is pleasant to turn from the contemplation of so much self-sufficiency and pretension to real merit, which is generally, if not always, modest. We are very willing, however, to admit that our views in regard to the establishments and professors thus hastily glanced at may be erroneous. We have merely given our opinions; if they are not found correct, let them, we repeat, be rejected; let none be influenced by them. If, upon the other hand, it must be admitted that we merely state facts, in which all who patronize large schools have more or less interest, may we not claim to have done some service to the cause of education even by this one article? Be this as it may, by no other means than that used by us has it been more served in Germany and France. There is scarcely an academy or college in Germany, or even large school, male or female, which has not been subjected to criticism, and in nine cases out of ten the results have been favorable. Even In England the same means are had recourse to. Oxford and Cambridge are frequently the subjects of the most searching criticisms. Only two or three years have elapsed since a series of papers appeared in the Dublin University Magazine, which criticised every department of Trinity College, Dublin, sparing none of the professors whose conduct seemed to deserve castigation. All who took an interest in the affair remember the indignation of the faculty. All the harm they could do the Magazine was promptly done. The publisher had to take his choice between retaining it any longer in his hands, and being deprived of the printing patronage of the University. He preferred to have the latter, and so the obnoxious journal had to pass into other hands. This, however, did not prevent the critic from coming to the charge again and again, until the abuses complained of had to be remedied. Now, if it be fair and legitimate to expose the errors of Universities like those of Germany, France and England, which are famous the world over for solid excellence, surely there is no good reason why such "Universities" as those above noticed should be regarded as sacred. If we are wrong in this, then it is the genuine article that should be criticised, not the spurious imitation. |