with the words, "A greeting from wore a rich satin domino, which fell Diana." about her in graceful drapery, and in The well-known writing impressed her hand she carried a nosegay of roses. me like the sight of a lost, believed-in, I stepped forward and met her. and recovered friend's face. In an in- "Diana!" I whispered. stant my dream-woman returned and She placed a trembling hand on my filled my mind, of late so distracted by arm, and stood beside me silently. Madame de Bowrowska. By and by, Her hand was not gloved, but lay as wearing my flower, I entered the draw-white as snow on my sleeve, and was ing-room as excited as on the previous the same, with its exquisite tapering day, and certain now that Diana was fingers, which in the photograph leaned here. The company was much more upon the balusters. numerous, and there were many pretty women I had never seen before; and yet there was no time for making their "Yes, I am Diana, Baron Emil." acquaintance, as dinner was shortly The answer was rather breathed than announced. I was again Frau Meier's spoken, and the lady trembled visibly. neighbor, and I fear my conversation I was myself so agitated that I could was not very edifying. She examined not say more. I led her out of the me as to my favorite occupations, and thronged room, through a number of also concerning my coat-of-arms. Nat- gay apartments, until we at length urally, if questioned on my employ- found ourselves alone in a small cabments, I think of my philosophic inet, richly adorned with rare plants studies, and feel I ought to explain I and flowers.

"Diana, Diana," I repeated, "say only one word to me!"

am not only a student, but aim at Near the hearth were two armchairs. founding a new school. True, Diana, Diana took her hand from my arm, sat when she heard this, called my author-down in one, and motioned me into the slip a harmless pastime; but women other. We were silent for a little, and do not understand such things. I have awkward. She presently roused hera dim recollection that in my answers self, as it were, and put her little satinI mixed up philosophy and shields in covered foot on the fender. a wondrous manner. Frau Meier cer- "Diana," I said at last, tainly shook her head in an astonished alone here; let me see you." way at times. I may have told her my She shook her head. armorial bearings consisted of links she whispered unsteadily. and chains, and that my book would' contain many lances and some oblique chevrons.

66 we are

Have you

"You seem afraid of me. lost your confidence," I said. -"the trust you breathed in your letters? Do you withdraw from myself the sympathy your letters gave me?"

But,

On this occasion we gentlemen remained at table, English fashion, after the ladies, who left us earlier than She shook her head again. "No, it usual to prepare for the masked and is not that," she murmured. fancy ball. Perhaps an hour or more do you see, the meeting of our souls in passed before we were all reunited. that imaginary lane, which enticed me Even our hostess, together with all the onwards into our strange correspondmothers and aunts present, wore dom-ence, is now transformed into the inos. The younger ladies were in ordinary intercourse of a lady and genevery variety of costume such as could tleman by a commonplace fireside: be hastily devised, for the whole thing and now the whole singularity was a somewhat impromptu affair. must say unseemliness of our letters I knew now that my hour was come; has overwhelmed me, and I feel now or never would Diana approach ashamed almost miserable. and reveal herself. I had scarcely speak to you any further, I must retain thought this when a majestic and ele- my disguise. Behind it I feel some gant veiled woman drew near. She shelter-something like the cover of a

I

If I

letter. It is the only remnant of mysticism left in our friendship."

66

Friendship, Diana? On my side I have ventured to write of love! ""

"Baron Emil, you know not who I am, nor how I look!"

“And you, Baron, are so well known to me, in the same manner. I showed you all my heart; but, like Juliet in the balcony scene, I feel my cheeks burn; and, like her, I thank the night, which hides my blushes-I thank my disguise."

"Whilst I am concealed, I must say one earnest sentence, Baron Ritterglas. I thank you from my heart for proposing to an unknown individual; but perhaps you have hunted me down! Do you know who I am?"

"I know more than that," I inter- "On my honor, I do not !" rupted. "What is a name, a face, in "Then I thank you," she continued, comparison with such thoughtfulness," and I give you my answer. I know such spirituality as speak in your dear you, and that you are an honorable letters ?" man; and-pardon me- no philosopher; rather a poet. Yes, by your letters you opened a new world to me. I was buried in my own conceits and book knowledge; I fancied myself a genius; and I felt very unhappy in my circumstances. I despaired of ever seeing my ideal; and thus your correspondence brought me into a new circle. I came in contact with a soul beyond my own in power; and with a heart as warm as my own, filled with love to man, and reverence for God. Then came your letter, saying, 'Diana, I love you;' and then

I caught her hand, which breathed to me a perfume of violets, such as her letters always bore, and I lifted it to my lips: "And, like Romeo, I swear thou shalt ever be the mistress of my heart!"

At the magic and familiar word "thou," she started, and withdrew her hand quickly.

"You are too impetuous, baron; you swear too early; you do not even know if I am free."

tion

say on, Diana your

"And then words are music!"

At the first sound of disturbance, Diana had escaped to the window, where she now stood. Saalfeld came close to me and whispered: "You seem to be intent on courtship; but I advise you to keep yourself free of entanglements. I have a project on hand for you that beautiful Elsbeth Meier - what do you think of it? Two millions of marks! My sister thought it out first."

"Unfortunately,

my heart is not Diana approached, and emboldened "Who laughs uncovers," I ex-by her affection, whispered softly:" I claimed; Diana, say a gracious word beg your pardon, but I have heard what to me give me a hope!"

Here a silvery laugh rang through free !" the room.

"Then you know my answer; my | should be dealt with. I hope that I heart is not free." may thus furnish matter for thought "Fair domino, it is you who have and discussion to an audience emifettered this gentleman's heart," Saal-nently qualified to form a judgment on feld said, bowing to her. what concerns the art of teaching.

"Yes, it is I, and I take possession The subject of my lecture is "The of it," she replied, slowly dropping her Study of English Language and Literadisguise as she spoke. She stood be- ture as Part of a Liberal Education," fore me a lovely vision. "Elsbeth!" and by this I mean, not simply professorial instruction in the English

I cried.

"What mischief have I been at, I language and literature to classes or wonder?" sighed the count. "Cela n'engage à rien," laughed the lady.

"Cela engage à tout," I answered. Saalfeld shook his head. "I don't understand a word of it," he exclaimed.

I

sci

individuals, but a school for teaching and examination, subject to regulations as clear and precise as those governing the schools in our different universities of classics, mathematics, natural ence, law, and history, which are at present recognized as forming part of a To-morrow is our wedding-day. liberal education. But before proceedhave laid aside my philosophy. We, ing to my main subject I must detain my Elsbeth and I, spend the winter in you for a few minutes with the considRome; and, in the spring, intend to eration of a preliminary question, betake possession of our newly purchased cause, as you will see, a definition of estate. Then I resume my work; and this preliminary point is necessary to you must confess that I have the best my argument. What do we mean by reason to be content with my theories. the phrase "liberal education"? How A chain of ideas, arising out of my own has our present system of liberal educawisdom, led me, through a concatena- tion been formed? The question is tion of circumstances, into the blessed-not without obscurity; but I think that est of all enchainments union with a the answer to it is something of this beloved woman. I have every right to honor Links and Chains! I believe still in my philosophical work; and, that on its completion, I shall be one of the most honored of writers. The main point to consider, as I have before re-edge. This classification was, I think, marked, is, how to proceed after a wellarranged plan, advancing in regular order.

kind. The words "liberal education" are derived from the septem artes liberules, the seven liberal arts or sciences, which, according to the schoolmen, embraced the whole circle of human knowl

introduced into the Latin language in the first century before Christ, by Varro, the antiquary, and Varro himself, no doubt, derived it from the Greeks of Alexandria. After the overthrow of pagan culture by the barbarians, the existing system of Græco-Roman education survived, as we find from Cassiodorus, in the Christian schools, and in time came to be regarded by the schoolmen as the curriculum through which the scholar must pass before proceeding to the study of the highest of all sciences, theology. The seven arts or sciences were grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy (or, as it was then called, astrology), and music. The first three made up the course called, by the schoolmen, tri

・vium n; the last four constituted the philosophy. Hence these two sciences, quadrivium.

together with grammar, became the Here, then, was the germ of our sys- foundation of the school of Literæ tem of liberal education. Assuming Humaniores at Oxford, and to some the truth of what was taught in these extent of the Classical Tripos at Camsciences, and assuming that the method bridge. On the other hand, arithmetic, of instruction was really scientific, it geometry, and astronomy remained as is plain that there were advantages in the nucleus of instruction in the maththe course of education pursued by the ematical schools of both universities. schoolmen. It was simple, it was com- Hence arose that two-fold system of plete, it was logical. Unfortunately, classical and mathematical training neither of the assumptions on which which for so long formed the ideal it was founded was altogether sound. of liberal education in the English The revival of learning forced men to mind. revise their entire conception of art About the middle of the present cenand science; the discoveries of Coper- tury, men began to think that the base nicus and Columbus gave rise to new of liberal education was too narrow. ideas respecting the heavens and the In 1851 the University of Cambridge earth; the Reformation in England added a school of natural science, adrevolutionized the relations between mitting to a degree in arts; the Unitheology and the other sciences. Fi-versity of Oxford followed the example nally, the methods of scientific reason- in 1853. Oxford in the same year esing introduced by Bacon on the one tablished a school of law and modern hand, and by Descartes on the other, history, which in 1872 was divided into brought discredit on the logical methods two separate schools, one of law and employed by the schoolmen. Hence one of history, each admitting to the the system of education founded on degree in arts. At Cambridge final the regular procession of the seven examinations, admitting to the arts desciences fell gradually into decay. It may, I think, be confidently asserted that, by the middle of the eighteenth century, the ancient course of mental discipline, followed by the Greeks and Latins, and converted to the use of the Christian Church, had disappeared from the curriculum of the English universities.

gree, were established; in 1858 in law, in 1875 in modern history. Schools of the same kind in Oriental languages were instituted; in 1878 at Cambridge, and in 1887 at Oxford. Now, throughout this long and gradual development, I think, it may be observed that each school, before it has established its footing within the sacred circle of the liberal arts, has had to satisfy two requirements; that is to say, it has had to show, first, that it was likely to prove useful for the purposes of mental discipline; and, next, that its subject matter was capable of being scientifically taught.

But though the connection between the secular sciences and theology was thus severed, the sciences themselves were retained as the basis of instruction in the university schools. The study of Latin grammar, which was found necessary by the schoolmen because Latin was the language of the Church, The English language and literature was pursued after the Reformation, in has not yet obtained an entrance into combination with Greek grammar, be- our established system of liberal educause these languages were now seen cation. For though, in many of our to furnish the keys to the culture and younger universities and university colcriticism of the antique world. Logic leges, professorial chairs and courses and rhetoric, which had been taught of instruction in this subject have been by the schoolmen mainly for the pur-instituted — and I know that University pose of theological disputation, were College, Liverpool, has set a shining found to be useful instruments for example, both in its English chair and training the mind in mental and moral in the person of its distinguished oc

plicated nature of the study itself. And I would, therefore, ask you, in the first place, to get a clear view of these difficulties, before we proceed to consider the way in which the difficulties may be overcome.

As regards the popular view of the subject, there is one objection which is frequently advanced to the establishment of a school of English language and literature, namely, that such a school would not be useful. A very

cupant yet, until Oxford and Cambridge have opened their gates, I think it will be generally admitted that the battle on behalf of English, as part of liberal education, has not been won. Now the gates of these two great universities still remain closed. It is true that English as a sub-head is included in the medieval and modern language tripos at the University of Cambridge; but any one who looks at the examination papers in this school will see that what is dealt with is English large number of people seem to hold language, and not English literature. A vigorous attempt has recently been made to originate a separate school of English language and literature in the University of Oxford; but I believe I am correct in saying that the Hebdomadal Council of that university has decided that to establish such a school would at present be inexpedient.

the opinion about English that Dogberry held about reading and writing; they think that it comes by nature. They are anxious that their children should be taught French and German, because the knowledge of these languages will be of advantage to them socially, politically, commercially; but they fancy that instruction given them Now, I fear that I shall surprise, and in their own language is so much waste probably disappoint, many of my hear- of time. On this point my own official ers, when I say, that I am very far experience enables me to speak with from regretting this decision of the some authority, as my duties give me authorities of the great university of the opportunity of observing the perwhich I have the honor to be a mem- formance in examinations of thousands ber. I hasten, therefore, to assure all of boys from our public schools, of who may be so affected, that I look hundreds of university men, and of forward with confidence to the time others who have received what is called when a school of English language and a liberal education. And I speak with literature shall be a recognized part of moderation when I say that not only English liberal education. But at the the faculty of expressing in English same time I hold that, if such a school a train of ideas on any subject in a be started prematurely that is to say, lucid and forcible manner, but even the before we are sure that what is taught simple art of writing a number of conin it will be really useful as training secutive sentences without some gramfor the mind, or that the methods of matical error, are accomplishments, less instruction employed in it will be really common among the youth of this counscientific mischief will be done, not try than they ought to be. For if a only to the study of English language man is to rise to any position of emiand literature, but to the system of nence in the army, the navy, or the liberal education as a whole, because civil service, nothing is more necesmany minds may be perilously diverted sary for him than skill sufficient to from other courses of study which ex- write a terse despatch, an exhaustive perience has shown to be profitable. I report, or a clearly reasoned memorandoubt whether the question has yet dum. And I need hardly insist before emerged from its nebulous stage, and such an audience that he will be the whether we have frankly faced all the better equipped for such tasks, if he is difficulties arising from the vague no- familiar with the vocabulary of Shaketions of the public at large, from the speare and Milton, and understands the objections to the proposed school en- principle on which an Addison, a Johntertained by the teachers of other son, or a Macaulay, is accustomed to branches of science, and from the com-frame his sentences and paragraphs.