Repository: UIHistories Project: Sophograph - 1890 [PAGE 45]

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T H E SOI

OGRAPH.

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by the "Immortal Will," would prove among other things the necessity of education as well as genius in the production of great literary works, and give additional force to the golden rule, "There is no royal road to knowledge." It would prove the plays were not the production of heaven-born genius and intuition alone, but of genius and ability moulded and strengthened by intense industry and studv.

THE STUDY OF LITERATURE.

I T H I N t h e minds of many students in this University there exists an idea that literature is not strengthening, that it is effeminate, and that the Literary course is in the end but a makeshift for the "parchment." When we enter this course we are informed that we must starve or live on glory; that while literature may be a great 1 "staff, ' that it is a poor "crutch." We are sorry that the spider has thus spun his web o'er the eye of our Natural History adviser; sorry t h a t Architecture has reared her attractive temple between our admonishing friend and a brighter future, and that the views of our Engineering councelor are so short-sighted that he sees not out of his contracted realm. Howbeit, egotistically or enthusiastically Riven, their advice is kindly received,—in vain. For, as yet, the past ha proved an ample guide for the future. If we retroe] t we find the men who represent their respective aires, to be those who fed on the greatest works of the greatest authors. Shakspeare's training, like that of all the most famous men in ancient and modern times, was wholly literary rather than scientific. What did Alexander, the great, not owe t Homer? Cu'sat knew nothing of what we call B 4 Napoleon fed on Plutareh more than on gunpowder and

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The Chemical Laboratory is the place to furnish jokes. They are put up in neat packages, two to each joke, and when mixed, according to directions the chemic boys give, they will produce enough joke of a strong and penetrating quality to till a large room.

An addition which will mark an important point in the history of the University is the establishment of the Agricultural Experiment Station. The work of arranging for it is actively going on.

Hidden in the obscurity of the future there are inventions and discoveries which will be as marvellous to us as

ours would have been to a feudal serf. The gray watchers of

science, even now are able to see the dawn of discoveries lich. ere long will arise on the mind of man. Such are the extraction of aluminum from clay, (he conversion of

glucose to cane sugar, the replacing of steam by electricity

and without fail there will be many more the advent of

which will he as unexpected as the comet thai rii morning star.

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side the

mathematics. Milton was chiefly indebted to the 1 Homer, Sophocles, Virgil, Spenser and Shakspeare; Burke and Webster to Milton; Etu f us Choate, the great jurj lawyer of the past generation, to all of these, Theforem man in England to-day a man oi Lette William F. I idstone; the foremost statesman in Europe, Prince Bi trcl