The Idea of a University Defined and Illustrated: In Nine Discourses Delivered to the Catholics of DublinNewman, John Henry
Religion
The Idea of a University Defined and Illustrated: In Nine Discourses Delivered to the Catholics of Dublin
Newman, John Henry
Education, Higher; Universities and colleges
I am able to present the reader by anticipation with the correspondence
which will pass between Mr. Brown’s father and Mr. White, the tutor, on
the subject of Mr. Brown’s examination for entrance at the University.
And, in doing so, let me state the reason why I dwell on what many will
think an extreme case, or even a caricature. I do so, because what may be
called exaggeration is often the best means of _bringing out_ certain
faults of the mind which do indeed exist commonly, if not in that degree.
If a master in carriage and deportment wishes to carry home to one of his
boys that he slouches, he will caricature the boy himself, by way of
impressing on the boy’s intellect a sort of abstract and typical
representation of the ungraceful habit which he wishes corrected. When we
once have the simple and perfect ideas of things in our minds, we refer
the particular and partial manifestations of them to these types; we
recognize what they are, good or bad, as we never did before, and we have
a guide set up within us to direct our course by. So it is with principles
of taste, good breeding, or of conventional fashion; so it is in the fine
arts, in painting, or in music. We cannot even understand the criticism
passed on these subjects until we have set up for ourselves the ideal
standard of what is admirable and what is absurd.
So is it with the cultivation and discipline of the mind, it a handsomer
place than I thought for—really a respectable town. But it is sadly behind
the world in many things. Think of its having no Social Science, not even
a National Gallery or British Museum! nor have they any high art here:
some good public buildings, but very pagan. The bay is a fine thing.
“I called with your letter on Mr. Black, who introduced me to the
professors, some of whom, judging by their skulls, are clever men.
“There is a lot here for examination, and an Exhibition is to be given to
the best. I should like to get it. Young Black,—you saw him once,—is one
of them; I knew him at school; he is a large fellow now, though younger
than I am. If he be the best of them, I shall not be much afraid.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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