a half miles from the city of Melbourne, and a competent staff of professors and lecturers was secured from the old country.

The following were the gentlemen elected to the several professorial chairs:

1. Classics and Comparative Philology and Logic, Professor Rowe. 2. Mathematics, Pure and Mixed, Professor W. P. Wilson.

3. History and Political Economy, Professor Hearn.

4. Natural Science, Professor M'Coy.

5. Anatomy and Physiology, Professor Holford.

Most of these gentlemen were, even at the date of their elevation to the Professorships at Melbourne, well known at the Universities of the United Kingdom. Professor Wilson was for some time Professor of Mathematics at Belfast, and Professor Hearn filled the chair of Classics at Galway prior to his acceptance of his position here. Professors Holford and M'Coy were also already known to the scientific world.

Professor Rowe died shortly after his arrival in the colony, and Professor Irving, who succeeded him, resigned in 1871. Professor Wilson

died in 1874. These two vacancies in the professoriate were filled by the appointment of Professor Strong, sometime assistant to Professor Ramsay at Glasgow, and of Professor Nanson, second wrangler in 1873. The University has also a large staff of lecturers to aid the professors in the several departments.

The University of Melbourne is a corporation, consisting of a senate and council. The former body consists of those persons who have obtained the degrees of M.A., M.D., and LL.D., in the University of Melbourne, and of those who have been admitted ad eundem gradum to these degrees.

The council originally consisted of twenty members, nominated by the Lieutenant-Governor, to represent the four chief religious denominations of the colony, and holding office for life. But since the constitution of the senate in 1867 the council has been recruited, as vacancies occurred, by election from the senate. Some of the gentlemen originally nominated by the Lieutenant-Governor still retain their seats at the council board, but the majority of them have retired to make room for more eligible men. Amongst those recently elected by the senate to the council is Professor Pearson the historian, of Oriel, Oxon. It may be said that the government of the University is practically vested in the council, as the senate cannot initiate any new legislation or in any way control the finances of the University. The senate's power is confined to that of vetoing legislation sent up by the council. The council has, however, by statutes and regulations framed by itself, delegated part of its functions to a professorial board, whose duty it is to advise the council on all matters connected with the study, discipline, &c., of the institution, to conduct all examinations, prescribe all books and details of subjects of examination. The teaching body has no seat at the council table, and this loss is much felt, and has a tendency to cause collision between the council and the professorial board.

The number of students attending lectures during the present year is about 250, and it is anticipated that this number will steadily increase year after year. A high standard of education has been maintained at the University of Melbourne from its first commencement, and no student can obtain his degree in any faculty without a rigorous course of study. This course is three years for the B.A., five for the M.B., four for the

LL.B., and three for the certificate of engineer, which the University also confers. A large number of exhibitions and scholarships are open for competition every year, and by this means a considerable stimulus is given to the cause of education. Many of the prizemen of our Alma Mater have distinguished themselves in the wider arena of the English Universities. The latest occasion on which a Melbourne man came to the front is when Mr. S. Alexander carried off the Baliol Scholarship, and came proxime accessit for the Junior Mathematical Scholarship at Oxford. Mr. Alexander attended the University lectures here for two years.

The University of Melbourne may be said to have moved in one groove for the first twenty years of its existence; but within the last few years considerable changes have been contemplated. One of the most

important of these is the erection of an affiliated college in connection with the University. We have always been a strictly secular institution as regards the university education of our youth, and within a few years our state schools have become secular also. But it is now proposed to erect four denominational colleges affiliated to and in connection with the University, without in any way defining the functions which they are to fulfil. Hitherto there has been no residence of students at the University, and the colleges can scarcely be anything more, for years to come, than mere denominational boarding-houses. Theological lectures are delivered at Trinity College, the Church of England denominational estab lishment affiliated to the University. It is at present provided with a small staff of tutors. The students, however, one and all, attend the University lectures, and require no further aid in their studies. It will be, indeed, an edifying spectacle to see four religious bodies packed off into four separate, but adjoining, ten-acre paddocks, each inculcating its own form of faith, and having it in its power to point to the other three as examples of what not to believe. It will also be interesting to see if the other denominations, such as Congregationalists, Original Seceders, Israelites, &c., &c., will claim also their portion of land whereon to build an institution for their young barbarians.

By far the most important event in our history is the appointment of Professor Pearson as a Commissioner to furnish the Government with a report on the state of public education and suggestions as to the best way of improving it. The report appeared early this year and discussed at considerable length the state of our whole educational system. It suggested remedies for most of the defects in our elementary training of youth, while a bill was drafted which had for its object the "extension of the powers and benefits of the University of Melbourne." The scheme of university reform thus sketched out by Professor Pearson proposed, inter alia, to abolish the payment of fees by students-in fact, to make the University a perfectly free institution, to increase to a large extent the professorial and lecturing staff, and was particularly conspicuous by the prominence it gave to practical science-a branch hitherto much neglected here.

Parliament has not yet considered the report, and probably will not do for some time, as other matters of more pressing importarce are engaging its attention. In the meantime, absurd as it may seem, in the chief seat of learning in the southern hemisphere no provision is made for teaching any modern language within the University, or any system of mental or moral philosophy whatever. This latter peculiarity is owing to the

watchful care of that pleasant body the Roman Catholics, and it does seem hard that if we are to live under the disability of a Catholic University we should not enjoy the privileges of a good modern language school, such as has always been insisted upon even by the Jesuits.

UNIVERSITY Of Granada.

IN my former letter I gave you a slight sketch of the foundation of our University, and a cursory glance upon the present state and number of the colleges of the city of Granada, and the studies pursued in our University. In this present one I purpose to write a few words, from a Spanish point of view, on the burning question of the day in England-whether secular studies should be joined with religion. It is my opinion, based upon a long experience and much thought on the subject, that religion is the foundation, and must be the necessary basis, of all civilisation, and most certainly should not be excluded from the studies pursued in colleges and universities, as many of your learned men in England seem to maintain. It is certainly a fact that we Spaniards have, during the last hundred years, changed very considerably in this respect, and that the teaching of the present day is not so collegiate as it was formerly; that is to say, that we do not give to our University Schools that great and due importance which was formerly given them by our illustrious predecessors, on which account so many usages and scholastic customs have disappeared, such as wearing the cap and gown, and many ceremonies and commemorations; and it is also a fact that, consequent upon the secularisation of instruction, the clergy no longer exercise the intervention which they should, nor do our Universities any longer boast that they are pontifical and ecclesiastical as they were from their institution. This secular spirit extends even to the point of lessening the number of ecclesiastics as professors; in our University, for instance, we possess but one clerical professor.

The secondary institutions of learning, founded with an expressly secular object, are yielding poor results even of the scientific order. But, thanks to the deep-rooted catholicity of our land implanted by the glorious Apostle Saint James, which no foreign dominion has been able to eradicate or find a substitute for, we have not reached that derangement of ideas which has, alas! swept over other countries. Rationalism has, and still finds, few votaries ainong the learned in Granada; especially in the faculty of philosophy and the learned professions to which I belong, the purely catholic element and scholastic philosophy largely preponderates. This catholic spirit pervades and shines generally in the inaugural addresses, such as the one read in 1876 in honour of Dr. Francisco Suarez, of the renowned Society of Jesus. This year, and the former one, our rector and many professors attended chapel in full academic robes, on the festival of St. Thomas Aquinas, to celebrate the religious services held on that day. In the other educational establishments, the clerical element and influence greatly predominate, particularly in the colleges; that is to say, in Granada, the Seminario Conciliar, or diocesan school, the College del Sacro Monte, and in the Escuelas Pias. Throughout Spain, primary education, which is certainly the principal and most important department, forming as it does the basis for other studies and of morality,

is unfortunately not so well attended to as we should wish, and this is also the case in Granada, although few cities can boast of so many colleges, seminaries, schools, academies of belles-lettres, industrial schools, economic societies, and literary establishments, which would lead many to infer at first sight that all was done that could be desired. This deficiency of primary education is the more deeply to be deplored when we take into account the ardent imagination of the Andalusians, which eminently fits them for literature rather than for science; although we must not forget that some have brilliantly distinguished themselves even in this latter quality, for Andalusia has produced among her sons such famous historians as Fernando del Castillo y Marmol; great preachers like Francisco de Toledo, and Fray Luis de Granada; and eminent theologians, geographers, physicians, and learned jurisconsults. But the mass of the people who cannot aspire to enter the universities, colleges, and schools, to obtain the education which they would there find, supply this deficiency by legends, tales, and romances-a field which of itself constitutes a species of oral or traditional literature. Politics have also mingled in these traditions, renderings of popular proverbs and sayings, patriotic songs and poems, which ever keep before the minds of our people the past glories of our country, and inspire them with a love of independence.

Were I to speak of the character, customs, and habits of the people of this province and city of Granada, I should begin by saying that they possess the traits of character common to the natives of all Andalusia, a character which partakes largely of the oriental element. They are not reserved like the Castilians, nor have they the fierceness of the Aragonese, the haughtiness of the Vizcayns, the callousness of the Catalans, or the levity of the Valencians. As a rule they are inclined to boastfulness, speak much of themselves, of their worth and riches, are naturally fond of ostentation, and rather pompous in their speech; yet we must add that they are not wanting in valour and heroism. They are merry and festive, their gaiety being accompanied by a certain simplicity and gravity of manner which is particularly observable in the dwellers of the mountains, who are frank, social, tender-hearted, and, with few exceptions, laborious. They are, moreover, gifted with a sharp wit, quick imagination, and great facility of expression. These qualities are found even in the inhabitants of hamlets destitute of all means of instruction, in whom none can help admiring the natural clearness evinced in their comprehension of ideas, no less than a certain cleverness and propriety in the modes of arranging their words and of expressing their ideas. Their social intercourse is gentle; and, though their customs largely participate of their native simplicity of character, yet in our capital I see a great leaning towards imitating the ostentation of the higher classes, which oftentimes is certainly far from being warranted by their wealth or social position.

Our climate most undoubtedly must needs exercise its influence upon the character of the natives of Granada. Who of those that live under the purest of skies could help being merry and light-hearted? Who of those that tread our luxuriant soil could be aught but generous and open-handed? And, feeling the scorching rays of the sun, our people are apt to become as vehement in their hatreds as in their affections.

Would you form a true estimate of the gentle, merry, and religious character of the people, and be truly amused by a graceful scene full of

animation, you should come and witness the annual excursion and a sort of national pic-nic which takes place on the 2nd of January in the Alhambra, in commemoration of the conquest of Granada; or mingle, on the 1st of February, in the festival of San Cecilio, the patron saint of this city; or visit the shores of the Darro on the evenings of the Feasts of Saint Peter, and on those of Saint John, in the gardens of the Gracia; or join the crowd on the 29th September, when the piety and devotion of the people take them to the elevated sanctuary of San Miguel el Alto. Whole families are seen wending their way luxuriating in the soft breezes of this delightful climate, and encamping in groups in the gardens, among the trees, and all about the rugged declivities of the mountains, forming a truly picturesque scene. Much more could I tell you, did I not fear to prove tedious, and of deviating from the plan laid down of the "Spirit of the Universities;" but what I have written, I think you will agree with me, is necessary to give some idea of the character and pursuits of our people, so little known in England.

I have been spending a few days in Malaga during the vacations, before resuming my duties in the University as professor, and, when time and opportunity offer, I will send you a few more lines, and keep you au courant of anything that passes here which may be of interest.