choir only, is a thing of beauty, and will be so whether it is ever finished or not. Many of our religious congregations in the United States can build a church, but cannot, for example, build a worthy steeple. Now if, instead of building after a draught which has no steeple, or building a cheap and tasteless steeple, they would lay the foundation of a suitable steeple and leave it unfinished until they are able to build it worthily, they would get a better structure in the end, and not be inconvenienced in the meantime by the delay. The fact that we want to use our structures as soon as possible need not lead us to spoil their ornamentation. But after we have supplied the practical demand, which is for an audience room, we should wait for the further artistic embellishments until we can meet the demands of taste. This custom of finishing at once everything that we begin has also the further evil tendency to prevent us from attempting anything very great or grand, like the noblest structures of Europe, because such structures require ages for their completion. AUSTIN BIERBOWER,

49 St. Paul St., Baltimore.

THE

HARVARD EXAMINATIONS FOR WOMEN.

HE general and importunate demand for a more thorough and liberal education for women has met with an encouraging response in England, which is being repeated in this country. In 1865 the Cambridge and Oxford examinations, established for those unable to follow the University course, were opened to girls. By the rules controlling these examinations, candidates were required to be under eighteen years of age. Strenuous endeavors were made to remove the restriction, which in course of time was done away with for both sexes by the institution of higher local examinations by the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Durham and Edinburgh. The number of applicants increased rapidly, and the inconvenience, in many cases the impossibility, of their coming to headquarters to attend the examinations, led to the creation of centres in various parts of the country where the examinations could be held simultaneously by authorized committees. As it has been easier to obtain information regarding the results at Cambridge than at the other universities, the following facts and figures

are taken from her, although the success of the experiments has been almost, if not quite, as great at all of them. In 1865 the entire number of candidates was 126; ten years later the examinations for women were held at fifty-six centres, and there were 1,552 candidates. The numbers for 1877 could not be procured in time for this article, but the writer knows of one school in London, the Camden school, under the direction of Miss Buss, which alone. sent up 100 girls.

In 1874 Harvard and Yale colleges consented to follow the generous example of the English universities, with what result as regards the latter we do not know; the first Harvard examinations for women were held in Cambridge in June of that year. In 1877, in consequence of numerous applications, examinations were held simultaneously in Cambridge and New York during the first and second weeks in June. In 1878 it is proposed to hold them at the same season in Cambridge, New York, Philadelphia and Cincinnati. In 1874 there were seven candidates, of whom four passed, and one was conditioned and passed the following year; in 1877 there were altogether twenty-four candidates, of whom but six took the whole course of studies; of those only three passed without conditions; of the rest four failed entirely. These figures are of little importance beyond showing the increase in the number of applicants, as, owing to chance or nervousness, female, like male. students, often fail in a branch in which they are well prepared. But the numerical disparity between this country and England— for it must be borne in mind that their Cambridge is only one of four headquarters-is overwhelming. It is due in some measure to the much greater proportion of gentlewomen in Great Britain who are compelled to earn their livelihood, which most of them do by teaching; but as many of the candidates are under no such necessity, that explanation but partly accounts for a difference so discreditable to the intelligence and aims of our countrywomen. Yet the standard of acquirements, although good, is within the reach of the average intellect.

To give an idea of the scholarship necessary for the preliminary examination, an abstract of the next course is subjoined.

REQUIREMENTS FOR 1878.

The preliminary examination will embrace the following subjects: English, French, Physical Geography, either Elementary

Botany or Elementary Physics, Arithmetic, Algebra through quadratic equations, Plane Geometry, History, and any one of the three languages, German, Latin, or Greek.

ENGLISH.

Candidates will be required to write a short composition, upon a subject to be given out at the time of the examination. They will be examined upon some pieces of standard literature, to be specified each year, and upon the history of English literature. In 1878, candidates will be examined in Shakspere's King Lear and As You Like It, as edited for the Clarendon Press series by William Aldis Wright.

FRENCH.

The candidate must be able to read French fluently and with a fair pronunciation.

An elementary knowledge of French history will be required, such as may be obtained from Duruy's smaller History (Petite Histoire de France).

Candidates will be examined upon either of the two following courses of reading at their option:

I. 1. Voltaire, "Charles XII." 2. George Sand, "La famille de Germandre." 3. Alfred de Vigny, “Cinq Mars." 4. Sandeau, "Mlle. de la Seiglière" (comedy). 5. Molière, "Le Misanthrope." 6. Racine, "Athalie."

II. 1. Souvestre, "Un philosophe sous les toits." 2. Töpffer, "La bibliothèque de mon oncle." 3. Mme. de Sévigné, "Lettres" (Didot's or Garnier's edition, Paris, or Masson's, London). 4. Feuillet, "Le Roman d'un jeune homme pauvre" (comedy). 5. Molière, "L'Avare." 6. Corneille, "Le Cid.”

Questions will be put to test the knowledge of the candidates in regard to allusions to history, geography and manners contained in the texts.

ELEMENTARY PHYSICS.

The examination will be based upon Balfour Stewart's "Elementary Physics." Ganot's "Elements of Physics" may be used for reference and further illustration.

BOTANY.

The examination will be based upon the following text books, but any equivalents will be accepted: Gray's "School and Field

Botany" (i. e. Gray's "First Lessons in Botany and Vegetable Physiology," combined with Gray's "Field, Forest, and Garden Botany"), and Grey's "How Plants Behave."

HISTORY.

The examination will cover the outlines of general History, the history of England and the history of the United States.

GERMAN.

Candidates will be expected to pronounce the language with reasonable correctness. The candidate must possess sufficient acquaintance with the syntax of the language to be able to turn simple sentences from English into German. The prescribed course of reading is as follows:

1. Adler's "Progressive Reader."

2. Zschokke's "Novellen" (Der todte Gast; Der zerbrochene Krug; Das Wirthshaus zu Cransac).

3. Schiller's "Don Carlos."

4. Tieck's "Blaubart."

LATIN.

Candidates will be examined upon

I. Latin Grammar and Writing Latin.

2. Phædrus, Justin, Nepos, contained in the Selection in the "Latin School Series."

3. The first three Books of Virgil's Æneid.

Besides an acquaintance with the outlines of Roman History, some knowledge of Roman Antiquities and of manners and customs is necessary, as well as an acquaintance with the leading events of the period in which the writer who is studied belongs.

GREEK.

Candidates will be examined in the first III pages of Goodwin and Allen's Reader (or four books of the Anabasis) and on Book I. of the Iliad.

"The preliminary examination is intended as a careful test of proficiency in a course of elementary study of a liberal order, arranged for persons who may or may not afterwards pursue their education. It differs, therefore, both in its purpose and in its selection of subjects, from any college examination,

whether for admission or for subsequent standing. It applies, however, the same standard of judgment in determining the excellence of the work offered, as would be used in judging of similar work done in Harvard College." (Extract from Circular of New York Local Committee for 1878.) Comparing it with the entrance examination of Harvard for 1877, in plane geometry the latter is more advanced; in arithmetic and algebra they are equal. In physics, the women's course is much more advanced, but the college requires chemistry of the young men in addition. In geography they are equal. In English composition, the subjects given to the young women require far more thought and previous general reading than the young men's. In French, the papers for the former are much more advanced and comprehensive. In Latin grammar they are equal; the composition is simpler for the women and their exercises in translation both shorter and simpler. In history, the examination for the latter is more advanced and extended. They have no Greek paper, and the young men none on English literature. Therefore, on the whole, the women's examination goes further than that of the candidates for Harvard College to prove actual having in most of the subjects. This examination can be taken, as a whole, only by candidates upwards of seventeen; but it may be divided between two years by girls not under sixteen. More will be expected in each branch from those who divide the course than from those who take the whole. No account will be made of a partial examination unless the candidate has passed in three subjects, when the result will be recorded by the University. No one will be admitted to examination on part of a subject. The certificates will be given only when the whole examination has been passed, in the following form: [Form of Certificate.]

A.

HARVARD UNIVERSITY.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION FOR WOMEN.

B- has passed (passed with distinction) (passed with the highest distinction) the Preliminary Examination held at on the

day of, 187-, under the direction of the Faculty of Harvard College, and is entitled to proceed to the Advanced Examination.

CAMBRIDGE, June, 187-.

President.

The Advanced Examination is for young women not less than