Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/585

 once given a course which compelled them to study not only Language or Mathematics, but also History and Moral Philosophy, with an option of either Natural Philosophy, Physical Science, or Logic and Mental Philosophy. It is true that from the number of subjects, and the necessarily limited pro-vision for teaching, the result was, perhaps, in too many cases, an imperfect knowledge of several, in place of a more commanding grasp of one or two great subjects, but notwithstanding these defects it gave a thorough grasp of leading principles and not a mere superficial acquaintance with details, and thus imparted to some of the early students, what is one of the best outcomes of our system of education, a bent of mind not to see things as they appear through the darkened and distorted glass of prejudice and popular opinion, but with the naked eye of the mind, illumined by the clear beams of true literary and scientific knowledge. That course of study had its defects, many of which have now been removed—and with the organisation of the improved schemes the name of Dr. David Duncan will ever be remembered. You have now a better grounding in general knowledge, that is of things which a cultivated man ought to know. The number of subjects in the final stage has been reduced and the courses of study have been fixed on scientific lines. Moreover a vast improvement has taken place in quite recent years in the supply of Professorial teaching. Your fathers had teachers of high merit and noble character, whose names, as I speak, will flash into your minds, but these distinguished men would have been the first to admit that their work suffered because there was not enough division of labour. Through the liberality of your Government as regards both Departmental and Aided Colleges that defect has been in a great measure removed, and 1 trust this century will not close before at least in two colleges of this Presidency, there will be adequate Professorial teaching in each great branch in which this University examines. Thus, gentlemen, you will see that your opportunities of training yourselves are greatly superior to those your fathers enjoyed, except in one matter only, namely, in the facilities which existed for intercourse with your teachers. That loss has been unavoidable, because as in a large family of children the father and mother must substitute general for individual leading and guidance, so with a large body of students the professor must rest on the words spoken to the class as a whole, with an occasional word in season to the individual student, instead of the loving personal leading which we so often hear was characteristic of some of the men who taught your fathers. But my experience