Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 16.pdf/874

 The Student Rows of Oxford. moral force of character and of instincts to lead and to take an interest in his school mates for those latter attributes vi.l be likely in after life to guide him to esteem the performance of public duty as his high est aim." "No student shall be disqualified for elec tion ... on account of his race or re ligious opinions." While the selection of the student varies in the several Colonies and States, it is left largely to the local universities. In this country it is either vested in the Statn Uni versities, or in those universities which en joy similar prominence within their own commonwealths,—as Yale in Connecticut and Harvard in Massachusetts. Arrived at Oxford, the student is in the same position as any undergraduate ("com moner") of the University. "The duties of a Rhodes Scholar are not different from any other member of a college," says the Rhodes Agent in Oxford. "The receipt of the Scholarship does not bind him to do any thing in particular." Such are the provisions made by Mr. Rhodes to put his vast plan at least partly into execution. Last September the first American Scholars met in Boston and thence sailed together for Oxford. At the same time the Colonial Scholars were be ginning their journey from these fifteen British Colonies. Surely, to quote Milton's phrase, here is a faith manifested in "God's Englishmen." To what endeavor and achievement in the

far future will this perpetual session of an international conference lead? Who shall say! And yet the comrnent of Mr. Stead (p. 52) offers some suggestion. "Once each year Founder's Day will be celebrated at Oxford; and not at Oxford only, but wherever on the broad world's surface half a dozen old Rhodes Scholars come together they will celebrate the great ideal of Cecil Rhodes—the first of modern statesmen to grasp the sublime conception of the essen tial unity of the race. Thirty years here after there will be between two and three thousand men in the prime of life scattered all over the world, each one of whom will have had impressed upon his mind in the most susceptible period of his life the dream of the Founder." If in the quarrels of mediaeval Oxford we have seen our modern social adjust ments working themselves into definition, if therein we have seen the English nation ality slowly emerging; then are we not war ranted in seeing in this present movement, in this mere fragment of the Founder's dream come true, the promise of the time when "God's Englishmen" shall establish justice and liberty and peace in a far.broader fellowship? "Steeped in sentiment as she liés, spread ing her gardens to the moonlight, and whis pering from her towers the last enchant ments of the Middle Age,'' says Matthew Arnold, "who will deny that Oxford, by her ineffable charm, keeps ever calling us nearer to the true goal of all of us. . . ."

THE END.