The Higher Learning in America

第1章

PREFACE

ItissomethingmorethanadozenyearssincethefollowingobservationsonAmericanacademiclifewerefirstassembledinwrittenform。Inthemeantimechangesofonekindandanotherhaveoccurred，althoughnotsuchastoalterthecourseofpolicywhichhasguidedAmericanuniversities。Linesofpolicywhichwereonceconsideredtobetentativeandprovisionalhavesincethenpassedintosettledusage。Thisalteredandmorestablestateofthesubjectmatterhaspermittedarevisiontoavoiddetaileddocumentationofmattersthathavebecomecommonplace，withsomeresultingeconomyofspaceandargument。But，unhappily，revisionandabridgmentcarriesitsownpenalties，inthewayofamorefragmentarypresentationandamorerepetitiousconductoftheargument;sothatitbecomesnecessarytobespeakadegreeofindulgenceonthatground。

Unhappily，thisisnotallthatseemsnecessarytopleadinextenuationofrecurrentinfirmities。Circumstances，chieflyofapersonalincidence，haverepeatedlydelayedpublicationbeyondwhattherunofeventsatlargewouldhaveindicatedasapropitiousdate;andthesamecircumstanceshavealsoenjoinedasevererandmorerepressivecurtailmentintheavailabledata。Itmaynotbeoutofplace，therefore，toindicateinthemostsummaryfashionwhathasbeenthenatureofthesefortuitoushindrances。

Initsearlierformulation，theargumentnecessarilydrewlargelyonfirst—handobservationoftheconductofaffairsatChicago，undertheadministrationofitsfirstpresident。Asiswellknown，thefirstpresident’sshareinthemanagementoftheuniversitywasintimate，masterfulandpervasive，inaveryhighdegree;somuchsothatnosecurelineofdemarcationcouldbedrawnbetweentheadministration’spolicyandthepresident’spersonalruling。Itistrue，salientfeaturesofacademicpolicywhichmanyobserversatthattimewereinclinedtocredittotheproclivitiesofChicago’sfirstpresident，haveinthelatercourseofthingsprovedtobelongtotheimpersonalessenceofthecase;havingbeenapprovedbythemembersofthecraft，andsohavingpassedintogeneralusagewithoutabatement。Yet，atthetime，theshareoftheGreatPioneerinreshapingAmericanacademicpolicycouldscarcelyhavebeenhandledinadetachedway，asanimpersonalphenomenonoftheunfoldinghistoricalsequence。Thepersonalnotewas，infact，verygreatlyinevidence。

Andjustthen，presently，thatStrongMan’slifewasbroughttoaclose。Sothatitwouldunavoidablyhaveseemedabreachofdecorumtolettheseobservationsseekahearingatthattime，evenafteranypracticablerevisionandexcisionwhichfilialpietywouldenjoin。UndertheruleofNihilnisibonum，thereseemednothingforitbutalargereticence。

Butswiftly，withthepassageofyears，eventsprovedthatmuchofwhathadappearedtobepersonaltotheGreatPioneerwasinrealityintrinsictothehistoricalmovement;sothattheinnovationspresentlylosttheirpersonalcolour，andsowentimpersonallytoaugmentthegrandtotalofhumanachievementatlarge。Meanwhilegeneralinterestinthetopichadnowiseabated。

Indeed，discussionoftheacademicsituationwasrunninghighandinlargevolume，andmuchofitwastakingsuchaturn——

controversial，reproachful，hortatory，acrimonious——thatanythinginthewayofatemperatesurveyshouldpresumablyhavebeenaltogethertimely。

Butfortuitouscircumstancesagainintervened，suchasmadeitseemthepartofinsightandsobrietyagaintodeferpublication，untilthecolourofanirrelevantpersonalequationshouldagainhavehadtimetofadeintothebackground。Withthefurtherpassageoftime，itishopedthatnofortuitousshadowwillnowcloudtheissueinanysuchdegreeastodetractatallsensiblyfromwhatevervaluethisaccountofeventsandtheircausesmayhave。

Thisallusiontoincidentswhichhavenomaterialbearingontheinquirymaytolerantlybeallowed，asgoingtoaccountforasparinguseoflocalinformationand，itishoped，toextenuateadegreeofreserveandreticencetouchingdiversintimatedetailsofexecutivepolicy。

Itgoeswithoutsayingthatthemanybooks，papersandaddressesbroughtoutontheacademicsituationhavehadtheirshareinshapingtheessay。Moreparticularlyhavethesevariousexpressionsofopinionandconcernmadeitpossibletotakemanythingsforgranted，asmatterofcommonnotoriety，thatwouldhaveappearedtorequiredocumentationadozenorfifteenyearsago，aslyingatthattimestillinthefieldofsurmiseandforecast。Much，perhapsthegreaterbulk，oftheprintedmatterissuedonthisheadintheintervalhas，itistrue，beenofahortatoryoreloquentlyoptimisticnature，andmaythereforebeleftononeside。Buttheacademicsituationhasalsobeenreceivingsomeconsiderableattentionwithaviewtogettinganinsightintowhatisgoingforward。Oneandanotherofthesewriterstowhomthepresentessayisindebtwillbefondreferredtobynameinthepageswhichmoreparticularlyleanontheirsupport;andthelikeistrueforvariousutterancesbymeninauthoritythathavebeendrawnonforillustrativeexpressions。Butanarrowscrutinywoulddoubtlessmakeitappearthattheunacknowledgedindebtednessgreatlyexceedswhatsoisaccreditedandaccountedfor。Thatsuchisthecasemustnotbetakenasshowingintentionalneglectoftheduecourtesies。

March1916。

Inthecourseofthepasttwoyears，whilethemanuscripthasbeenlyinginwaitfortheprinter，anewsituationhasbeenforcingitselfontheattentionofmenwhocontinuetotakeaninterestintheuniversities。Onthisprovocationafewparagraphshavebeenadded，attheendoftheintroductorychapter。Otherwisethereappearstobenocallforachangeinthegeneralargument，andithasnotbeendisturbedsincetheearlierdate，whichisaccordinglyleftasitstands。

June1918。

CHAPTERONE

Introductory:ThePlaceoftheUniversityinModernLifeI

Inanyknowncivilizationtherewillbefoundsomethinginthewayofesotericknowledge。Thisbodyofknowledgewillvarycharacteristicallyfromoneculturetoanother，differingbothincontentandinrespectofthecanonsoftruthandrealityreliedonbyitsadepts。Butthereisthiscommontraitrunningthroughallcivilizations，astouchesthisrangeofesotericknowledge，thatitisinallcasesheld，moreorlessclosely，inthekeepingofaselectbodyofadeptsorspecialists——scientists，scholars，savants，clerks，priests，shamans，medicinemen——

whateverdesignationmaybestfitthegivencase。

Intheapprehensionofthegivensocietywithinwhichanysuchbodyofknowledgeisfounditwillalsobefoundthattheknowledgeinquestionisratedasanarticleofgreatintrinsicvalue，insomewayamatterofmoresubstantialconsequencethananyorallofthematerialachievementsorpossessionsofthecommunity。Itmaytakeshapeasasystemofmagicorofreligiousbeliefs，ofmythology，theology，philosophyorscience。Butwhatevershapeitfallsintointhegivencase，itmakesupthesubstantialcoreofthecivilizationinwhichitisfound，anditisfelttogivecharacteranddistinctiontothatcivilization。

Intheapprehensionofthegroupinwhoselifeandesteemitlivesandtakeseffect，thisesotericknowledgeistakentoembodyasystematizationoffundamentalandeternaltruth;

althoughitisevidenttoanyoutsiderthatitwilltakeitscharacteranditsscopeandmethodfromthehabitsoflifeofthegroup，fromtheinstitutionswithwhichitisboundinawebofgiveandtake。Suchismanifestlythecaseinallthehistoricphasesofcivilization，aswellasinallthosecontemporaryculturesthataresufficientlyremotefromoureverydayintereststoadmitoftheirbeingseeninadequateperspective。Apassablydispassionateinquiryintotheplacewhichmodernlearningholdsinmoderncivilizationwillshowthatsuchisalsothecaseofthislatest，andinthemindofitskeepersthemostmature，systemofknowledge。Itshouldbynomeansbeaninsuperablydifficultmattertoshowthatthis"higherlearning"ofthemodernworld，thecurrentbodyofscienceandscholarship，alsoholdsitsplaceonsuchatenureofuseandwont，thatithasgrownandshiftedinpointofcontent，aimsandmethodsinresponsetothechangesinhabitsoflifethathavepassedovertheWesternpeoplesduringtheperiodofitsgrowthandascendancy。Norshoulditbeembarrassinglydifficulttoreachthepersuasionthatthisprocessofchangeandsupersessioninthescopeandmethodofknowledgeisstilleffectuallyatwork，inalikeresponsetoinstitutionalchangesthatstillareincontinentlygoingforward。（1*）

Totheadeptswhoareoccupiedwiththisesotericknowledge，thescientistsandscholarsonwhomitskeepingdevolves，thematterwillofcoursenotappearinjustthatlight;moreparticularlysofarasregardsthatspecialsegmentofthefieldofknowledgewiththekeepingandcultivationofwhichtheymay，eachandseveral，beoccupied。Theyare，eachandseveral，engagedontheperfectingandconservationofaspeciallineofinquiry，theobjectiveendofwhich，intheviewofitsadepts，willnecessarilybethefinalandirreducibletruthastouchesmatterswithinitsscope。But，seeninperspective，theseadeptsarethemselvestobetakenascreaturesofhabit，creaturesofthatparticularmannerofgrouplifeoutofwhichtheirpreconceptionsinmattersofknowledge，andthemanneroftheirinterestintherunofinquiry，havesprung。Sothatthetermsoffinalitythatwillsatisfytheadeptsarealsoaconsequenceofhabituation，andtheyaretobetakenasconclusiveonlybecauseandinsofarastheyareconsonantwiththedisciplineofhabituationenforcedbythatmannerofgrouplifethathasinducedintheseadeptstheirparticularframeofmind。

Perhapsatafartherremovethanmanyothercurrentphenomena，butnonethelesseffectuallyforthat，thehigherlearningtakesitscharacterfromthemanneroflifeenforcedonthegroupbythecircumstancesinwhichitisplaced。Theseconstrainingcircumstancesthatsoconditionthescopeandmethodoflearningareprimarily，andperhapsmostcogently，theconditionsimposedbythestateoftheindustrialarts，thetechnologicalsituation;butinthesecondplace，andscarcelylessexactingindetail，thereceivedschemeofuseandwontinitsotherbearingshasitseffectinshapingtheschemeofknowledge，bothastoitscontentandastouchesthenormsandmethodsofitsorganization。Distinctiveanddominantamongtheconstituentfactorsofthiscurrentschemeofuseandwontisthepursuitofbusiness，withtheoutlookandpredilectionswhichthatpursuitimplies。Thereforeanyinquiryintotheeffectwhichrecentinstitutionalchangesmayhaveuponthepursuitofthehigherlearningwillnecessarilybetakenupinapeculiardegreewiththeconsequenceswhichanhabitualpursuitofbusinessinmoderntimeshashadfortheideals，aimsandmethodsofthescholarsandschoolsdevotedtothehigherlearning。

TheHigherLearningascurrentlycultivatedbythescholarsandscientistsoftheWesterncivilizationdiffersnotgenericallyfromtheesotericknowledgepurveyedbyspecialistsinothercivilizations，elsewhereandinothertimes。Itengagesthesamegeneralrangeofaptitudesandcapacities，meetsthesamerangeofhumanwants，andgrowsoutofthesameimpulsivepropensitiesofhumannature。Itsscopeandmethodaredifferentfromwhathasseemedgoodinotherculturalsituations，anditstenetsandcanonsaresofarpeculiarastogiveitaspecificcharacterdifferentfromtheseothers;butinthemainthisspecificcharacterisduetoadifferentdistributionofemphasisamongthesamegeneralrangeofnativegiftsthathavealwaysdrivenmentothepursuitofknowledge。Thestressfallsinasomewhatobviouslydifferentwayamongthecanonsofrealitybyrecoursetowhichmensystematizeandverifytheknowledgegained;whichisinitsturnduetothedifferenthabituationtowhichcivilizedmenaresubjected，ascontrastedwiththedisciplineexercisedbyotherandearliercultures。

Inpointofitsgenesisandgrowthanysystemofknowledgemayconfidentlyberunback，inthemain，totheinitiativeandbiasaffordedbytwocertainimpulsivetraitsofhumannature:anIdleCuriosity，andtheInstinctofWorkmanship。（2*）

Inthisgenerictraitthemodernlearningdoesnotdepartfromtherulethatholdsforthecommonrun。Meninstinctivelyseekknowledge，andvalueit。Thefactofthisproclivityiswellsummedupinsayingthatmenarebynativegiftactuatedwithanidlecuriosity，——"idle"inthesensethataknowledgeofthingsissought，apartfromanyulterioruseoftheknowledgesogained。（3*）This，ofcourse，doesnotimplythattheknowledgesogainedwillnotbeturnedtopracticalaccount。Inpointoffact，althoughthefactisnotgreatlyrelevanttotheinquiryhereinhand，thenativeproclivityherespokenofastheinstinctofworkmanshipwillunavoidablyinclinementoturntoaccount，inasystemofwaysandmeans，whateverknowledgesobecomesavailable。Buttheinstinctofworkmanshiphasalsoanotherandmorepertinentbearinginthesepremises，inthatitaffordsthenorms，ortheschemeofcriteriaandcanonsofverity，accordingtowhichtheascertainedfactswillbeconstruedandconnectedupinabodyofsystematicknowledge。Yetthesenseofworkmanshiptakeseffectbyrecoursetodiversexpedientsandreachesitsendsbyrecoursetovaryingprinciples，accordingasthehabituationofworkdaylifehasenforcedoneoranotherschemeofinterpretationforthefactswithwhichithastodeal。

Thehabitsofthoughtinducedbyworkdaylifeimposethemselvesasrulingprinciplesthatgovernthequestofknowledge;itwillthereforebethehabitsofthoughtenforcedbythecurrenttechnologicalschemethatwillhavemost（ormostimmediately）tosayinthecurrentsystematizationoffacts。Theworkinglogicofthecurrentstateoftheindustrialartswillnecessarilyinsinuateitselfasthelogicalschemewhichmust，ofcourse，effectuallygoverntheinterpretationandgeneralizationsoffactinalltheircommonplacerelations。Butthecurrentstateoftheindustrialartsisnotallthatconditionsworkmanship。

Underanygiveninstitutionalsituation，——andthemodernschemeofuseandwont，lawandorder，isnoexception，workmanshipisheldtoamoreorlessexactingconformitytoseveraltestsandstandardsthatarenotintrinsictothestateoftheindustrialarts，eveniftheyarenotalientoit;suchastherequirementsimposedbythecurrentsystemofownershipandpecuniaryvalues。

Thesepecuniaryconditionsthatimposethemselvesontheprocessesofindustryandontheconductoflife，togetherwiththepecuniaryaccountancythatgoeswiththem——thepricesystemhavemuchtosayintheguidanceandlimitationsofworkmanship。

Andwhenandinsofarasthehabituationsoenforcedinthetrafficofworkdaylifegoesintoeffectasaschemeoflogicgoverningthequestofknowledge，suchprinciplesashavebyhabitfoundacceptanceasbeingconventionallysalutaryandconclusiveinthepecuniaryconductofaffairswillnecessarilyleavetheirmarkontheideals，aims，methodsandstandardsofscienceandthoseprinciplesandscholarship。Moreparticularly，standardsoforganization，controlandachievement，thathavebeenacceptedasanhabitualmatterofcourseintheconductofbusinesswill，byforceofhabit，ingoodpartreassertthemselvesasindispensableandconclusiveintheconductoftheaffairsoflearning。Whileitremainstruethatthebiasofworkmanshipcontinuestoguidethequestofknowledge，undertheconditionsimposedbymoderninstitutionsitwillnotbethenaiveconceptionsofprimitiveworkmanshipthatwillshapetheframeworkofthemodernsystemoflearning;butratherthepreconceptionsofthatdisciplinedworkmanshipthathasbeeninstructedinthelogicofthemoderntechnologyandsophisticatedwithmuchexperienceinacivilizationinwhoseschemeoflifepecuniarycanonsaredefinitive。

Themoderntechnologyisofanimpersonal，matter—of—factcharacterinanunexampleddegree，andtheaccountancyofmodernbusinessmanagementisalsoofanextremelydispassionateandimpartiallyexactingnature。Itresultsthatthemodernlearningisofasimilarlymatter—of—fact，mechanisticcomplexion，andthatitsimilarlyleansonstatisticallydispassionatetestsandformulations。Whereasitmayfairlybesaidthatthepersonalequationonce——inthedaysofscholasticlearning——wasthecentralanddecisivefactorinthesystematizationofknowledge，itisequallyfairtosaythatinlatertimenoeffortissparedtoeliminateallbiasofpersonalityfromthetechniqueortheresultsofscienceorscholarship。Itisthe"drylightofscience"thatisalwaysinrequest，andgreatpainsistakentoexcludeallcolorofsentimentality。

Yetthishighlysterilized，germ—proofsystemofknowledge，keptinacool，dryplace，commandstheaffectionofmoderncivilizedmankindnolessunconditionally，withnomoreafterthoughtofanextraneoussanction，thanoncedidthehighlypersonalizedmythologicalandphilosophicalconstructionsandinterpretationsthathadthevogueinthedaysoftheschoolmen。

Throughallthemutationsthathavepassedoverthisquestofknowledge，fromitsbeginningsinpuerilemythandmagictoits（provisional）consummationinthe"exact"sciencesofthecurrentfashion，anyattentivescrutinywillfindthatthedrivingforcehasconsistentlybeenofthesamekind，traceabletothesameproclivityofhumannature。Insofarasitmayfairlybeaccountedesotericknowledge，ora"higherlearning，"allthisenterpriseisactuatedbyanidlecuriosity，adisinterestedproclivitytogainaknowledgeofthingsandtoreducethisknowledgetoacomprehensiblesystem。Theobjectiveendisatheoreticalorganization。alogicalarticulationofthingsknown，thelinesofwhichmustnotbedeflectedbyanyconsiderationofexpediencyorconvenience，butmustruntruetothecanonsofrealityacceptedatthetime。Thesecanonsofreality，orofverity，havevariedfromtimetotime，haveinfactvariedincontinentlywiththepassageoftimeandthemutationsofexperience。Asthefashionsofmoderntimehavecomeon，particularlythelaterphasesofmodernlife，theexperiencethatsohasshapedandreshapedthecanonsofverityfortheuseofinquiringmindshasfallenmoreandmoreintothelinesofmechanicalarticulationandhasexpresseditselfevermoreunreservedlyintermsofmechanicalstress。Concomitantlythecanonsofrealityhavetakenonamechanisticcomplexion，totheneglectandprogressivedisuseofalltestsandstandardsofamoregenialsort;untilintheoff—handapprehensionofmodernmen，"reality"comesnearbeingidentifiedwithmechanicalfact，and"verification"istakentomeanaformulationinmechanicalterms。Butthefinaltestofthisrealityaboutwhichtheinquiriesofmodernmensoturnisnotthetestofmechanicalserviceabilityforhumanuse，butonlyofmechanisticallyeffectualmatter—of—fact。

Soithascomeaboutthatmoderncivilizationisinaveryspecialdegreeacultureoftheintellectualpowers，inthenarrowersenseoftheterm，ascontrastedwiththeemotionaltraitsofhumannature。Itsachievementsandchiefmeritsarefoundinthisfieldoflearning，anditschiefdefectselsewhere。

Anditisonitsachievementsinthisdomainofdetachedanddispassionateknowledgethatmoderncivilizedmankindmostingenuouslyplumesitselfandconfidentlyrestsitshopes。Themoreemotionalandspiritualvirtuesthatonceheldthefirstplacehavebeenovershadowedbytheincreasingconsiderationgiventoproficiencyinmatter—of—factknowledge。Asprimemoversinthetideofcivilizedlife，thesesentimentalmovementsofthehumanspiritbelonginthepast，—atleastsuchistheself—complacentavowalofthemodernspokesmenofculture。Themoderntechnology，andthemechanisticconceptionofthingsthatgoeswiththattechnology，arealientothespiritofthe"OldOrder。"TheChurch，thecourt，thecamp，thedrawing—room，wheretheseelderandperhapsnoblervirtueshadtheirlaboratoryandplayground，havegrownweedyandgonetoseed。Muchoftheapparatusoftheoldorder，withthegoodoldway，stillstandsoverinastateofdecentrepair，andthesentimentallyreminiscentendeavorsofcertainspiritual"hold—overs"stilllendthisapparatusofarchaismsomethingofagalvaniclife。Butthatpowerofaspirationthatoncesurgedfullandhotinthecultsoffaith，fashion，sentiment，exploit，andhonor，nowatitsbestcomestosuchaheadasitmayintheconcertedadulationofmatter—of—fact。

Thisesotericknowledgeofmatter—of—facthascometobeacceptedassomethingworthwhileinitsownright，aself—legitimatingendofendeavorinitself，apartfromanybearingitmayhaveonthegloryofGodorthegoodofman。Menhave，nodoubt，alwaysbeenpossessedofamoreorlessurgentpropensitytoinquireintothenatureofthings，beyondtheserviceabilityofanyknowledgesogained，andhavealwaysbeengiventoseekingcuriousexplanationsofthingsatlarge。Theidlecuriosityisanativetraitoftherace。Butinpasttimessuchadisinterestedpursuitofunprofitableknowledgehas，byandlarge，notbeenfreelyavowedasalegitimateendofendeavour;orsuchhasatanyratebeenthestateofthecasethroughthatlatersegmentofhistorywhichstudentscommonlytakeaccountof。Aquestofknowledgehasovertlybeenratedasmeritorious，orevenblameless，onlyinsofarasithasappearedtoservetheendsofoneoranotherofthepracticalintereststhathavefromtimetotimeoccupiedmen’sattention。Butlatterly，duringthepastfewgenerations，thislearninghassofarbecomeanavowed"endinitself"that"theincreaseanddiffusionofknowledgeamongmen"isnowfreelyratedasthemosthumaneandmeritoriousworktobetakencareofbyanyenlightenedcommunityoranypublic—spiritedfriendofcivilization。

Theexpediencyofsuch"increaseanddiffusion"isnolongerheldindoubt，becauseithasceasedtobeaquestionofexpediencyamongtheenlightenednations，beingitselftheconsummationuponwhich，intheapprehensionofcivilizedmen，theadvanceofculturemustconverge。Suchhascometobethelong—termcommonsensejudgmentofenlightenedpublicopinion。A

settledpresumptiontosomesucheffecthasfoundlodgmentasacommonplaceconvictioninthepopularmind，inmuchthesamemeasureandinmuchthesameperiodoftimeasthecurrentbodyofsystematicknowledgehastakenonthecharacterofmatteroffact。Forgoodorill，civilizedmenhavecometoholdthatthismatter—of—factknowledgeofthingsistheonlyendinlifethatindubitablyjustifiesitself。Sothatnothingmoreirretrievablyshamefulcouldovertakemoderncivilizationthanthemiscarriageofthismodernlearning，whichisthemostvaluedspiritualassetofcivilizedmankind。

ThetruthofthisviewisborneoutbytheprofessionsevenofthoselieutenantsofthepowersofdarknesswhoarestrainingtolaywasteanddebauchthepeoplesofChristendom。Inhigh—pitchedconcerttheyallswearbythenameofa"culture"

whosesoleinalienableassetisthissameintellectualmasteryofmattersoffact。Atthesametimeitisonlybydrawingontheresourcesofthismatter—of—factknowledgethattheprotagonistsofreactionareabletocarryontheircampaignofdebaucheryanddesolation。

Otherintereststhathaveoncebeenheldinhigheresteemappearbycomparisontohavefallenintoabeyance，——religiousdevotion，politicalprestige，fightingcapacity，gentility，pecuniarydistinction，profuseconsumptionofgoods。Butitisonlybycomparisonwiththehighervaluegiventothisenterpriseoftheintellectthatsuchotherinterestsappeartohavelostground。Theseandthelikehavefallenintorelativedisesteem，asbeingsordidandinsubstantialbycomparison。Notthatthese"lower"humaninterests，answeringtothe"lower"rangesofhumanintellect，havefallenintoneglect;itisonlythattheyhavecometobeaccounted"lower，"ascontrastedwiththequestofknowledge;anditisonlyonsobersecondthought，andperhapsonlyfortheephemeralpresent，thattheyaresoaccountedbythecommonrunofcivilizedmankind。Menstillareinsufficientlyhotpursuitofallthesetime—wornamenities，andeachforhimselfis，inpointoffact，morethanlikelytomakethepursuitofsuchself—seekingendstheburdenofhislife;butonadispassionaterating，andunderthecorrectiveofdeliberateavowal，itwillappearthatnoneofthesecommendthemselvesasintrinsicallyworthwhileatlarge。Atthebesttheyareratedasexpedientconcessionstohumaninfirmityorasmeasuresofdefenseagainsthumanperversityandtheoutragesoffortune。Thelastresortoftheapologistsforthesemoresordidendeavoursisthepleathatonlybythismeanscantheulteriorendsofacivilizationofintelligencebeserved。TheargumentmayfairlybeparaphrasedtotheeffectthatinordertoserveGodintheend，wemustallbereadytoservetheDevilinthemeantime。

Itisalwayspossible，ofcourse，thatthispre—eminenceofintellectualenterpriseinthecivilizationoftheWesternpeoplesisatransientepisode;thatitmayeventually——perhapsevenprecipitately，withthenextimpendingturninthefortunesofthiscivilization——againberelegatedtoasecondaryplaceintheschemeofthingsandbecomeonlyaninstrumentalityintheserviceofsomedominantaimorimpulse，suchasavaingloriouspatriotism，ordynasticpolitics，orthebreedingofacommercialaristocracy。MorethanoneofthenationsofEuropehavemovedsofarinthismatteralreadyastoplacetheprimacyofscienceandscholarshipindoubtasagainstwarlikeambitions;andtheaspirationsoftheAmericancommunityappeartobedivided——

betweenpatriotismintheserviceofthecaptainsofwar，andcommerceintheserviceofthecaptainsoffinance。Buthithertothespokesmenofanysuchculturalreversionarecarefultodeclareaperfunctoryfaithinthatcivilizationofdisinterestedintellectualachievementwhichtheyareendeavouringtosuborntotheirseveralends。Thatsuchproformadeclarationsarefoundnecessaryarguesthatthefaithinacivilizationofintelligenceisstillsofarintactastorequireallreactionariestomaketheirpeacewithit。

Meantimetheeasymatter—of—coursepresumptionthatsuchacivilizationofintelligencejustifiesitselfgoestoarguethatthecurrentbiaswhichsocomestoexpressionwillbetheoutcomeofasecureandprotractedexperience。Whatunderliesandhasbroughtonthisbentinthetemperofthecivilizedpeoplesisasomewhatintricatequestionofinstitutionalgrowth，andcannotbegoneintohere;butthegradualshiftingofthismatter—of—factoutlookintotheprimacyamongtheidealsofmodern。Christendomissufficientlyevidentinpointoffact，toanyattentivestudentofmoderntimes。Conceivably，theremaycomeanabrupttermtoitsparamountvogue，throughsomeprecipitatesweepofcircumstances;butitdidnotcomeinbyanythinglikethesuddenintrusionofanewinventioninideals——afterthefashionofareligiousconversionnorbytheincursionofahithertoalienelementintothecurrentschemeoflife，butratherbyforceofagradualandunintended，scarcelyperceptible，shiftingofemphasisbetweentheseveralculturalfactorsthatconjointlygotomakeuptheworkingschemeofthings。

Alongwiththisshiftingofmatter—of—factknowledgeintotheforegroundamongtheidealsofcivilizedlife，therehasalsogoneonasimilarlyunpremeditatedchangeintheattitudeofthosepersonsandestablishmentsthathavetodowiththislearning，aswellasintheratingaccordedthembythecommunityatlarge。Againitisamatterofinstitutionalgrowth，ofself—wroughtchangesintheschemeofuseandwont;andhereasinothercasesofinstitutionalgrowthanddisplacement，thechangeshavegoneforwardforthemostpartblindly，byimpulse，withoutmuchforeknowledgeofanyulteriorconsequencestowhichsuchasequenceofchangemightbesaidtotend。Itisonlyafterthenewgrowthofuseandwonthastakeneffectinanalteredrangeofprinciplesandstandards，thatitsdirectionandulteriorconsequencescanbeappreciatedwithanydegreeofconfidence。Butthisdevelopmentthathasthrownupmatter—of—factknowledgeintoitsplaceofparamountvalueformodernculturehasinapeculiardegreebeenunintendedandunforeseen;thelikeappliestothecaseoftheschoolsandthepersonnelinvolved;andinapeculiardegreethedriftandbearingofthesechangeshavealsonotbeenappreciatedwhiletheyhavebeengoingforward，doubtlessbecauseithasallbeenapeculiarlyunprecedentedphenomenonandawhollyundesigneddriftofhabituation。Historyrecordsnothingthatisfairlycomparable。Noerainthehistoricpasthassetapatternforguidanceinthismatter，andtheexperienceofnoneofthepeoplesofhistoryaffordsacluebywhichtohavejudgedbeforehandoftheprobablecourseandoutcomeofthisspecificallymodernandoccidentalphaseofculture。

Someslightbeginningsandexcursionsinthewayofacultivationofmatter—of—factlearningtheremayhavebeen，nowandagain，amongthemanyshiftingsystemsofesotericlorethathaveclaimedattentionhereandthere，earlyandlate;andtheseneedbynomeansbeaccountednegligible。Buttheyhaveonthewholecometonothingmuchbetterthanbrokenexcursions，asseenfromthepointofviewofthelatterdayhigherlearning，andtheyhavebroughtintobearingnothingappreciableinthewayofestablishmentsdesignedwithoutafterthoughttofurthertheadvanceofdisinterestedknowledge。Anythinglikeaculturalerathatavowedlytakessuchaquestofknowledgeasitschiefanddistinctivecharacteristicisnotknowntohistory。Fromthisisolatedstateofthecaseitfollows，unfortunately，thatthismodernphaseistobestudiedonlyinitsownlight;andsincethesequenceofdevelopmenthashithertoreachednosecureconsummationorconclusion，thereisalsomuchroomforconflictingopinionsastoitspresumptiveorlegitimateoutcome，orevenastoitspresentdrift。