te in order by constantly applying to it that _jus
et norma loquendi_ of which, if you seek to the great models, you will
likewise find yourselves inheritors.

'But,' it is sometimes urged, 'why not leave this new study of English to
the younger Universities now being set up all over the country?' 'Ours is
an age of specialising. Let these newcomers have something--what better
than English?--to specialise upon.'

I might respond by asking if the fame of Cambridge would stand where it
stands to-day had she followed a like counsel concerning other studies
and, resting upon Mathematics, given over this or that branch of Natural
Science to be grasped by new hands. What of Electricity, for example? Or
what of Physiology? Yes, and among the unnatural sciences, what of
Political Economy? But I will use a more philosophical argument.

Some years ago I happened on a collection of Bulgarian proverbs of which
my memory retains but two, yet each an abiding joy. In a lecture on
English Literature in our Universities you will certainly not miss to
apply the first, which runs, 'Many an ass has entered Jerusalem.'

The application of the second may elude you for a moment. It voices the
impatience of an honest Bulgar who has been worried overmuch to subscribe
to what, in this England of ours, we call Church Purposes; and it runs,
'All these two-penny saints will be the ruin of the Church.'

Now far be it from me to apply the term 'two-penny saint' to any existing
University. To avoid the accusation I hereby solemnly declare my deep
conviction that every single University at this moment in England,
Scotland, Wales or Ireland has reasons--strong in all, in some
overwhelmingly strong--for its existence. That is plainly said, I hope?
Yet I do maintain that if we go on multiplying Universities we shall not
increase the joy; that the reign of two-penny saints lies not far off
and will soon lie within measurable distance; and that it will be
a pestilent reign. As we saw in out last lecture the word
'University'--_Universitas_--had, in its origin, nothing to do with
Universality: it meant no more than a Society, organised (as it
happened) to promote learning. But words, like institutions, often rise
above their beginnings, and in time acquire a proud secondary
connotation. For an instance let me give you the beautiful Wykehamist
motto _Manners Makyeth Man_, wherein 'manners' originally meant no more
than 'morals.' So there has grown around