orm occupied
by a man who talked to them about Romanticism and Realism; who told them
that Dickens was trash; who exalted Tolstoi and Ibsen; but who never let
them into the secret of what Romanticism was, and who kept them equally
in the dark as to the significance of Realism. They also found the best
seats in the lecture-hall occupied by the smart set in full
evening-dress, who talked almost as much and as loudly as did Professor
Peterkin. The masses did not even learn manners at Professor Peterkin's
first and second lectures, and the third and fourth found them
conspicuous by their absence. All they learned was that they were
ignorant, and that other people were better than they, and what my
father learned was that he had subscribed fifty dollars to promote a
series of social functions for the diversion of the four hundred and the
aggrandizement of Professor Peterkin. He started in for what might be
called Romanticism, and he got a Realism that he did not like in less
time than it takes to tell of it, and to-day in that town University
Extension is such a fad that when, some weeks ago, the swell club of
that place talked of appointing Thursday evening as its club night, it
was found to be impossible, for the reason that it might interfere with
the attendance upon the University Extension lectures. That, Mr.
Pedagog, is a matter of history and can be proven, and last night's
audience confirmed the impression which I had formed from what my father
had told me. Professor Peterkin's lectures are interesting to you, a
school-master, but they are pure Greek to me, who would like to know
more about letters. I would gather more instruction from your table-talk
in an hour than I could from Professor Peterkin's whole course."

"You flatter me," said Mr. Pedagog.

"No," returned the Idiot. "If you knew how little the ignorant gain from
Peterkin you would not necessarily call it flattery if one should say he
learned more from your conversation over a griddle-cake."

"You misconceive the whole situation, I think, nevertheless," said Mr.
Whitechoker. "As I understand it, supplementary lectures, and
examinations based on them, are held after the lectures, when the
practical instruction is given with great thoroughness."

"I'm glad you spoke of that," said the Idiot. "I had forgotten that part
of it. Professor Peterkin received pay for his lectures, which dealt in
theories only; plain Mr. Barton, who delivered the supplementary
l