student, and with his personal
advisers in the faculties. Every man of native power, who might take a
higher degree, and refuses to do so, because examinations interfere
with the free following out of his more immediate intellectual aims,
deserves well of his country, and in a rightly organized community,
would not be made to suffer for his independence. With many men the
passing of these extraneous tests is a very grievous interference
indeed. Private letters of recommendation from their instructors,
which in any event are ultimately needful, ought, in these cases,
completely to offset the lack of the breadwinning degree; and
instructors ought to be ready to advise students against it upon
occasion, and to pledge themselves to back them later personally, in
the market-struggle which they have to face.

It is indeed odd to see this love of titles--and such titles--growing
up in a country or which the recognition of individuality and bare
manhood have so long been supposed to be the very soul. The
independence of the State, in which most of our colleges stand,
relieves us of those more odious forms of academic politics which
continental European countries present. Anything like the elaborate
university machine of France, with its throttling influences upon
individuals is unknown here. The spectacle of the "Rath" distinction
in its innumerable spheres and grades, with which all Germany is
crawling to-day, is displeasing to American eyes; and displeasing also
in some respects is the institution of knighthood in England, which,
aping as it does an aristocratic title, enables one's wife as well as
one's self so easily to dazzle the servants at the house of one's
friends. But are we Americans ourselves destined after all to hunger
after similar vanities on an infinitely more contemptible scale? And
is individuality with us also going to count for nothing unless stamped
and licensed and authenticated by some title-giving machine? Let us
pray that our ancient national genius may long preserve vitality enough
to guard us from a future so unmanly and so unbeautiful!

[1] Published in the _Harvard Monthly_, March, 1903.

II. THE TRUE HARVARD[1]

When a man gets a decoration from a foreign institution, he may take it
as an honor. Coming as mine has come to-day, I prefer to take it for
that far more valuable thing, a token of personal good will from
friends. Recognizing the good will and the friendliness, I