HHMte&LfiMMMMMMNj No. 3. Ski.k-uemanck. 827 young man, of a " youug gentleman." The Qymnasiast has none of that imlcpcn. dent, self-asscrting, ambitious air, so pc culiar to the American student. He docs not trouble liis head about politics, or the great events of the day. He has no opin. ions. He lias no institutions of his own, in which he is independent of the teacher no " paper," no " literary society," no self conducted public exercises. In a word, he des not exercise his weapons in mimic warfare against the more earnest battle of life. All this is left for the Uni versity. Even here much of it is not so fully represented as .with us. Herein is the chief difference between the Gymnasium and the American uni. vcrsity; for the method of instruction, the aim of the two institutions is nearly the same abstract development of the mental faculties; scientific method, per soual investigation is not aimed at; this is left for the University by the Germans, by us, it is often left out entirety. Our in struction in common with that of the Gymnasium is based upon second-hand knowledge, the text-book; that of the Ger man university, upon the Quclleti, the Sources, a great word which plays a great role here, and whoso significance we ought to learn. Eluotte. Munich, Jan., 20, 1878. SELF-RELIANCE. Any system of education, which does not cultivate the habit of self-reliance in the pupil, is faulty; for, with all the helps and encouragements that man succeeds in obtaining, his success depends mainly upon himself ; and any assistance which gdes farther than the development of the inherent strength of the individual, be comes a hindcrauce to true advancement. Wc do not mean that spirit which dis claims all brotherhood with those about us; on the contrary, the self-reliant char acter is often u strength to those who come in contact with him. He would much rather give than receive, lend than borrow, both of substance and sympathy. If disappointed in the hope of one enjoy ment he readily turns to another, yielding to the force of circumstances as cheerful, ly as possible. He never shirks individ ual responsibility, but rocognizes the fact that notwithstanding the many influen ces bearing upon the life of each, strong in power, perplexing in natuic, and con fusing in multiplicity, there is a point where he must stand in the strength of his own character, and no one can relieve him of his accountability. The importance of this may be im pressed upon the mind very early in life. Wc well remember our first les son in this direction outside of the home circle. When about six years of age we were sent to the village " store " with a bundle of " paper-rags," witli instructions to purchase just what we wanted for ourselves; but, in our bashfulness, we were unable to think of a single thing which would contribute just then to our enjoyment, and the good natured merchant wrote a " due-bill " for the nineteen cents, which wc were obliged to carry home, sincerely hoping that that would be the last of it. But, no! our usu ally indulgent father was stern in that matter, and we were obliged to present the bill iu due form, and purchase its amount with no help or advice from anyone. And many times in the glid ing years have we been glad that such a kev-note in our life was thus early struck, for it has never ceased to vibrate; and with all the helps which we have received, and they have not been few, and all the encouragements which have come to us, and they have been mniij', we have always found ourselves in need of all the self-reliance we could control. So we end as we began, siting that any system of education which fails to leach self-reliance, is faulty. jfflw MW "' -