SOMETHING ABOUT RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES.

THERE are now nine universities in Russia. They cannot boast of great antiquity, for in Russia proper there was no university until the middle of the eighteenth century, when one was founded at Moscow by the Empress Elizabeth.

The Russian government, as is well known, has a constitutional antipathy to new ideas, and the strictest care is taken that none enter the Empire. Only subjects the study of which does not tend to spread dissatisfaction with existing institutions are allowed to be taught. It is quite amusing to see how the sciences are prepared for learners. To eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge is dangerous, so the Russian government removes from the knowledge to be administered all evil effects. From the gymnasia - preparatory schools with a seven years' course - the candidate is admitted into the university with a stock of knowledge manufactured on the above principles. But in spite of these precautions the spirit of the nineteenth century does reach the susceptible youths, and the consequence is that the students are plagued with communism, socialism, nihilism, and other isms, keeping the "courts" in constant session.

All the universities, except those at Dorpat and Helsingfors, which have also a theological faculty, consist of three faculties, - medical, juridical, and philosophical. The latter is divided into two divisions, - a philological and a mathematical. Instruction consists only in lectures, and attendance is not compulsory; neither prayers nor church attendance is considered a necessary part of a university education. In general, it may be said that Russian universities are modelled after the German fashion. The time of the course is not prescribed, although an attendance of at least four years is expected from a student.

In two important points a Russian student differs from a son of the fatherland; he does not consider it a point of honor to swallow at least a keg of beer in a month, and he wears a uniform-Foreigners are always puzzled to see the connection between university learning and a uniform. But this mystery is explained by the fact that the students are civilly and criminally under the jurisdiction of the University Board. The uniform serves, then, to detect the evil-doers in case of mischief done. The students are ungrateful enough not to appreciate the beauties of this system, and the result is constant conflict with the authorities.

Pi.