Political Science at Johns Hopkins.

Whatever is said in this letter refers simply to the graduate section of the Department of Historical and Political Science, and not to the undergraduate, which is a subordinate feature. In 1879 Dr. H. C. Adams (fellow in political economy, Johns Hopkins, 1876-8) was appointed instructor in political economy. He retained the position, however, for only one year, accepting in 1880 a call to the University of Michigan, where he is now the professor of political economy. His place was soon filled. In the fall of 1880, at the earnest recommendation of President Andrew D. White and others, Dr. Ely was appointed lecturer in political economy. In 1881 Dr. Scott resigned to take a professorship in Rutgers College. His position as instructor in History was taken in 1882 by Dr. J. F. Jameson, Fellow in History 1881-2. The last addition to the corps of instructors was at the beginning of the present collegiate year, when Prof. Geo. H. Emmott (M. A., University of Cambridge, and for four years lecturer at Owen's College, Manchester, Eng.) was summoned from England as Professor of Logic and Ethics. Prof. Emmott is specially concerned with the historical department as lecturer on Roman Law and Comparative Jurisprudence.

The historical students have a library called the Bluntschli Library, entirely separate from the main library. It numbers ten thousand bound volumes and there are perhaps as many pamphlets more. A specially noteworthy feature is what is called the Bluntschli-Lieber collection, set off by itself in a separate case. It is justly regarded as the most important possession of the library. It was obtained in this way. In 1882, the German citizens of Baltimore purchased the private library of Bluntschli, including his student notebooks of the lectures of Savigny and Niebuhr, and generously presented it to the Historical Library. The widow of Francis Lieber in 1884 presented to the library the entire published works of her husband, and a number of manuscript annotations in his own hands.

The lines of study followed may be comprised under four heads; (1.) Institutional History and the Theory of Politics, under Dr. Adams. (2.) Advanced Political Economy, including topics such as co-operation, finance, and taxation, under Dr. Ely. (3.) Roman Law, under Prof. Emmott. (4.) Historical Criticism, under Dr. Jameson. The methods of work may be classified. as threefold: (1.) Class lectures. (2.) Outside reading on specified topics. (3.) Original research, as evinced by essays and short monographs. The aim of instruction is to make the student self-reliant. Work is done rather by topics than by text-books.

No account of the department is complete without a mention of the Seminary. This important association technically called the "Seminary of American History and Economics," meets every Friday evening for two hours. The exercises consist of reviews of current historical and economic literature and the presentation and discussion of papers. During the fall months two live talks on current questions were given. The first was by Edward P. Allinson, a young lawyer in Philadelphia, interested in the reform movement in city politics there. Mr. Allinson gave a running epitome of his historical study of "City Government in Philadelphia." The second was by Senator Dawes, who at a public meeting of the seminary last December most clearly and forcibly presented his views on the Indian question. Ever since the formation of the department has it been the privilege of the students to hear prominent men lecture. Such historians as Freeman and Bryce of England and Von Holst of Germany, such American educators as Francis A. Walker and the Rev. J. Lewis Diman, for many years before his death Professor of History in Brown University, have in years past helped by their words to shape the thought of the students of history in the University.

In 1882 was begun the publication of the "Studies in Historical and Political Science." These studies are issued in annual series, twelve numbers each. The subjects are national in character, chiefly from the fields of Institutions and Economics. The practical value of the "Studies" is great. The present series, the fifth, is made up, with the exception of three numbers, of brief studies of city governments, their historical development and present status. - N. Y. Post.