Preliminary Examination Journal AND STUDENT'S LITERARY MAGAZINE. CHAPTER I. EXAMINATION NOTICES. Preliminary Examination for Solicitors. PURSUANT to the Judges' orders, the next Preliminary Examination in General Knowledge will take place on Wednesday the 15th, and Thursday the 16th of July, 1874. In addition to the ordinary subjects (including an elementary knowledge of Latin), the Special Examiners have selected the following books in which candidates will be examined : : In LATIN: Cicero, De Officiis, Book I. or Virgil, Georgics, Book I. In GREEK: Sophocles, Edipus Tyrannus. In MODERN GREEK: Βεντοτῆς 'IoTopía τns 'Aμεpins ẞißλiov . In FRENCH: M. Guizot, Guillaume le Conquérant, or Racine, Athalie. In GERMAN: Lessing's Fabeln, or Goethe, Hermann und Dorothea. In SPANISH: Cervantes, Don Quixote, cap. xv. to xxx. both inclusive, or Moratin, El Sí de las Niñas. In ITALIAN: Manzoni's I Promessi Sposi, cap. I. to VIII. both inclusive, or Tasso's Gerusalemme, 4, 5 and 6 cantos, and Volpe's Eton Italian Grammar. Each candidate will be examined in one language only, according to his selection. Candidates will have the choice of either of the abovementioned works. Intermediate Examination, under 23 & 24 Vict. c. 127, s. 9. The works selected for the year 1874 are- -CHITTY on Contracts, chapters 1, 2 and 3, with the exception, in chapter 3, of section 1, relating to Contracts respecting Real Property; 8th or 9th edition. WILLIAMS on the Principles of the Law of Real Property; 8th, 9th or 10th edition. HAYNES' Outlines of Equity; 3rd edition. Candidates will also be examined in Mercantile Bookkeeping generally. Final Examination for Solicitors. Candidates will be examined in- Common and Statute Law and Practice of the Courts; Conveyancing; Equity and Practice of the Courts. These are optional:- Bankruptcy and Practice of the Courts; Criminal Law; and Proceedings before Magistrates. Preliminary Examination for the Bar. The Preliminary Examinations for the Bar are held every Saturday during each legal term, and once in the week next preceding each legal term. The subjects of Examination are-(a) The English language; (b) The Latin language; and (c) English history. For further particulars as to all the above Examinations, Forms of Notices, &c., see No. XI. of this Magazine. TT CHAPTER II. THE CHOICE OF A PROFESSION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE MIND. THE difficulty of discerning the aptitude of a youth for any particular profession or destination sometimes baffles the penetration of even the most skilful and experienced parent. In dealing, therefore, with this subject we are not unmindful of the innumerable uncertainties and hypotheses which beset our path, especially as we must necessarily deal with the abstract and logical, and not with the factative portion of the subject, though analogies and anecdotes may tend in some measure to qualify our remarks. "Parents are interested in the metaphysical discussion whether there really exists an inherent quality in the human intellect which imparts to the individual an aptitude for one pursuit more than for another." It is, there fore, necessary that some principles should be laid down for the guidance of those who may not have had sufficient experience to be able to discen what we may call the "predisposition" of youth. Indeed, it is as well that they should know something of the subject, especially when we remember that parents are often the worst judges of the inclinations or predispositions of their children, for they are apt to mistake transient for permanent qualities; and even youths themselves err in this respect, for some are most enthusiastic for two or three months to enter one profession and the next two or three months to enter another, and if during such “passionate fervor" their parents unfortunately decide to allow them to enter the temporarily cherished profession, it may be no easy matter to avoid impend ing difficulties! Hence, the youth's hopes are blighted. Therefore, youths who evince a vacillating disposition ought to be regarded with keen attention, and with the view of ascertaining the precise "bent" of their minds all the points should be carefully summed up and weighed so as to see which scale descends; in just the same way as a judge selects various points of a case for the purpose of deducing a basis to enable the jury to handle something which is tangible. Some parents prefer to be dictated by the fancies of youth. Because John likes to skin cats and torture other animals, he will no doubt one day become president of the College of Surgeons; because Henry stands on a chair and imitates the clergyman whom he heard last Sunday, he will undoubtedly become Archbishop of Canterbury; and because Willy is usually impudent and asks the visitors many questions, he will, of course, make a gifted member of the bar, and perforce a lord chancellor of no mean power. But alas! the dream of glory in all quarters gradually fades away as Masters John, Henry and Willy grow to manhood. No longer do they evince childish littleness, and they may be coarse, heavy and stupid. In the face of this, who shall decide? We feel sure we do not exaggerate the case. How often have we heard parents picture future greatness for their infantile aspirants, and though we might have offered a little advice, we felt that nothing could pain us more than to level the chimera which the truly affectionate parent had raised! "Prejudice," from whatever cause, is a bad judge. Some youths, however, evince a predisposition which it may be well to follow. "The boys were standing under a hedge in the rain and a neighbour reported to the father the conversation he had overheard. John wished it would rain books, for he wished to be a preacher; Bezaleel, wool, to be a clothier like his father; Samuel, money, to be a merchant; and Edmund, plums, to be a grocer. The father took these as a hint, and we are told in the life of John Angier, the elder son, a puritan minister, that he chose for them these different callings, in which it appears they settled successfully." Even those parents who have had much experience frequently find it a most difficult matter to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. In the life of Tobie Mathews, Archbishop of York in James the First's reign, there is a curious anecdote of his grace's disappointment in the dispositions of his sons. The case, indeed, is not uncommon, as was confirmed by another great man, to whom the archbishop confessed it. one day finding the archbishop very melancholy, inquired the reason of his The old Lord Thomas Fairfax grace's pensiveness: "My lord," said the archbishop, "I have great reason of sorrow with respect of my sons; one of whom has wit and no grace, another grace but no wit, and the third neither grace nor wit." "Your case," replied Lord Fairfax, "is not singular. I am also sadly disappointed in my sons: one I sent into the Netherlands to train him up a soldier, and he makes a tolerable country justice, but a mere coward at fighting; my next I sent to Cambridge, and he proves a good lawyer, but a mere dunce at divinity; and my youngest I sent to the Inns of Court, and he is good at divinity but nobody at the law." The relator of this anecdote adds, "This I have often heard from the descendant of that honourable family, who yet seems to mince the matter because so immediately related. The eldest son was the Lord Ferdinando Fairfax-and the gunsmith to Thomas Lord Fairfax, the son of this Lord Ferdinando, heard the old Lord Thomas call aloud to his grandson, Tom! Tom! mind thou the battle! Thy father's a good man, but mere coward! All the good I expect is from thee!' It is evident that the old Lord Thomas Fairfax was a military character, and in his earnest desire of continuing a line of heroes, had preconcerted to make his eldest son a military man, who we discover turned out to be admirably fitted for a worshipful justice of the quorum. This is a lesson for the parent who consults his own inclinations and not those of natural disposition. In the present case the same lord, though disappointed, appears still to have persisted in the same wish of having a great military character in his family: having missed one in his eldest son, and settled his others in different vocations, the grandfather persevered and fixed his hopes, and bestowed his encouragements, on his grandson, Sir Thomas Fairfax, who makes so distinguished a figure in the civil wars." By the way, there are innumerable instances of great talents descending from grandfather to grandson and missing the father! We shall probably discuss these strange freaks of nature at some future time. 6 It is said that, as a rule, whatever a young man first applies himself to he will take a delight in afterwards. and perhaps when a young man does evince some peculiar taste or applicaThere is certainly much truth in this, tion it may be advisable not to overlook it. It appears to us that there are but three courses open to the parent. To speculate as nearly as possible, or to be guided by the youth's inclinations, which is of course the surest course, or to allow circumstances to regulate the matter. By the latter we mean that family arrangements and considerations are often to be borne in mind. For instance, it may sometimes be deemed necessary for pecuniary TT 2 and other reasons, to place a son in his father's profession. Where a parent has an excellent practice yielding a very respectable income, it would doubtless be unwise to place, say an only son, in another profession and chance his ever attaining an equally affluent position in that, unless, however, he gives undoubted proof of prodigious talent, and circumstances will admit of the venture. These remarks admit of some qualification, for although a solicitor may hand over his practice to his son, an eminent physician or barrister cannot do the same. It is a peculiar coincidence that there will almost invariably be found one or two of the sons in a family follow in every respect their father's taste, and this is extremely fortunate, where, as we have said, circumstances necessitate their maintaining an acquired practice. Even where a son does not evince a taste which is so much desired, it might be cultivated by care and gentleness. Many case have come under our notice and we have never once failed to kindle in the youth's mind a taste for his profession. We shall speak presently d natural and acquired tastes. The distinctions and uncertainties which pervade every principle which we might lay down are so nice that even where a youth evinces remarkable abilities but no particular inclination for one profession more than for another, most perplexing difficulties are presented to the parent. A decided character we may often observe is repugnant to a particular pursuit, delighting in another; talents, languid and vacillating in one profession we might find vigorous and settled in another; an indifferent architect might become an admirable lawyer! At the bar there are many gifted individuals who are nowhere as compared with less gifted but more worldly men. There can be no doubt that even the most splendid natural talents might be hidden if they were not developed by means of education. No parent ought to wish to know the bent of his son's mind till he has received s tolerably good education. Sometimes, however, where there is no strength of character, no particular inclination will be evinced, and, on the other hand, prodigious genius, such as shown in the case of Mozart, Landseer and many others whom we could mention, might evince itself at an extremely early age. Then again the youth who appears to be acute and energetic st fifteen or sixteen years of age might never develop these qualities, whereas a quiet youth of whom nobody expected anything might in a few years astonish everyone and indeed himself. Where great talent is evinced, as in the case of men we have mentioned, artificial means need not be resorted to, to develop an inclination, though, of course, education is as essential for the genius as it is for the man of ordinary talent. The question now suggests itself, "Is nature more potent than art?” A story recorded of Cecco d'Ascoli and of Dante on the subject of natural and acquired genius may illustrate the topic. Cecco maintained that nature was more potent than art, while Dante asserted the contrary. To prove his principle the great Italian bard referred to his cat, which, by repeated practice, he had taught to hold a candle in its paw while he supped or read. Cecco desired to witness the experiment, and came not unprepared for his purpose; when Dante's cat was performing its part, Cecco, lifting up the lid of a pot which he had filled with mice, the creature of art instantly showed the weakness of a talent merely acquired, and dropping the candle flew on the mice with all its instinctive propensity. Dante was himself disconcerted; and it was adjudged that the advocate for the occult principle of native faculties had gained his cause. A man might not for various reasons have had his mind directed to any particular study or vocation, and by the merest chance he might become an ornament in his profession. A particular circumstance has afforded us an opportunity of knowing that great talent might be hidden, and yet suddenly be brought to light. We know of a youth who up to a certain age took intense interest in literary and other pursuits, but who used to spend many evenings in the pantry with the butler, who being of a mechanical turn of mind endeavoured to discover "perpetual motion." This aroused such a keen enthusiasm for the science in the mind of the youth that he resolved to spend his pocket money in tools, and he has since chosen a scientific profession. Now it is evident that his inclination was hidden, and it is doubtful, as he had no friends who were members of a scientific profession, whether it would have been discovered, except by accident. And it has been so in innumerable instances. Not a few men who have electrified the world by their marvellous powers have been made by accident, while, on the other hand, may not many a gifted man have passed away unheeded! "Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear; Though the fact that "accident has frequently occasioned the most eminent geniuses to display their powers" does not bear directly on the subject of our article, we will mention a few instances, as the subject is very interesting. "It was at Rome," says Gibbon, "on the 15th of October, 1764, as I sat musing amidst the ruins of the Capitol, while the bare-footed friars were singing vespers in the Temple of Jupiter, that the idea of writing the Decline and Fall of the City first started to my mind." Father Malebranche, having completed his studies in philosophy and theology, without any other intention than devoting himself to some religious order, little expected the celebrity his works acquired for him. Loitering in an idle hour in the shop of a bookseller, and turning over a parcel of books, L'Homme de Descartes fell into his hands. Having dipt into parts, he read with such delight that the palpitations of his heart compelled him to lay the volume down. It was this circumstance that produced those profound contemplations which made him the Plato of his age. Cowley became a poet by accident. In his mother's apartment he found, when very young, Spenser's Fairy Queen, and by a continual study of poetry he became so enchanted by the muse that he grew irrecoverably a poet. Sir Joshua Reynolds had the first fondness for his art excited by the perusal of Richardson's Treatise. Vaucauson displayed an uncommon genius for mechanics. His taste was first determined by an accident. When young he frequently attended his mother to the residence of her confessor, and while she wept with repentance he wept with weariness! In this state of disagreeable vacation, says Helvetius, he was struck with the uniform motion of the pendulum of the clock in the hall. His curiosity was roused; he approached the clock-case and studied its mechanism; what he could not discover he guessed at. He then projected a similar machine, and gradually his genius produced a clock. Encouraged by this first success he proceeded |