d to receive the active support of men of wealth
in this country in carrying out his object.

It was a somewhat difficult and delicate matter to explain to the
philanthropic gentleman that American students were not likely to
collect in a home specially provided for them, but would prefer
to find their own home in their own way. I tried to do it with
as little throwing of cold water as was possible, but, I fear,
succeeded only gradually. But after two or three visits to New York
and Washington, it became evident to him that the funds necessary
for his plan could not be raised.

The inception of the affair was still not clear to me. I learned
it in Paris the year following. Then I found that the movement
was started by Mr. Furber, the sender of the telegram, a citizen of
Chicago, who had scarcely attained the prime of life, but was gifted
with that indomitable spirit of enterprise which characterizes
the metropolis of the West. What he saw of the educational
institutions of Paris imbued him with a high sense of their value,
and he was desirous that his fellow-countrymen should share in the
advantages which they offered. To induce them to do this, it was only
necessary that some changes should be made in the degrees and in the
examinations, the latter being too numerous and the degrees bearing no
resemblance to those of Germany and the United States. He therefore
addressed a memorial to the Minister of Public Instruction, who was
much impressed by the view of the case presented to him, and actively
favored the formation of a Franco-American committee to carry out
the object. Everything was gotten ready for action, and it only
remained that the prime mover should submit evidence that educators in
America desired the proposed change, and make known what was wanted.

Why I should have been selected to do this I do not know, but suppose
it may have been because I had just been elected a foreign associate
of the Institute, and was free from trammels which might have hindered
the action of men who held official positions in the government or
at the heads of universities. The final outcome of the affair was
the establishment in the universities of France of the degree of
Doctor of the University, which might be given either in letters
or in science, and which was expected to correspond as nearly as
possible to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Germany and America.

One feature of the case was brought out which m