undertake to be a clergyman, unless
he possesses certain qualifications of mind and character which
evidently qualify him for that profession. But he does not see why he
has not the right to become a wearisome professor or an incompetent
physician, if he chooses to enter upon such a career. Is a man not
free to take up what profession he pleases? He must take the risk, of
course; but if he fails, he fails.

And when he is asked to consider from the point of view of ethics the
question of marriage and its responsibilities, he is at first inclined
to consider the whole subject as rather a matter for jest. Has a man
not the right to marry or remain single exactly as he pleases? And is
he not free to marry any one whom he can persuade to accept him? To be
sure, he should be a little careful about marrying quite out of his
class, and he should not be hopelessly careless about money matters.
Thus, a decision, which may affect his whole life as much as any other
that he can be called upon to make, which may practically make it or
mar it, is treated as though it were not a matter of grave concern, but
a private affair, entailing no serious consequences to any one and
calling for no reflection.

I wish it could be said that the world outside of the college regarded
these matters in another light. But the student faithfully represents
the opinions current in the community from which he comes. And he
represents, unhappily, the teachings of the stage and of the world of
current fiction. The influence of these is too often on the side of
inconsiderate passion, which stirs our sympathy and which lends itself
to dramatic effect. With the writers of romance the ethical
philosophers have an ancient quarrel.

It may be said: But the world gets along very well as it is, and
without brooding too much upon ethical problems. To this we may
answer: Does the world get along so very well, after all? Are there no
evils that foresight and some firmness of character might have
obviated? And when we concern ourselves with the educated classes, at
least, the weight of whose influence is enormous, is it too much to
maintain that they should do some reading and thinking in the field of
ethics? should strive to attain to clear vision and correct judgment on
the whole subject of man's duties?

Just at the present time, when psychological studies have so great a
vogue, one scarcely feels compelled to make any sort of an apology for
the