founded his famous forgeries, the tragedies of Douglas, Fingal, and Temora, which he asserted to be translations of ancient Celtic MSS.

For a time these works attained an immense popularity, both in England and on the continent; partaking, as they did, of the wild beauties and lofty diction of Homer, and the solemnity and grandeur of Milton, their fame rapidly spread in all civilized nations; they were translated into Russian, and acted upon the stages of Germany, where they are still much admired and read; and, it is said, that Napoleon thought them equal to anything in modern literature. But Johnson, and other English critics, disputed their authenticity, and called for the original MSS; they argued against such refinement among the ancient Celts, and accused Macpherson of a universal plagiarism from the whole range of literature. Macpherson was of course unable to produce MSS., and failed to substantiate the antiquity of his works.

It is not improbable that there exist sufficient materials among these MSS. out of which to weave a genuine Celtic epic. Within the last few years, the world has been impressed with the Indian Mahabharata, and the Finns have had their great epic, the Kalevala, exhumed and given to the world. Let us hope that the renewed study and research of Celtic literature, will soon give us an epic worthy of the race, and deserving of a place beside the Iliad, the Niebelungen Lied, and the other great national epics of the world.

State University.

H. J. DESMOND.

SELECTED.

SKETCHES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.-V.

DR. J. W. STERLING.

The election by the board of regents, on the seventh day of October, 1848, of John H. Lathrop, LL. D, as chancellor of the University, and John W. Sterling, A. M., as professor of mathematics, was the first action looking towards the organization of a faculty for the institution. Ever since that day, Prof. Sterling has filled the same chair. He was born in Wyoming county, Pennsylvania, on the 17th of July, 1816. His earlier education was such as could be obtained in common schools; but his aspirations for more liberal instruction, determined him to attend an Academy at Hamilton, New York. At

this institution, and at a similar one in Homer, in the same state, he received the necessary preparation for entering college. However, he now turned his attention to the law reading in the office of Judge Woodward, of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, where, after two years study, he passed the required examination and was admitted to the bar; but he never entered upon active duties in the line of that profession.

In the fall of 1837- then twenty-one years of age- his desire for broader culture induced him to enter the sophomore class at the college of New Jersey. He completed the regular course in that institution, graduating with honor in the class of 1840. Before this, he had been elected principal of Wilkesbarre academy, and he now engaged as instructor therein. He continued in that office very successfully for one year, when he resigned to enter upon another course of study; this time, in the theological seminary at Princeton, New Jersey This occupied three years. He completed the course in the spring of 1844. During the most of this period he officiated as tutor in the New Jersey college. He now spent a year or more in missionary labors in Pennsylvania.

Prof. Sterling came to Wisconsin in July, 1846. Soon after his arrival, he was elected professor of mathematics in Carroll college, Waukesha. He occupied the chair but a short time, when he resigned his office" the sinews of war" were wanting. He then engaged in teaching a private school in that place until called to the University of Wisconsin.

As an instructor he is conscientious, prompt, painstaking, accurate. Other teachers may carry their pupils further in a given time, but few will instruct them better. His methods and manner, however much they may differ from others, have this important characteristic: they produce satisfactory results. Of his ability in the class-room, hundreds of students who have had the benefit of his teaching, are witnesses.

But not alone as teacher has the career of Prof. Sterling for so many years, been a marked one. We come now to speak of him as acting head of the University. The connection of Chancellor Barnard with the institution was little else than in name, particularly as regards the actual administration of its affairs; the onus was upon the shoulders of Prof. Sterling, who was, during the whole time, virtually its chief officer. From the resignation of Dr. Barnard to the installation of President Cladbourne, a period of over six years, he was acting-chan

cellor de facto, as well as de jure. He proved himself, during this period, a wise counselor, a faithful friend to the students, extending encouragment and generous aid to all who were in need, ruling in University affairs with a firm but kindly hand, and by precept and example stimulating all the classes to a higher culture and nobler manhood. Throughout all these university years, besides the care and numerous duties connected with his office, he was engaged the most of the time, four or five hours daily, in the class-room. Prof. Sterlings's unselfish devotion to the University, through evil as well as through good report, — his faithful stewardship, uniformity rendered, whether as professor or chief officer, - have endeared him in a marked and peculiar way, not only to those immediately connected with the institution, but to its friends everywhere.

During the entire connection of Prof. Sterling with the University, he has not lost over two months. He was appointed dean of the faculty in 1860; in 1865, vice-chancellor; and vice-president in 1869, which office he still holds. For one year after the resignation of President Chadbourne, he was the acting head of the University by virtue of his office as vice-president, and again for one term after the resignation of President Twombly. In addition to the chair of mathematics, he has filled for a number of years that of natural philosophy and astronomy. While acting-chancellor, after the resignation of Dr. Barnard, Prof. Sterling presided at commencements to the time of Dr. Chadbourne's administration, giving a brief address at each. From the last of these the following is extracted:

"It is with unfeigned pleasure that I greet you as alumni of the University of Wisconsin. You have struggled up to this position through many difficulties and discouragements. In the unswerving constancy and persistence with which, in the face of so many obstacles, you have adhered to the noble purpose of acquiring an education, we have the earnest of an honorable and successful life.

"I rejoice in every worthy accession to the graduates of the University. The number and character of its alumni is one of the most potent elements of influence and prosperity to any institution of learning. How much do Harvard, and Yale, and Princeton, to-day owe to their numerous alumni scattered all over the world. Very few have any proper appreciation of the difficulties, which, even in the most favorable circumstances, must be encountered by those who are engaged in laying the foundations of an institution of learning. One and perhaps the principal source of difficulty, lies in the absence of 2- Vol. IX. - No. 1

that sympathy and co-operation which are best supplied by a numerous and loyal alumni.

*

*

*

*

*

*

แ "We rejoice in any evidence that the predjudice and the opposition under which the University has heretofore labored, are giving way to more enlightened views, and more worthy action. We take pride in recognizing the fact that the people and the legislature of this state are beginning to extend to their University that sympathy and generous support without which it cannot reasonably be expected to prosper. And we look forward to the day, not far distant, when the University of Wisconsin shall be the chief pride of the state, and her glory abroad."

In 1866, Prof. Sterling received from his alma mater, the honorary degree of doctor of philosophy, and the same year from Lawrence University, at Appleton, Wisconsin, that of doctor of laws. As a man he is above reproach. His integrity of character, scrupulous fidelity, and high sense of honor, are beyond question.-C. W. BUTTERFIELD, in the University Press.

WISCONSIN'S COAT OF ARMS.

We are permitted to copy the following letter from Col. Geo. W. Burchard, private secretary of Governor Smith, and are sure that it will be interesting to every reader of the Journal:

STATE OF WISCONSIN, EXECUTIVE DEP'T, MADISON, WIS. MR. H. A. BEMIS, Milton College, Milton, Wis.

-

Dear Sir: A temporary absence has prevented an earlier reply to your favor, making inquiry as to the motto of Wisconsin, its origin and interpretation; but availing myself of the first moment's leisure since returning, I take much pleasure in communicating such information in regard to the subject as I have been able to gather.

The records of the executive office and of the office of the Secretary of State, are entirely silent in regard to the origin or interpretation of the Great Seal, or the devices engraved thereon. The Seal was procured by Governor Nelson Dewey, very soon after, if not before, his first inauguration as Governor, in 1848; and a description thereof deposited with and recorded by the Secretary of State, December 29, 1851.

It is believed that Governor Dewey applied to Chancellor Lathrop, of the State University, to design a Great Seal for the State, and

that a design therefor was furnished by him, and that Governor Dewey, being in the city of New York, was about to have a seal engraved therefrom. On his way to the engravers, the Governor chanced to meet, in Wall Street, the Hon. E. G. Ryan-now Chief Justice of the State and, exhibiting the design to him, it was criticised and disapproved; and then and there those two citizens of Wisconsin, in that busy thoroughfare, designed the present seal and coat of arms of the State. Doubtless, it is to this circumstance and the associations connected there with that we are to look for the explanation of the motto "Forward." The motto of New York is "Excelsior," and, being in New York, her motto came prominently into notice and suggested the similar one of "Forward." A representation of a badger was introduced, not so much because "badgers" were more plenty in Wisconsin than elsewhere, but because the settlers in the Territory, from the earliest times after the Jesuit missionaries, were called "Badgers" to distinguish them from the people of Illinois, who were called "Suckers," because they came up the various streams during the period of high water in the spring and went down again with rafts, etc. Whereas the Wisconsin settlers, in those early days, were mostly in the mining regions of the southwest, and remained there throughout the year, and not a few of them literally "burrowed in the ground" after the manner of badgers-excavating rather than building dwellings. The shield supported by the sailor and miner, and bearing the emblems of agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and mining, surrounding the smaller national shield and motto is, of course, easily understood, without explanation.

Very respectfully,

-From the Milton College Journal.

GEO. W. BURCHARD.

COUNTRY SCHOOLS.-I.

In city and country the objects of education are alike, but the conditions of the two are so dissimilar that the schools are necessarily unlike in organization and general methods. The aggregation of pupils in the city allows of a gradation and division of labor quite impossible in the country; and the concentrated wealth of the city gives superior advantages in the way of school-houses and all the appliances of education. Still there are compensations in the country; and in excellence of results country schools, intelligently conducted,