George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[368] allowed to administer his own department in his own way,¹ and when, after Dr. Kirkland's resignation and Mr. Quincy's advent as his successor in the Presidency, a new spirit and vigor were infused into the affairs of the College, Mr. Ticknor had no longer the same difficulties to contend with as in earlier years. He continued to labor zealously, so that, looking back afterwards, he said that he did, during those years, three quarters more work than was required of him by the statutes. He felt that the system on which he worked was successful, and often dwelt with satisfaction on the fact that, in the fifteen years during which he was professor, he was never obliged to apply to the College Faculty on account of any misdemeanor in the recitation-rooms under his charge, or in his lecture-room; nor did he ever send up the name of any young man for reproof. The instructors under him were foreigners,—for he held strongly the opinion that a foreign language should be taught only by one to whom it is native,—yet he never found trouble arising between these teachers and the young men.² Mr. Ticknor's purposes, throughout, should be judged by the ultimate results which he expected to follow a fair trial of the new system. The division of the classes by proficiency he regarded as indispensable, so long as the strictly academic character of the College was to continue; but he supposed that it would fall away naturally when the other important changes had taken effect, and an unlimited choice of studies, as in any university, had been introduced. His pamphlet was written wholly with this ulterior view and hope.³ What he contemplated, and for four or five years labored to