At the present day in England our systems are very set.  A man matriculates at a university and completes his course there:  to change even from one college to another is becoming almost unknown.  Abroad, however, things are more fluid, and students pass on from university to university in search of the best teacher for special parts of their course.  So it was in Erasmus’ time.  A course of lectures attended in one university could be reckoned in another; and thus men often proceeded to their degrees within a short time of their matriculation.  Having taken his Bachelor’s degree at Paris, Erasmus at once proposed to convert it into a Doctor’s in Italy; but one hope after another of going there was disappointed.  In 1506 he wished to take it in Cambridge; but after obtaining his grace, he was offered a chance to go to Italy as tutor to the sons of Henry VII’s Italian physician.  He accepted with delight, and was made D.D. as he passed through Turin; the formalities apparently requiring only a few days.

The art of reasoning is an excellent thing; and so long as man continues to live according to reason, some training in this art will continue to be a part of education.  Indeed, an elementary knowledge of it is as necessary as an elementary acquaintance with the art of arithmetic.  Both arts have this in common that though their feet walk upon the earth, their heads are lost in the clouds.  A moderate attainment of them is indispensable to all; but their higher developments can only be comprehended by the acutest minds.  In the Middle Ages the art of reasoning had been raised to such a pitch of perfection that it entirely dominated the schools.  Its exponents were so proud of it that its bounds were continually extended; and it became impossible to obtain a university degree without a high level of proficiency in disputation.  For his examination a candidate was required to dispute with all comers—­in practice this came to be a small number of appointed examiners, three or four—­on questions which had been announced beforehand.  It was not a hasty affair—­time was allowed for reflection, and the examination might easily last several hours or even all day.  But clearly readiness in debate was likely to count in a man’s favour, and so besides knowledge of standard authors to be adduced in support of opinions—­the Bible, the Fathers, the mediaeval commentators, the Canon Law and the glosses upon it—­it was important to a candidate to be able to handle a question properly, to divide it up into its different parts by means of distinctions, to shear off side issues, to examine the various facets which it presented when approached from different points of view; and all this without hesitation, and of course in Latin.