What have such men to do with study?
If their minds are made up irrevocably, why burn the 'studious lamp' in search of further confirmation?
Every set opinion I hear a student deliver I feel a certain lowering of my regard.
He who studies, he who is yet employed in groping for his premises, should keep his mind fluent and sensitive, keen to mark flaws, and willing to surrender untenable positions.

He should keep himself teachable, or cease the expensive farce of being taught.

It is to further this docile spirit that we desire to press the claims of debating societies.

It is as a means of melting down this museum of premature petrifactions into living and impressionable soul that we insist on their utility.

If we could once prevail on our students to feel no shame in avowing an uncertain attitude towards any subject, if we could teach them that it was unnecessary for every lad to have his _opinionette_ on every topic, we should have gone a far way towards bracing the intellectual tone of the coming race of thinkers; and this it is which debating societies are so well fitted to perform.
We there meet people of every shade of opinion, and make friends with them.