Bearing still better
fruit, the student, in each of these four circumscriptions, derives
information from his co-disciples lodged right and left in the nearest
compartments, the jurist from the historian, from the economist, from
the philologist, and reciprocally, in such a way as to profit by their
impressions and suggestions, and enable them to profit by his. He
must have no other object in view for three years, no rank to obtain,
no examination to undergo, no competition for which to make
preparations, no outward pressure, no collateral preoccupation, no
positive, urgent and personal interest to interfere with, turn aside
or stifle pure curiosity. He pays something out of his own pocket for
each course of lectures he attends; for this reason, he makes the best
choice he can, follows it up to the end, takes notes, and comes there,
not to seek phrases and distraction, but actualities and instruction,
and get full value for his money. It is assumed that knowledge is an
object of exchange, foodstuffs stockpiled and delivered by the
masters; the student who takes delivery is concerned that it is of
superior quality, genuine and nutritious; the masters, undoubtedly,
through amour-propre and conscience, try to furnish it this; but it is
up to the student himself to fetch it, just what he wants, in this
particular storehouse rather than in others, from this or that
lecture-stand, official or not.
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