"That in any legislation for the benefit of the Universities, it is necessary that the system of Extra-mural Teaching should be strengthened and extended."Resolution of Edinburgh University Council, October, 1884. OPEN TEACHING IN THE UNIVERSITIES OF SCOTLAND. AT the last meeting of the General Council of the University of Edinburgh, held in October, 1884 (a meeting which happened to be more largely attended than usual, and to include prominent men belonging to both political parties), it was unanimously resolved that in any legislation for the benefit of the Universities, it is necessary that the system of extra-mural teaching shall be strengthened and extended. At a recent and very full meeting of the Faculty of Advocates, a resolution in the same direction was passed; and, so far as open teaching in law is concerned, it also may be said to have been unanimously adopted. For, while a large number of members, led by Professor Muirhead, were unable at once to approve of the detailed recommendations laid before the Faculty, yet even their proposed resolution ran, "That while it would be of advantage to have extra-mural teaching in law in the Universities, yet the recommendations of the Committee require further consideration," &c. And these are only some among many symptoms which indicate that the time has come when the idea of open teaching, long pressed in theory upon the Universities of Scotland, should be accepted in practice in the Faculties and Universities where it does not exist. But the first question is, What do we mean by open teaching, or extra-mural teaching, in the Universities? There is not much risk of those who live on this side of the Tweed, and who have been able to follow the course of things, making a mistake on this point. Still, a mistake is possible. It has been recently suggested that our scheme of open teaching is identical, or is connected, with the scheme of a |