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THE following illustrations of the idea of a University originally appeared in 1854, in the columns of the Dublin “Catholic University Gazette.”

In 1856 they were published in one volume, under the title of “Office and Work of Universities.”

Though the Author then put his name in the title-page, he thought it best to retain both the profession of incognito and the conversational tone in which he originally wrote; for the obvious reason, that, to have dropped either would have been to recast his work. For such a task he could not promise himself leisure; and, had he effected it, he might after all only have made himself more exact and solid at the price of becoming less readable, at least in the judgment of a day, which keenly appreciates the proverb, that “a great book is a great evil.” In saying this, however, he has no intention of implying that he has spared thought or pains in his composition, or of apologising for its matter.

P.S. In the present edition (1873) he has exchanged its original title for one which he considers more appropriate to its contents.