hours long became a chronic complaint
with him.
    One day, because the days were so short, he decided to give up algebra and
geometry. Trigonometry he had not even attempted. Then he cut chemistry from his
study-list, retaining only physics.
    »I am not a specialist,« he said, in defence, to Ruth. »Nor am I going to
try to be a specialist. There are too many special fields for any one man, in a
whole lifetime, to master a tithe of them. I must pursue general knowledge. When
I need the work of specialists, I shall refer to their books.«
    »But that is not like having the knowledge yourself,« she protested.
    »But it is unnecessary to have it. We profit from the work of the
specialists. That's what they are for. When I came in, I noticed the
chimney-sweeps at work. They're specialists, and when they get done, you will
enjoy clean chimneys without knowing anything about the construction of
chimneys.«
    »That's far-fetched, I am afraid.«
    She looked at him curiously, and he felt a reproach in her gaze and manner.
But he was convinced of the rightness of his position.
    »All thinkers on general subjects, the greatest minds in the world, in fact,
rely on the specialists. Herbert Spencer did that. He generalized upon the
findings of thousands of investigators. He would have had to live a thousand
lives in order to do it all himself. And so with Darwin. He took advantage of
all that had been learned by the florists and cattle-breeders.«
    »You're right, Martin,« Olney said. »You know what you're after, and Ruth
doesn't. She doesn't know what she is after for herself even.
    - Oh, yes,« Olney rushed on, heading off her objection, »I know you call it
general culture. But it doesn't matter what you study if you want general
culture. You can study French, or you can study German, or cut them both out and
study Esperanto, you'll get the culture tone just the same. You can study Greek
or Latin, too, for the same purpose, though it will never be any use to you. It
will be culture, though. Why, Ruth studied Saxon, became clever in it, - that
was two years ago, - and all that she remembers of it now is Whan that sweet
Aprile with his schowers soote -