As to positive religion he wishes to know its history and will study in the original tongue sacred writings and all the languages relating to it that may throw light on it; he desires to possess the details of Church history and become acquainted with the usages of one century after another and the motives of the changes which took place .-- The law student is not content with a knowledge of the code of his country; in his studies everything must be related to the general principles of natural and political laws.

He must know the history of rights at all epochs, and, consequently, he has need of the political history of nations; he must be familiar with the various European constitutions, and be able to read the diplomas and charters of all ages; the complex German legislation obliges him, and will for a long time, to know the canon laws of both religious, of feudal and public law, as well as of civil and criminal law; and if the means of verifying at its sources all that is taught to him are not afforded to him, he regards instruction as cut short and insufficient."] [Footnote 6217: Louis Liard, "L'Enseignement superieur en France," pp.307-309] [Footnote 6218: Two prisons at the time.( SR.)] [Footnote 6219: Comte Chaptal, "Notes."-- Chaptal, a bright scholar, studied in his philosophy class at Rodez under M.Laguerbe, a highly esteemed professor.

"Everything was confined to unintelligible discussions on metaphysics and to the puerile subtleties of logic." This lasted two years.

Public discussions by the pupils were held three or four hours long; the bishop, the noblesse, the full chapter attended at these scholastic game-cock fights.

Chaptal acquired a few correct notions of geometry, algebra and the planetary system, but outside of that, he says, "I got nothing out of it but a great facility in speaking Latin and a passion for caviling."] [Footnote 6220: Useful qualities for an administrator, anytime anywhere.
(SR.)] [Footnote 6221: The Grande Ecoles today in 1998 produce first of all a special type of engineer, a general engineer, specialist in nothing but highly trained in mathematics, physics and chemistry.