A Gap Year or Two

Young man, go to Europe! It is not without due reflection that I venture thus to reverse the geographical direction of a famous saying. As America now stands, I believe by far the most valuable education a young man can obtain is a European trip, undertaken during the years most often devoted to a college course. It costs no more; it may evencost less; and I make bold to say it is immesaurably more educative Allowing that America is still the best country in which to be born, I Allowing that America is still the best country in which to be born, I still maintain that Europe is the best country in which to get a year'seducation. I mean a year of travel, enjoyment, observation. The best learning of all is the learning we acquire without ever knowing it. Nothing makes impressions so vivid as pleasure. Now, travel holds the same position with regard to mankind, its history, its industry, its arts, its organisation, as laboratory work holds to chemistry, field work to geology, and dissection to biology. If you want to understand the world of men, you must go and see it.