A Disheartening Encounter with Academia

The next morning I delivered my letters of introduction, and paid a visit to some of the principal

professors, and among others to M. Krempe, professor of natural

philosophy. He received me with politeness, and asked me several questions concerning

my progress in the different branches of science appertaining to natural philosophy. I mentioned,

it is true, with fear and trembling, the only authors I had ever read upon those subjects.

The professor stared: “Have you,” he said, “really spent your time in studying such nonsense?”