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the discipline of a college as the nature of the case admits, yet they can never compensate for the advantage of a society living like one family within the same walls: nor can any regulations remedy the increased expense of university education, necessarily produced by the present mode of lodging the young men. Upon this subject, however, we look forward to an improved state of things: the author of the Grace for Classical Examinations is known to have originated a plan at once spirited and judicious, for increasing the buildings of his own college: and there can be little doubt, but that a measure which has been long demanded by the circumstances of the University, will, after the example has been given, find imitation in some other societies: in this respect, as well as in many other particulars, the spirit of rivalry existing among our different colleges, is sure to promote the general interests of the body. This step will prove more gratifying to the friends of an English system of education, than perhaps any other that could be named; and it will entitle its author to the lasting gratitude, not only of the present, but of future generations.

Our annual examinations for Chancellor's medals and University scholarships have, I readily confess, a powerful influence in promoting the study of the classics. Such is the zeal and industry which they generate, that, as your Lordship, who has long been an examiner on these occasions, will testify, it is not unfrequent to find students of less than three years standing, who exhibit a familiarity with the greater part of the Greek and Latin writers of the purest ages; who, in their imitations of the poets in both languages, performed within three or four hours, show spirit, taste, and correctness, which would deserve praise were they the productions of long time and study; and who add to these acquirements a very extensive knowledge in history, antiquities, chronology, grammar, and philology, and sometimes answer satisfactorily to almost every description of questions upon these subjects, that can reasonably be put to a student. Both the benefit to the individuals and the credit resulting to the University are great; but then the benefit extends only to eight or ten persons at the utmost, belonging to each year, who are stimulated to exertion by the influence of these prizes. Of the effect which is certain to ensue from the proposed liberal and unlimited competition, we have already a strong illustration at the contests for our University Scholarships: here the examiners occasionally mention with honor some able scholars, who come next to the successful candidate; and it is well known that many young men prepare themselves long and industriously for this trial, without cherishing any hopes of the prize itself, but aspiring only to that uncertain and unrecorded honor:

Tantus amor laudum, tántæ est victoria curæ.

What would the effect be upon the generous ambition and ingenuous minds of the youths, were appropriate rewards offered to every gradation of real merit! To confine classical distinctions to two persons of each year, is a restriction, the fairness or expediency of which I never yet heard any one maintain. Let us suppose, however, that there was some reason for this precise limit, at the institution of the medals in 1751; it would follow that the four-fold increase of our numbers since that period would make it requisite to extend the distinctions at present to eight. But the only equitable rule for limiting the number is the positive merit of the candidates; which differs, as might be expected, very materially in different years. Under the existing system, we must expect to see cases of hardship and inequality in the dispensation of honor; and such your Lordship will acknowledge actually to have occurred. Sometimes students of great talents and great acquirements in every department of classical literature, are dismissed by the University without any reward or distinction whatever, because they fall somewhat short of the two first among their contemporaries: yet it has happened that the persons thus left in the undistinguished crowd, have deserved to stand in the very highest class, both of scholarship and ability, and were every way calculated to confer lustre upon the place of their education. Your Lordship will perhaps recollect that, about four years ago, a proposal was made to the examiners for the medals to remedy this palpable defect, by. publishing for the future an order of merit among those candidates, who should be unanimously adjudged deserving of University distinction, according to the manner now practised among the Wranglers: the proposal was well received at the time, nor was any doubt entertained of its receiving the sanction of our Chancellor, who always shows himself interested for the credit and prosperity of the establishment over which he presides: there is reason also to believe that the measure, if adopted, would have been generally acceptable to the University. However, similar consequences will ere long, I trust, be produced by the enactment of the general plan of which we have been speaking:

λόγος γὰρ ἔκ τ ̓ ἀδοξούντων ἰων,

κἀκ τῶν δοκούντων αὐτὸς, οὐ ταὐτὸν σθένει.

The examination for the medals will then hold the same relation to the classical tripos, which that for Dr. Smith's two prizes now bears to the mathematical.

As I am not willing to disguise any fact which bears upon my subject, I frankly acknowledge that the proposed system will prove a greater benefit to the small colleges than to the large ones; since in the latter societies, owing to the great number of their students,

the examinations do possess an importance, and produce an incentive, which cannot be expected in the same degree, where the competition is more confined. But in a community like ours, it must always happen, that a public regulation will affect some of the societies more than others: and it would be a reflection upon the members of our two large colleges to imagine, that they can be influenced by any such considerations to oppose an enactment, which promises so much benefit to the general cause of University. education. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that they will not be gainers, and considerable gainers too, by a scheme, which will infallibly raise the tone and standard of industry and of literature throughout the whole body. Besides, as we have already mentioned, experience proves the insufficiency of the examinations even of the large colleges, useful and efficacious as they are, to guard against determined neglect of every thing, except that pittance of knowledge barely sufficient for a degree. It is now proposed to require, at the end of the period of education, an account of the proficiency of each person in all the various studies which his college has already encouraged him to pursue: such a measure, therefore, will prove not an interference, but a powerful auxiliary to the systems pursued in each society. At present, an instructor often experiences material difficulty in prevailing upon his aspiring pupils to study works, even of the most valuable description, which are not expected to conduce, in some way or other, to success at a public examination: and when, in deference to advice and authority, the young man does read such books, it is with haste and impatience, as if under the impression that he is losing time.'. This is a consequence inseparable from our method of competition; an evil, perhaps, it may be called-but one which can only be remedied by extending that competition to all essential branches of an under-graduate's study. It is an additional recommendation of the plan, that it does not interfere, in point of time, with any college system. While adverting to this subject, I may perhaps be excused for mentioning a topic which is now become a piece of academical history; I mean, the proposals of Mr. John Jebb, about fifty years ago, for an annual examination of every student in the University. We have heard it currently said, that these proposals were rejected through the exertions and influence of Dr. Samuel Powell, the Master of St. John's, who had lately instituted similar examinations in his own college, and was unwilling that their beneficial effects, which were immediately felt, should be imparted to the restof the University; choosing to maintain a sort of monopoly of science and learning at home. Happening to have lately examined the history and details of these proposals, as given by Mr. Jebb himself, I think it right to avow my opinion, that the resistance

made to them by Dr. Powell and others, was not only justifiable, but laudable: since their practical result, had they succeeded, must have been, to take all direction of education out of the hands of the respective colleges, and to place it in those of persons nominated in an order following the cycle of proctors (and therefore almost excluding the consideration of their fitness,) who were to have prescribed the studies of each year. There were several parts of this large machinery which, unless the University was very differently constituted in the year 1772, than it is at present, could hardly have been turned to any practical benefit. Several different schemes of reform were subsequently proposed by Mr. Jebb without success; all tending to reduce the whole University into the state of one vast and unwieldy college, but without making any effectual provision for its administration in this altered state. One of these plans, were it to be named at the present day, would meet with loud and unanimous reprobation; I mean, a separation of the noblemen and fellow-commoners from the other students, subjecting them to a different species of ordeal. My motive for mentioning this piece of academical history, suggested by the course of my argument, is a wish to correct some erroneous notions which prevail respecting the conduct of Dr. Powell, a most able, learned, and public-spirited character; who, from the impulse which he gave to academi→ cal study, deserves to be recorded as one of the greatest benefactors, not only of his own college, but the whole University.

There are certain incidental benefits to be expected from the institution of classical and theological examinations for degrees, which, though they may not have entered into the calculation of its advantages, strike me as too important to be passed over in silence. First, the office of Examiner, requiring both erudition and judgment, will procure much credit to those by whom it is ably discharged, and will thereby have the double advantage of adding a motive to some of our ablest resident fellows for the prosecution of important studies, and of introducing their merits to the more general knowledge of the world. In the next place, a gradual improvement in the education of youth throughout the kingdom must ensue, not only from the advancement of classical knowledge in the University, whence so large a proportion of the instructors are taken, but from the existence of a better criterion than we now have for estimating the merits of schoolmasters and private tutors. The fashion, so prevalent during the last few years, of committing the whole, or part of a boy's education to gentlemen who take only

The mode of their appointment, which is proposed to be vested in certain officers holding responsible situations in the University, is guarded against the opposite dangers arising from individual nomination and rotatory suc

cession.

four or five pupils, makes this, more than ever, a point of importance. At present, a parent has not often any means of appreciating thequalifications of persons to whose care he entrusts his son. It is no trifling recommendation of a measure, that it will procure more certain provision for the meritorious scholar, and will at the same time improve the general state of education.

Other arguments might be urged in favor of the proposed scheme; and in particular it might be shown to be more consistent with the original intent of our foundations, and the views of our statutes, than the preponderating encouragement now given to the pursuit of mathematics. But I am unwilling to press the subject to a fatiguing length, and I suspect that enough has already been suggested to convince those who will candidly reflect upon the intrinsic recommendations of the measure. It is now proper to mention the circumstance which has induced me to lay before the public, at this particular moment, some considerations upon a subject so deeply affecting the vital interests both of our academical and ecclesiastical establishments. It is proposed, I understand, to submit immediately, for the approbation of the University, a widely different plan, and one comprising very few of the essential objects which the Grace of the Master of Trinity embraces. I must be permitted to express the sincere respect, both public and private, which I entertain for the quarter whence the new proposal originates; and to disclaim an intention of opposing this or any other scheme which tends, even in a slight degree, to enforce industry among our stu dents. Nor will I omit to express my sense of the liberal and candid feeling, which leads the author of the measure to wish that it may be fully and maturely discussed among us, before the sentiments of the university are taken upon its merits. It certainly is impossible for me to approve some of its provisions, or to think them adequate to what the circumstances of the case demand: but my main apprehension is, lest it should be considered as a substitute for the more efficacious and more constitutional enactment proposed last year to the Senate. Whatever has the effect of intercepting, or even postponing, the adoption of such a measure, I do not hesitate to deprecate as a serious and substantial evil.

The provisions of the new scheme are, I am informed, in substance the following: an examination, during certain days in the Lent Term, of all students who have kept four preceding terms; the subjects to be either one of the Gospels, or the Acts of the Apostles in Greek, and Dr. Paley's Evidences of Christianity; along with a part of one Greek and one Latin author, to be fixed upon and announced at least a year beforehand; the names of the persons examined to be arranged in three classes, each in alphabetical order: and no person

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