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ethics, and geometry, and in the greek claffics; they are alfo required to speak the latin tongue with fluency. The vice-chancellor and proctors are injoined to attend examinations: the former, twice in every term; the latter, four times each; in order to fee that they are duly and statutably carried

on.

The appointment of examiners, by rotation, has long fince been disused; and the number of regents, conftantly refident in the university, is fo fmall, that it would be extremely troublesome, if not abfolutely impracticable, to resume it. In the present method, the candidate folicits three masters to be his examiners, and then obtains the proctor's appointment or "liceat." The mafters ufually permit him to chufe his own claffics. It feldom happens that more than two or three candidates are examined in the fame day, frequently only one. The ftatute lays no injunction upon scholars to attend examinations, and it is become rather unufual fo to do. No other mafter ever affifts at the examination, befides thofe appointed in the "liceat."

I do not think myself at liberty to fubjoin this author's obfervations, upon the prefent mode of conducting academical education at Oxford, or the plan which he has propofed for its improvement. But I cannot avoid expreffing my wifhes, in conjunction with those of many perfons of character in this university, that he would render more public his reflections upon a fubject, which is fa very interefting and important.

A

NARRATIVE

O F

ACADEMICAL PROCEEDINGS,

RELATIVE TO THE PROPOSAL

FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS

IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

I PROPOSE, in the following narrative, to lay before the public, as fuccinctly as poffible, the measures, which I pursued, in order to accomplish my purpose, as unfolded in the preceding pages; together with the nature of that oppofition, which hath hitherto rendered my efforts unfuccefsful. But as, in the course of this hiftory, expreffions will unavoidably occur, which, if not explained, may prove unintelligible to fome of my readers, it will be neceffary for me to preface my account, with a short sketch of our academical conftitution.

A" grace" of the university fenate bears some resemblance to an act" of the british parliament. It is an ordinance of the legif X 3 lature

lature of our corporation.

Its authority

in all matters, relative to academical difcipline, is fupreme. And it has been maintained by the ableft lawyers, as well as by thofe of our own body, who have been efteemed best acquainted with the conftitution of the university, that, in cafes, wherein nothing is enacted in oppofition to the laws of the land, neither the " statutes” of Elizabeth, nor the "mandatory letters," of fucceeding kings, although their authority be apparently ftrengthened by our uninterrupted fubmiffion, can stand against the determinations of this refpectable affembly.

Those perfons, who are mafters of arts, or doctors in one or other of the three faculties, of divinity, civil law, and phyfic, having their names upon the college boards, or refident in the town of Cambridge, have each a voice in the legislative body of the univerfity. The gentlemen who compose it, and who have, therefore, a right to the appellation of "members of the fenate," are at prefent in number about four hundred.

The members of the fenate are divided into two claffes or houfes; and, according

to

to this arrangement, they are denominated "regents" or "non-regents," with a view to fome particular offices, allotted to the junior divifion by the statutes of the university.

Mafters of arts, of lefs than five years ftanding, and doctors of less than two, compofe the regent, or, as it is otherwife called, the "white hood" houfe. All the rest are ftiled non-regents, or "black hoods." But doctors of more than two years ftanding, and the public orator of the university, may vote in either houfe, according to their pleasure.

Every member of the fenate has a right to propofe any queftion, or queftions, he thinks proper, to the confideration of this affembly.

Befides the two houfes, we have a council called the " caput," which confifts of the vice-chancellor, a doctor in each faculty, and two masters of arts, representatives of the regent and non-regent houfes.

The vice-chancellor, who is annually elected by the fenate upon the fourth of November, is a member of this council, by virtue of his office.