for paying librarians. The curators of the funds are buying year by year more new books, than the librarians (who are meanly paid and overwhelmed with work,) can possibly enrol in the catalogue. The University does not choose to be at greater expense to provide under-librarians, half a dozen of whom might probably be kept in full work by mere cataloguing alone; while scruples of conscience, or dread of change, forbid the employment of the funds destined for buying books, to the purpose of making them efficient when bought. As far as we are aware, the difficulties of the librarians are in consequence, up to this day, on the increase.

This state of things is one of which the nation has a peculiar right to complain; since a heavy, indeed an oppressive tax, has long been levied, to increase the enormous weight of books under which the walls of the building were once giving way, until new iron fastenings of vast strength were erected, to sustain the shelves and relieve the walls. And again, of late the roof was thought to be splitting by the pressure outwards, and props were run up from top to bottom through the apartments, until farther measures of security could be taken. In such a state, and with catalogues so incomplete, how ridiculous it seems to force every author to send to this library a copy of his work, the best and most expensive of its kind; and of every successive edition.

The other public library in Oxford is called the Ratcliffe; but it has nothing to put it in comparison with the Bodleian. It is generally understood to contain chiefly medical books. Probably the three or four physicians who divide Oxford practice among them, may make occasional use of this library; but if they do, this seems the extent of its usefulness. It was here that the Sanscrit MSS. were as it were buried and lost, and one actually rotted away, until found by the diligence of a German scholar. Printing Establishment. The printing of the University is carried on at the Clarendon press;' which is now transferred to a magnificent building, recently erected; the former having proved unequal to the vast increase of business. The new printing-house has two wings, or rather sides, in one of which the Bibles are printed, in the other miscellaneous books. This establishment having the privilege of paying no duty on paper, is able to undersell the ordinary booksellers whenever it pleases. For this reason it would not be right to compete with the common course of trade. The Clarendon printing is very properly restricted to classic works, and to those who are considered 'standard' English authors, especially in divinity. Occasionally the works of living divines are honoured by being published at press; but it is seldom that the merits of a work can be adequately known while yet in MS., to entitle it to such a distinction. The lectures of University professors, we believe, are

this

often thus adopted. All such matters are judged of by a board of officers, called Delegates of the Press.

University Funds. The Clarendon Press and Bodleian Library have estates appropriated to themselves; as have other University establishments, respecting which we cannot speak particularly. But the University is likewise a Municipal Corporation within itself, having a police establishment, (we mean that of the Proctors,) with a Mayor (the Vice-Chancellor); and even superintending such matters as paving and lighting. When we reflect how shamefully all corporate property becomes abused, when entrusted to irreponsible hands, it is difficult to suppress the suspicion, that discoveries of this kind might be made even in Oxford. In saying which, we do not impute to them the being worse than other men; but if it should prove that the funds are not extensively and shamefully abused, we shall give them credit as being purer and firmer in virtue than the generality. However, in Oxford itself there is an impression that the University is very poor; that she keeps down her taxation of undergraduates to a minimum; and that for this purpose the salaries of the Public Examiners, and Librarians of the Bodleian, are rightly set so low. But the case of 'Librarians versus Library,' offers a strong analogy to convince us, that there need be no lack of money, if interest, or habit, or false scruples of conscience, did not prevent its being applied aright. The undergraduates and bachelors, though rate-payers,' have of course no control over the expenditure.

University Oaths. At every degree, and at entrance into the University, it is requisite to subscribe to the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion. At entrance, moreover, the young man has to swear to observe all the statutes of the University; of which a certain selection is always given him in a printed Latin book. A part is marked out for him to read in presence of the ViceChancellor, before the oath is administered; which part describes some of the duties especially incumbent on him.

It is lamented by those who wish well to the University, and who grieve to see the conscience entangled, or the standard of truth lowered, that the form of subscription is what it is. Many parts of the statutes are notoriously superannuated; so that a person who seeks to observe them becomes ridiculous or offensive. When a young man of scrupulous conscience inquires what he is to do or think, he is pointed to a postscript, in which it is declared, that if he should violate any of the statutes, he will yet be considered to have observed them, if he humbly and decently submit to the punishment which shall be inflicted on him for it by proper authority. Hence it is argued, that even after swearing to the statutes, he may conscientiously transgress anv of them, so long as the transgression is winked at. How

insulting to the honour and majesty of an oath, made in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, is this shuffling! Why must two persons contract before God, and say one thing, but mean another? And why need those who have the scourge in their hand, force their humble servants to swear that they will obey; when they can chastise disobedience so severely, with or without the oath? The reply is, that Oxford does not choose to change, let times change ever so much.

On taking the Bachelor's degree, and receiving leave to read in the Bodleian, an oath is likewise administered to secure the books from damage. It is remarkable for the ingenious endeavour to enumerate all the possible ways of injuring books; since the person promises not to tear them, cut out pieces, dirty them, mark them, double them, grease them, burn them, &c., &c., with more to this effect; though we have not the words before

us.

II. So much having been said concerning the University, we proceed to develope more of the interior of the College system.

Halls different from Colleges. The five houses called Halls, have no estates attached to them. A Principal superintends them, who has a seat among the Board of Heads. His sources of income are understood to be from the rent of the rooms, (as he is proprietor for life of the buildings,) and if he officiate as Tutor, he of course receives a Tutor's recompence. But at the Colleges this is never the case. These Institutions were originally founded, to furnish needy students with partial help, or to afford to men of learning the means of literary leisure, generally with an express reference to the interests of religion. The prevailing system is, to have a Head, Fellows, and Scholars. The Scholars are the youngest, and generally are undergraduates, though in various cases if a Scholar be not elected Fellow, he may retain his scholarship for a length of time; and in a few cases undergraduates may become Fellows. At Christ Church the names Fellow and Scholar are merged in the single term Student. Thus the Students of Christ Church' does not mean the same to the ear of the public as to that of Oxonians; since the latter understand by it, those who are admitted as proprietors of the Christ Church estates, and who are (as it is called) on the foundation.'

Celibacy of Fellows. The Fellows and Scholars are forbidden to marry; although no such prohibition is enforced on the Head. In Roman Catholic times this was a thing of course, as in all the early endowments literary men were identified with clergy; and in many it is distinctly required that they should take orders. Yet in one of the oldest colleges (Merton) the Head may be a layman: also at All Souls (founded by Árchbishop Chicely, in the reign of Henry V.,) the Fellows, in

number forty, may be laymen. Hence it would seem that there is some other cause for the general celibacy of the Fellows. It may be said, that there is no room provided for wives and children in the college walls; and that this led to the prohibition. Certainly for this reason, the Heads, who have uniformly a house to themselves, found it easier to marry at the time of the Reformation, and by early using their privilege, established it as right, in spite of the opposition of Queen Elizabeth.

The public are not wrong in attributing considerable effects 'to what is called the 'monkery' of the Oxford system, though perhaps it works differently from what is generally supposed. That the ésprit de corps of the Fellows would be lessened by marriage, may be doubted; nor are we aware that it exists less in Canons and Chapters than in Oxford Colleges. But the effect of this restriction is often injurious in another way. We may divide the Fellows into two portions; those who marry off quickly, and those who will hold their fellowships to the day of death, unless an acceptable living lead them to resign it. Of these it is to be expected, that the latter will be (as a class) greatly the inferior in talent. After making allowances for other causes which sometimes lead men to decline marriage, it may be safely said that a majority of men who remain unmarried, do so from pecuniary reasons; and while these may occasionally operate as a hindrance to men of talent, it is much oftener the case with those of mean capacity. If a person who has neglected all means of improvement, be once elected Fellow any where, he is far less likely to give up his advantage by marriage, than a man of cultivated and powerful mind. The former has looked to his fellowship as his maintenance, and thinks that if he lose it, he shall never get so good a thing again. Thus the natural inclination to marry, thwarted by the Oxford law of restriction, cannot but operate to draw off from the Colleges just those men whom the University should wish to keep; and if those who remain clinging to her through life are but the refuse intellect of the place, it is not to be much wondered at. We believe that the Colleges which have the cleverest body of Fellows, generally find them pass off most quickly, either by marriage or by other appointments. This appears more desirable than stagnation; yet a quick succession of very young tutors is by no means desirable. On the present plan the two evils co-exist to a great degree.

Another circumstance that acts irregularly and vexatiously, and sometimes draws able persons prematurely away from Oxford, is, that many of the fellowships are vacated by the possession of other property. If a gentleman become master of one or two hundreds a year in his own right, he perhaps loses his fellowship;

while, if his father be alive, and possess many thousands a year, the son may keep the fellowship.

Perhaps the occasional juvenility of those whose energies give much impulse to the conduct of the Oxonians, may account for the want of good sense and discretion, which is so surprising to sober Englishmen. An Oxford student may often become a Master at the age of twenty-three, ordinarily at twenty-five; and then in Oxford estimation he is decidedly one of the seniors. At twenty-seven he is perhaps Dean of the College, the Censor of Morals. Before thirty he probably becomes Public Examiner, Proctor, or Vice-Proctor; or in some other public station is invested with consequence. From those immediately beneath him he receives so much respect and implicit obedience, and is so tutored to assume airs of state, (without which it is perhaps rightly said that men so young, could not rule so arbitrarily,) that the character is formed which technically is called a Don. When this Donnism' is found in more advanced years, it has more excuse, and is less hurtful; but when the poorness of Fellowships or any other cause leads to very rapid promotion, the precipitation of youth may easily be combined with the pomp and assumption of old age.

In the celibacy of the Fellows we have another example how strongly the Oxonians are persuaded, that whatever is is best.

you permit them to marry,' it is said, you will have them as "an incubus on the University all their lives.' Indeed this happens even as it is; and in a past generation, not all were the more moral for not marrying. But why are the Heads permitted to marry? Are they never an incubus? If it be desirable to have a succession, let the fellowships be not made a provision for life; let them be for five or ten years. But where is the propriety of making resignation contingent on marriage? Why should it not be equally proposed to forbid the Public Professors and Canons of Christ Church to marry? In truth, we believe that the hatred of innovation is so great, that the same persons who would now vehemently deprecate enforcing this prohibition, would be as vehement in deprecating its removal, if the prohibition had been acted on for a century or two.

Residence of the Fellows. In some Colleges, the statutes require from the Fellows a residence in Oxford for a certain number of months in the year; in others a premium is given to residence by various pecuniary advantages rising out of it: but we believe that in a majority of cases no residence is obligatory.

Electors of Fellows and Scholars. With very few exceptions, the choice is vested in the existing Fellows and Head; and the Head is chosen by the Fellows from the number of the Fellows, or of those who once were Fellows. It is a self-perpetuating system. This was natural, if not necessary, looking to the origin