The Press.
London, England, 1857-05-09 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

served for members of the Established Church.
But long ere the building known for sonic
time as the London University was opened for
the inauguration of the new system, an inroad
had been made on the unity of this design. Un-
willing that the metropolitan University should
represent exclusively the Nonconformist prin-
ciple, the Churchmen of London had suc-
ceeded in the foundation of a new college
devoted to the maintenance of their own prin.
ciples, which at once claimed equality of rank
with the sister insti►tution in Gower-street.
The claim, it seems, was considered to be well
grounded, and King's College was admitted as
an integral part of the London University.
The differentia of this body could, therefore,
no longer be sought in its Nonconformist cha-
racter. Yet, till within a few years, it was
doubtless regarded by the great mass of Eng.
lish Dissenters as their special institution.
Now, however, that they have obtained ad-
mission to the Universities of Oxford and
Cambridge, this feeling, though still strong
among them, will doubtless to some extent
subside, and the distinguishing characteris-
tic of the London University consist rather in
the course of study and method of education
she may pursue than in the station or creed
of her alumni.

It appears to us that experience has sail
ciently shown the impossibility of this Univer-
sity competing with those of Oxford and
Cambridge on their own ground. Besides
many solid and many sentimental attractions
peculiar to themselves, they have the advan-
tage of such a start as London can never hope
to overcome. They have got their hands
thoroughly well in. And as they profess to
teach so much less than their younger rival,
they may fairly be presumed to teach it much
better. All the great public schools of the
country are busy in the manufacture of scholars
and tutors for them alone. And we scarcely
see how any change is ever to take place in
this respect. Whether a man study the
classics for pleasure or for profit, he will
equally prefer the Isis and the Cam to Gower-
street or Somerset-house. If actuated purely
by the taste and poetry of the pursuit, he
will love to write his hexameters and read his
Homer where ADDISON and GRAY, CANNING and
WELLESLEY, wrote and read before him. Or, if
he have an eye to substantial results, he will
naturally turn his footsteps where easy fellow-
ships and rich livings are to be had in return
for 2Esehylus and Aristotle. It is not merely
a case of " solid pudding against empty
" praise,' but of praise and pudding together
versus praise by itself.
But to say that the University of London is
unable to compete with Oxford and Cambridge
over their own ground is by no means to deny
that a special field, and a tolerably extensive
one too, does exist for the exercise of her
own functions. It is often urged that the
wide extent of matter over which all candi-
dates, either for admission or graduation, are
compelled to travel is prejudicial to sound
education, and we are far from denying that
there is much,truth in the allegation. Yet at the
same time we cannot avoid feeling that those
with whom this system originated were
actuated by an instinctive consciousness of
the purpose which the infant University
was destined to fulfil. With the progress of
civilisation the classes desirous of intellectual
culture must ever be widening. We do not
mean persons desirous of true science, but of
a certain amount of information ; stimulated
by curiosity to comprehend something of
what they daily see discussed in literature and
the lecture-room. Such learners, we may be
sure, will increase in far larger proportion
than those who require severe scientific train-
ing, or high (esthetic refinement. Why then
should not the London University at once
accept this mission, and say boldly, we re-
nounce that effort at thoroughness which

447

older institutions make their chief excellence,
and make it our special business to extend
the benefits of general education as widely as
possible? She would not by so doing debar
herself from imparting the very highest
branches of science and scholarship to such
students as might be able to avail themselves
of lectures of this stamp. She would merely
say that she took her stand upon something
different; that here, as JouNsos said, was a place
where something could be learned about
everything—thoroughly, perhaps, by some—
but that general acquaintance with a variety
of subjects was what the bulk of her students
must be contented to receive.

We have been led into these observations
by watching the progress of a controversy
now waging between the Senate of the
Louder University and the graduates. The
bone of contention is a resolution proposed
by the former body to the effect that the
certificate of having gone through some
collegiate course of instruction shall no longer
be demanded of candidates for the University
degree. The graduates contend that this is
slighting the principle of " association," which
is one of the most valuable elements in a
college career. Now, no one can be more
alive to the value of this principle than our-
selves. But, nevertheless, the change pro-
posed by the Senate seems strictly in accord-
ance with the spirit of the London University.
It has itself no " association "—its members
are scattered all over London, and all over the
provinces—a number of provincial colleges
being affiliated, to whose members alone, on
the presentation of their certificate, the Univer-
sity degree has been conferred. To offer any
stimulus to the acquisition of learning by the
poorer classes who can not afford the ex-
pense of a college course is a thoroughly
legitimate object, and the bestowal of a Uni-
versity degree would decidedly act as such a
stimulus. Independently, also, of these posi-
tive reasons, it has been fOund hitherto that
the college certificates have been little better
than worthless. They have been given in
such a reckless manner that the authorities
have ceased to regard them as any guarantee
of a previous collegiate education. Under
these circumstances the present measure has
been brought forward. It is recommended
by the examples of the Universities of Dublin
and France, and would unquestionably be an
extraordinary boon to many such persons as
schoolmasters and others, to whom the Uni-
versity degree would be a real benefit, who
are quite competent to pass the examinations,
but who can never spare either the time or the
money necessary to University or college
residence. To meet the wants of a daily in-
creasing class at present beyond the pale of
regularly registered education is unloubtedly,
if our opening remarks are correct, one of
those very functions which the University of
London is peculiarly called on to discharge.

THE WAR WITH PERSIA.
CAPTURE OF MOHAMMERAH.
The following telegraphic despatch waq received
on Wednesday morning from General Sir James
Outram, dated " Camp before Moliammarah,
March 28 '':—

111ohammerah was captured by the British on the 28th
inst. The enemy lost 200 killed and wounded, among
whom was Asherluf Brigadier, besides seventeen guns and
a vast amount of ammunition and military stores.
The Persian army, under the Shah Zadeh, retreated
towards Ahwaz and Shuster in great disorder.
The British forces are encamped near Moliammerah.
Our loss in killed and wounded is about ten.
The Arab tribes are friendly, and are sending in their
submission.

In the course of the same day a further telegraphic
message was received through Constantinople :

The flying expedition to Ahwez returned to Moham•
mend' on the 4th inst. 'April) completely successful.
The large Persian army retired from their psition, and
retreated rapidly towards Dizful before a British force not
4110 strong.

One gun was captured, and extensive military stores
were seized and destroyed.

Nothing official has transpired in reference to the
alleged refusal of the Shah of Persia to ratify the
treaty concluded with England.

448

Vrecc6inp in V arliannnt.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

BOTH houses of the New Parliament have met to
swear in members each day up to Thursday, when
they assembled for the first time for the despatch of
public business. In consequence of the absence of
her Majesty, the ceremony was shorn of its usual
pomp; and in place of the usual brilliant assem•
binge of Peeresses, Foreign Ministers, &c., there
were present in the Lords but a few ladies, who
occupied the back seats on the Opposition side of
the house.

At two o'clock the Royal Commissioners, the Lord
Chancellor, the Duke of Argyll, Lord Stanley of
Alderley, and the Earl of liarrowby, entered the
house and took their seats in front of the Throne,
and the Usher of the Black Rod was immediately
directed to summon the Commons to the bar of
their lordships' house to hear her Majesty's Most
Gracious Speech on the occasion of the opening of
Parliament, read by Royal Commission.
In a very short time, the Speaker attended by a
large number of members appeared at the bar,
and the Clerk at the table read the Royal Coin-
mission.