The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

at all, without being thereby incapaeitnted
for their original purpose. Nothing. there-
fore. has been gained by the attempted union
of irrecuucilal►le qualities. except the sl►oil-
ing of some of our best mail-packets by their
conversion into cheap and useless frigates.
This costly faree ought to be put an end to ;
and the committee's report will contribute to
bring about that desirable object.

UNIVERSITY REFORNI.-CAMBRID6E.

TO TILE ED►lTult OF •' TIIE PRESS."
Sir,—ln the comparative leisure which the tenni
nation of the parliamentary session has produced,
you will probably not objeet to receive conmiuni-
cations on a subject of great interest to the middle
anti upper class of the eommunity—l mean that of
University Reform.
As an old Cambridge man, I read the report of the
commission appointed t.► inquire into the state of
our university with great satisfaction, partly because
it seemed to me more practical in its suggestions
than that issued by the Oxford Commissioners—
partly, also, because it appwed to indicate a willing-
ness on our own part, both as regards the past anti the
present, to aceommodate ourselves to the require.
meats of the present day. And I think this is also
the impression which has been made on the public
at large.
Most parts of this report. relate to matters of which
those who are actually engaged in the occupation of
teaching, or personally resident at the university, are
the best, perhaps the only fit, judges. On these I
have nothing to say. lint, there are also points
of
university regulation and discipline on which all
persona are capable of forming an opinion, because
their tendency is obvious, and they affect the general
character of the education given.
The subject I refer to particularly is the time of
entering college, the length of residence, awl the
frequent interruptions in that residence. One only
of these questions (the length of time daring which
an undergraduate should reside) is dwelt upon in
the report. The other two are left untouched, and
we must, therefore, conclude that the eonnnissioners
desire no clumge.
Now, it has always been in my mind since I left
Cambridge that a great deal of time is wasted by
young men coming there too late, and staying too
long. They enter, generally speaking, at IH. They
have left school, say at 1111, or thereabouts;
though some remain longer. The intervening
period may, or may not, be spent in reading
—I do not myself think that in the majority of
instances it is so—hut that is a matter on which I
cannot speak with any certainty. lint is it not more
in accordance with the idea of an university that it
should receive young men direct from school, taking
up their education at the point at which school-
teaching ceases, without any interval of private and
casual tuition ?
Again, to many persons who are anxious to give
their sons the benefit of an academical
but whose means are limited, the eonsideration of
expense becomes a very important one. They lose
in two ways. There is the actual cost of teaching
and maintenance, and there is ( I speak of the case
of individuals engaged in commerce) the less of
services which they would otherwise receive. I
myself know instances in which parents have re-
fused to send their sons to Oxford or Cambridge,
mainly on the ground that, they would thins be pre-
vented from entering on active pursuits until between
21 and 22.
Lastly, as to the young men themselves. I am
sure that many—not naturally late, certainly net
indolent—are prevented from studying, as they might
and ought, by a feeling which comes upon them
towards the time of their attaining legal majerity.
that they have had enough of books. and that it is
time for them to engage in the active labour of life.
They feel a certain inferiority in being still in state
papillari, at an age when their centemperaries and
schoolfellows are already playing their respective
parts in the world. One, for instance, has gone to
sea, and is a lieutenant, entrusted with authority, and
responsible for many lives. Another is a soldier, and
has already seen active service. A third has been
for two years connected with a foreign mission. and
holds official rank as ottocl4. A fourth is taking
part in the management of sin extensive commercial
concert. All these are apt to look down on a friend
whose age is the same, whose social position is
perhaps higher, but who is still undergoing pupilage.
and guided by teachers, while they are iu charge of
their own fortunes.

381

One or two points deserve native as bearing on this
question. Among those who are looking fltrward to
honours there 1,, of l'OllNts, am anxiety to enter the
university with their reading 11•4 far ailvaneed ats
possible. But a large number—probably the majority
—do not come tip with any exportation of taking
ho ll rs, and the measure of their previous reitiling
is the necessity or passing the entreats. examitiat. .
Now, this examination is merely such as at schoolboy
in one of the higher forms van pass; and hence, in
the ease of these, the 11, litaXot, there is no RCA-
h•lnival stimulus it) spend in stitly that time which
intervenes Sellool and Clllli.ge.

•
IMI not nnntitultul Or the sunetior advantages
which an etlurution continued steadily until twenty-
one possesses over one which should cease at nine•
teen, or al latest twenty ; but I cannot but think that
in a large proportion of inetancos there is, in pm-
-11(4., ne such steady or contintione devotion to any
object of study. TM re is merely an examinetion to
be gone through tut last, the preparation for witieh
occupies lewdly tine year out of three ; the other two
are wasted in idleness. Nor would there be any
necessity, if the degree were taken earlier than at
present, for the consequent discontinuance of senate
ntieul residence. These who had either no !melee-
.ion, or were in no immediate haste to embrace one,
would often choose to remain pursuing their studies
for, perhaps, a year longer. Those whose lousiness
in life required mere immediate attention would he
enabled to obtain their degree—the outward and
material sign of acteltenieal proticiency—without
injury to their finery interests.
Yet farther. Nothing is mere perplexing than the
question, in what manner, and to what. extent, Sea-
&wield discipline shall he maintained, without
infringine too much on that individual independence
which it is the object of education to cultivate and
direct. You have at college boys who can hardly be
treated as men, and men (also in stam rarillari)
who cannot be treated RS boys. Both are subject to
the same rules. Are these rules to be made strin-
gent to meet the former ease, or relaxed to meet the
latter? Is the owner of 111.11011/. a year, on the point
of reaching legal majority, to be allowed to indulge
in the personal expenses which his fortune would
warrant, or to be rentlited within the limits of strict
sumptuary laws? This is a question which the uni •
versity tries to soave, mid cannot. Every year brings
fresh proof of its difficulty : one sointien only envoys
possible. Let young men come up curlier, and take
their degrees earlier; they will then be boys, or
something very like it, in reality ; and a real Ninthly
and a strict discipline may be observed, both which
at present are impossible.
As regards the duration of undergraduate residence,
the cemmissioneN have indeed proposed a plan of
their own. They suggest that it shall be curtailed
front ten terms to nine (an arrangement of which
the principal advantage consists in the consequent
equalisation in the nunther of residents at all seasons
of the year) : that residence Oltenia, not eemittal
shall be enforced during two•thirds of each term,
instead of one-half, as at. present ; and that a larger
choice and variety et' subjects shall he 'Mewed for
study, tints rendering the instruetioon riven more
complete than before, and ellelpelPilitieg better II in
the length of the period assigned to it.. Against. this
tirrangentent I have no wish to arguo. The latter
part of it, indeed, does net. full directly within the
subject of which I treat. lint, a: regards the first
two prowisions, I would just point out flint, however
well meant, they are tautly inadequatt. to the cad
in
view. As 'natters now stand, the undergraduate
actually resides less than half the year at Candoridge.
By the new proposition he will reside, perhaps, be-
tween seven and eight months. This is net enough.
The four months rerrention in summer is, to most
young men, time utterly lost. It is an inconvenience
to the diligent—an excuse to the idle. Slime ignore
it altogether, and spend the Kummer 'tomtits studying
in the deserted university. Others pass it in open
and neknowledged idleness. A few make a faint
4110 w of reading ut 11411110 or witha party. To none
N it, or can it be, required as a time of rest ; and I
know no reason for its continued existence. What I
repose is simply this : (I) I mince young men to come
up a year sootily:. titan they no ow dot. (2) Lathe term
residence be two years, and nine menthe in each
year, instetel of three ears, and less than six months
iu eaell year. The time of study will thus be the
scum., and a year of life be saved. By theme two
meal's a total 410h:retire of two years will ensue in
the time of taking the B.A. degree—i.e., of quitting
the university. I believe that this retrenchment
without injury to the teaching, and with melt
greater faeilifie. of discipline, materially increase the
number of I.:militate!' for mm441,6(11 honours, and
censeintently raise the character of the university.
There is nothing in the general purport of these
remarks which would not apply equally to Oxford
but I have preferred to confine myself to the ease of;.
that university with which alone lam familiar. I
remain, sir, your obedient servant,
M.A. ov TRINITY.

Cambridge, August, 1t45:1.