The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-12 00:00:00

THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON,

Yesterday the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, and
Fellows of the University of London held a:meeting

at:Burlington-house, for the purpose of admitting
to degreea those who had passed the various exa-
minations, and awarding certificates and medals to
those graduates who had passed with honours.
Earl Granville, who wore his robes as Chancellor,
presided. It was surrounded by the Professors and
Fellows, and the spacious apartment belonging to

the Royal Society was crowded by gr 'dilates and
their friends. A. conbiderable number of ladies were

also present.
The proceedings were commenced by Dr. Car-
penter, who read a report of the number of candi-

dates admitted as graduates and undergraduates
during the academical year.
The graduates who had passed the examinations
for the higher degrees were then presented, the

Chancellor delivering to each his diploma.
The CHANCELLOR, who was loudly cheered, then
rose and spoke as follows :—My Lords, Ladies, and
Gantlemen,—l have craved permission of her Ma-
jesty to absent myself from the Court in order that
I might be present here to-day, a request which
her Majesty kindly granted, coupled with an ex-
pression of her kindly desires to meet the wishes of

this University. (Cheers.) There are only two
things which take away from the feeling of pleasure
I have in occupying my position at this moment.
One is, that notwithstanding the splendour or my
outward apparel I am subject to the evils common
to other mortals, and having got toothache (a laugh)

I am both mentally and physically indisposed to
address you at any great length. The other is that
lamto be the person to address you this day. I
would myself ihave very much preferred that the
Vlcc-Chancellor, than whom no one has devoted
more valuable time to the interests of the Univer-
sity, should have given his views of the present
state of the University, and his hopes of the future.
(Cheers.) I will, however, say a few words as to
the present state of the University ; and in the first
place I think I may congratulate all here present—
surrounded as I am by learned Bishops of the
Church of England, and by eminent, both spiritual
and lay, members not only of different Protestant
persuasions, but of the Roman Catholic Church
also—that we have retained in the fullest extent
those liberal and comprehensive principles which
are the great characteristics of this University.
(Cheers.) With regard to the state of the Univer-
sity, I think the report which has been read by the
Registrar is of a very satisfactory kind. One of the
most important features of this University is the
examinatious it has instituted. I have compared the
state of the University now with what it was during
the last year of the old charter, end teese are the re-
sults :—I find that in 1857 the total number of candi-
dates for all examinations was 439. In 1863 they
were 1,020, or two and one third times as many.
This increase, of course, partly depends on the in-
creased number of the examinations, but the pro-
gress of the University is specially marked by the
increase of the matriculations and the larger pro-
portion who; proceed to degrees in the respective
faculties. Now, I find the candidates for matricu-
lation in 1857 were 266 ; in 1863 they were 485,
pretty nearly double the number. (Cheers.) The
number who went on to the B.A. examination were
—in 1857, 75; in 1863 they were 153, or more than
double. For the first M. B. examination in 1857
there were 43. At the preliminary scientific ex-
amination in 1863 the number was 104, or nearly
two-and-a-half times as many. A t the first exami-
nation for the B Science degree the number is in
1861 53. These increased numbers will eventually
tell on the numbers of our graduates. (Cheers.) And
I beg all these who are not intimately acquainted
with the working of our system to believe that this
increase is by no means owing to any laxity in nur
examination ; for I can appeal to the gentlemen be-
fore me whether the standard of examination has
not gradually been extended and raised to a higher
point. (Cheers.) This raising of the standard has
always, in the first instance, rather diminished the
numbers ; but it ultimately produces more than we
had before. (Cheers.) With regard to other cir-
cumstances connected with the University,:l cannot
help feeling proud, as I think all here must do, to
find that at the University of Cambridge there is
this year, for the sixth time, a senior Wrangler who
is a member of this University—(cheers)—and not
only a Senior Wrangler, but a Second and Third