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 graduates and
their friends. A considerable 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 shave very much preferred that the
Vice-Chancellor, than whom no one has devoted
more valuable time to the interests of 14e 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
examinations it has instituted. I have compared the
state of the University now with what it was during
thelast yearof the old charter, end these 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 2 proceed to degrees in the respective
faculties. Now, I find the candidates for matrica-
-Itionin 1857 were 266 ; in 1563 they were 48.5,
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 NI. B. examination in 1857
there were 43. At the preliminary scientific ex-
amination in 1863 the number was 101, or nearly
two-and-a-half times as many. At the first exami-
nation for the B Science degree the number is in
1864 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 workicg of our system to believe that this
increase is by no means owing to any laxity in our
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,'lc.mnot
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 IVr-Inler, but a Second and Third

Wrangler also, both of whom belong to this Uni-
versity—(eheers)—and of the large number of those
who have taken very high and distinguished honours
at Cambridge a very large proportion have been
enabled to distinguish themselves in that Uni-
versity by means of those exhibitions they so meri-
toriously gained by their exertions in our Univer

city. (Cheers.) I cannot help alluding to the con-
timuous good feeling that has been maintained be-

'Lween the Senate and the Convocation. I believe

I am not speaking only for myself, I am sure I am
speaking for the Senate, and I believe for the whole

University, when I say that I deeply regret the

causes which have deprived this University, and, to
a certain degree, the country, of the talents of Dr.
Foster. I believe he contributed very materially to

the success of our new charter, which he did so
much to frame and work out, from the devotion and
attachment he felt to the University. (Hear, hear.)
lam glad to think that the gentleman who b:-„s
succeeded him is one from whom, from the r_anner
in which he has worked, with the per 'led under-
standing of the Senate and ConvocP:cion, in every-
thing that is good for the University, we shall
derive the same co-operation as from Dr. Foster. I
have said these few words upon points all tending
rather to the advantage of the University ; but there
are some points in which we do not stand in so
satisfactory a position. A Committee of Convoca-
tion has reported, and their report is a most able
',statement, as to our position, on the one hand, with
regard to annual income, and on the other in regard
to buildings. Now, I don't mean to say that I
should not like a little more wealth. I think some
wealth might be applied very advantageously ; but
so far as a mere annual income is concerned, I think
we may take pride from that honourable poverty
in which I entirely admit we find ourselves. I
think it does afford a strong stimulus to our exer-
tions when we know we depend on our character
alone, and not on any factitious inducements to
keep up the reputation of the University, but when
we come to buildings, I must say that is a very
different question. (Cheers.) The statement to which
I allude gives a very clear, and almost interesting
account of the troubles of the University in this re-
spect—how we have really been driven from pillar
to post, finding a resting-place now in one place,
then in another, and how we are rather in a doubt-
ful situation at the present moment. There is
something almost amusing in this description of a
University travelling in search of lodgings, but it
is, after all, a subject of very sad importance to us.
I think really it is some reflection on the adminis-
trative power of the country to consider that such
is the position of the University, after it has been
established for more than a quarter of a century,
ereated, as it was, by the Crown, at the express wish
of the Legislature, having entirely maintained those
principles which it professed from the beginning,
and exercised a large influence on the whole educa-
tion of the country. (Cheers.) I may, perhaps, say
what were the practical measures which the Vice-
Chancellor and myself thought it best to adopt.
We wrote a letter and put ourselves in communica-
tion with the Chief Commissioner of Public Works,
by whom we were received with every desire to
meet our wishes. We requested him to pat the
architect of his department in communication with
the Registrar, who is so intimately acquainted with
the wishes of the University. I believe a scheme is
devised, though I do not know how far it would be
proper for me to mention it; but the subject is not
neglected. (Cheers.) No doubt what we all wish
is that we should have buildings of an imposing
character, of architectural pretensions, buildings
distinct in themselves, and giving a more complete
embodiment of the interests of the University than
at present exists. On the other hand, though here
lam doubtful—l shou'd think the general opinion
of the University was that some of these great ad-
vantages ought to be sacrificed to great convenience
of site if the whole are not compatible. (Cheers.)
These are matters I think which ought to be
carefully considered, both by the Convocation and
the Senate in their communications with the Go-
vernment. But Ido hope we shall at all events be
placed in a position in which, whether quite ade-
quate or not, we shall not have so ignominiously to
shift about for the means of carrying on that great
engine of usefulness, the examinations of this Uni-
versity. (Cheers.) Having mentioned what ape
pears to be the state of our University I may per-
haps allude to its indirect influence on the educe•
tion of the country. Now it is always very desira-
ble to know what the state of education is, and we
have recently had the great advantage of a singu-
larly able report drawn up by most competent men,
who have directed a large amount of labour and in-
vestigation with reference to the state of the great
public schools in this country. And what do we
gather from that report ? I remember when prince
Talleyrand was ambassador here he was asked, I
think by the late Lord Holland, what he thought
of our system of public schools in England; and
his answer, rather characteristic of his turn for epi-
gram and paradox, was this. He thought it the
best system in the world ; but then he added mais
c'est des astres. The same paradox is to a certain
extent carried out according to what this Commis-
sion reports of our great public schools. There are
incalculable advantages connected with the system ;
there is a sort of freedom perfectly unknown in any
other schools, which, for the expression of honest,
sound public opinion, is invaluable. The system has
produced men roost remarkable for their great public
utility and eminence ; but, on the other hand, it ap-
pears that after spending a great menyyears in these
educational institutions, the large mass come out
with a great knowledge of cricket, and a very good
knowledge of rowing, with only that sort of Latin
and Greek which is perfectly useless in after life,
and entirely destitute of mathematical, scientific,
elementary truth, a knowledge of history and
their own country, which it must be admitted are
desirable, if possible, to attain. (Cheers.) New, I
can-tot help thinking that it will be satisfactory to
this University to read the evidence that seems to
have been so much appreciated by the Commission,
given by very distinguished persons connected with
this University, as to what our curriculum is, what
species of examination we require before we admit
anybody even within the threshold of the University.
It is quite evident that the commission very much
approved of what they had heard—that it led them
to a course of examination as to the result, and to
make most important recommendations founded on
the feasibility we have proved to exist of a great
extension and widening of the common education
now given in the schools in England. With regard
to all such recommendations, there can be no doubt
that merely calling public attention to them is itself
of great use ; but in regard to any public enforce-
ment of them there is great difficulty. Most of these
schools are, to a certain extent, endowed, and it is
not very easy to induce a change in the system. The
only true source of power is in the University, on
the one hand, and parents on the other. A great
many of these masters complain bitterly that young
boys are not prepared sufficiently to begin the work
of public education at all. But if you enforce the
system of University examination and make it abso-
lutely necessary that all those who come from school
or private tuition must show that amount of know-
ledge which this University exacts, you produce an
immediate pressure, not only on the schools but on
parents. Parents would be dissatisfied in seeing
their sons not going from these schools to the Uni-
versity, and schools would take better care to have
their pupils brought up to the mark. We in this
University deserve some credit for setting the ex-
ample with regard to the strictness of the matricula-
tion examination. Some colleges in the other Uni-
versities have adopted this system, but it was more
perilous for a university to set the example without
endowments, and relying entirely on the number
of its graduates for any position it might take in
the world. Thu result has been not to deter, but
gradually and satisfactorily to increase the number
of candidates for examination, and particularly in
the medical profession. (Cheers.) I might dwell
otbt
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timell thoseoffer friendly condolence to such as have not been
so successful. (Cheers.) May Ihe allowed also to
express a hope that under the blessing of Divine
Prov:denee both those who are successful and those