The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-25 00:00:00

UNIVERSITY LV7ELLIGENCE.

OXFORD, May 23.

In a Convocation held this day, at 2 p.m., the
Vice-Chancellor was authorised to do any acts which
tnay be necessary for Ow completion of the sale of
premises in Carter's-passage. The statute changing
the time for appointing masters of the schools was
submitted to the House and approved ; and a de-
cree was passed authorising the Vice-Chancellor to
nominate, on the first day of Trinity Term next, a
master of the schools to act for one term only. The
statute establishing a Professorship of Comparative
Philology, at a stipend of £6OO a year, was sub-
mitted and approved.
In a Congregation held immediately after, the
statute on the subject of " pass " examinations,
having been amended by the Hebdomadal Council,
was re-promulgated. In the absence of the Dean
of Christ Church,
Mr. GRIFFITH, of Wadham, explained the altera-
tions that had been made. _ _ _

The PRINCIPAL of ST. MARY HALL was glad that
orators were restored at " Moderations" and philo-
sophers allowed at the final examination. He asked
why certain clauses were placed in brackets, and
expressed himself in favour of allowing the
amplest liberty with respect to the books and authors
taken up.
Dr. PUSEY hoped that the various alterations pro-
posed would be made the subject of separate votes.
He noted an error in the English recapitulation of
the chief provisions of the statute. There was no-
thing in the statute to prevent a grammar paper
from being still set at " Moderations."

Dr. ACLAND inquired whether there was any in-
tention of making modern languages a necessary
portion of• the " pass " examination. The College
of Physicians now required of all candidates either
natural philosophy or French or German, and either
French or German was required by the Apothe-
caries'-ball.

Dr. PUSEY said that the modern languages be-
longed rather to the honour than the " pass"
schools.
Dr. AcLAND dissented.

Mr. MIGRATII, of Queen's, suggested that me-
chanics should be made an alternative, instead of a
necessary subject in both examinations. if this
were not done, he asked that the " compulsory
mechanics" clauses should be made the subject of
separate votes. He put in three amendments.

Mr. Wary, of Magdalen Hall, agreed generally
with Mr. M'Grath, but would prefer uniting
mechanics with elementary mathematics in both
schools.

Mr. SANDFORD, of Christ Church, hoped the sta-
tute would be divided " liberally" into a large num-
ber of votes. He could not regard it as satisfactory
or final, but thought some parts might be passed
with advantage, He regretted the absence of any
provision for a matriculation examination.
Mr. SIDGIVICK, of Merton, was dissatisfied with
the omission of any requirement of philosophy in
the final school, and proposed to add "Aristotle's
Ethics" and " Politics" to the optional subjects. He
strongly objected to make "mechanics" a necessary
subject in either school.

Mr. BRAMLEY, of Magdalen, proposed, as an
amendment, to retain the present requirement of a
philosopher and a historian in the final school. He
agreed with all that had been said against making
mechanics a necessary subject. Mathematics did
not humanise, and required a special faculty .which
many fairly clever men did not possess.
Professor H. SMITH said that, seeing how strongly
college tutors were opposed to compulsory mecha-
nics, he would advise that the point should be
yielded. In lieu of mechanics, he would make ele-
mentary geometry compulsory in Moderations, and
he would then give an opinion between mechanics
and logic. In the final school he would make me-
chanics one of the optional subjects, but would re-
quire the candidate to take up two such subjects.
Professor BURROWS agreed with the general run
of speakers in regretting the discouragement of the
study of " Aristotle's Ethics" and the proposal to
make mechanics compulsory.
Mr. CLARICE, of St. John's, thought the only
valuable provisions of the statute were the allowing
men to go in for "Moderations" in their fifth
Term, and the acceptance of a fourth class in the
honour schools as a sufficient qualification for a
degree.
Professor BERNARD expressed a hope that all the
suggestions made would be sent in as amendments
to council. He was sure they would be carefully
considered. He believed the principle of the statute
was that an examination should be offered suitable
to a variety of minds.
Mr. WicKnAm, of New College, objected to a
diminution in the number of the pass examinations.
Professor CLIFTON said that, as mechanics could
not be profitably studied without a knowledge of
elementary mathematics, he was in favour of the
amendment of Prof. Smith.

A short statute was then promulgated on the sub-
ject of the Indian Law Reader.
Mr. LIDDON, of Christ Church, explained the
provisions of the statute. The object was to give
to such of our students as were going to India every
opportunity for continuing their studies here. The
moral benefit which they thereby gained was great
and most important for India. He regretted that
more had not been done by the. law and Modern
History School to encourage the study of Indian
subjects, and he still more regretted that the Civil
Seriice Commission set their faces against the
selected candidates continuing their studies in Ox-