New-York daily tribune., 1857-09-07

| Dlverslties are made up, having been founded In
monastc times, are organized on the cenobtic
principle The idea of these colleges s body Of
students living together in community These stu.
dents were and are Of two orders-a younger class
Of scholars, generally non adults known as under.
graduates, and an older class of fellows who must
have taken at least the degree OLA. B., upon whom
rests the instruction Of the younger class; while
they devote their leisure to still further ad-
vances Of their own in learning and science, or en-
tirey so if they do not choose to take part in the
college instruction There was aud is this further
distinction, Also between the scholars and fellows:
| that the scholars, except some few of them sup
ported upon charitable foundations, pay their own
expenses and certain fees to the professors whom
| they attend; while the fellows are in the enjoy
ment of q regular income Of thousand or
twelve hundred dollars year, beside board aud
lodging payable out of the revenues of the college.
| These feOwships also serve as prizes and stim.
ulus to exertion the part Of the undergraduates
he who proves victor in certain contests and trials
intended TO test his talent aud learning though per-
haps not in oil respects the most suitable for that
| purpose being entitled to fill the first vacancy
| that falls.
The instruction of the undergraduates in these
universities is mainly conducted by private tutors
selected from among the fellows, and one of the
principal uses of the feOwships is to furnish sup
ply of such tutors. The university professors are
| also fellows; but though efforts have been made
of late years to give additional Importance to these
profe.sorships they still form very insignificant
Eno oI,ab fta adj
tion. But while primarily designed for pur
poses of instruction, the college feIowships were
not limited to that. They were designed also to
furnish provision for men who chose to devote
themselves to life Of learning Nor is it necessary
that fellow should be On actual resident in the
college though non residence, after certain length
of time at leat in the case Of lay fellows forfeits
the fellowship. Most of the colleges have certain
lvibgs in their gift and clerical fellows waiting for
college living now form almest entirely the body
of resident fellows. The nonresident fellows are
chiefly young men, students Of professions or strg
Cling 10 make their way in them, who find in their
fellowshps the means of living till they can have es
ablished themselves in the pursuit they have chosen.
Faithful still in this respect to the old mOnastic'
model, ceibacy forms Indispensable qualification
for holding q fellowship. No women are to be
Srought within the sacred incosues Of the uni
yersity. Even the distant non resident fellow, the
moment he cOmmts matrimODy, cuts bImseif otf
from his fellowship.
Among other instances of the spirit Of in
royation now so prevalent in Eogland, objections
bave been taken Of late years 70 this exclusion of
m,trimony from the universities. The Commission.
sIs for Oxford, in some recently promulgated ordi-
nsDces, baye allowed professorships tob held by
married professors and by married men of literary
or seieItifc eminence who have taken al honorary
deares-thus, as it is complained, ooneeding a
special privilege to strangers denied to regular
members Of the university, however eminent or
uoful, though even Gu the part of these admitted
to il, this privilege Of marriage is hampered by
good many checks. The same subject i. also under
discussion at Cambridge, where il exc.tes a good
deal of attention. ~ course by those Inclined to
Puseyite views, all chaDgeis opposed. To them, as
to the old monks, celbacy is not merely matter
of convenience in tie organization of tie colleges.
1t 10 8 COED thing-at least, not bad thng-in
itself. These opposeTs dwell, of course, With much
upcton upon the will and intention of the original
a
for the present occupants of the English unversi.
ties-to rest an argument upon.
Bat there are other objections not so easily an-
,wered. fellowship held by non resident, who
de7otes its proceeds not to life of literature, but
to the maintenance of a family, would be, it is
said, total peryersion of that income from the
prrpO,e it was intended to serve. SsppO,e this
IL y,bo IN hi.
fTst lOve-shoula make up his mind 70 abandon
professional life, and 60 back to academic shades.
The colleges are constructed for the residence Of
bsehelors: and where are the wife and children to
be bestowed' Moreover, it is urged that if the
feOwships are made life tenures, the succession of
o7izer, which constitute the chief university stimu.
lus would be too much retarded. To the proposal
70 get over this difficulty, by making the fellow.
ships terminaoe after certcin number of years,
it 10 answered that such an arrangement would
greatly diminish the value Of the fellowship. az
prizes. while the limit of celibacy is preferable TO.
that of years in being self dustiDg-inasmuch, as
when man can afford to marry, be can afford 10
give up his fellowship.
With respect 70 the resident fellows other o.
jectons ere urged Ts allow them to marry would
remove them frem the college buildings, and would
produce a radical change in the existing organi.a.
ton Of the colleges. That organization s distinct
ly cenobtc AL, both fellows and scholars, eat at
the some table aud live in the same house; and on
the preservation Of this character the peculiar
corporate energy aud spiri! of the colleges is al.
eyed to depend. 1t must be confessed, however.
that there doe. not seem to be anything 50 valuable