the Provost is appointed by the Chancellor of the University) is chosen by the Fellows, from those who are or have been Fellows of the Society.

"The qualifications for Fellowships vary in almost every Society. The Fellows are, according to the statutes of the College, or the will of the Founder, elected from certain public schools, and admitted on their arrival in Oxford; or they are young men, who, having studied and distinguished themselves in other colleges, offer themselves as candidates, and are selected by the votes of the Fellows. In some Societies they are confined to the natives of particular counties, or elected from the Scholars; and in others, the kindred of the Founder have peculiar privileges. The Fellows, in conjunction with the Head of the College, are, in all cases, the directors of the internal regulation of their Society, and the managers of its property and estates; and from among this body the Church Preferment attached to every College, is distributed, according to seniority, as a vacancy occurs.

The Scholars are, in a few Colleges, Probationary Fellows; although, in some others, the attainment of a Scholarship is attended with no other beneficial consequence than the receipt of a stated annual sum towards the education of the person who holds it.— Strangers are often perplexed with the terms Scholar and Student, and sometimes apply them indiscriminately to all members of the University. For their information we repeat, that by a Scholar is meant the person who holds the rank above mentioned; and that a Student is one of the 101 members of that name at Christ Church, whose rank is similar to that of Fellow of other Colleges.

"The Chaplain has a stipend, and generally chambers and provisions in his College. His duty consists in the performance of divine service in the chapel.

"A Bible Clerk performs a different duty in various Colleges, and his stipend, and the fund from which it arises, differ in like manner. He is required to attend the service of the chapel, and to deliver in a list of the absent undergraduates to the officer appointed to enforce the discipline of the college.

Exhibitioners, although not on the Foundation, may be reckoned amongst the Dependent Members, as they receive from particular schools, from the bequest of private persons, or from the colleges themselves, a stipend, which assists in supporting them during their collegiate residence. Many of the London Companies have Exhibitions of this description in their gift.

*The Servitors also may be considered as Dependent Members,

having certain emoluments from their Society, whilst they enjoy all the benefits of a collegiate education.

"In each college one of the Fellows is appointed to superintend its management during the absence of the Head he takes his title from that of the governor of the college, Vice-President, Sub-Rector, &c. "The Tutors undertake the direction of the classical, mathematical, and other studies of the junior members; they prepare them for the public examinations, and furnish them with advice and assistance in other respects; many of the Undergraduates have also private tutors.

"The office of Dean, (or Censor of Christ Church,) consists in the due preservation of the college discipline. He also presents the candidates for degrees in Arts, in the House of Convocation. "The Bursar receives the rents from the estates and other property belonging to the college; he disburses all sums necessary for the expenses of the Society, and pays the stipends of the Fellows, Scholars, &c. He is generally assisted by another officer, entitled Junior Bursar.

"In colleges that have choirs, the singing clerks, choristers, and organists, may also be reckoned among the Dependent Members. "The established college servants are the Butler, who has the care of the books in which the names of the members are entered, the college plate, &c., and who delivers out bread, beer, butter, and cheese; the Maniciple, who purchases the provisions; the Cook, and the Porter; also, the Barber, or Tonsor, who was formerly of considerable consequence; so much so, that to this day the ViceChancellor and Proctors entertain the Fraternity, which is an incorporated company, with an annual supper at their apartments. No barber nor hair-dresser can practise his trade in the University unless he be matriculated; that is, unless his name be entered in the book of the University, before the Vice-Chancellor, when he takes the oath of matriculation.*

"Every Member of the University, and every person who enjoys the privileges of that body, must be matriculated. The Member, at his entrance, appears before the Vice-Chancellor, describes his rank in life: that is, whether he be the son of a Nobleman, a Baronet, a Gentleman, or a Plebeian, and pays a matriculation fee accordingly. He then subscribes to the XXXIX Articles, and swears to observe all the statutes, privileges, and customs of the University; and, if he be 16 years of age, takes the oaths of allegiance and supremacy. The oath at the matriculation of a privileged person, not a member of any College or Hall, is as follows:-'You shall swear to observe all statutes, privileges, and custoins of this University.You shall further swear, that you will never sue in any cause of yours before the Mayor and Bailiffs of this town, nor answer before them as your Judge, as long as you continue to enjoy the privileges of the University. SERIES III.-VOL. V.

3

"The Independent Members are Noblemen; Gentlemen Commoners, (at Worcester College called Fellow-Commoners;) and Commoners.

"The Noblemen are Peers and sons of Peers of England, Scotland, and Ireland. In proceeding to their degrees, they submit to the same forms, and undergo the same examinations as every other member of the University.

"Gentlemen Commoners are young men of family and fortune, who are educated at their own expense. The fees, &c. of a Nobleman and Gentleman Commoner are higher than those of a Com

moner.

"A Commoner is a young gentleman who resides in the University at his own expense.

"It may be proper to observe, that all members of the University are placed on the same footing with regard to discipline, and that neither rank nor riches can, in the slightest degree, tolerate any infringement of the statutes, nor advance their possessors to academical distinctions, in the absence of the real substantial claim of literary merit."

"UNIVERSITY DEGREES.-The first degree taken in the University is that of Bachelor of Arts: for this a residence of sixteen terms is necessary, Michaelmas and Hilary Terms requiring six weeks', Easter and Trinity three weeks' residence, according to the regulations of the University; for the colleges vary as to the time they require their own members to reside; but in no case can it fall short of the period prescribed by the University. As the term in which any one is matriculated, and that in which he takes his degree, are excepted, and two more are dispensed with by Congregation, the residence may, in point of fact, be stated at twelve terms. The sons of the English, Scotch, and Irish Peers, and the eldest sons of Baronets and Knights, when matriculated as such, and not on the Foundation of any College, are allowed to have their degrees after having completed three years. Previously to admission to this degree, it is necessary to undergo two examinations: the first termed Responsions; the second, a Public Examinatim. Responsions must be performed from the sixth to the ninth term inclusive, when the Examination is in the Classics and Logic, or the Elements of Euclid. After entering the fourth year of residence, the candidate must be publicly examined in the rudiments of religion, including a knowledge of the gospels in the original Greek, the Classics, Rhetoric, Moral Philosophy, Logic, and Latin Compo. sition, to which the candidate may add Mathematics and Natural

Philosophy. If the candidates distinguish themselves, they are placed, according to their merit, in the first, second, third, or fourth class, and their names published. The list, which is alphabetical, points out whether a candidate excelled in the Litere Humaniores, (Classics, &c.) or in the Disciplinæ Mathematicœ et Physicæ, (Mathematics and Natural Philosophy.) and it is by no means a rare case to find the same name placed in the first class of both the honorable columns. The fifth class consists of such as have not distinguished themselves in their examination, and their names are not published. The examinations take place in the Schools, before the Examining Masters, who are always gentlemen eminent for their learning. A Bachelor is entitled to his degree of Master of Arts twelve terms after the regular time for taking his first degree, without any further examination. One term of intermediate residence, comprising one and twenty days, is all that is requisite.

“A Student in Civil Law undergoes the same examination as that for Bachelor of Arts, previously to his being admitted Bachelor of Civil Law. The number of terms to be kept for this degree is twenty-eight, which, by dispensation, may be reduced to seventeen. "A Bachelor of Divinity receives his degree seven years from the time of his Regency, which is taken out the first Act after his Master's Degree. The Act is the first Tuesday in July. No one is entitled to vote in the University until he has taken his Regency.

"A Doctor of Divinity, four years after his degree of Bachelor of Divinity; a Doctor in Civil Law, five years from his Bachelor's degree; a Bachelor in Medicine, one year from his Regency; a Doctor in Medicine, three years after his degree of Bachelor. If the time be completed, the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor may be taken on the same day.

“For the degree of Bachelor and Doctor of Music, no examination in the Schools is necessary, as for other degrees; but the candidates prepare a composition, which, being previously examined and approved by the Professor of Music, is publicly performed in the Music School, before the Vice-Chancellor, and other officers of the University, with such of the members as think proper to attend."

UNIVERSITY DRESSES.

“Graduates.—The Doctor in Divinity has three dresses: the first consists of a gown of scarlet cloth, with black velvet sleeves and facings, a cassock, sash, and scarf. This dress is worn on all public occasions in the Theatre, in public processions, and on those Sundays and Holydays which are marked thus (*) in the Oxford Calendar. The second is a habit of scarlet cloth, and a hood of the same

color, lined with black, and a black silk scarf: the Master of Arts' gown is worn under his dress, the sleeves appearing through the arm-holes of the habit. This is the dress of business; it is used in Convocation, Congregation, at morning sermons at St. Mary's during term, with the exception of the morning sermon on Quinquagesima Sunday, and the morning sermons in Lent. The third, which is the usual dress in which a Doctor in Divinity appears, is a Master of Arts" gown, with cassock, sash, and scarf. The ViceChancellor and Heads of Colleges and Halls have no distinguishing dress, but appear, or all occasions, as Doctors in the faculty to which they belong.

same.

"The dresses by Graduates in Law and Physic are nearly the The Doctor has three; the first is a gown of scarlet cloth, with sleeves and facings of pink and silk, and a round black velvet cap. This is the dress of state. The second consists of a habit and hood of scarlet cloth, the habit faced, and the hood lined with pink silk. The habit, which is perfectly analogous to the second dress of the Doctor in Divinity, has lately grown into disuse; it is, however, retained by the Professors, and is always used in presenting to degrees. The third, or common dress of a Doctor in Law or Physic, nearly resembles that of the Bachelor in these faculties; it is a black silk gown, richly ornamented with black lace. The hood of the Bachelor of Law (worn as a dress) is of purple silk, lined with white fur.

"The dress worn by the Doctor of Music on public occasions is a rich white damask silk gown, with sleeves aad facings of crimson satin, a hood of the same materials, and a round black velvet cap. The usual dresses of the Doctor and of the Bachelor in Music are nearly the same as those of Law and Physic.

The Master of Arts wears a black gown, usually made of Prince's stuff or crape, with long sleeves, which are remarkable for the circular cut at the bottom. The arm comes through an aperture in the sleeve, which hangs down. The hood of a Master of Arts is black silk, lined with crimson.

"The gown of a Bachelor of Arts is also usually made of Prince's stuff or crape. It has a full sleeve, looped up at the elbow, and terminating in a point; the dress hood is black, trimmed with fur. Noblemen and Gentlemen Comn.oners, who take the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, wear their gowns of silk.

"Undergraduates.-The Nobleman has two dresses; the first, which is worn in the Theatre, in processions, and on all public occasions, is a gown of violet figured damask silk, richly ornamented