AN ENGLISH UNIVERSITY 



17 



constitution numerous obvioiTS advantages which universities other- 

 wise constituted would and do undoubtedly lack. The chief evils 

 besetting the university are perhaps more adventitious than inher- 

 ent; they are largely finan- 

 cial, and arise from carry- 

 ing the system of college 

 individualism too far. A de- 

 scription of the college and 

 university organization may 

 make this apparent. By its 

 endowment a college must 

 support a certain number of 

 Fellows and scholars. The 

 latter form a temporary 

 body, while the former are 

 more or less permanent, and 

 therefore upon them de- 

 volves the management of 

 the college. Business is 

 usually done by a council 

 chosen from the Fellows, 

 and the election of new Fel- 

 lows to fill vacancies is made 

 by this select body. The 

 head of a college is known 

 as the master; he is elected 

 by the Fellows save in one 



or two cases, where his appointment rests with the crown or with 

 certain wealthy individuals. He lives in the college lodge espe- 

 cially built for him, draws a salary large in proportion to the 

 wealth of his college, and exerts an influence corresponding to his 

 intelligence. 



The Fellows are in most cases chosen from those men who have 

 achieved the greatest success in an honor course. At Cambridge 

 College individualism has progressed so far that the Fellows of, say, 

 Magdalen must be Magdalen men, the students of Queens', St Cath- 

 erine's, or any other being ineligible save for their own fellowships. 

 Oxford obtains perhaps better men on the whole by throwing open 

 the fellowships of each particular college to the graduates of all, 

 thus producing a wider competition. A fellowship until recently 

 was tenable for life, but it has been reduced to about six years, the 

 Fellows as a whole, however, retaining the power to extend the 

 period of possession. And, further, the holding of a college ofiice 

 for fifteen years in general qualifies for the holding of a fellow- 



G. H. Dakwin, M. a., F. E. S., Trinity. 

 Plumian Trolessor of Astronomy. 



