HOW TO BE ENCOURAGED BY GOVERNMENT. 385 
science of this country on a firm and prosperous 
basis, relates to our universities, and to the establish- 
ment of Regius Professorships in those branches of 
physical science wherein there is at present no sort 
of instruction. The important advantages which 
would result from this measure have already been 
sufficiently dwelt upon. At present, it seems to be 
the general opinion, that our government (so far 
from incurring any expense by the annual grant of 
20007. made by the nation for “ defraying the 
salaries of professors in the universities of Oxford 
and Cambridge” ) receives the sums back again into 
the treasury in the shape of taxes of the most odious 
description, inasmuch as they are extorted, not 
indeed by a sale of honours, but by taxing those who 
achieve honours; those, in fact, who proceed with 
credit through an expensive term of years of col- 
legiate discipline, and are therefore admitted to their 
degrees, so that these fees become a direct tax upon 
learning*, in those very establishments avowedly 
made for its encouragement! What is given by the 
government with one hand, is taken back, with more 
than usurious interest, by the other. The peculiarly 
oppressive nature of these exactions have recently 
called forth much public complaint, and they are 
altogether so opposed to the spirit of the age, that 
we think the subject only requires to be mentioned 
in parliament, to give our present ministers an op- 
* Every Bachelor of Arts pays to the government three, 
and every Master of Arts siz guineas on taking his degrees. 
Different sums, varying in amount, are imposed on other de- 
grees. See Appendix. 
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