510 
rity, and surrounded with difficulties, 
the lordly sons of pride and indolence, 
who are frequently destitute of real 
talents, and who only pass their aca- 
demical career (if their dissipation 
and waste of time deserve the name,) 
undistinguished by aught, save the 
most impenetrable dulness and stupi- 
dity, possess the most valuable oppor- 
tunities to acquire information. How- 
ever it may be disputed in politics, itis 
unquestionably true, that the principles 
by which literary societies are governed 
ought to be purely republican: there 
ought to be no difference of rank ; the 
casual superiority which wealth be- 
stows upon its possessors ought not here 
to be acknowledged. Should it happen 
that a disposition to lord it over those 
in humbler circumstances is percepti- 
ble, it ought to be checked and dis- 
couraged: Every member, during the 
time of his probation, has an un- 
doubted right to obtain the same assist- 
ance with his neighbour: no distinction 
should be suffered to take place, ex- 
cept the distinction of merits and cha- 
racter. Many there are who are men 
of the most undoubted genius, and 
whose circumstances make it necessary 
for them to adopt the most rigid eco- 
nomy; these are the men. who are 
most in want of the emoluments which 
are to be derived from successful appli- 
cation and unwearied perseverance. 
The mental fatigue which cannot but 
be endured by all who seriously apply 
themselves to scientific subjects, ought 
to meet with some consideration ; and, 
what must be the feelings of that man, 
who has wasted his youthful vigour, 
and ruined his constitution, in pre- 
paring for an unsuccessful struggle 
against one who is a degraded man, 
and who, from his circumstances, has 
been able to avail himself of every ex- 
traneous assistance?) Hehasto launch 
into the world in no very proper state 
to combat with difficulty: his friends 
are disappointed ; and, in a young and 
ardent mind, this circumstance alone 
is sufficient to unman him, and to ab- 
stract from his character every thing 
noble and decisive. Many, however, 
must be disappointed, yet it is de- 
sirable that there should be nothing 
beyond the disappointment to add 
poignancy to that deep sense of pain 
which must be felt, to be justly appre- 
ciated. It is also to be wished that a 
successful candidate should not be 
considered with the feelings allied to 
jealousy and envy ; in fact, a noble and 
Particulars concerning the University of Cambridge. [July 1, 
generous mind would disdain to accept 
an honorary character where it is open 
to the slightest imputation. Nothing 
can be more natural, or perhaps justi- 
fiable, than for any man to make use 
of every advantage which may be ac- 
quired without violating his moral 
duty ; and there exists not the remotest 
idea of throwing blame upon those 
who are thus eminently successful. 
But some provision should be made by 
the university at large: it should do 
away with the necessity of private tu- 
tors, except in cases of extraordinary 
dulness ; and perhaps persons of this un- 
fortunate cast have no business in an 
university. Again, the system of in- 
struction is too wide and indefinite ; the 
grand and final examination, as is well 
known, is an examination throughout 
the range of pure mathematics and the 
branches of natural philosophy. 
There have, of late years, been pub- 
lished about thirty volumes on the dif- 
ferent parts of the mathematics, by 
members of the university of Cam- 
bridge ; out of many, or perhaps out of 
the whole of which, are proposed, pro- 
blems and theorems. It is truethatthe 
Substance of these books must, in 
many respects, be alike ; yet the appli- 
cation of their principles is as boundless 
as the universe. The university of 
Cambridge is in possession of a course 
of mathematics which has now been 
written some time; if it be a course in- 
tended for students in the university, 
it ought undoubtedly to be the text- 
book of the examination. Many, per- 
haps, think that the treatises just re- 
ferred to are too scanty, why then is 
not an entirely new course given from 
the university press. If any one will 
take the trouble to examine the differ- 
ent selections of problems, he will find 
there are many proposed, for the prin- 
ciples of which it would be in vain to 
look in the works of Vince or Wood. 
Let it be imagined, that the student ap- 
plies himself with the most unremitting 
diligence: he is in danger of reading 
what may be of no service to himin the 
finalexamination. Ifitwere proposed to 
him what to read, and if the scrutiny 
were confined to that course, and to 
that course only: if he enjoyed every 
advantage possessed by his fellow- 
students, and if the time allowed to 
every man were invariably the same, 
then it might be truly said, that there 
is nothing unfair or impartial. In 
these three grand particulars, the dis- 
cipline of the university is notoriously 
deficient ; 
