1793' °" education I25 



quisition of it be rendered much more easy, and lefs 

 expensive than ever yet has been practicable. But 

 on these heads I (hall not enlarge, leaving every 

 one at liberty to judge for himself. 



Should ever such an institution however be attemp- 

 ed in EaglanJ, care fliould be taken to secure to the 

 present universities, their present exclusive pri- 

 vilege of conferring academical degrees; otherwise 

 such an opposition would arise from that quarter, as 

 must at once quafh such a project. Indeed, at any rate, 

 it may supposed, that the members of these antient 

 institutions, who have long battened on the provision 

 appropriated to idelenefs, by their ill judging forefa- 

 thers, will behold with en evil eye, any proposal for 

 establi fhing a literary seminary on principles so dif- 

 ferent from those which have been there adopted ; 

 and which, if encouraged, might tend to throw their 

 venerable institutions into a comparative ppint of 

 view, that would not tend to exalt them. It is 

 thus that private considerations too often prevent 

 the establi (hment of institutions of great utility ; 

 and the public may be said to be kept, with regard 

 to literary attainments, in a perpetual state of pupi- 

 lary nonage. Thus it has been since the beginning 

 of time, and thus it will continue while this world 

 lasts, — though now and then small advances may be 

 made in spite of these checks which must operate con- 

 tinually though slowly in promoting improvements. 



