THE UN'Y!. 



Til K UNIVERSITIES. III. 



CAMBRIDGE. I. 



WE purpose in this, and other articles which will follow, to 

 ir roodora aomo alight sketch of the University of Cam- 

 . and of ita modo of proceeding to degrees, coupled with a 

 l'.".v hints on tho general course, and the method of paesing 

 through its curriculum with the least possible expense. Our 

 i-.-m irk -i will form, ao far aa onr space will allow, a brief prac- 

 lide to the student who desires to obtain from this Uni- 

 versity the degree of B.A., as well aa to candidates for the 

 local examinations for young people of both sexes, and the 

 I<.I_'!I.T examinations for women, which thia University waa the 

 first to institute. 



Let na first of all distingniah between the colleges and tho 

 University. Of tho former (not reckoning Cavendish or Selwyn 

 Colleges) there are seventeen, and these together form the Uni- 

 versity, which has its own proper officers selected from tho 

 resident members of tho colleges, except in tho case of non- 

 collegiate students. To be "attached," a student must first of 

 all become a member of a college, and then, on going into resi- 

 dence, matriculate as a member of the University. To become 

 a member of a college, it is necessary to produce a certificate, 

 signed by some Cambridge M.A., to the effect that he believes 

 the candidate to be a person qualified, " both as to learning 

 and moral character," to be a member of the college. At some 

 of tho colleges there is also an entrance examination. This, of 

 course, is only intended 'to exclude such aa are not np to the 

 standard of the lecturea delivered in the college. At some 

 colleges also the baptismal certificate is required. 



It is advisable that tho student should decide, either before 

 or immediately after commencing residence, as to the course of 

 reading which he intends to pursue. He may take his degree 

 either in honours or in the ordinary examination. If he decide 

 for the former, he will pass the previous examination in his first 

 term, and there will lie open to him the mathematical, classical, 

 moral science, natural science, and law triposes. The examina- 

 tion for each of these is held once in the year ; and the whole of 

 the student's reading should be specially arranged with a view 

 to the final examination. On this part of the subject we shall 

 make a few remarks further on. If the student decide for the 

 ordinary degree, he will have to pass three examinations : 



i. The previous examination, or " little-go," in the first or 

 any later term of residence. 



ii. The general examination, not earlier than the end of the 

 second year. 



iii. The special examination, not earlier than the end of the 

 third year. 



For the ordinary or poll degree it is only necessary to reside 

 from October in one year to the following May two years. 

 This is the shortest possible time, inasmuch as the University 

 requires a residence of nine terms (of whioh there are three in 

 each year) before granting the degree of B.A. 



On the subject of terms, it may be sufficient to say that there 

 are three in the course of the year : the Michaelmas or October 

 term, from October 1 to December 19 ; the Lent term, from 

 January 8 to the Thursday next before Easter Day ; the Easter 

 or Midsummer term, from the Tuesday after Easter Day to 

 June 24. To keep any term the student must reside in college 

 or in a lodging-house licensed by the University, and must dine 

 in hall and attend chapel during two-thirds of the above speci- 

 fied periods. 



We have now to make a few general remarks upon the honour 

 triposes, and the examinations for the ordinary degree. Ac- 

 cording to the new scheme, first in force in 1883, the examina- 

 tion for the mathematical tripos consists of three parts, lasting 

 for three days each. Part I. commences on the Thursday 

 before the last Sunday but one in May ; it is elementary, and 

 embraces Euclid, arithmetic, algebra, plane trigonometry, and 

 the elementary parts of conies, statics, dynamics, hydrostatics, 

 optics, Newton, and astronomy. On the eleventh day after the 

 conclusion of Part I., the moderators and examiners declare 

 what persons deserve mathematical honours, or an ordinary 

 B.A. degree, or to be excused from the general examination for 

 the B.A. degree ; and those persons only can present them- 

 aelves for examination in Part II. who are declared deserving 

 of mathematical honours. The examination in Part II. (in 

 higher mathematics) begins the Thursday following the last 

 71 N.E.* 



Sunday in May. On the seventh day after the termination of 

 1'urt II., a list of candidate* in published, in which account i* 

 taken of the examination in Part* L and II., and arranged in 

 throe claasea wrangler*, aenior optima*, and junior optiflM* 

 each clam being in order of merit The wrangler* only are 

 eligible for examination hi Part III., which begin* the first 

 Monday in January, and ia divided into four group* of 

 advanced aubjccts. On the tenth day after the end of the 

 examination in Part III., a diviaion lilt i* published, arranged 

 alphabetically in three division*. The moderator* and ex- 

 aminers may place in tho first diviaion any candidate showing 

 eminent proficiency in any one group. 



A student who goes up to Cambridge with a fair knowledge of 

 mathematics can scarcely fail to paaa the second of the honour* 

 examinations by merely uaing the lecture* of hi* college. Bat to 

 obtain a good place it ia decidedly advisable to hare the as- 

 sistance of a private tutor, in undergraduate language celled 

 a " coach." To any one considering the question of expense 

 thia will be a serious drawback, and more will therefore be said 

 on the subject under the head of " tuition." Suffice it here to 

 say that, starting with a fair knowledge of Euclid, algebra, 

 trigonometry, and perhaps a little conic sections, a man of 

 ordinary ability may reasonably expect to place himself, by the 

 aid of the college lectures alone, amongst the senior optime*. 

 At St. John's and Trinity the college lectures are said to be 

 sufficient to place a man amongst the wranglers. 



According to the new regulations, the firat examination for 

 the classical tripos commences on the Monday after the last 

 Sunday but one in May, not sooner than the fifth term ; 

 the second is held not sooner than the eighth term, and 

 commences on the Monday after the last Sunday in May. The 

 examinations comprise papers in Greek and Latin, proee and 

 verse, composition, translation from the standard Greek and 

 Latin authors, and ancient history. To take a good place, it is 

 absolutely necessary to have undergone a thoroughly sound 

 classical training and grounding while at school. For the 

 mathematical tripos a man may prepare himself by diligent 

 " coaching " after going into residence, but this cannot be done 

 in the case of the classical. It will be useless for any to 

 attempt it who have not a sound groundwork of Greek and 

 Latin knowledge before entering the University. The examina- 

 tion ranges over the whole field of classical literature, and ita 

 object is to test the knowledge rather than the memory of the 

 candidate. It is with a view to this that the pieces are selected, 

 and it frequently happens that students of very extensive read- 

 ing have not previously seen more than one- half of the pieces 

 set. In the second part the candidate may take not more than 

 two of the following subjects history, philosophy, philology, 

 and archaeology. 



The examination for the moral sciences tripos (which was esta- 

 blished as recently as 1851) is held in May, and embraces moral, 

 mental, and political philosophy, logic, metaphysics, and poli- 

 tical economy. This tripos, in contradistinction to the classical, 

 requires no school training, and students will therefore start more 

 on a level with their competitors. To it is appended a pass ex- 

 amination in moral philosophy, history, and political economy, 

 which also, with the three classes of the tripos, entitles to the 

 degree of B.A. The natural sciences tripos was also instituted 

 in 1851, and the examination embraces chemistry, physics, mine- 

 ralogy, geology, botany, zoology, comparative anatomy, human 

 anatomy, and physiology. Of course it is obvious that when so 

 vast a field of study is included in one examination, only general 

 principles and their application can be expected of the student. 

 The examination, which is held in May, is made as practical aa 

 possible by requiring the candidates to analyse certain sub- 

 mit^-ed specimens from the various departments. 



The examination for the law tripos is held in May, and 

 embraces Roman, English, and International Law, English 

 History, and English Constitutional Law. This tripos entitles 

 to the degree of B.L., or Bachelor of Laws, and it is, of course, 

 invaluable to those whose destiny is the profession of the law, 

 enabling them to prepare themselves while at Cambridge for 

 their future reading, and without any unnecessary waste of 

 time to pass from the degree of B.L. to that of M.L. and 

 LL.D. 



In addition to those already mentioned, there are also the 

 Theological, Historical, Indian, and Semitic Languages triposes, 

 full details of which may be found in the University calendar. 



