University Reform. 329 



meaned themselves like grown-up children follows 

 naturally from the circumstance that they have 

 to an extent only too great been regarded as 

 such. 



That a limited amount of penal legislation is 

 needful, under the present constitution of our 

 colleges, we have already admitted. If the sys- 

 tem of compulsory attendance upon lectures, reci- 

 tations, and the roll-call currently known as 

 " morning prayers " is not entirely to be given 

 up, some penalty must await non-attendance. But 

 that this penalty should interfere with the rank 

 of the student, should affect his apparent scholar- 

 ship, is utterly absurd. There is conspicuous ab- 

 surdity in the state of things which allows a man 

 who has attained an average mark of seven 

 eighths to graduate without honour, because of 

 his irregular attendance upon college exercises. 

 His low rank is considered by the public to be 

 an evidence of inferior scholarship ; nor will any 

 amount of mere explanation suffice to remove the 

 impression. The old system of fining would be 

 far preferable to this. As for rioting, sedition, 

 and gross indecorum, they should, after due warn- 

 ing, be visited with expulsion. Further than this, 

 the penal legislation of the university cannot le- 

 gitimately extend. 



