318 * LETTER TO 



known of it was already in their possession ^ 

 since, during the nine years of his being a licen- 

 tiate, he had never absented himself from Lon- 

 don an entire day, and had in the same time 

 associated more with fellows of the college than 

 with licentiates. Besides, the mere admission 

 to an examination did not prevent the free ex- 

 ercise of their judgment at any one of the four 

 other ballots which were to take place, before 

 he could be received into their body ; and as 

 the last of those ballots was not to be held till 

 twelve months after the admission to be ex- 

 amined, those of the tenderest consciences were 

 allowed sufficient time for the most scrupulous 

 inquiries respecting him. 



But not to dwell longer upon this mode of 

 answer to their pretext, I proceed ito assert, 

 that notice was given to the college of Dr. Pit- 

 cairn's intended proposal. If the proper person 

 for receiving it was absent from his duty, the 

 fault lay with him. Among the many illiberal 

 circumstances of the by-law for admitting licen- 

 tiates to an examination, is this ; that no person 

 can be proposed under it, except upon one day 

 in the year ; namely, at the general meeting of 

 the college, immediately after Michaelmas. I 

 had not been able before the 20th of September, 

 to ascertain whether or not I could be proposed 

 in 1797. Two days after this, and seven days 



