LORD KENYON. 385 



of the same interest still more strongly. This 

 at first authorized the introduction, by favour, 

 of two licentiates every year into the college. 

 But it was quickly after enacted, that only one 

 should be annually proposed for introduction ; 

 and again, that no proposition of this kind 

 should be made oftener than once in two years. 

 Such are the changes which the letter of the 

 law has undergone. If we look to its execu- 

 tion, it may MOW be regarded as abrogated; 

 since no licentiate has been proposed under it 

 for six years past. 



But, though the college have thus shown, 

 that they possess a strong interest in preventing 

 the increase of their number, from the introduc- 

 tion of licentiates by favour, it is yet easy to 

 prove, that they must have a much more power- 

 ful one, in resisting the entrance of persons of 

 that class, through the means of examination. 

 Licentiates made fellows in the former way will 

 naturally adopt the maxims of their patrons, 

 with respect to the management of the corpora- 

 tion ; and even if they should not, they can 

 never be sufficiently numerous to form in it a 

 party of any consequence. On the other hand, 

 licentiates admitted to be fellows of the college, 

 after an examination of their fitness, would be 

 free to act in all its concerns, according to their 

 own views of what was right. They might 



c c 



