388 LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 



London the desirableness of their undertaking the duty of affording women an 

 opportunity of testing their attainments in the more solid branches of learning* 

 He referred to the case of Miss G-arrard, who, through her father applied to the 

 Senate to be examined, and received a reply that under the charter they had 

 no power to comply with her request. He read portions of the charter, and 

 endeavoured to shew that the difficulty was more technical than real, and that 

 the Senate would readily get over it as soon as they were desirous to admit 

 women. 



Dr. Hodson seconded the resolution. 



Mr. H. Chester said it was necessary for national interests that means should 

 be found without delay for improvement in the education of women, and they 

 must consist in a great degree of a tribunal for testing their requirements and 

 granting certificates or degrees. He, however, could not agree that the best 

 mode of accomplishing the object at the present time would be to force the duty- 

 upon the University of London. There could be no doubt whatever that the 

 founders of the University and the Government authorities who issued the 

 charter did not contemplate that degrees should be granted to women ; and 

 he could not but think that if the University were at once to grant women the 

 degrees of bachelor of arts, master of arts, and doctor, they would bring on 

 themselves an amount of ridicule which would retard rather than advance the 

 object in view. That object could be obtained in a much more practical way. 

 What they wanted was an university specially designed for women alone, and 

 he thought that this association had resources at hand which would enable it 

 to establish such an institution. He referred to the success which had attended 

 the examination of females in different branches of knowledge by the Society of 

 Arts, and suggested that the association should appoint a special committee to 

 deal with the subject. 



Dr. Foster thought that women would prefer having university degrees, equal 

 to those obtained by men, to certificates from the College of Precentors or the 

 Society of Arts. 



The resolution, after some more discussion, was withdrawn, and the following 

 carried unanimously : — " That this meeting is of opinion that means ought to be 

 provided for testing and attesting the education of women of the middle and 

 higher classes, and requests the council of the association to take such measures 

 as they may deem expedient for the attainment of this object." 



j1 Ladies' Parliament. — The chief interest on Wednesday was centred in the 

 Social Economy Section, in which, under the presidency of Lord Brougham, a 

 ladies' parliament was held to discuss the question of employment for their sex. 

 The section was crowded during the whole day by a throng of ladies, who filled, 

 not only the area of the court, but the jury-box and the seats for counsel, and 

 gave the chamber very much the appearance of the College of the " Princess" 

 with its rows of " fair girl graduates in their golden hair." The gentlemen 

 (says the Times) were in such a miserable minority that they were scarcely 

 visible, and if they were not to be seen they certainly took good care not to 

 make themselves heard. Whether they were too craven to utter their real 

 sentiments, or whether they were converted by the soft voices of the orators, 



