FOUNDATION OF NEW PROFESSORSHIPS 189 



is doing much to raise the scientific standard of re- 

 search in a study so vitally important to the teeming 

 populations of our tropical possessions. The students 

 attending the School of Medicine in Cambridge 

 number nearly four hundred, despite the high standard 

 of the attainments necessary for qualification. In 1904 

 important new buildings, with provision for bacteri- 

 ology, pathology, and public health, were opened by 

 the King. 



The year 1869 was marked by the foundation of the 

 Slade professorship of fine art, and the professorship 

 of Latin. The endowment of the latter chair is but 

 ;^300 a year, half provided by the University and 

 half by the friends of the late Dr. Kennedy, the 

 famous headmaster of Shrewsbury School. That the 

 University should have had to wait till 1869 for the 

 foundation of a chair of Latin, and that the parsimo- 

 nious contribution of ;^iSo a year was all that could 

 be spared towards the stipend of the professor, 

 scarcely lends colour to the prevailing belief that the 

 University, kindly and naturally as she may be dis- 

 posed towards the old learning, squanders on the 

 teaching of ancient languages resources which ought 

 to be otherwise employed. In 1875 the Historical 

 Tripos was founded ; and the School of History, 

 starting under the influence of Seeley, has become 

 one of the most popular avenues to an honours 

 degree. A professorship of ancient history was 

 founded in 1898. 



The Historical Tripos already provided in some 

 measure for the study of political science and political 

 economy as component parts of a liberal education. 

 But latterly the need for a more thorough study of 

 economic conditions has been felt to be imperative for 

 those who look forward to a career in the higher 

 branches of business or in public life ; while, as 

 regards the professional economist, it has been realized 



