J 821 .j 
cultural classes lias built up a middle 
order of society, unknown in the feudal 
ages, possessed of the means of pursu¬ 
ing whatever calling inclination may 
suggest, the original object of the col- 
leges, viz. as indispensable nurseries 
for literary and clerical men, has be¬ 
come, if not subordinate, at least only 
collaterally important. There would 
now be learned men enough and clergy¬ 
men enough, without so many or so 
rich fellowships and scholarships ; and 
as England is the only country ,in the 
world, where such establishments exist 
in auy considerable degree, so without 
them England would be able, as well 
as other countries, to provide for the 
interests of literature and the church. 
1 here is no doubt but that, in many 
single cases, the patronage afforded by 
these establishments is, in the highest 
degree, seasonable in its application, and 
happy in its effects. But that the whole 
system, as existing in all its parts, is 
valuable in proportion to the costliness 
ot the apparatus, we cannot tally per¬ 
suade ourselves. A boy makes interest 
to be put on the foundation at one of 
the great schools, at Eton, Westmin¬ 
ster, Winchester, Merchant tailors'’; or 
he is put on such a foundation, because 
he was born in a certain parish, county, 
©r diocese. Once a scholar there, he 
usually becomes a scholar at some col¬ 
lege. He then becomes fellow, and at 
last succeeds to the first living in the 
gift of his college, that falls iu, which 
happens on an average at the age of 
forty or forty-five. The moral effect of 
this system on the hearts and characters 
of the aspirants is feelingly and elo¬ 
quently described, by file ingenious au¬ 
thor of Espriella’s letters. The literary 
effect, of the whole system is, that from 
boyhood the individual secures a pro¬ 
vision for life. It may be that he shall 
all along deserve stick provision, and 
turn it to the account of religion and 
letters. But in no step of the progress 
ernes he enjoy the patronage because he 
ns 
deserves it, but because he had the 
good fortune to get into the circle 
which is moving round, and will bring 
him his turn in due time. Now we do 
really think that this must of itself en¬ 
courage indolence, and bring on an in¬ 
difference to personal reputation. But 
the evil goes farther, for so many places 
in the church, as are thus appended to 
the fellowships, are so many rewards 
of exertion and merit removed from the 
market, so that a less worthy candi¬ 
date may be promoted, and a more 
worthy one neglected. Besides this 
patronage in the church, thus forestall¬ 
ed, the fellowships themselves present 
a vast amount of patronage, which 
might be turned to greater account, by 
having greater respect to merit in its 
distribution. 
If it be said that the Fellows earn their* 
support, by the services they personally 
render to learning and religion, we are 
not disposed to deny that they do all 
that can he expected of men in their 
place, fieii from the spur of necessity, 
not wrought upon by emulation, under 
the lethargic air which has infested all 
establishments from the beginning. As 
instructors of the universities they serve 
the public; but a portion only of them 
are wanted in this way: and the cir¬ 
cumstance that the fellowship is but a 
tempoiary provision, and that as soon 
as a few years’ experience have well 
qualified an individual as an instructor, 
he is likely to be called away to a living, 
makes the fellowships of less use, even 
in this respect, than might be expected. 
While at the present day, and in Eng¬ 
land, learning is really so much ho¬ 
noured, and employed, and so well 
paid, it cannot be thought that its 
interests would suffer, were these ap¬ 
propriations for the support of an order 
of learned men in a state of celibacy 
(for that is the universal condition of 
fellowship) thrown into the commou 
stock, to find their way into the hands 
of the industrious and the deserving. 
Proceedings of PuLUe Societies. 
PROCEEDINGS OF 
report relative to the moving bog 
of KILMALEADY, in lung's County , 
made bg order of the royal Dublin 
SOCIETY. 
Royal Dublin Society-House,July 10,1821. 
I N compliancawith the request of the 
Royal Dublin Society, I have visited 
the moving bog of Kilmaleady; and 
Monthly Mag. No. 358. 
PUBLIC SOCIETIES. 
finding on my return to Dublin to-day, 
that very erroneous notions, respecting 
its magnitude and destructive effects, 
have been entertained, I think it my 
duty immediately to communicate to 
you, for the information of the society, 
some account of the nature and extent 
of this once alarming phenomenon. 
T The 
