: 
496 
ardour and fucccfs as the Fellows of the 
College, or any body of men in the pro- 
fetion. They infift alfo, th-t they have 
-ftudied whatever immediately relates to 
phyfic, in {chools infinitely fupericr to 
Oxford and Cambridge, ei are to- 
tally “gana apes to complete the educa- 
tion of a phyfician. _ appeal, to ex+ 
amination to decide, whether their edu- 
cation and acguiremenis do net entitle 
them to thofe honours and advantages, 
which the legiflature has held cut as in- 
_gitements and rewards to the learned 
and fkiiful ef the profel {ion ? Mr. Er-. 
fkine admitted, that in academies and 
other feininaries, equal learning may be 
acquire but argued, that ** Oxford 
and Comuie had been conducive to 
the revival of letters: that the monu- 
ments of learning are preferved there: 
that few perfons would refide there, if 
they obtained no privilege by their de- 
grees; and then, perhaps, im another age, 
we may lock at thefe Univerfities, as 
venerable ruins 3 or perhaps, according’to 
the ideas ct modern tumes, we may “fee 
them filled with looms for manufac- 
turers, or ftables for horfes !”’ Refpe@ for 
oid eftablifhments is very natural; but 
it weuld become a blind and bigotted 
partiality, if it led men to facrifice bet- 
ter opportt nities cf improvement in any 
profeiiion.: In che) fo material ‘to ‘the 
health and lives cof the community 4s 
phyfic, it would be criminal to be in- 
fluenced by If the Univerfities of 
Oxford Le Cambridge were as inefii- 
cient in other branches of education as 
in thofe that relate to medicine, neither 
see for their former fervices, nor 
ven partial advantages annexed to their 
ae could long preferve them from 
venerable ruin; a ruin, which, indeed, 
the clatiic or philofop her might deplore; 
but which, if the monopoly i in nee 
is efablihal, the phyfician muft rejoi 
Mr. Ai teine next faid, “ 4f ae 
privileges of thefe Univerfities are not 
cae in phyfic, why fhould they be 
efpected in the other pr REE you 
wil have a mandamus moved for, next 
term, to admit a man of good morals, 
and acquainted with divin: ity, to ordina- 
tion.’ Itwould be deviating from the 
fubject, to argue the propriety of con 
fining ordination to thofe who have taken 
a degree at the Englifh Univerfities ; but 
the grounds of this reftriétion inthe church 
ty no means apply in phyfic. Oxford and 
Cambridge are effentially ecclefiaftical 
inftitutions; they are the only pudlic 
feminarics, in which the doétrines of the 
Se 
it. 
at. 
Cafe of the Licentiates, concluded. 
[July 
church of England are taught. The 
anterefis of the church and ftate are ge-. 
nerally confidered to be fo interwoven, 
that it is neceffary to take peculiar pre- 
cautions about the principles and tenets 
imbibed by the clergy. Seclufion from 
the world in early life; under the in- 
fpeCtion of the dignitaries and elders of 
the church, may bea proper precaution 
in the education tf perfons deflined ‘ne 
perform the facred fun€tions of religion. 
But» do any ef thefe grounds apply in 
fuch adegree to ftudents of peepee as 
to entitle Oxford or Cambridge to mon 
polize, or even to confine the bi asec 
of phyfcians? They neither ever were, 
nor are now, medical fchools of any cre- 
dit. The interefts of the ftate are un- 
doubtedly materially conneéted with the 
attachment of phyficians, becaufe no 
body can influence public opinion more 
powerfully; but that attachment cannot 
lurely be ftrengthened by reftraining ei- 
ther their opportunities of improvement, 
or fair means oF advancement. A reclufe 
fituation would deprive the fudent in 
phyfic of the great object of his invef- 
tigation : af dife afe in its various forms, 
which is rarely to be met with in fe- 
cluded colleges. Mr. Erfkine alfo in- 
ftanced * that admiffion to the bar was 
accelerated by a previous degree at Ox- 
ford or Cambridge.” But the grounds of 
this privilege are as inapplicable to phy~ 
ficians, as thofe enumerated refpecting 
clergymen. Englith law is peculiar to 
the country, and is not taught in foreign 
Univerfities. The legiflature has , there- 
fore, given a privilege to thofe who ftudy 
law in the Englith Univerfities, which 
it has not extended to thofe who ftudy 
phyfic there; the branches of which 
being not of alocal nature, may be learn- 
ed in any country. Befides, this pri- 
vilege only, aman, but does not 
give an exclufive right of admiffion te 
the bar, which the eraduates of Oxford 
and Cambridge have ufurped, and firug- 
gle to perpetuate, in the College of Phy- 
ficians. It may be added, that exami- 
nations of perfons called to the bar, 
afford but very madequate proofs of a 
learned education, of which a degree 
from the Englifh Univerfities is an evi- 
dence: but that the tefts required for 
a into the College of Phyficians, 
are, in themfelves, proofs of confidera~ 
ble attainments in literature and fcience. 
Mr. Erfkine, after obferying that thefe 
reftraints are attended with no incenve- 
nience, and complimenting both the Col- 
lege and Licentiates for their candour 
3 and 
