*

INTRODUCTION.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE is a fociety of ftudents, incorporated (13th Eliz.) by the name of the Chancellor, Mafters, and Scholars. This little Commonwealth consists of fixteen Colleges or Societies, devoted to the study of learning and knowledge. All thefe +Colleges or Halls have been founded fince the beginning of tEdward I. and are maintained by the endowments of their feveral Founders and Benefactors. Each College is a body corporate, and bound by its own Statutes; but is likewife controlled by the paramount laws of the Univerfity.

Each of the fixteen Colleges furnishes members both for the executive and legislative branch of its government. The place of affembly is the Senate-Houfe.

All perfons, who are Mafters of Arts, or Doctors in either of the three faculties, viz. Divinity, Civil Law, or Phyfic, have votes in this affembly. The number of those who are entitled to the appellation of Members of the Senate, is at prefent about 940.

The Senate is divided into two Claffes or Houses; which are denominated Regents or Non Regents. Mafters of Arts, of lefs than five years standing, and Doctors of less than two, compofe the Regent or Upper-Houfe, or, as it is otherwise called, the White Hood Houfe; from its members wearing their Hoods lined with white filk. All the rest constitute the Non Regent, or Lower-House, otherwife called the Black Hood House; its members wearing black filk Hoods. But Doctors of more than two years standing, and the Public Orator of the University, may vote in either Houfe, according to their pleasure.

The executive branch of the University is committed to certain Magiftrates and Officers, all chofen by the Senate. They are in the following order:

A CHANCELLOR, who is the head of the whole University; and in him is placed the fole authority of governing power within the precincts, excepting matters of Felony. He is chofen by the body of the Senate, and is generally one of the principal nobility. The office is biennial, or tenable for fuch a length of time, beyond two years, as the tacit confent of the Univerfity may chufe to allow.

* Downing COLLEGE, as being still unfounded, is omitted. + Colleges and Halls are here (unlike those at Oxford, ) synonimous; the Halls enjoying in every respect the same privileges as the Colleges. The first authentic charter is faid to be dated 15. Hen. III, and tọ be found among the records in the Tower.

A HIGH STEWARD, who has a fpecial power to take the trial of scholars impeached of Felony within the limits of the University. He is allowed a deputy. A VICE CHANCELLOR, who is always the head of fome College or Hall, and is chofen annually, on the 4th of November, by the body of the Senate. His office, in the abfence of the Chancellor, embraces the execution of the Chancellor's powers and government of the University; and, during his continuance in office, he acts as a magiftrate for the Univerfity and County. -THE CAPUT, which is annually chofen on the 12th of October, and confifts of the Vice-Chancellor, a Doctor in each faculty, and twe Master of Arts, reprefentatives of the Regent and Non Regent Houfes.-Two PROCTORS, who are Peace Officers, and elected by the Regents annually on the 10th of November, They attend to the difcipline and behaviour of the Students, fearch houses of ill-fame, and commit women of loose and abandoned character; also, attend the congregations of the Senate, &c. &c. They must be Mafters of. Arts. Two MODERATORS, nominated by the Proctors, and appointed by a grace of the Senate; who fuperintend the Exercifes and Difputations in Philofophy, and the Examinations for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Two TAXORS, who are chofen the fame as the Proctors. They are appointed to regulate the markets, examine the affize of bread, and the lawfulness of all weights and measures, Two SCRUTA TORS, who are Non Regents, and whofe duty is to attend at all congregations, to read the graces in the lower house, to gather the votes, &c. A PUBLIC ORATOR, who is the voice of the Senate upon all public occafions, writes, reads, and records the letters to and from the Senate. and presents to all honorary degrees with an appropriate speech. This is esteemed one of the most honourable offices in the gift of the University. A COMMISSARY, who is an officer under the Chancellor, an affiftant or affeffor to the Vice-Chancellor in his court. He alfo holds a court of record for all privileged perfons and scholars under the degree of A. M. He is appointed by the Chancellor's letters patent. A REGISTRAR-THREE ESQUIRE BEDELLS, whofe office is to attend the Vice-Chancellor upon all public occafions, whom they precede with their filver maces -Two LIBRARIANS, to whom the regulations and management of the Public Library is confided.

* The jurifdiction of the University is a mile every way round, from any part of the suburbs.

Every University Grace must pass the Caput before it can be admitted into the Senate,

Befides thefe, there are a number of inferior officers, who are appointed by the Vice-Chancellor, for the time being, and hold their offices for life; fuch as School keeper, Marshall, Bellringer, Yeoman Bedell, &c,

There are two COURTS of LAW in this Univerfity, viz. the Confiftory Court of the Chancellor, and the Confiftory Court of the Commiary.

The Two MEMBERS, which the Univerfity fends to Par liament, are chosen by the body of the Senate. THE UNI VERSITY COUNCIL, are appointed by a Grace of the Senate, and are confulted upon various occafions. The SOLI C1TOR, is appointed by the Vice Chancellor. The SINDICS, are members of the Senate, chofen to fuperintend the Buildings, Library, Printing, &c. The PROFESSORS of the diffe rent fciences have ftipends allowed from various sources; Some from the University cheft, others from Government, or eftates left for that purpose.

The TERMS of this Univerfity are three; viz. October, or Michaelmas Term, begins on the 10th of October, and ends on the 16th of December. Lent or January Term, begins January the 13th; and ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. Eafter, or Midfummer Term, begins on the Wednesday fe'nnight after Eafter day, and ends on the Friday after Commencement day. COMMENCEMENT DAY is always the first Tuesday in July.

When a Member of the Senate dies within the University, during term, the University Bell rings an hour; from which period Non-term commences for three days.

The feveral orders in the different colleges are as follow:

1. A MASTER, or Head, who is generally a Doctor of Divinity; excepting Trinity-Hall, where he is a Doctor of Laws; and Caius, where he may be a Doctor of Phyfic. The Head of Kings is ftiled Provosts of Queens, Prefident.

2. FELLOWS, who generally are Bachelors of Divinity, Mafters or Bachelors of Arts; fome few are Bachelors of Law and Phyfic, as at Trinity Hall and Caius, or Doctors of Law and Phyfic.

3. NOBLEMEN, GRADUATES, DOCTORS in the feveral FACULTIES, BACHELORS of DIVINITY, (who have been A. M.) and MASTERS of ARTS, are all Members of the Senate.

4. GRADUATES, who are not members of the Senate, are Bachelors of Divinity, denominated Four-and-twenty-men, or Ten-year-men.

5. BACHELORS of Law and PHYSIC.

6. BACHELORS of ARTS. Some of thefe are called Bache

lor Commoners, and are fuch as have been, while Under-graduates, Fellow Commoners.

7. FELLOW COMMONERS, who are generally the younger fons of the Nobility, or young men of fortune, and have the privilege of dining at the Fellows' table, from whence the appellation poffibly originated. They are diftinguished from the Penfioners and Scholars by their drefs, which is ornamented with Gold or Silver.

8. PENSIONERS and SCHOLARS are nearly of the fame order; except that the latter, from the enjoyment of scholarships, read the graces in Hall, leons in Chapel, &c.

9. SIZAKS are generally men of inferior fortune, though frequently by their merit they fucceed to the highest honors in the University. Most of our church DIGNITARIES have been of this order.

The limits of this work will not allow us to give an account of the ceremonies, &c. of taking degrees, we fhall therefore merely add fome particulars concerning them. The Students are admitted to the different degrees according to their standing. The time required by the Univerfity ftatutes for studying, before they can be qualified for taking the several degrees, is as follows:

A Bachelor of Arts, muft refide the greater part of twelve terms, the first and laft excepted; there are invariably three terms in a year, therefore he must be a member four years. A Mafter of Arts, must have been a Bachelor of three years ftanding; though not obliged to refide conftantly during term as the former. A Bachelor of Divinity, must be a Master of Arts of feven years ftanding. A Doctor of Divinity, must be a Bachelor of Divinity of five, or A. M. of twelve years standing. A Bachelor of Laws, muft be of fix years standing complete, and must keep the greater part of nine terms. A Doctor of Laws, must be a Bachelor of Laws of five years standing, or a Master of Arts of feven years standing. Á Bachelor of Phyfic must keep the greater part of nine terms, and may be admitted any time in his fixth year. A Doctor of Phyfic the fame as L. L. D. A Bachelor of Mufic must enter his name at fome college, and compose a folemn piece of mufic, as an exercise, prior to his degree. A Doctor of Mufic is generally Mus. B, and his exercife is the fame. Noblemen, or fuch as are entitled to honorary degrees, at two years standing, are as follow:-1. Privy Counsellors. 2. Bishops. 3. Noblemen, viz. Dukes, Marquifes, Earls, Viscounts, Barons. 4. Sons of Noblemen, 5. Perfons related to the King's Majefty by confanguinity or affinity: provided they_be alfo honorable. 6. The eldest Sons of fuch perfons, and Baronets and Knights, to the degree of A. M. only.

The time for conferring the degrees of Masters of Arts, and Doctors of the feveral faculties,, is at Commencement, which is always the firft Tuesday in July. A Bachelor of Divinity takes his degree on the eleventh of June. The examination for the degree of Bachelor of Arts generally begins on the first Monday in Lent-term, and continues that, and the three following days; and on the Friday following they are admitted to their degrees. The number of Students who take their degrees at that time, is usually about a hundred.

UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE PRIZES.

The annual amount of Prizes for the encouragement of literature, free and open competition for the whole Univerfity, amounts to 3531. 5s. viz. Mathematics 50l. Claffics and English Compofition 3031. 5s.

The annual Prizes in the individual Colleges, about 2861. two thirds of which are allowed for the encouragement of Class fical Literature.

CHANCELLOR's PRIZES.

Two gold medals, value 15 guineas each, are given annually by the Chancellor of this Univerfity, to two commencing Bachelors of Arts, who having obtained Senior Optimes; acquit themselves the best in claffical learning. The fubject is appointed by the Vice-Chancellor; who, together with the Provost of King's, the masters of Trinity, St. John's, Chrift's, Clare Hall, Peter-Houfe, and the fenior Fellow of Trinity, elected from Westminster school, examines the candidates, and adjudges the Prizes. When there is an equality of votes the V. C. decides.

MEMBERS' PRIZES.

The Reprefentatives in Parliament of this University give four annual Prizes, of 15 guineas each, which are adjudged by the Vice-Chancellor and beads of colleges, to two fenior and two middle Bachelors of Arts, who fhall compofe the best Disfertations in Latin Profe; which are read publicly on a day appointed near to the Commencement.

SIR WILLIAM BROWNE's PRIZES.

Sir William Browne, Knt. directed three gold medals, value 5 guineas each, to be given yearly to three Undergraduates on the Commencement day. The firft to him that writes the best Greek Ode, in imitation of Sappho; the fecond for the best Latin Ode in imitation of Horace; the third for the best