EDINBURGH, THE UNIVERSITY OF, took its rise from a bequest in 1558 by Robert Reid, bishop of Orkney, of 8,000 merles; but the sum was retained for a considerable time by the abbot of Kinloss. The magistrates of the city, on the faith of receiving the bequest, purchased in 1563 a portion of the ground on which the present university stands. Queen Mary was anxious that the proposed institution should succeed, and bestowed upon it grants of confiscated church property. The university was formally founded by king James VI. in 1582 by royal charter, in virtue of which the corpora tion, up till 1858, remained its patrons or governors. In 1583, the work of instruction began under Robert Rollock, the first regent. Originally, the university consisted of but one class and one regent or teacher. The regent had charge of the students front their enrollment to their laureation at the close of the fourth session of study. As the university prospered, additions were made to the staff of regents, and separate chairs for the several branches were founded. In the beginning of the 17th c., the senatus academicus consisted of a principal and four regents. The first theological chair was instituted in 1642, and the first professor of medicine was appointed in 1685. After 1688, the university of E., along with its sister universities, was subjected to a parlia mentary visitation. The commission was issued in 1690, and till the close of the century the university was under its control. Under this supervision, a separate chair of Greek was established; and after 1708, the present arrangement of the faculty of arts came into existence. About this period, the faculty of law was created. During the 18th c., the professoriate rapidly increased; and in 1760, the senatus academicus con tained 18 professors besides the principal. Twenty chairs have since been added. In 1858, an act of parliament was passed, by which the constitution of the university was materially changed. The government was taken out of the hands of the lord provost, magistrates, and town-council of the city, and placed in the senatus academicus and a university court; and the patronage of the chairs—from 1582 in possession of the cor poration—was transferred to seven curators, three of whom are nominated by the uni versity court, and four by the town-council. A general council was also established, consisting of graduates of the university, and all persons who, up till Aug., 1861, could satisfy the university commissioners that they,liad given attendance on four com plete sessions Of the tiniVe'rsity, two of theSer:.seisioitrAlieing in 'thee 'course of study in the faculty of arts. The members of this body, together with the professors and university court, have the right of in the election of a member of parliament for the universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews.
..ifatriculation, Faculties, Degrees.—Students entering any class in the university, are required to inscribe their names in the general matriculation album of the university, which is the legal record of attendance; and the matriculation ticket serves as a pass port to the privileges of the university library. The university consists of the faculties of arts, medicine, theology, and law. The faculty of arts comprises the chairs of
humanity, Greek, mathematics, logic and metaphysics, moral philosophy, natural phi losophy, rhetoric and belles lettres, universal history, practical astronomy, agriculture, music, Sanscrit, engineering, political economy, fine arts, and education. Attendance on the first seven of these is incumbent on every one proceeding to the degree of I.A.3 The medical faculty comprises the chairs of institutes of medicine, materia medica, medical jurisprudence, chemistry, surgery, practice of physic, anatomy, pathol ogy, midwifery, clinical medicine, clinical surgery, botany, natural history. The faculty of theology comprises the chairs of divinity, ecclesiastical history, Biblical criticism and antiquities, Hebrew. The faculty of law comprises the chairs of civil law, public law, law of Scotland, conveyancing. The degrees granted by the univer sity are master of arts, bachelor of medicine, master of surgery, doctor of medicine, bachelor of science, doctor of science, bachelor of divinity, doctor of divinity, bachelor of laws, doctor of laws. • Libraries, Museum; university library originated in a bequest, in 1580, by Mr. Clement Little. The bequest amounted to about 300 volumes. It enjoyed the right of receiving every book entered in Stationers' hall, but a composition of .£575 per annum in lieu of the privilege was subsequently accepted. The university library con tains about 138,000 printed volumes, and 700 volumes of MSS. The university also contains subsidiary libraries, such as the theological library, the humanity class library, etc. The natural history museum was established in 1812, and received a government grant of £200 per annum. It was in 1854 transferred to the new museum of science and art, where it forms a natural history department, of which the professor of natural history is the regius keeper. The anatomical museum was founded by the town-council and the senatus academicus in 1826.. The botanical museum is stationed in the botanic garden, which is in connection with the university, and several valuable museums exist as appendages to classes. There are several societies in connection with the university, which meet in its buildings during the winter session.
Bursaries.—There are considerably upwards of 100 bursaries and prizes connected with the university of E., and the total yearly amount of these may be estimated at more than £2,500. These bursaries are appropriated to the different faculties, and are in the patronage of the senatus, the town-council, and of private individuals. Their yearly values range from £5 to £90, and they are generally held for a period of four years.
Scholarships and Fellowships.—There have been recently instituted about 30 scholar ships, of the value of from £30 to £120, and 8 fellowships, from £100 to £160 per annum.
Students.—The number of students has of late been steadily increasing, and in 1877-78 reached the large number of 2,500. The present buildings are now found insufficient for so great an attendance, and it is contemplated removing the medical department to new buildings, which are to be erected in the immediate neighborhood of the new royal infirmary.