A president and vice-president for each college were soon after nominated, and the erection of the buildings was begun. The other appointments were made in August ]849, and the three colleges were opened in the end of October following. An additional sum of 12,0001. had shortly before been granted by Parliament for pro viding them with libraries, philosophical instruments, and some other requisites.
The peculiarity of and the need for such colleges arose from the state of religious feeling in Ireland. The greatest proportion of the people are Roman Catholics, and there is a largo number of Presby terians; but in Trinity College, Dublin, there are no arrangements which even recognise the existence of any form of religious belief but that of the Established Church ; not only is the student who may hold any other creed (in so far as such dissenting students are admitted at all) left without any spiritual superintendence whatever, but the entire system of teaching and discipline is in the Lands of members of the Church established by law, and is regulated and administered in all respects in conformity with the doctrines and ritual of that Church. Notwithstanding considerable opposition the experiment has succeeded. The colleges are attended by students of all religious creeds; but while thus free to all, the morals and the peculiar faith of the student are sedulously attended to Neither in England havo the efforts to promote education been con fined to the poor. At Durham the bishop and dean and chapter obtained an act of Parliament in 1832, authorising the institution and endowment of a university, which was opened for students in October 1833. In 1837 a royal charter of incorporation was obtained by which the style and title of "the Warden, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Durham" was given to the institution. The charter gave the power of conferring degrees, and confirmed the rights and privileges assured to it by act of Parliament, usually enjoyed by chartered universities. The bishop is appointed visitor; the dean of Durham is constituted warden. To the professorships of divinity and ecclesiastical history and of Greek and classical literature, which are both in the patronage of the bishop, canaries in the cathedral aro annexed. The professor of mathematics and astronomy, the readers
in law, Hebrew, history and polite literature, and natural philosophy, the lecturer on chemistry and mineralogy, and other officers of the university, are appointed by tho dean and chapter. Of University College the warden of the university is master. Bishop lIatfield'a Hall, instituted in 1846, is for divinity students. It has four tutors, one of whom is principal, a censor, and a chaplain. The academical year consists of three terms of not less than eight weeks each, which are called Michaelmas, Epiphany, and Easter Terms. The age of admission to`the academical course is from 16 to 21 ; and for the divinity course, between 21 and 26 ; beyond this age students must be admitted by special leave. Care has been taken that the necessary expenses of students shall be as moderate as is consistent with comfort, and any approach to extravagance is sedulously guarded against.
In 1854 an act of Parliament extended the right enjoyed by the graduates of Oxford and Cambridge to practise physic without farther examination, to the graduates in medicine of the University of London. In the same year by another act, a commission was appointed to draw up regulations for the improvement of Oxford University, and in 1857 a similar one was passed for Cambridge. Under these commissions many valuable improvements have been effected, and more may be confidently expected. Among those effected are the breaking up of the close scholarships (especially those of Winchester school), and throwing them open to general competi tion ; the dispensation from the taking of a number of unnecessary oaths ; the establishment of private halls; and the abolishing of the oath on matriculation and on taking the degree of B.A. ; by which last regulation Dissenters are admitted to the whole advantages of a university education. In Scotland also an agitation is being made for some improvement in the universities.