UNIVERSITY. This word is the English form of the Latin vinireradas, which in often used by the best Latin writers. The adjective " universua " signifies the whole of anything, as contrasted with its parts ; the plural "iiniversi " also is often used to express an entire number of persons or thing., as opposed to individual persons or things. The of the word universitaa may be derived from the meaning of The word universitas applies either to a number of thing's, or of persons, or of rights, viewed as a whole. The Roman jurists expressed by the term " universitas bonorum" the whole of a property as contrasted with the parts (ainguhe res) which composed it. Such a universitas might be the object of a universal succession, a term which signified the immediate passing from one person to another of all that could be comprehended under such a universitas of property. The Roman hcrelitas is an instance of ouch universal succession.
]lights and duties are properly attached to individuals as their sub jects: but a number of individuals may be viewed for certain legal Purposes as one person or as a unity. Thus the notion of a number of persons forming a juristical person, or a universitas, obtained among the Romans, and unlversitas was a general name for various associa tions of individuals, who were also indicated by the names of eollegia and corpora. The essential character of these univereitates of persons, viewed as juristical persons, was the capacity of having and acquiring property. The property, when bad or acquired, might be applied to any purposes which the nature of the association required : but it was the capacity of the association to have and acquire, like an individual, that was the essential characterintie of the body as a universitas ; and the purpose% fur which the property might be had or acquired were no more a part of the notion of a universitas, than the purposes for which an individual hal or acquires property are part of his capacity to have or acquire.
The universities or corporate bodies at Rome were very numerous. There were corporations of bakers, publicani or farmers of the revenue, of scribte, and others. The name was also applied in the Senile above explained to civitatea, munlelpia, and respublicre; and also to the component parts of them, as curiie, vici, fora, contiliabula, and castella.
From the Roman words univeraitaa, collegium, corpus, are derived the terms university, college, and corporation of modern languages ; and though these words have obtain'sd modified aignifications in modern times, so as not to be indifferently applicable to the name things, they all agree in retaining the fundameutal signification of the terms, whatever may have been auperaddod to them. There in now no university, college, or corporation which is not a juristical person in the sense above explained : wherever these words are applied to any association of persons not stamped with this mark, it is an abuse of terms which requires no further comment.
The word university, in its modern acceptation, has often been mis understood. Its proper meaning is explained in this article ; and the application of the term to associations of teachers or pupils is explained in the article UNIVERSITIES.