very able committee might ftill be adopted in its most effential parts; and thus the university derive credit, and the nation substantial advantage, from the labours of a fet of men, whofe acknowledged abilities and respectable station, in a peculiar manner, qualified them for the difcharge of their im portant truft.

With this view, a member of the academical fenate begs leave to fuggeft the following modification of the late committee's fcheme. He has carefully consulted fome of the most judicious of his friends upon the fubject-matter of every article: he has endeavoured to draw it up in fuch a manner, that the whole, taken together, may form one confiftent, practicable plan; while at the fame time it is fo conftructed, that the fentiments of the fenate may be feparately taken upon each conftituent part; in order, that, if neceflity require, corrections and amendments may be admitted in every fubfequent portion of the inftitution, without injury to thofe that may happen to be previously approved.

It is his intention to proceed upon the following principle, viz.

That although the youth of this place have, in general, fufficient means of information afforded to them by the public tutors, yet that fomething is wanted to fecure a proper degree of attention to the customary courfe of college lectures.*

It may be expected, that, as this is a fundamental principle, I should endeavour to establish it by a proof from facts.

But to enter into such a detail as would be neceffary for this purpose, cannot certainly be a pleasing employment to an academical man.

And as what I reluctantly inferted, relative to this fubject, in a former publication, (see p. 262—277) has never been controverted, I will spare myself the disagreeable recital.

Upon the present occafion, it will be fufficient to obferve, that the friends of the univerfity have frequently lamented the prevalence of the evil I allude to, viz. an almost universal inattention to every fpecies of ufeful literature, accompanied with an increafing spirit of diffipation and extravagance, in all the orders of our youth.

And, that there appears to be a very general conviction in the nation, that thefe diforders, whether they derive themselves from a relaxed state of difcipline, or the exceffes of parental indulgence, require the introduction of an inftitution, more adapted to the prefent exigencies, than any hitherto established in either univerfity.

With a view of effecting this defirable purpose, it is proposed,

I. That a public examination of such noblemen and fellow-commoners, as have been admitted fince the friday, next after the commencement 1774, or shall be admitted before or upon the friday, next after the commencement 1775, be held in the fenate-house, at fome time, hereafter to be appointed in the year 1776.

II. That a public examination of fuch penfioners and fizars, as have been admitted fince the friday, next after the commencement 1774, or fhall be admitted before or upon the friday, next after the commencement 1775, be held in the fenate-house, at some time, hereafter to be appointed, in the year 1776.

III. That thefe examinations be united, fo as to conftitute one examination of all the ftudents admitted as above.

IV. That this examination be held upón the third monday, tuesday, and wednesday in November 1776, from nine to twelve in the mornings, and from two to five in the afternoons of the monday and tuefday.

V. That each perfon attending this ex

amination

amination be examined in the latin and greek claffics, and the elements of geometry and algebra.

VI. That, at this examination, the examiners hereafter to be appointed declare, in a writing to be delivered to the vicechancellor, which of the perfons, then examined, appear upon the whole to be the best scholars, not distinguishing more than a third part, and placing the perfons so diftinguished according to their respective order of merit; and that such declaration be published by the fenior proctor to the fenate, at the next following congregation, and copies thereof fent by him to each college.

VII. That each nobleman and fellowcommoner, admitted as above, be fubjected to one other public examination, and that fuch examination be held upon the fourth monday, tuesday and wednesday in November 1777, from nine to twelve in the mornings, and from two to five in the afternoons of the monday and tuesday.

VIII. That each perfon, attending this examination, be examined in Locke's Effay on the human understanding; natural philofophy; and modern hiftory.

IX. That at this fecond examination of the noblemen and fellow-commoners, in November 1777, the examiners hereafter to be appointed declare, in a writing to be delivered to the vice-chancellor, which of the

perfons, then examined, appear upon the whole to be the beft fcholars, not distinguishing more than a third part, and placing the perfons fo distinguished according to their refpective order of merit; and that fuch declaration be published by the vice-chancellor to the fenate at the next following congregation, and copies thereof transmitted by him to the chancellor of the university, and sent to each college.

X. That perfons changing their order to become fellow-commoners be, in the examinations, claffed with fuch as are of the fame standing with themselves by admiffion.

XI. That any nobleman and fellow-commoner admitted as above, and having been refident, who shall abfent himself from either of the preceding examinations, and any penfioner and fizar, in the fame circumstances, who shall abfent himself from the first, with

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