CHAP. 1640. ¢ gövernment introduced into the college by doctor Chappel, the late provost, after"wards bishop of Cork, and used there "fince the procuring of the late charter, the "thirteenth of Charles the first, has fub66 verted the ancient foundation thereof, "tends to the difcouragement of the natives "of Ireland, and is a general grievance." This was followed by a meffage to the lords, to defire the bishop might be fent for to answer such things as might be objected against him. The reprefentation upon the state of the univerfity of Dublin, which is to be found in the journals of the 4th of March one thousand fix hundred and forty *, I fhall fubjoin at length, as it places a great national object in a just light, and may hereafter be of signal use to the community. By the original ftatutes in the reign of Elizabeth the election of their prefident is * Commons Journals, vol. i. p. 351. placed J III. 1640. placed in the fellows, who at prefent amount CHAP. to seven senior and thirteen junior fellows. Had this inftitution prevailed, according to the charter, a noble reward would have been deftined for literary merit, and an academical fyftem established in Ireland fuperior to thofe of the English univerfities; but, unfortunately, archbishop Laud violated the original charter, and gave this power to the crown. If there be a reward for real merit, for important information, for depth and inftruction in the abftrufe fciences, it exists in a fellowship for the university of Dublin. The fellows are fworn in the moft folemn manner to elect the candidate that shall anfwer beft: the examinations continue four days, for two hours in the morning, and two in the afternoon, and are open to every curious perfon in that city. The candidates are rigorously examined, and obliged to give answers to the most abftruse questions in Newton's Principia with out CHAP. out a diagram, and to be converfant in III. History and Ethics; in Hebrew, Greek, and 1640 Latin; in a word, endowed with a moft ample and complete knowledge of the Belles Lettres. The fellows who are thus chofen are certainly the best judges of the qualities proper for their prefident; and it must become a ferious object to every well-wisher to his country to have this reformation effected by an act of parliament. Unfortunately for that seminary, the emoluments of the provostship, which are faid to be above three thoufand pounds per annum, have made it a political object; and it has been bestowed as a ftate employment, and taken entirely out of the academical line. As this is the only grievance of the kind in his majesty's dominions, it must be suppofed, under a prince fo remarkable for his judicious difpofition of ecclefiaftical and academical patronage, to have been the effect of fome III. grofs minifterial reprefentation: but the CHAP. fault is at present in themselves. It is the flave which makes the tyrant, and acqui- 1640. escence, in fome fort, juftifies violence and public injury. The university never can thrive till it is restored to its primitive inftitution. This should be the commencement of that fyftem of education which was proposed by Mr. Orde in the duke of Rutland's adminiftration. It was in confequence of fome obfervations upon this fubject, that offence was given by the author of these remarks in April one thousand feven hundred and eighty-feven; where, though no perfonal injury was intended, fuch an apology was demanded as could not be liftened to; and it being declared by the author that he would fooner perish than make conceffion upon fuch a point, when his own and the credit of the assembly he belonged to was at stake, a fátisfaction was then given, which, VOL. II. what E any CHAP. whatever the offence might be, or in whatIII. ever light it was confidered, must be ac1640. knowledged to have been a fair and ample reparation. It is not here intended to revive past animofities, nor to dwell upon the conduct of a great affembly: fuffice it to obferve, that their own interefts were deeply involved in that queftion, that the freedom of fpeech is a moft invaluable parliamentary privilege, and that it were to be wished that power had not interfered and ftifled their just feelings upon that occafion. The following representation comprehends many particulars, which may be of great moment; but the effential article is that relative to the appointment and election of the provost by the fellows. There is fome ambiguity in the fentence relative to ftrangers, but the author did not think himself warranted to make any alteration, and fhall therefore confine his remarks and |