JUNIOR FELLOWS' OCCUPATIONS. 287 rious classes: a circumstance seriously to be regretted; for with the great and various knowledge they possess, (had they leisure to apply their intellectual endowments practically,) many of these learned men would no doubt contribute largely and usefully to the stock of knowledge in the arts, sciences, and literature. And we think ourselves fairly borne out in this view of the subject, by referring to what has already been achieved by many persons educated here; for it is now tolerably well known that some of the first literary characters in the present and two preceding centuries received their education within the walls of this University, of which institution many of them were fellows. In corroboration of this assertion, we have made out a catalogue of the works they have produced, which list, though not quite perfect, will afford the best evidence on this point, both as to the high attainments of the authors, and their industrious exertions to make those talents and acquirements practically useful. The number of junior fellows is, therefore, still insufficient to admit of their performing effectively the numerous and very important duties of this institution, and at the same time to allow them sufficient leisure for the purpose of deliberately combining and directing their original thoughts, and of arranging for publication the copious knowledge which they are constantly obtaining through their practical intimacy with the best sources of superior intelligence. Their energies, however great, must be too much absorbed by their educational occupations, to admit them also to become authors of new works, which would require, in no ordinary degree, continuous and profound thinking. Consequently, to those who are correctly acquainted with the facts, it is more a subject of surprise than of disappointment, that this learned body should have contributed so much as we find they have done, to the stock of superior literature. And we think this fact may be fairly brought forward to prove the existence of great talents and mental energies amongst the members of this learned society; which qualifications, 288 FELLOWSHIP EXAMINATIONS. had they not been kept in abeyance by the tutors' constant occupation, would, as may reasonably be supposed, have produced numerous and valuable additions to the literary and scientific riches of the British empire. be In corroboration of those opinions, which, indeed, are generally entertained amongst the educated class. in Ireland, it will be requisite to point out the works of merit which have been produced by the Fellows of this University; and also those which are the productions of authors who were their pupils at various periods of its existence at least so far as it may possible to obtain correct information upon the subject. And from such statistics we hope it will be seen that very many of the fellows did not look upon the attainment of a fellowship, and its emoluments, as the ultimate object of their exertions and ambition; rational and just in their views and principles, they have afforded noble and attractive examples, in guiding successive generations along those elevated paths of moral, religious, and scientific education, which greatly benefit society, and often lead to the highest offices under the crown, both in church and state. That our readers may be enabled to form a correct judgment, and therefore to appreciate the degree of talent and application necessary to qualify a student to become a candidate for the fellowship, it is indispensable that we should set before them an accurate account of the preparation requisite, and process adopted at these elections, all which are matters of great interest and importance in college, and always excite very considerable attention throughout society. It need scarcely be mentioned, that all those who enter the hall on the day of examination, to contend for this distinguished honour, do not succeed in that object; and of late years few gain it in their first essay: indeed, generally speaking, so nicely balanced are the merits of the contending parties, that a small degree of superiority often decides the victory. Yet those who are unsuccessful derive a certain degree of credit, and also pecuniary rewards, according FELLOWSHIP EXAMINATIONS. 289 to their merit in answering. And so fair and honourable are the principles and practice upon which this examination is conducted, that we have never heard, in the course of more than forty years' intimate knowledge of this institution, one charge of partiality brought against the Board of Examiners. The unsuccessful candidates must naturally feel disappointed; but they are too honourable, and have too high a sense of propriety, to suffer their feelings to get the better of their judgment, or to attribute improper motives to any one concerned in the decision. The following course of examination will show how richly the mind must be prepared for the contest. The election of this class of members of the university should be commenced, whenever there is a vacancy, (according to the statutes,) on the Wednesday immediately preceding Trinity Sunday, and must be public on the first, second, and third days; it is held in the great hall of examination, and is always witnessed by some hundreds of persons, strangers as well as inmates of the college, who are greatly interested in the proceedings; the fourth day is private, being reserved for Latin composition in prose and verse. All the candidates must have taken a Bachelor's degree in Arts. The subjects of the examination are: -On the morning of the first day, Logics and Metaphysics, during which time they are examined in the following authors, viz. Bacon's Novum Organum, Ars cogitandi, Clericus, Locke, Berkeley, Read, Priestley and Harris. In the afternoon, all the branches of Mathematics, viz. Algebra-The whole Theory of Equations— the text book, viz. Newton's Universal Arithmetic; Hales's Analysis; Lacroix, Algèbre, et complemens d'elemens; Lagrange, sur les resolution des equations numeriques. Trigonometry.-Woodhouse, Lacroix, Hamilton's Conic Sections, Lloyd's Analytic Geometry. Second morning. Natural Philosophy, viz. New a These amount generally to from one to three hundred pounds and upwards. See Madden's Prizes, &c. U 290 FELLOWSHIP EXAMINATIONS. ton's Principia, (Physical parts,) also his Optics, and Lectiones Optica; Smith's Optics, and likewise Harris's; Robinson's Mechanical Philosophy; Playfair; Laplace, Systême du Monde; Lagrange, Méchanique Analytique, Poison Méchanique, and some portion of the Méchanique Celeste. Second evening. Ethics, viz. Cicero, Crellius, Bacon De Augmentis Scientiarum; Cumberland De Legibus Naturæ. Conybeare's Answer to Tyndal; Hutchinson on the Passions, on the Sublime, and on Moral Good and Evil; Bishop King De Origine Mali; Porteus, and Leland; Butler's Analogy and Sermons; Burlemaqui on Natural Law; Brown's Answer to Shaftesbury; Warburton on the Divine Legation; Adams's Sermons on the Nature and Obligation of Virtue; Paley on the Nature and Obligation of an Oath. The third morning is occupied with History and Chronology. In the first part: Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, Polybius, Plutarch, Montagu on the Causes of the Decline of the Roman Republic; Montesquieu on Ancient Republics. In the second part: the chronological works of Newton, Beveridge, and Hales. The third evening is devoted to the whole series of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew literature. From the above enumeration it will easily be perceived that, to succeed in this noble contest, the human intellect must be exposed to a very severe trial of its power and capacity for comprehending the great principles of human knowledge in their most extensive meaning; and of this fact, those persons will be the most competent judges, whose minds have undergone the highest and most judicious cultivation. The unsuccessful parties generally make a second effort, and succeed; others do not try again, but enter into one of the learned professions, and here they find the great advantage of having answered creditably at a fellowship examination. The whole of the fellows were originally interdicted from matrimonial connexions, under pain of being deprived of their fellowships. THE STATUTE OF CELIBACY. 291 This portion of the college statutes has been a fertile source of controversy and discontent amongst the fellows of the University, from the time when the original ordinances of Elizabeth were revised and remodelled by Archbishop Laud in 1637, until 1817, 57 Geo. III., when the Prince Regent, having been applied to by some influential parties, took the advice of the council of ministers, and caused a statute to be framed expressly to put an end to any further doubts or misinterpretations as to the privilege of marrying, which had been claimed and exercised by many of the fellows during the above period; whilst others of them believed that the statutes of this college were prohibitory on the subject of matrimony, and similar to those of Oxford and Cambridge, in that respect. It was high time to establish some certain rule on this important business, since we find that a layman, George Mercer, M.D., elected 1670, and Vice-Provost, was deprived by Archbishop March for being married, and Thomas Squire, who had been elected a fellow in 1701, was deprived of his fellowship for marriage some years after, by Provost Peter Browne, and many others were living in a state of clandestine matrimony, which necessarily made them subservient to the Provosts, who frequently feigned ignorance of these connubial acts, until at last they became so frequent, that it was no longer considered unstatutable; and Dr. Forsayeth, though an unmarried fellow, had dared to question the power of the injunction to celibacy; and he was allowed to be well qualified to judge of the meaning of the University statutes. He strenuously supported the opinion, that the clause respecting the married fellows, only applied to those who were married previous to its enactment. b Dr. Matthew Young also held that opinion, and confirmed his view of the case by taking a wife; and on being threatened by the Provost with expulsion on account of his marriage, he told this superior officer a Afterwards Bishop of Cork and Ross. The Right Hon. John Hely Hutchinson. |