A 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 — — 
 
 o I 
 
 
 :r 
 
 
 2 
 
 o 
 > 
 
 2 
 
 ^^ 
 
 53 
 
 2 
 8 
 3 
 
 
 > 
 
 
 
 -c 
 
 sg 
 
 o 
 
 8 
 

 
 A N 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 MEMBERS of the SENATE, 
 
 By JOHN JEBB, M.A.
 
 " An Engttjh Citizen, or, if you will, Senator (for this is 
 the ftation to which our greater citizens do, and our beft 
 mould afpire) can never acquit himfelf of the duties he owes 
 his country under this character, but by furnifhing himfelf 
 with ail thofe qualities of the head and heart, which his fupe- 
 rior rank and pretentions demand." Bp. Hurd's morai and 
 political Dialogues, Vol. III. 
 
 " To think juftly, to write well, to [peak agreeably, are the 
 three great Ends of academic Inftruclion. The Univerfities 
 will excufe me, if I obferye r -that both are^ in one refpecl or 
 other, defective in thefe three capital Points of Education. 
 While in Cambridge the general. Application is turned al- 
 together onfpeculative Knowledge, with little Regard to polite 
 Letters, Ttf/fc, or Style: in Oxford, the whole Attention is 
 directed towards claffical Corfetfnefs, without any found 
 foundation laid in fevere Reafoning and Pbilofophy : In Cam- 
 bridge and in Oxford, the Art of [peaking agreeably is fo 
 far from being taught, that it is hardly talked or thought of. 
 Thefe Defects naturally produce dry unaffecting Compofi- 
 tions in the one ; fuperficial Tafte and puerile Elegance in 
 the ether \ ungracious or affected fpeech in both" Dr.Brown's 
 Eftimate of the Manners and Principles of the Times, Vol. 
 II. p. 68.
 
 URL 
 
 A N 
 
 A D D R E S S, &c. 
 
 I AGAIN fubmit with all deference and re- 
 fpec~l the following Plan of Public Exami- 
 nations to the confideration of the Senate of 
 Cambridge j and at the fame time declare my 
 intention of propofing it to the 'fuffrages of 
 that AfTembly, upon fome day near the clofe of 
 the enfuing February. 
 
 As the Proportions, which form this plan, 
 will be offered in diftincl: Graces, it is to be 
 prefumed, that a difference of opinion, concern- 
 ing the particular mode of execution, will not 
 obftruct the effablifhment of thofe which com- 
 prehend the merits of the main queftion. If 
 the introduction of Public Examinations mould 
 be efteemed a neceffary meafure, and' yet the 
 means now propofed appear exceptionable, 
 means better adapted to the circumftances of 
 the Univerfity may become the fubject matter 
 of fubfequent deliberation. I mail only ob- 
 ferve, that the meafures here fubjoined are, in 
 every material refpecl, the fame with thofe, 
 which were fuggefted by the committee, ap- 
 point-
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 pointed by Grace of the Senate on the 17th of 
 February, 1774.* 
 
 I have alio reprinted fuch preliminary Pojiu- 
 lata, as appear to point out the neceffity of 
 fome alteration in our literary courfe. 
 
 The mode of tranfacling bufinefs in our le- 
 giilative AfTembly, which unfortunately is not 
 of the deliberative kind, each component part 
 being generally underftood to be pofTe(Ted only 
 of a negative voice, too frequently prevents the 
 proper diicufTion of many of thofe important 
 queflions, which are propofed to its mffrages ; 
 and is, moreover, attended with various other 
 inconveniences. 
 
 A 
 
 * The following confidcrations may perhaps appear wor- 
 thy of fome attention. 
 
 1 . The Gentlemen who eompofed the above Committee, 
 were Perfons of the mod diftinguilhed character and ftation 
 in the Univeriity. They formed a fair and equal represen- 
 tative of the Heads of Houfes, Public Tutors and Profeffors. 
 The whole number confined of twenty-one, of whom fe- 
 venteen have upon various cccafions declared themfelves 
 ftrcnuoufly in favour of the propofed meafures. 
 
 2. The fcheme of annual Examinations, which was the 
 refult of their labours, received the honourable tellimony of 
 the Chancellor in its favour. And it is well known, that 
 many of our Prelates have expreHed their wiO.es that it 
 might be carried into effectual execution. 
 
 3. It having been frequently intimated, that the Public 
 Tutors have declared themfelves as difinclined to adopt the 
 Plan of Examinations, induced by an apprehenfion, that the 
 educat on of Youth would thereby be transferred to impro- 
 per peifons, it on the contrary is a fact, that a very cenfider- 
 :ible majority of the Public Tutors are known to approve the 
 projected inftitution. 
 
 This objection, which never appeared to me as of any 
 weight, is however, I trull, fufficiently obviated by the alte- 
 ration introduced into the 15th Proposition.
 
 ( s ) 
 
 A Grace, for inftance, is drawn up and of- 
 fered to the Caput; — it is judged deficient in 
 point of form, or in fome other refpect objec- 
 tionable, and is confequently rejected. An 
 Event, againft which there is no fecurity, as 
 the perfons who compofe this Council, of 
 whom each pofTefTes a negative, are not efteem- 
 ed to be under any obligation to affign the par- 
 ticular reafon of their conduct. 
 
 In the period between thepaffingof a Grace 
 in the Caput, and the time of voting it in the 
 Non-Regent and the Regent Houfes, the mi- 
 nuter! amendment is abfolutely inadmiffible. 
 Objections are itarted in the interval, which, 
 upon a little reflection, might be obviated, or, 
 by a flight alteration in fome unefTential cir- 
 cumitances, totally removed; — the main ques- 
 tion is however loft, for want of fuch amend- 
 ment; and cuftom hath decreed that it cannot 
 again be offered in that term. 
 
 After infinite labour, the various objections 
 are collected, obviated, or proper amendments 
 inferted in the Grace. New objections are, how- 
 ever, ftarted on the day of trial, and the queftion 
 is again rejected. After a certain number of 
 fuch rejections, the friends of the meafure, thus 
 difcouraged by repeated failures, no longer ex- 
 ert themfelves with vigour in its fupport. 
 
 How far thefe obftructions have operated in 
 the prefent inftance, the hiftory of the whole 
 procedure may one day evince. 
 
 a 7 The
 
 (6 ) 
 
 The preceding obfervations evidence the 
 propriety of fubmitting every queffion of im- 
 portance to public difcuffion before the time 
 of its propofal to the Senate. 
 
 I am alfo fatisfied that every fair opponent 
 ought to efteem it a point of honour to offer 
 his objections in fuch a manner, as to afford 
 an opportunity of reply. Be. this as it may, I 
 judge it moft agreeable to order, as well as moil 
 refpeclful, to give this previous intimation of 
 Hiy.'defign; and with the utmoft fincerity of 
 purpofe, I now declare my willingnefs to adopt 
 fuch alterations in the form or fubject matter 
 of every proportion, as, upon enquiry or fug- 
 geftion, I fhall difcover to be agreeable to the 
 general voice. 
 
 I have reafon to believe, that a refpectablc 
 majority of the refident members of the Uni- 
 vei lity : are favourably inclined to the efta- 
 blifhrnent of Public Examinations; and that 
 this is more particularly the cafe, with refpect to 
 the Gentlemen who compofe the Regent Houfe ; 
 upon whofe abilities, integrity, and fpirit, the 
 execution of the Plan muff in principal mea*. 
 fure depend. 
 
 I have only to add, that throughout the 
 whole courfe of my attempt to introduce the 
 institution in queftion, I have made a fair and 
 open appeal to the informed underftandings 
 of my Readers; and have in every material in- 
 flance given my name to the Public, as efteem- 
 
 ing
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 ing. myfelf refponfible for the truth of thofe 
 facts, upon which I have refted the propriety 
 of the propofed meafures. I have therefore 
 a right to requeft, that thofe Gentlemen, who 
 maintain, that the introduaion of annual 
 Examinations is wineceffary, iitexpedient, im<- 
 praSticable, or likely to be attended with ruinous 
 confequences, be equally explicit ;— that they ftate 
 their opinions with precifion, and fupport them 
 by argument j— • that, as the contended necemty 
 for the introduaion of fome improvement into 
 our courfe has been founded upon alledged im- 
 perfections m our difcipline, they, in their vin- 
 dication of onr prefent forms, efpecially attend 
 to the eflentials of the charge — that they be 
 equally circumftantial in their reprefentations, 
 and authenticate their affertions in the fame 
 manner. I may venture without preemp- 
 tion to allure them, they will find in me an 
 adverfary, who will confider their pofitions 
 with candour, and treat their perfons with 
 refpea. 
 
 - 
 
 PRELIMINARY POSTULATA. ., 
 
 I. That the higher orders of our Youth, 
 confifting of Students, many of whom may be 
 hereafter called to bear the moil important of- 
 fices in the State, do not appear to be fuffici- 
 ently guarded at prefent againft the numerous 
 
 a ■ 4 ■ tempta-
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 temptations,, to which Perfons of fortune are 
 peculiarly expofed ; and alfo are deftitute of 
 thofe incentives to literary application, which, 
 in the cafe of ftudents of inferior rank, have 
 hitherto been attended with many beneficial 
 effects.* 
 
 II. That the application of the Penfioners 
 and Sizars to the ftudy of the Mathematics and 
 Natural Philofophy (eminence in which is now 
 underftood to constitute the faireft, if not the 
 fole, claim to honorary diftinctions, at the time 
 of admiffion to the Bachelor's degree) is ufually 
 deferred to the laft year of refidence ; and that 
 the two firft are generally abandoned to idlenefs 
 and diffipation. 
 
 III. That it appears reafonable to fuppofe, 
 that the expences of all orders of Youth in this 
 place would be diminifhed, and the probability 
 of efcaping the dangers, to which they are at 
 prefent expofed, be increafed, by the diffufion 
 of fuch a fpirit of Emulation, as would effect 
 a fteady and uniform application to thofe ftu- 
 dies, which the wifdom of the Univerfity, act- 
 ing in concurrence with the domeflic difcipline 
 of each Society, mould approve. 
 
 IV. That 
 
 * Noblemen, and many other perfons under that defcrip- 
 tion in the Univerfity, are intitled to the degree of Matter of 
 Arts at two years (landing. No Examination whatever, 
 whether Philofophical or Claflkal, is required as a prelimi- 
 nary ftep to this degree.
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 IV. That if, in particular, the attention of 
 the Noblemen and Fellow^Commoners were 
 thus invited to acourfe'of ftudy, adapted to 
 tfteir rank and expectations'^ it is highly proba- 
 ble, that the number of admiffions in thofe or- 
 ders would be more increased, by the opportu- 
 nity of improvement refulting from fuch a re- 
 gulation, than diminished by the apprehenfions 
 of the rigour of our difcipline. 
 
 V. That the diffipation, which generally pre- 
 vails among the higher orders of our Youths 
 who are liberally provided with the means of 
 indulging themfelves in every improper grati-. 
 fication, at the fame time that they are recalled 
 from the purfuit of them by no incitement of 
 Emulation, nor fcarcely by any other lefs gene- 
 rous method of reflraint, muft exert a baneful 
 influence upon the manners of thofe Students", 
 whofe future fortunes depend upon their own 
 induftrious application. 
 
 VI." That the propofal of honorary diilinc- 
 tions, as incitements to the Study of Classical 
 learning, during the firft years of refidence, if 
 adopted alfo in the cafe of Penfioners and Siz- 
 ars, would be attended with a beneficial influ- 
 ence upon every inferior Seminary in the king- 
 dom: at the fame time that an early experi- 
 ment of the abilities and literary accompliih- . 
 ments of Youth, w r ould probably induce many 
 
 of '
 
 ( io ) 
 
 of lefs confirmed habits of attention, feafonably 
 to withdraw themfelves from a place, where 
 they at prefent expend the means of their fu- 
 ture fubfifience, without the remoteft probabi- 
 lity of improvement. 
 
 : If the preceding Poflulaia appear to be found- 
 ed in reafon and truth, it is prefumed, that an 
 happy concurrence of fentiment may be ex- 
 pected in favour of a propofal, the great end 
 and aim of which is to guard the virtue, and 
 to infure the literary improvement, of thofe il- 
 luflrious and ingenuous Youth, who are in- 
 truded to our care, and with whofe fuccefs in 
 future life, our own eftimation with the Public 
 muft confequently always bear an intimate con- 
 nection. 
 
 A Copy of the Proportions, which will be fubmitted, 
 tti regular fuccrjfion, to the Suffrages of the Se- 
 nate in the enfuing February. 
 
 I. A Public Examination of fuch Noblemen 
 and Fellow-Commoners, as have been admitted 
 fince the Friday, next after the Commencement 
 1775, or mall be admitted before or upon the 
 Friday, next after the Commencement 1776, 
 fhall be held in the Senate-Houfe, at fome time 
 \n the year 1777, hereafter to be appointed. 
 
 Placeat
 
 ( II ) 
 
 Placeat "oohis ut ordinatio modo letla, veftrd au- 
 toritate rata, vim Statuti obtineat, et in libris 
 Procancellarii et Procuratorum infra quindecim 
 dies infcribatur ■.* 
 
 II. A Public Examination of fuch Penfioners 
 and Sizars, as have been admitted fince the 
 Friday, next after the Commencement 1775, or ' 
 lhall be admitted before or upon the Friday, 
 next after the Commencement 1776, fhall be 
 held in the Senate-Houfe, at fome timewtt^- 
 year 1777, hereafter to be appointed ; faving 
 to King's College its ufual Privileges. 
 
 III. The Examinations, .propofed.in the two 
 foregoing regulations, fhaU be united, fo as to 
 conftitute one Examination of all the Students 
 admitted within the Periods therein fpecified. 
 
 IV. The Examination propofed in the pre- 
 ceding Ordinance, (hall be held upon the third 
 Monday, Tuefday, and Wednefday, in Novem- 
 ber 1777, from Nine to Twelve in the Morn- 
 ings, and from Two to Five in the Afternoons 
 oAhe Monday and Tuefday. 
 
 V. Each Perfon, attending the Examination 
 in 1777, (hall be examined in the Latin and 
 Greek c'laffics, and in the Elements of Geome- 
 try, and Algebra. 
 
 3 VI. At 
 
 * Each of the Propofitions that follow, at the time of pre- 
 fentment'to the Senate, will be exhibited written on a fepa- 
 rate Paper, with the fame Latin formulary fubjoined.
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 VI. At the clofe of the Examination in i jjj, 
 the Examiners hereafter to be appointed (or 
 the majority of them) fhall declare, in a Writ- 
 ing to be delivered to the Vicechancellor, which 
 of the Perfons, then examined, appear upon 
 the whole to be the bed Scholars, not diftin- 
 guifhing more than a third Part, and placing 
 the Perfons fo diftinguifhed according to their 
 refpective Order of Merit — Copies alfo of fuch 
 Declaration fhall be fent to each College. 
 
 VII. Each Nobleman and Fellow-Common- 
 er, admitted within the Period fpecified in the 
 firft Ordinance, fhall be fubjected to one other 
 Public Examination in the Senate-Houfe, at 
 fome time in the year 1778, hereafter to be ap- 
 pointed. 
 
 VIII. The fecond Examination of the No- 
 blemen and Fellow-Commoners admitted as 
 fpecified in the firft Ordinance, (hall be held 
 upon the fourth Monday, Tuefday, and Wed- 
 nesday in November 177B, from Nine to Twelve 
 in the Mornings, and from Two to Five in the 
 Afternoons of the Monday and Tuefday. 
 
 IX. Each Nobleman and Fellow-Common- 
 er, admitted as fpecified in the firft Ordinance 
 fhall, at his fecond Examination in 1778, be 
 examined in Locke's Effay on the Human Un- 
 derftanding, Natural Philofophy, and Modern 
 Hiftory. 
 
 X. At
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 X. At the clofe of the fecond Examination of 
 the Noblemen and Fellow-Commoners, admit- 
 ted as before fpecified, the three Examiners 
 hereafter to be appointed, or the majority of 
 them, {hall declare, in a Writing to be deliver- 
 ed to the Vicechancellor, which of the Perfons, 
 then examined, appear upon the whole to be 
 the belt Scholars, not diftinguifhing more than 
 a third Part, and placing the Perfons fo diftin- 
 guifhed according to their refpeclive Order of 
 •Merit — fuch declaration fhall be publifhed by 
 the Vicechancellor to the Senate at the next 
 following Congregation, and Copies thereof 
 tranfmitted by him to the Chancellor of the 
 Univerfity, and fent to each College. 
 
 XL Perfons changing their Order to become 
 Fellow-Commoners fhall, in the Examinations, 
 be claiTed with fuch as are of the fame Handing 
 with themfelves by admiflion. 
 
 XII. Any Nobleman and Fellow-Commoner, 
 admitted as before fpecified, and having been 
 refident, who fhall abfent himfelF from either 
 of the preceding Examinations, without fuffi- 
 cient Reafon, fhall be publicly Admoniihed, or 
 fubjecl to fuch other Academical Cenfure, fliort 
 of Ruftication, as the Vicechancellor and the 
 two Proctors, or the Vicechancellor with one 
 Proctor, fhall think the cafe deferves. — A Rea- 
 fon, certified to the Vicechancellor or Locum- 
 i tenens
 
 ( H ) 
 
 tenens of his College, and approved by the major 
 Part of the Vicechancellor and Heads then re- 
 fident, fhall be deemed fufficient to excufe any 
 Perfon's abfence from a whole Examination. — 
 And a Reafon, approved by the major part of 
 the Examiners, hereafter to be appointed, fhall 
 be deemed fufheient to excufe any Perfon's ab- 
 fence from any part of an Examination. 
 
 XIII. The Sanction, provided for the Pur- 
 pose of fecuring the attendance of Noblemen 
 and Fellow-Commoners, and the relief ad- 
 mitted under it, fhall be attended to the cafe 
 of Penfioners and Sizars, admitted as above, 
 who {hall abfent themfelves from the Exami- 
 nations in the year 1777. 
 
 XIV. In all future Years after 1777, there 
 fhall be a Public Examination of fuch Noble- 
 men, Fellow-Commoners, Penfioners, and Siz- 
 ars, as fhall then be of equal Handing with 
 thofe intended to be examined in 1777, and 
 the Subjects and Time mall be the fame with 
 thofe directed for 1777. — There fhall aifo be 
 in every year fubfequent to the year 1778, a 
 Public Examination of fuch Noblemen and 
 Fellow-Commoners as fhall then be of equal 
 {landing with thofe intended to be examined in 
 1778, and the Subjects and Time fhall be the 
 fame with thofe directed for 1778. — And in 
 both the above Examinations, the Examiners 
 
 here-
 
 ( '5 ) 
 
 hereafter to be appointed, fhair.malce ther fame 
 Honorary Diftinclions as irt the. years 1777, and 
 1778, and Attendance (hall be fecured by the 
 fame Sanctions. 
 
 XV. Seven Examiners, Members of the Se- 
 nate, fhall be annually appointed from the fe- 
 veral Colleges, in the order of the Cycle of Op- 
 ponents in Divinity : except only that Trinity- 
 Hall fhall add an Examiner every fifth year, 
 and that thefe Examiners fhall either be the 
 Public Tutors of each College, or appointed 
 by them, in conjunction with the Matter. No 
 appointment fhall be valid, except the, Maiier 
 and one Tutor, at leaf!:, concur in the nomi- 
 nation. 
 
 XVI. Where three Colleges are laid together 
 to provide one Examiner, they fhall have the 
 appointment according to feniority of Foun- 
 dation. — And the Examiners, appointed ac- 
 cording to this and the preceding Ordinance, 
 fhall be prefented to the Vicechancellor, on or 
 before the eleventh of June every year. 
 
 XVII. At the firft Examination in Novem- 
 ber 1777, all the Examiners fhall examine fuch 
 Students as fhall then attend. — At the Exami- 
 nations in November 1778, the three Senior of 
 the Examiners fhall examine the Noblemen and 
 Fellow-Commoners of the Senior year, the 
 other Four or Five, the Students of the Junior 
 year, and fo always, 
 
 XVIII. Be-
 
 ( i6 ) 
 
 XVIII. Eefides the appointed Examiners, 
 every Member of the Senate fhall be at liberty 
 to examine. 
 
 XIX. Each of the Examiners fhall receive a 
 Gratuity of Ten Guineas, to be paid out of the 
 Univerfity Cheft. — Every Noblemen and Fel- 
 low, who fhall be admitted after the date of 
 this Grace, fhall pay at his admiffion two Gui v 
 neas, and every Penfioner half a Guinea, to- 
 wards replacing in the Cheft fach Sums as fhall 
 be thence fo ifTued. — And all Perfons already 
 admitted, and fubjected to the above-mentioned 
 Examinations, fhall be charged with the fame 
 Payments at the clofe of the prefent quarter. 
 
 XX. The Monies charged at the Admiffions 
 of Noblemen, Fellow-Commoners, and Penfi- 
 oners, fhall be accounted for to the Vicechan- 
 cellor, on the Saturdays next before the Days 
 of Examination, by their refpeclive Tutors, 
 who mall at the fame time deliver Lifts of fuch 
 of their Pupils, as are to be examined, with the 
 Dates of their Admiffions. 
 
 N.B. The fourth, fifth, zw&fixth proportions 
 are purpofely fo worded, as to fuit with the firft 
 Ordinance, in cafe the fecond and third fhould 
 be rejected. 
 
 Cambridge, Dec. 20, 1775. 

 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 Form L9-50M-7, '54(5990)444 
 
 USflVKRSiTY OF CALIFORNIA 
 LOS AN^ET.ES
 
 000152 283