19 JANUARY 1878, Page 3

The advocates for the higher education of women obtained a

great triumph at the meeting of the Convocation of the London University on Tuesday night, when a motion approving the draft Charter which will empower the- University to grant degrees to women -in all the faculties alike, was carried by a majority of 1ro,-242 being in favour of the charter and 132 against it. For the most part, the question was really discussed on its merits, and the cheers which greeted one physician who affirmed roundly that he regarded what was called "the higher education of women" as a pure mischief, were by no means altogether jocular. The division list .has not yet, we believe, been analysed, but it is pretty certain that the minority was chiefly composed of members of the medical faculty, who, having loudly demanded last May that they should not be dealt with exceptionally by the admission of women to the medical degrees of the University only, as loudly demanded on Tuesday that they should be exceptionally dealt with in the sense of being specially exempted from liability to academical -association with women. The larger view, however, prevailed, and we observe with satisfaction that one or two physicians -argued in favour of the new charter, and especially that Dr. Pye- -Smith, who holds deservedly a position of very great distinction in the University, spoke, though with some reserves, for the Charter, and in his able and temperate speech met and answered the passionate and ad captandum eloquence of Sir William Jenner.