2 DECEMBER 1871, Page 3

Mr. James Stuart, of Trinity College, Cambridge, has ad- dressed

a remarkable letter on University Extension to the resi- dent members of the University. He remarks on the hardship it is to the poorer classes of society that they should derive nothing directly from the enormous revenues of the National Universities, and observes, that with all the wealth sunk in the University Fellowships, this restriction of the teaching of the Universities to University residents is by no means necessary. He suggests that some of the Fellowships should be held on condition of the holders delivering lectures and holding night classes in some of the larger English towns, such lecturers to succeed each other,—while per- manent local professorships might be established in some of the largest cities out of the revenues at the disposal of the Universities, and now bestowed on Fellows who do little or nothing for their income. We may be sure that the inquiry instituted by the Government into the property and revenues of the Universities will result in demands more or less of this kind, and the Universities would be wise in taking the bull by the horns, and profiting by Mr. Stuart's advice. It would be a vast gain of influence for the Universities, and might do much to diminish the popular jealousy felt by democracies for "learning."