7 DECEMBER 1850, Page 13

UNIVERSITY EVIDENCE.

Cambridge, 3d December 1850. E" An Under-graduate of Trinity College" commits several mistakes,—first, in sup- posing that we inserted "an attack on the Under-graduates of Oxford and Cam- bridge"; second, in filling the paper which he asks us to insert as a " defence," with a. discursive ramble into other matters; third, in sending to the press what he knew to be " unsatisfactory "—his time being " almost entirely taken up with college studies," is not a valid plea for laying a faulty composition before the pub- lic. The only • ly relevantpart of the,long paperls what follows.) • The "election" process advised by your correspondent is totally absurd and impracticable. It might answer at the University of Daedalus in fermis, or at Cambridge, U.S. The method I would venture to suggest is, for the Secretary, or other resident members of the Commission, to invite 'the com- munications, personal or otherwise, of all resident persons in stetu pupillari, who had any suggestions to offer : the result of his inquiries might then be reported to the Commission ; who would request the attendance of those gentlemen whose evidence would seem likely to be conducive to the public service. At the same time, some means should be devised for protecting the witnesses from any attempts at what is called " authoritative teachings' aa it is just possible that candidates for Cblkge advancement would otherwise be running too great a risk of exciting the wrath of Achilles. In Trinity, there woulb be nothing at all to-fear, from the well-known liberality or the gentle- men who constitute our governing and electing body ; but it is very generally stated and believed that the head of one College has threatened with instant extermination any Fellow, Scholar, orStudent, who shall presume to hold any communication with Winne. But Catlike is now at the gates of Rorao ; and it is surely the wiser part to defy the old proverb, and see whether we cannot make a silken purse out of the ear of a pig.

AN UNDER-GRADUATE OF TRINITY.