Oxford, 10th December 1850.

Sue—Permit me to offer a few remarks on the scheme which has been propounded by the Reverend W. Sewell, or his friend, as a plan of Univer- sity extension to supersede University reform, and which you in different places call by the different names of "University reform" and "proposed extension of the University system of education." From the original dimensions of this scheme you have yourself shorn away the Colonies : to that extent, therefore, it was at once found impracti- cable, and, if the objection was one of "geography," absurd.

England remains, to be supplied with lecture-rooms, professors, examiners, and degrees. Now- 1. Where is the money ? The mention of the Clarendon (and Pitt) Press is enough at once to show any Oxford or Cambridge man with what sinister haste the scheme has been concocted.

2. Where are the men ? Oxford cannot furnish them. We have not scholars and much less mathematicians enough for our own College lectures. And though the new Examination statute is now in full o ration, there has been found to teach Physical Science one new tutor only, who was before the holder of three Professorships,) and to teach History an Jurisprudence no new tutor at all.

3. Who are to be your Governors ? Do you propose to consign the empire of English education to the Cambridge Caput and the Oxford Hebdomadal Board ? It is an idea for a pantomime. 4. What is to be the relation between the centre and the branch institu- tions ? And how is that relation to be determined and guaranteed ? 6. How are the respective shares of Oxford and Cambridge in the work to be settled and determined ?

6. What do you propose to do with the country students, including that very numerous class the children of the country clergy ? Are they to be con- gregated in Manchester and Birmingham, the centres of the manufacturing districts, and in the midst of the densest population ?

7. What are to be the subjects of secular education ? I put this especially to the Reverend W. Sewell, who has laboured all his life to prove that secu- lar education is an immoral dream.

S. What will be the market value of an Oxford or Cambridge degree which does not prove that the man has been educated at Oxford or Cambridge, and which does not make him a member of the Oxford or Cambridge corporation? ---i—vith-oarthe-extraneons- and pqmq MITI is 101071109 m tia-Rodifirill tisifeJthenuitoi it alma Otrathigitdmis*.ui nffisetyiltvf. ot411he prow thermsyso HP-470640 dOilbt Whelft

Vtlffiltit&Thr wiriehAtteiji $'; , faibeponditisatit

40109~ thin. dedebresets ti3 toI I ! 1 0 tir .45V144061 sObtrarted)E8}1 {rfxidofi, OtiaddIdegidi 4 Zl4fultlu.for5h11141teifiiityiedlicaSiiill

toy •• A% fir thdilfotrbpolts0 frivol:lea

t, P 1S OVIMilliablatgEfe :Jaw

ielioilotitielevintoxlelitumatrill

1.ffiluqkinitctliktigtriithibb likme fOt.ffittlifeyffitesuralitablebOafprat

-; ' 7 ctreithe:objeeti

.; fli4 0 KW, lefteitshe fork 8' additicead tgailaltiaiss titaberstintielwialliwig diPtie.k) tffliweesitieebst tIfitnictiverals,--- on their and tir Ottiteastit of their own. .7Pellfiwk fliCtffilegtis,,whose present 1eikeiv6ditAbe-iitionvilous, as his Vettittit4; rand yet he 1%je ' "pri, valaxedoWnienta:" Does hail:patine' tiriffiegttitrileitittibf ...England-and t Colonies will be contentri6 tWeli"ititclibtWthgetilfeeni,certain.prie above or beloW a certain eged localities, familviiir 'pe vilestift- orders, or

flitettriyhe conceive

is world-wide university' sgoli) abaslittittiese And if he cannot, what d*she'prdpaidld!do C011tittlititutes?

But perhaps tild.most serious o rdThe institu-

tions whichyettpppose to;nAl k,",tifici....artetherefore in- capable 1 uanni„ =The 'bran eAsildli 114341414de 'places of secu- lar educe fit' for tlid'a bit cif" Wel irthe-scheme is not tofie,is gigantic propaganda of —1Jelitilifitini.v)ithe central Univer- sitiesarek maintain, as a Matter of Vitilable'lithici their Presentcon. nexion With the Church of g% a. Sorely there is mot dishonesty, on the face of a scheme, Whi baes tp save the sac* ptiheiple of reli- gious edneatien4P gt.,!6,-latablis et-Cabana in di- rect violation of that • anti-Telt nitonifexion Witlifixfoid and Cam-

bridge, all over the ".'

It is perhaps an 0140 arid a less sensible and immediate kind, but still one Which the Reverend WI:Sowell should take into tMetnitit,i that this plan would tend to draw away'fidmlfiford what little she has sound learning and positive knowledge, and thereby to leave the field Still itiOre"'open rhe- toric;il. sophists,. who abuse their place and debauch At ititelleets of their -pupil by declaiming on every subject of human kneviledge;When they have never honestly studied any. Smile parts of the scheme are practicable; and these. have been long in practice. Examiners are continually sent from 0,xfontkaiffiCambridge to Durham, the provincial Colleges, and the great schools.'The'Lffialon University and the National Colleges of Ireland exhibit instances Of -Secular education. The London University also exhibits an instance of acentral governing and examining board conferring degrees on the student§ of affiliated institutions. And the idea of systematizing and eefftralizing, edneatitinin all its- branched is I suppose, familiar to. all who have ever bestowedatiffieties tit Dine..ht upon this great subject. lint at present it is but an idea, thiPaStOmplishmens of which must be delayed till we have fairly and deliberittely'settled some of those great questions which vex and divide our age..''"Atiti if to centralize education anywhere is hard, to centralize it 'at Okford stillmore so for Oxford is now in a position of directiclig,ious antagonisin'to the great so; of the nation. Meantime,. the best war in whicliktiford can propagate herself is by in- creasing the efficiency of her special leaching and giving a reel value to her superior degrees. She may thereby train 'and stamp with a genuine mark men competent to teach all the subjeetief. a liberal education ; and these men, diffused over the country, and supplinitine a -they naturally will, the inferior and unstiniped article, will carry:throngh England; and perhaps to the Colonies also,'„Wbatever in Oxford is at once pirtdbirtintsi good. But to estahlish efficientjspecialteaching,and to give "a reSI.Wahte to our superior degreeS,,Wemtist hav,e,great reforms at home. • We iunitlitiVe some of the "niggling " Work painted at by 'the Commission. I think-, by the way, that the epithet "niggling" is somewhat hard. It was applied to'the Commission wheiaid half their questions had appeared. And it was applied to their questions, by contrast with Mr. Sewell's plan. Their plan we shall not see till they publish their' repiirt : their questions must be various, exhaustive, and minute. I think it is hard tee to say that because your scheme "would have no po- litical or party effects agreeable to the party now in power," you "may as- sume that it will not prove agreeable to the flovenunent ; whose party on the other hand is, for merely,party purposes, filterested'in unchurehing and vulgarizing the UniVereities.' Iapprehend that a scheme by no meansMililt4''fiiiirs would find rove.- and even has found favour, with. the 'Whig partjt.''Biitthey would take some mine liberal and more national centre thin:Oxford. And they would 'pro- bably adopts mere promising project of way's and means for the establishment of their Birmingham and Manchester Universities. The Clarendon would squeak loud and yield only bristles. The sinecure fellowships-Aead sine- eures--woffidlileat faintly and yield a golden fleece. Why the Whig aristocracy- should desire to " vulgarize " the Universities, cannot see :- and if they do desire it, I do not care. I am ready to welcome here any man who -Comes to be "educated or to serve the cause of learning. The vulgarism Which I fear is`ilifit of opulent indolence: • tinetly stated that the tests were not to be nehed, and the Commission As to the .".unehurching," Amp. are against gu. Lord John Russell dis, have acted in conformity with his declaratioM. And yet there are few more profitable eat rises for a Whig Minister, and few enterprises more righte- ous, than would be an attempt to abolish ignorant and "noa-natural" sub- senption. Such an attempt would command my support. May I not con, elude that it would also commend yours ? t .1111 f9PPP1 •! I I . Os: 1114 P1 well founded hi i'velt-

own independent The projector.

state elf riOn-resi t

prpfeme;rs'and e 'efe'rs

1T41 Impeino integference with the A USIA EliSITT REFORMER. P.S. There is a point which I trust some of those who have been invited to give evidence will bring before the notice of the Commission. Why should all men' be compelled to stay here for three years ? Why .should not a degree he -conferred at the end of the second year after what is now the middle.exataination ? This would increase our capabilities more than it would diminish the amount of education ; for the year cut out would be the idle second year. It would also enable Colleecs to 'bring to an earlier ter- mination, without the disgrace of dismissal°, the career of men who have shewit &it they are not likely to do good to thin:Waves or others bye long continuance at the University. An indemnity for the lost year might also b0 kitVPP.IlVettrartlif terms: end on 044. &TIM CRih • - "