REPORT OF THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY COMMISSION.

The Cambridge Commission has, for specified reasons of its own, with- held a summary of its proposed reforms, similar to that which the Oxford Commission saw reason to publish. We therefore present our readers with an analysis, which pretends te be no more than the briefest enu- meration of the changes suggested, under such broad heads of division as seem most likely to render easy a comprehensive perception of the general bearing of a bulky volume of nearly seven hundred folio pages.

The various sources of present University Law are enumerated, and the recent report of the Statute-Syndicate is noticed as affording an indication of a praiseworthy desire for self-reform on the part of the University.

Relations between Town and University. It is suggested that greater facility' might be properly afforded to the Uni- versity for bringing before the Vice-Chancellor's Court such cases as involve disputes between townsmen and members of the University. Such resort has been rendered difficult by the indirect operation of an act of George IV, giving to Magistrates a summary jurisdiction in cases of assault, without re- serving the privileges of the University. The Vice-Chancellor's Court afore- said to be a public court, when the proceedings are not simply disciplinary, and when either party is not a member of the University. The oaths taken by the Mayor and others of the Corporation of Cambridge before the Vice-Chancellor may be discontinued without injury to the Uni- versity interests. Power of revoking licence to victuallers, &c. to be retained by the Vice- Chancellor. Borough Magistrates to have the sole power of licensing ale- houses, subject to the condition that they grant no licence to any person from whom the Vice-Chancellor may have taken it. -Theatrical and other exhibi- tions to be still under licence of the Vice-Chancellor in the town of Cam- bridge ; but this privilege to be given up as regards the neighbouring towns of Newmarket., Royston, and St. Ives. Discommuning of tradesmen to continue as at present. Charges against the Proctors for assaults committed in the discharge of their office to be no longer brought before a local tribunal, but before one of the higher courts of law. All Under-Graduates to be made minors in law so far as regards their deal- ings with tradesmen, subject to proof that the tradesmen had means of know- ing that their customers were Under-Graduates.

University Officers. The Vice-Chancellor to be elected as at present ; but notice is taken that the usage of confining the selection to the Heads of Houses, though bene- ficial, is not imperative. The Proctors not to be men who have been non-resident for the two years preceding their election, in order to insure due knowledge and discretion in the discharge of their duties. The Taxers to be abolished, as their duties can be better performed by the municipal authorities. The Bedells to be reduced from three to two, in accordance with the report of the Statute-Syndicate ; and only to parade with their maces on state occa- sions.

The Caput SenatAs to be elected in accordance with the revised report of the Statute-Syndicate. [This was the question which gave rise to such warm disputes in the spring, and in which the Heads finally succumbed to the Senate, as appears by the above revised report.] Degrees and Studies.

The report of the Statute-Syndicate is adopted and extended, as follows. Students are to commence residence in January instead of October, are to re- side nine terms instead of ten, and two thirds instead of half of each term. At the end of the fifth term, they are to pass an examination, corresponding to the present previous examination, but extended by the algebra and geo- metry now required for the Poll. After passing this examination, each stu- dent is to select some special line or lines of study, with the sanction of his College Tutor; and at the end of four terms more, to pass an examination in such special departments, either as a candidate for honours or merely for a pass. Such examination' with certificates of his having attended a number to be fixed of University lectures, to qualify the student for his BA. As a necessary apparatus for this course of special instruction, to be sup- plied by the University and not by the Colleges, ten new .Professorshipe and an indefinite number of Sub-Professorships' called Lectureships, are to be instituted. The new Professors are to be—two of Theology, one of General Jurisprudence, one of the Law of Nations and Diplomacy, one ofAnatomy, one of Chemistry, one of Latin, one of Zoology, one of Practical Engineer- ing, one of Descriptive Geometry.

No detail is given on the proposed Lecturers, except that they are to be ap- pointed by the Special Boards of Studies, to be hereafter described. No additional examination for the M.A. degree is proposed. With respect to Law and Medicine, the Commissioners adopt the recom- mendations of the Statute-Syndicate, with the important exception, that whereas the Syndicate proposed to embody the exercises required for these degrees in the form of statutes, the Commissioners prefer leaving them free to the University to modify according to the advance of science and the re- quirements of posterity. The proposal of the Syndicate to abolish Ten-year-men in Theology is mentioned with regret. [The proposal has been since rescinded.] The pro- posed new order of licentiates in Theology is adopted ; but it is recommended In opposition to the Syndicate, that the terms kept by a licentiete shall count towards any other degree. Money payment for exercises not performed is to be discontinued. Declarations and Oaths.

The propothl of Statute-Syndicate to substitute for oaths a simple promise of obedience is approved, as well as the removal from all but theological degrees of the necessity of any affirmation beyond that of bona fide membership of the Church of England. The Commissioners, though debarred from formally entering upon the question of the admission of Dissenters, devote an earnest and impressive paragraph to a declaration of their strong opinion in its favour, coupled with an admission of the difficulty arising front the theological foundations of many of the Colleges. Oaths taken at present to observe the statutes of Colleges also meet with reprobation.

2'uition.

All statutes or deeds of foundation regulating the duties of Professors are to be altered in accordance with the practical usages ; and for the future, care is to be taken not to lay down the duties of a Professor otherwise than by defining the object for which the Professorship is instituted ; the mode of carrying out such object necessarily varying with the state of knowledge and the requirements of the age.

Boards of Special Studies are to be founded, to have the superintendenoe of the instruction given in those studies by the University, and the appoint- ment of the Lecturers or Sub-Professors.

It is not quite clear how many of these Boards are contemplated, but ap- parently there are to be separate boards for—Mathematics, [already insti- tuted; and other Boards are merely an extension of this, some time since established,] Theology, Greek and Latin, Law Civil Engineering, Modern Languages, Natural Science, Moral Science, Medicine. The official Members of these Boards are the various Professors of the branches included or proposed to be included in the above groups.

These Boards are all to be controlled and harmonized by a central Board of Studies composed of all Professors, of several eminent officials in the Uni- versity, of two Heads of Houses elected annually; and eight members of the Senate elected annually according to a cycle of Colleges.- To this Board is intrusted the nomination of all these Professors, the old Professors to be still elected according to their deeds of foundation.

The funds for the payment of this proposed increase to the University staff are to be provided from various sources,—such as suppression of useless and obsolete offices ; present payment for College tuition during last four terms of residence ; an assessment on College incomes, in a proportion yet undetermined.

[To make the whole scheme clear, it may be briefly stated that the pro- posal is to turn the students over from the College tuition at the end of the fifth term, to the classes of such University Professors or Lecturers as they may select for themselves in accordance with their tastes or talents ; thus dividing a student's course into two parts, during the first of which he will be, as heretofore, taught in his College, and afterwards in the University Lecture-rooms.]

It is intimated that private tuition is an evil, but that it supplies an ac- knowledged want ; and the proposed scheme is intended to gradually put an end to it, on the one hand by absorbing in the new Lecturers and Professors the most eminent talent now employing itself in private tuition, and on the other by supplying through this new agency adequate instruction of an au- thorized and regular kind to the students.

It is hoped that the offices thus created will offer that definite i and perma- nent career to men of talent, to the absence of which of late years s _gene- rally attributed the inefficiency of instruction charged against the Colleges, and seemingly proved by the prevalence of private tuition.

Museums and Libraries.

Great deficiency is noted both of rooms and apparatus for scientific lectured requiring illustration. The site of the old Botanic Garden is pointed out as eli,gible for the contiguous erection of such new buildings as may be required. This is insisted on as an important element in the proposed extension of the University system. It is suggested, in opposition to the opinions of the University Librarian, that the Book-privilege might be advantageously commuted for a money payment to be devoted to the purchase of books.

But this portion of the Report is chiefly important for the informa- tion given of the actual condition of the University and College Libraries. It is suggested that the Government might do wisely to give up the tax on degrees, which amounts to more than 30001. per annum, and that this sum would be usefully spent in the erection of necessary buildings, the purchase of apparatus, and of books ; for all which purposes, the University is de- plorably in want of funds.

To this end, the Commissioners propose that the _power of the University to tax its members for strictly academicalpurposes, hitherto doubtful, should be legally confirmed. Minor suggestions on the Pitt Press, Fitzwilliam Museum, New library, we suppress for want of space. Colleges. Of this head we must confine ourselves to the briefest outline, without specifying the details proposed for each separate College. Students are still to be members of Colleges as a condition of their becom- ing members of the University. [Directly opposed to the Oxford Com- mission.]

An extension of College accommodation or of hosteh under College super- intendence, is looked to as likely to furnish room for an increase of students proportionate to the growth of population.

College tuition is modified and limited as above. College Fellows are still to remain subject to the conditions of celibacy, and of taking holy orders where statutably required at present. But the period of taking orders is to be in all Colleges alike, seven years from the M.A. degree. General revision of College Statutes is advised. All local limitations on Fellowships, but those which attach to particular schools, (with especial reference to King's College,) are recommended to be removed.

Periodical visitations are recommended.

Additional strictness in College discipline is not reoommended.The extra- vagance of the students (so far as there is ground for the charge in particular cases) is attributed to the indifference of parents and guardians, to their re- fusal to cooperate with the College authorities, and to the notorious expen- siveness of our great public schools.

Mode of Carrying out the Reforms suggested.

"No complete correction of the evils can be effected except under the au- thority of the Legislature." "It seems to us that it would be convenient to lay down in an act of the Legislature the principles upon which such re- forms should be conducted, and to intrust a Board with temporary power necessary for carrying them into effect." "We need scarcely add, that in any proposed changes we contemplate a due regard being paid to vested in- terests."

Such are the leading points of this voluminous report. We shall dis- cuss the proposed changes at a future opportunity.