TWO COLLEGE HISTORIES.
University College, Oxford. By W. Carr, MA. (Robinson and C). 5s. net.)—The story of University College is not quite as interest- ing as one might have expected to find it. On the subject of the legendary foundation by King Alfred Mr. Carr is conveniently vague. The tradition is indefensible, but the sentiment is too valuable to be lightly abandoned. The authentic founder is William of Durham ; but College piety still clings to belief in the greatest of the English Kings. Authentic history certainly begins about the middle of the thirteenth century, and this for a time is decidedly scanty. The College means were small, its borders narrow, and it played but a small part in the life of the University. A troublesome lawsuit brought it low in the latter part of the fourteenth century, all but three fellowships having to be suspended. A life-tenant of some property sold it to the College as a freehold. First and last the Society had to pay £220 to the reversioners. Then there were the law expenses for many years, the expenses of forging deeds amongst them : Hae tibi erant artes. The property concerned consisted of "three messuages, ten shops, one cellar, twenty-nine acres of land, and 8s rent." The story of the suit, though necessarily abbreviated, is perhaps the most interesting thing in the book. As we pass on we find various details which the historian is quite right in relating, but which have little interest for the general reader. The Reforming movement brought strife here as elsewhere; so did the civil conflicts of the next century ; but nothing of a very dramatic kind occurred. There are brief notices of amusement. There was a sphaeristerium, archery and bowls were practised, and fashionable students learned to dance and fence. In 1631 the Bennet benefaction, consisting of eight hundred and sixty-three acres of land, fell in. Unfortunately, the College seems to have been somewhat unlucky in its Bursars. A loss of .2600 through one of them must have been a considerable blow, for in 1642 University was ranked as the lowest of the Colleges in revenue. It had to make considerable sacrifices for the King, and suffered at the hands of the Parliament. Royalist members were, of course, expelled; a greater injustice was the intrusion of men who had no claim beyond that of service to the party. It was not till 1655 that the College recovered the right of free election. But it is difficult to give one's sympathies to either side. How amazingly mean was the temper which at the Restoration changed the obituary notice of the late Master from "Domino spiritum reddidit " to " fatis cessit " ! The College VMS made an active centre of proselytism by James II. A set of rooms was turned into a chapel, and a printing-press where Pro-Romish tracts were produced set up. The list of worthies is not very long or imposing. The two brothers Scott (Lords Stowell and Eldon) stand near the top. Shelley cannot be reckoned, though the action of the College in expelling him can hardly be censured.—Trinity MU, Cam- bridge. By Henry Elliot Malden. (Same publishers. 5s. net.)— Trinity Hall has at least the distinction of being the only "Hall" in Cambridge, the other bodies so named having some- what hastily and needlessly dropped the designation. It is by many years the senior of the College of the same name, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich. Bateman was a strong partisan of the Pope; but if he erred herein, he amply atoned for his error by his munificence. Mr. Malden has given a very clear and interesting story of the founda- tion, and, as far as circumstances permitted, of the early days of the College. Its first famous chief was Stephen Gardiner. "He looks more like a statesman than a saint, more like a lawyee than, a statesman," is Mr. Yalden's tersely expressed description of the man as he is shown by his portrait. At this time the College was still largely clerical; out of the ten Fellows eight were priests, each of whom received eight marks annually, one more than their lay brethren. The total revenue was £119 2s. In Gardiner's time it nearly succeeded in swallowing Clare Hall ; anyhow, the Fellows of that place "thoughtfully divided the plate among themselves," as Mr. Malden neatly puts it. Gardiner held office up to the time of his death, though deprived for a short time in the reign of Edward VI. The Commonwealth troubles did not directly touch Cambridge, but Trinity Hall, as a place of learning, suffered indirectly not a little both from them and from the Restoration. The history of the last two hundred years has no very special interest, but the historian makes the best of his subject, whatever it may be. One of the most pic- turesque passsages, however, is a description, quoted from Dr.
Latham, of a law disputation about 1850. The candidate for a degree (known as the "Act") disputed with the Professor, who pronounced his verdict with " Satis disputatum, Domine ; et tu quidem tuo officio optima functus es," or "bene," or " multa cum laude." A bare pass was signified by the first three words only; a " pluck " by " Descendas, Domine."
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