English Universities, translated by Francis W. Newman, make of the subject one of the most interesting studies in English life. He says of their course in the eighteenth century: The average scientific result of the seven years course [academic and collegiate] may be judged of, by considering what was required by the Colleges (not by the University) for the attainment of the Bachelorship in Arts. The candidate was to be well founded in Latin, and to have a moderate acquaintance with Greek, a certain facility in speaking or writing Latin, and a knowledge rather general and elegant, than fundamental, of the commonest Classics, connected more with an ability to quote passages, than aught else a rather piecemeal acquaintance with archaeological and historical matters, serviceable for commenting on the separate authors. Mathematical information, slight enough at Oxford, but comprising in Cambridge the higher branches of Mathematics, Physics, and a foretaste of Astronomy with the general Philosophical cultivation which may be gathered from a very moderate acquaintance with the more important works of Bacon and Locke. Whatever was done beyond, either in the Arts or in the Faculties, was a work of supererogation."
Referring to public examinations, which became the established practice in the Philadelphia Academy for many years to the great benefit of the students and reputation of the institution, Huber had, in a few pages before the above, written: In Cambridge, the Mathematical examinations appear alone to have been carried on with earnestness: indeed, the examinations for "honors" introduced as early as the middle of last century, became so severe, that only the ablest minds could enter the lists. The publicity of these examinations, and the interest felt in the results, certainly gave a powerful excitement to ambition in the case of those who could compete for them. Another and more widely diffused stimulus, was found in the prizes which were offered, at least after the middle of the century, for compositions in prose or in verse. Independently of the prize itself, the publicity of the recitation and the augury afforded of future progress for the successful candidate, were of great effect. 25 He had already spoken of the pre-eminence of Mathematics at Cambridge: Only the Mathematical studies at Cambridge and those in Natural 24 The English Universities from the German of V. A. Huber. By F. W. Newman, ii. 304. 23 Ibid, ii. 299.
