their fortune, their ſtation, their learning, or their experience, have appeared the moſt zealous to promote the ſucceſs of Mr Viner’s eſtabliſhment.
The advantages that might reſult to the ſcience of the law itſelf, when a little more attended to in theſe ſeats of knowlege, perhaps would be very conſiderable. The leiſure and abilities of the learned in theſe retirements might either ſuggeſt expedients, or execute thoſe dictated by wiſer heads[1], for improving it’s method, retrenching it’s ſuperfluities, and reconciling the little contrarieties, which the practice of many centuries will neceſſarily create in any human ſyſtem: a taſk, which thoſe who are deeply employed in buſineſs, and the more active ſcenes of the profeſſion, can hardly condeſcend to engage in. And as to the intereſt, or (which is the ſame) the reputation of the univerſities themſelves, I may venture to pronounce, that if ever this ſtudy ſhould arrive to any tolerable perfection either here or at Cambridge, the nobility and gentry of this kingdom would not ſhorten their reſidence upon this account, nor perhaps entertain a worſe opinion of the benefits of academical education. Neither ſhould it be conſidered as a matter of light importance, that while we thus extend the pomoeria of univerſity learning, and adopt a new tribe of citizens within theſe philoſophical walls, we intereſt a
- ↑ See lord Bacon’s propoſals and offer of a digeſt.
of civil law, being duly admoniſhed ſo to do by the vice-chancellor and proctors: and that both fellowſhips and ſcholarſhips do expire at the end of ten years after each reſpective election; and become void in caſe of gross miſbehavior, non-reſidence for two years together, marriage, not being called to the bar within the time before limited (being duly admoniſhed ſo to be by the vice-chancellor, and proctors) or deſerting the profeſſion of the law by following any other profeſſion: and that in any of theſe caſes the vice-chancellor, with conſent of convocation, do declare the place actually void.
9. That in caſe of any vacancy of the profeſſorship, fellowſhips, or ſcholarſhips, the profits of the current year be ratably divided between the predeceſſor or his repreſentatives, and the ſucceſſor; and that a new election be had within one month afterwards, unleſs by that means the time of election ſhall fall within any vacation, in which caſe it be deferred to the firſt week in the next full term. And that before any convocation ſhall be held for ſuch election, or for any other matter relating to Mr. Viner’s benefaction, ten days public notice be given to each college and hall of the convocation, and the cauſe of convoking it.
