OXFORD.

THE SPEECH OF THE REV. V. THOMAS, E.D., LATE FELLOW OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, IN CONVOCATION, ON TUESDAY, 22ND OF MARCH.

Insignissime Vice-Cancellarie vosque egregii Procuratores.

Prudentiæ vestræ, atque integritati nonnulla de statuti interpretatione subministranda sunt; ante autem quam ad legalia accedam pauca quædam in genere dicenda sunt.

In tantâ hâc magistrorum frequentia virorum integerrimorum, qui Fidei Catholicæ studio, et Ecclesiæ adducti, ad gravissimam hanc quæstionem a negotiis, a sanctissimis muneribus, sine morâ, (non autem sine gemitu) convenerunt, nollem in argumentis, nollem, (ut ita dicam) in repetitis, repetendis immorari. Temporis enim Ratio, et rerum ipsarum momenta, id unum à diligentiâ nostrâ postulare videntur, nempe ut agamus-in scriniis paulispèr conquiescant argumenta sive ad Theologiam spectant, sive ad Theologum.

Impræsentiarum nostrum erit (uti spero) qui proposito faveamus statuto, constantiæ nostræ consilia non verbis, sed factis non oratiunculis, sed uno omnium ore atque Reclamatione -unâ omnium manu syngraphâ, conscriptione, comprobare.

De sacris Fidei nostræ veritatibus agitur agitur Academici! de RELIGIONIS non fulcris, sed fundamentis; non de minoribus, qualia sunt ea, quæ ad Ritus, aut Cærimonias attinent, ad ecclesiæ disciplinam, regimen, cultum, sed de maximis, et sanctissimis; de iis scilicet, quibus nituntur tota doctrinæ Christianæ compages, verbi ministerium, sacerdotii utilitas, universa omnium salus; Si in ipso Universitatis gremio, in ipsis Prophetarum scholis pro veris falsa, pro falsis vera, pro certis dubia, pro dubiis itidem certa venditentur, ubinam gentium doctrinam indocti, solatia miseri, medicinam, ægroti, cibos esurientes exquirere possunt. VOL. IX.-May, 1836.

Apertè igitur dicendum est magistri !-qui tacet trahit causam trahit adversariis. Qui cunctanter eloquatur in eo gravissimè peccat, quòd in certissimis ipse incertus, quòd in mediis periculis ipse consilii expers huc illùc distrahatur; et si fortiùs aliquid, vel apertiùs dixero, quam hodierne placeat Blandiloquentiæ, totum id Quæstionis magnitudini apponendum est, non Dicentis indoli, non voluntati.

Vestrûm esse, Procuratores egregii, vetare si vobis ita placuerit-concedo-si quæ in hâc parte statuta fuerint, syllabatìm veluti, et litteratim perlegatis, vim, finem, spiritum parùm curantes, fateor, sed invito penes vos esse negandi et vetandi facultatem: vestrum autem non esse, nec fuisse unquam, nec futurum periclitante Religione, et tantum non eversâ Ecclesia, Defensores et propugnatores submovere. Neque id officiis vestris annumerandum est, quòd a sententiis vestris tota pependerit Reipublicæ nostræ dignitas, Fideí puritas, vis illæsa Scripturarum, quæ omnia detrimentum ex eo capient quam maximum, si suffragia vestra, magistri! auctoritate Procuratoria eripienda sunt.

Ante autem quàm ad alia transeat oratio id a vobis, egregii Procuratores! enixè peto sed observantissimè, ut de sententiis vestris decedatis Rectè enim sentientium est, de suo sive jure, sive judicio nonnihil concedere, ut paci meliùs publicæ consulatur et communi omnium famæ, atque utilitati; sin autem precibus immoti verba revocare nolitis, omnia exinde vestra improvidentia referenda sunt, quæcunque a turbatâ Academiâ, a Collegiis intùs dilaceratis, mala exorientur.

Liceatne ergo sperare aliquid a supplicatione nostrâ?

Vereor profecto ne id a silentio concludatur, nullum esse sperandi locum, nullam indulgentiæ expectationem. Ad legem ergo et ad testimonia-Irritis jam precibus argumento dimicandum est, eoque e statuti verbis educto.

Ante autem quam ad rem ipsam, accessero, id a vobis, Academici, oro ut mihi indulgeatis, 4 F

qui de rebus insolitis linguâ insolitâ, dicturus sum. Tota hæc quæstio in statuti interpretatione versatur.-Auribus benignè lectioni nostræ faveatis, cum jam ad recitationem Paragrapha, e Tituli decimi sectione secundâ extractæ descendam.

"Causa Convocationis per Vice-Cancellarium expositâ, de negotiis propositis maturè deliberent, et (pro naturâ negotii) vel scriptis per scrutinium, vel viva voce, vel in aurem Procuratoris vel denique per secessionem ad alteram partem Domus, suffragia ferant.

"Nihil autem pro decreto aut concesso habeatur, quod Cancellarius, sive ejus Vice-Cancellarius; vel ambo Procuratores, sive eorum Deputati; vel major pars Regentium et non Regentium, negaverint. Præterquam in Electionibus, quas liberas esse volumus, secundum antiquam consuetudinem, per majorem partem omnium suffragantium."

Perpendatis, quæso, animis vestris Insignissime Vice-Cancellarie! vosque Egregii Procuratores! vosque itidem Academici; quid sibi velint horum verborum consecutiones, quid, ordinata ea rerum dispositio, et successio præscripta.

De negotiis propositis maturè deliberent qnod primum est-et deliberatione ad finem perductâ (prout rei ratio postulat) deinde suffragia ferenda sunt quod secundum est-non ferenda sunt ante deliberationem, non ferenda sunt interceptâ deliberatione -non ferenda sunt, vi Procuratoriâ, prohibitâ deliberatione -quæstione tandem penitùs jam ventilatâ ac perspectâ, voluit Academia, ut ad suffragia ferenda accedat Convocatio vel per scrutinum, vel vivá vel in aurem Provoce, curatoris vel per secessionem. Hæc omnia, serie quadam naturali, lex ipsa statuit decrevit, imperavit.

Sed si hæc omnia retrorsùm veluti atque ordine vel reversâ, vel mutatâ, vel perturbatâ, facta forent, summâ cum observantiâ, nec minore constantiâ vobis, Viri integerrimi ! edico, ut in eo peccaveritis quod statuto violato, vos ipsi vobis novam legem sanxeritis.

Sed forte instabit adversarius ubi tandem interponenda est auctoritas Procuratoria-Respondeat statutum-" Nihil autem pro decreto aut concesso habeatur, quod Cancellarius, sive ejus Vice-Cancellarius; vel ambo Procuratores, sive eorum Deputati; vel major pars Regentium et non Regentium, negaverint."

Deliberatione jam factâ atque confectâ, suffragiis omnium latis et collatis, tum demum Procuratorum est, vetare, tum demum, sed non ante Deliberationem factam, non ante suffragia lata, solenni formulâ dicendum est "nos Procuratores Vetamus vel nobis Procuratoribus non placet."

* Quæ singula Vice-Cancellarii integritati

* Ut verbo omnia complectar, sententias pro. ferant Procuratores eâdem quam in Congrega. tione, eâdem quam in Convocatione sequantur ordine, cùm de gratiis pretendis agitur vel de Dispensationibus cæterisque id genus negotiis, nempe ultimi, non primi vel inter primos ; quod

Mrs. Denyer's Prize Dissertations for the present year were decided yesterday :-"On the Doctrine of Faith in the Holy Trinity," to the Rev. Henry William Wilberforce, M.A., of Oriel College;-"On the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for the Salvation of Man," to the Rev. James Stevens, M.A., of St. John's College.

Yesterday the following gentlemen were elected Fellows of Oriel College :-W. Sheppard, B.A., Scholar of Trinity; C. Daman, B.A., Demy of Magdalen; H. Shepheard, B.A., Scholar of Worcester; E. A. Litton, B.A., Balliol.

Yesterday, Mr. J. T. H. Peter, B. A., of Ch. Ch., was elected a Fellow of Merton College.

April 16.

On Wednesday last, being the first day of Easter Term, the following Degrees were conferred:

Masters of Arts - Fitzharding Berkeley Portman, Fellow of All Soul's, grand comp. ; J. Basset, Ch. Ch., grand comp.; Rev. F. F. Fawkes, Ch. Ch.; H. Wall, St. Alban Hall; H. B. Carr, University; Rev. J. W. Burrough, Queen's; Rev. W. Stone, Wadham; J. M. Cholmeley, Fell. of Magdalen; Rev. T. H. Whorwood, Fell. of Magdalen; T. H. Newman, Demy of Magdalen; Rev. H. T. Wheler, Merton.

Bachelor of Arts-W. S. Raine, Exeter.

In a Convocation holden in the afternoon of the same day, the Proctors of the last year

resigned their offices, and the new Proctors, having been previously elected by their respective Colleges, were severally presented, for admission, to the Vice-Chancellor :—

Senior Proctor-Rev. R. Hussey, M.A.,
Student of Ch. Ch.

Junior Proctor-Rev. H. Thorpe, M.A., late Fell. of St. John's.

The former was presented by the Very Rev. the Dean of Christ Church; the latter, by the Rev. Philip Wynter, D.D., President of St. John's. After taking the oaths, and being admitted by the Vice-Chancellor, with the usual ceremonies, to the office of the Proctorship, the new Proctors nominated the following gentlemen to be the Pro-Proctors for the ensuing year:-Rev. J. Ley, M.A., Student of Ch. Ch.; Rev. W. L. Brown, M. A., Student of Ch. Ch.; Rev. L. A. Sharpe, M. A., Fell. of St. John's; Rev. G. Adams, M.A., Fell. of St. John's.

The number of Essays sent in for the Theological Prize founded by Dr. Ellerton, for the present year, is 23.

April 23.

Trinity College.-There will be an Election of Four Scholars on Monday, May 30. Candidates must be above sixteen and under twenty years of age, and will be required to present, in person, to the President, certificates of baptism, and testimonials of conduct, together with a Latin epistle, to request permission to offer themselves, at nine o'clock on Wednesday morning, May 25.

On Thursday last, the following Degrees were conferred:

Bachelors in Divinity-Rev. J. Menzies, Fell. of Corpus Christi; Rev. T. Medland, Fell. of Corpus Christi.

Bachelor in Civil Law-Rev. J. Buckingham, Wadham.

Masters of Arts-W. E. Surtees, University, grand comp.; Rev. G. Lillingston, WorH. Hilton, Worcester; G. W. Ormerod, Brasennose; D. C. Gill, St. John's.

cester;

Bachelors of Arts-J. M. Capes, Balliol; S. Dendy, Trinity; T. A. Matthews, Trinity.

On Tuesday last, at a meeting of the Heads of Colleges, the Rev. T. S. L. Vogan, M.A., of St. Edmund Hall, was nominated to preach the Bampton Lectures for 1837.

The Public Examinations commenced yesterday; the number of names inserted in the Proctor's list amount to 198, of which 59 are those of candidates for classes.

appointed by the Master and Seniors of that society to succeed Dr. Butler as Head Master of Shrewsbury Royal Free Grammar School. The Rev. James Ind Weldon, B.A., Fellow of St. John's College, has also been lately appointed to the Second Mastership of the same school.

On Friday last, Philip Howard Frere, B.A., Scholar of Trinity College, was elected one of the Travelling Bachelors on the foundation of William Worts, Esq.

At the congregation on Friday (end of term) a Grace passed the Senate appointing Joseph Watkins Barnes, M. A., Fellow of Trinity College, Deputy Proctor in the absence of Mr. Heaviside.

Regulations for Tyrwhitt's Hebrew Scholarships. The Syndicate appointed to reconsider and renew the Tyrwhitt's Scholarship regulations, which have ceased to be in force, have recommended to the Senate as follows:— 1. That there shall in future be six Scholarships, called Tyrwhitt's Scholarships.

2. That the candidates for these scholarships shall be, first, (actualiter) Bachelors of Arts or Inceptors who are not of sufficient standing to be created Masters of Arts: or, secondly, Students in Civil Law or Medicine, of not less than four or more than seven years' standing, who shall be required, before they are admitted to become candidates, to produce certificates from their respective Professors, that they have kept the exercises necessary for the degree of Bachelor of Law or Physic.

3. That out of the net annual proceeds of Mr. Tyrwhitt's benefaction the sum of 150%. be divided among the six scholars, in the proportions hereinafter specified.

4. That the electors to these scholarships shall be the Vice Chancellor, the Regius Professor of Hebrew, the Professor of Arabic, and two Members of the Senate, to be nominated by the different Colleges according to the cycle of Proctors.

5. That if the Regius Professor of Hebrew, or the Professor of Arabic, or both of them, shall decline, or be prevented from examining, a deputy or deputies shall be appointed by a Grace of the Senate.

6. That if it shall happen at any time, that two of the offices severally constituting electors are united in the same person, the deputy for the elector in respect of one of the said offices shall be the Lord Almoner's Reader in Arabic; but if in any case the Lord Almoner's Reader shall decline the office of deputy examiner, or shall be prevented from undertaking the said office, a deputy examiner shall be appointed in his place by a Grace of the Senate.

7. That if the Vice Chancellor, the Regius Professor of Hebrew, the Professor of Arabic, or any two of them, shall be members of the same college, no elector shall in that case be appointed by that college according to the cycle of Proctors; but the appointment shall be made by a Grace of the Senate.

8. That the appointment, when requisite, of an examiner or examiners by Grace of the

Senate take place at the first congregation in the Lent term of the year, and that the examiner or examiners so appointed continue in office until the first congregation in the Lent term of the following year.

9. That the examination for those Scholarships commence annually on the second Wednesday in May; and that persons intending to be candidates send in their names to the Vice Chancellor, on or before the first day of May.

10. That two scholars be elected in each year; that the first in the order of merit of these two, receive an annual stipend of 30l., and the second an annual stipend of 20., for three years from the time of election. That in case of equality of merit, the stipend of each be 251.

11. That should it appear in any case to the majority of the electors that no one of the candidates is deserving of a Scholarship with the stipend of 30%. a year, it shall be competent for them to elect one scholar only, with the stipend of 201. a year.

12. That in case there shall be a deficiency of deserving candidates for the two scholarships in any year, the electors shall have power, in the second or third succeeding year, to elect additional scholars into the vacancy or vacancies thus occasioned; after which time the stipends belonging to the scholarships which have not been filled up shall be appropriated in the manner appointed in the next regulation.

13. That the residue of the net annual proceeds of Mr. Tyrwhitt's benefaction, not already disposed of by the third regulation, together with all accumulations which may arise under the twelfth regulation, shall form a fund to be expended in the promotion and encouragement of Hebrew Literature, at the discretion of the examiners, provided that not more than a third part of such fund be expended in any year.

14. That the accounts of this bequest be kept distinct from the general accounts of the University, and be annually audited by the electors in Michaelmas term, before the first of November; and being so audited, shall be laid on the Registrar's table in the Senate-House at the next congregation, for the inspection of the Senate.

15. That these regulations shall be in force until the first congregation in Lent term 1842. April 15.

The following gentlemen of Trinity College were yesterday elected Scholars of that society: C. M. Phillipps, J. A. Frere,

Heath,

Gregory,

Vaughan,

Edlestone,

Pollard, sen.

Thacker,

Sadler,

Stooks,

Sykes,

Blake,

Maitland,

Hardcastle,

Hodgkinson,

Murray,

Howson,

Grant,

Fisher, Stedman,

Barton,

Westm. Scholars.

The designs for the enlargement of the

University Library, have been deposited in the Library for the inspection of Members of the Senate.

April 22.

On Thursday, the 14th inst., the Rev. M. Prickett, M.A., was elected, by the Master and Seniors of Trinity College, one of the Chaplains of that society, on the resignation of the Rev. G. A. Smedley, M.A., Vicar of Chesterton.

At the request of the Plumian Professor, with the sanction of the Vice-Chancellor and Plumian Trustees, and by permission of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the Astronomer Royal yesterday commenced a course of Experimental Lectures on Optics, Mechanics, and Hydrostatics, in the room beneath the University Library.

A meeting of the Philosophical Society was held on Monday evening, Professor Sedgwick, Vice-President, in the chair. Various presents of books, &c., were announced. At the end of the meeting, Professor Sedgwick gave an account, illustrated by drawings, of the geology of Wales, and the sequence of the older rocks, as made out by his own researches and those of Mr. Murchison.

The University of Dublin have recently purchased a very singular Manuscript copy of the four Gospels, supposed, with some reason, to have been written in Ireland, in the seventh century, for the use of St. Cronan, by one Dimma, or Diman, a celebrated scribe. St. Cronan founded the Abbey of Roscrea in the early part of the seventh century, and died in the year 621, or thereabouts. The present venerable relic of its founder was preserved in the Abbey, at Roscrea, until the dissolution of monasteries, when it fell into private hands. It stood on the altar, and, like many similar books in Ireland, it was preserved in an ornamented box, or Cumhdach, which, as appears from an inscription still legible upon the rim, or border of the box, was repaired and gilt at the expense of Thady O'Carroll, Prince of Ely O'Carroll, in the twelfth century; and restored by Donald O'Cuanain, who was Bishop of Killaloe, from 1230 to 1260. The artist employed by this last, was one Thomas,