may be considered as placed in their seats for life, unless they should be promoted to a peerage, or be found grossly inattentive to the interests and welfare of the nation.

In the University are many Professors and Lecturers, a List of which is given at the beginning of this Description of Oxford.

A PUBLIC ORATOR is chosen by Convocation, who retains his situation during his life. He writes letters and addresses on public occasions, presents those on whom the honorary Degree of Master of Arts is conferred, and delivers the annual Creweian Oration alternately with the Professor of Poetry.

Before we commence our account of the Members of the University, it is necessary to point out to strangers the difference between Colleges and Halls. Colleges are all endowed with estates, and are incorporated bodies; Halls are not so, although some of them have Exhibitions towards the maintenance of certain Students. The Principals, or Heads of the Halls, receive annual rents for the chambers inhabited by the students, who live at their own expense. The Chancellor of the University has the disposal of the Headships of all the Halls, except that of St. Edmund Hall, which is in the appointment of the Provost and Fellows of Queen's College. With respect to every Academical privilege, the Members of Halls stand precisely on the same footing with those of Colleges. Their discipline, course of studies,

length of residence, examinations, degrees, dress, and expenses, are all the same as in the Colleges.

Every College and Hall has a Governor, whose nominal distinctions vary. They are called in different Colleges, Dean, Rector, Provost, Warden, President, Master, and Principal. The Heads of Halls are called Principals.

The Members of the University may be divided into two classes: those on the foundation, commonly called DEPENDENT MEMBERS: and those not on the foundation, termed INDEPENDENT MEMBERS. The Dependent Members derive emolument from the revenue of their Societies, and on some of them the management and discipline of the whole body devolve.

The Independent Members consist of such persons as repair to the University for their education and degrees; but who, as they have no claim on the estate of the Society to which they belong; so they possess no voice nor authority in its management; and during their residence in a College or Half, they are supported at their own expense.

The Dependent Members, or Members on the foundation, are as follow:

THE HEAD OF THE COLLEGE.

THE FELLOWS, (called Students at Christ Church.)

THE SCHOLARS, (called Demies at Magdalen.) CHAPLAINS.

BIBLE CLERKS.

1

Under the head of Members on the Founda tion, may also be included the College Officers, which are chosen from among the Fellows; and some of the servants hereafter mentioned.

THE HEAD OF A COLLEGE, (except in the instance of Christ Church, where the Dean is nominated by the Crown, and Worcester, where the Provost is appointed by the Chancellor of the University,) is chosen by the Fellows, from those who are or have been Fellows of the Society.

The qualifications for FELLOWSHIPS vary in almost every Society. The FELLOWs are, according to the statutes of the College, or the Will of the Founder, elected from certain public schools, and admitted on their arrival in Oxford; or they are young men, who, having studied and distinguished themselves in other Colleges, offer themselves as Candidates, and are selected by the votes of the Fellows; in some Societies they are confined to the natives of particular counties, or elected from the Scholars; and, in others, the kindred of the Founder have peculiar privileges. The FELLows, in conjunction with the HEAD of the College, are, in all cases, the directors of the internal regulation of their Society, and the managers of its property and estates; and from among this body the Church Preferment attached to every College is distributed, according to seniority, as a vacancy occurs.

The SCHOLARS are, in a few Colleges, PRO

BATIONARY FELLOWS, although in some others, the attainment of a SCHOLARSHIP is attended with no other beneficial consequence than the receipt of a stated annual sum towards the education of the person who holds it. Strangers are often perplexed with the terms Scholar and Student, and sometimes apply them indiscrimi→ nately to all members of the University. For their information we repeat, that by a Scholar of a College is meant the person who holds the rank above-mentioned; and that a Student is one of the 101 members of that name at Christ Church, whose rank is similar to that of Fellow of other Colleges.

The CHAPLAIN has a stipend and generally chambers and provisions in his College. His duty consists in the performance of divine service in the Chapel.

A BIBLE CLERK performs a different duty in various Colleges, and his stipend, and the fund from which it arises, differ in like manner. He is required to attend the service of the Chapel, and to deliver in a list of the absent Under-Graduates to the officer appointed to enforce the discipline of the College.

EXHIBITIONERS, although not on the foundation, may be reckoned amongst the Dependent Members, as they receive from particular schools, from the bequest of private persons, or from the Colleges themselves, a stipulated sum, which assists in supporting them during the

time of their education. Many of the London Companies have Exhibitions of this description in their gift.

The SERVITORS also may be considered as Dependent Members, having certain emoluments from their Society, whilst they enjoy all the benefits of a collegiate education.

In each College one of the Fellows is appointed to superintend its management during the absence of the Head. He takes his title from that of the Governor of the College, VICEPRESIDENT, SUB-RECTOR, &c.

The TUTORS undertake the direction of the classical, mathematical, and other studies of the junior members; they prepare them for the Public Examinations, and furnish them with advice and assistance in other respects;— many of the Undergraduates have also private Tutors.

The office of DEAN, (or CENSOR at Christ Church,) consists in the due preservation of the College discipline. He also presents the candidates for degrees in Arts, in the House of Convocation.

The BURSAR receives the rents from the estates and other property belonging to the College; he disburses all sums necessary for the expenses of the Society, and pays the stipends of the Fellows, Scholars, &c. He is generally assisted by another Officer, entitled JUNIOR BURSAR.