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PRINCIPLES

B

ESSAYS

ON THE

ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH.

REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.

By MARK PATTISON, B.D., Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford.

THE nineteenth century will be marked in the constitutional annals of England as the epoch of revival of the central authority. Since the overthrow of the crown in the great revolution of the seventeenth century (1640-88), local and particular institutions and corporations had almost wholly emancipated themselves from control by government. The arm of the executive was weakened, and could not reach bodies so remote and powerful as the municipal and charitable corporations. The growth of the power of the House of Commons gradually supplied the want of strength in the government. This assembly began by wresting its own nomination from the great nobles and landowners.

It assumed to itself the appointment of the executive, and one by one it attacked the privileged and chartered corporations. Tithes, boroughs, charities, cathedrals, endowed schools, Church of Ireland-one after another have fallen and submitted to its heavy hand.

In 1854 the House of Commons, after many threats and long hesitation, made its onslaught on the universities, or rather on the colleges. It was a fair stand-up fight between these wealthy and powerful societies and the representatives of the nation. The issue may be said to have been a drawn battle. The colleges were not remodelled, nor did they lose a shilling of their property. On the other hand, the assailant made good his claim to overhaul and to legislate. Everyone felt that this first baffled attempt was but a prelude. We are now (1876) in the middle of the second Punic war, and no one can fail to see the importance of the advantage gained by the attacking party in the first. In 1854 we disputed the right of interference, and invoked our charters and the sacredness of private property. This ground is no longer taken. The cry of 'spoliation' is no longer raised. We talk as a matter of course of taking away the property of the colleges and giving it to the university, and no one is shocked or so much as hints at 'confiscation.' Founders' intentions it is true were alluded to in the bill now passing through the House; but this is obviously 'honoris causa.' We do not intend to regard them at all—that standpoint is given up. All parties are agreed that the colleges shall

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