Mr. Smithbegged to ask the hon. Baronet the Member for the University of Oxford a question respecting the statutes of the University and its colleges. In July, 1838 the Duke of Wellington, the Chancellor o that University, deprecated discussion it the House of Lords on the subject of them statutes, saying, that they were then it the course of revision, and that it would be well that all opinion on them should for the present be suspended. It was now five years since this declaration had beer made, and he wished to ask whether the revision alluded to had been completed, or was still in progress, and, if so, when would be completed, and whether there would be any objection to the publication of the revised statutes.
§ Sir R. H. Ingliswould answer tile ques- 1297 tion of the right hon. Gentleman as well as he was able. It was within the knowledge of the House, without reference to what had taken place elsewhere, that the University had been engaged for a considerable time past in revising the statutes, and considerable progress had been made. Two or three years previously to the time to which the right hon. Gentleman alluded, a great alteration had been made in reference to the relative intercourse of colleges and halls. In 1837 some change had been effected, which related to oaths, and in 1838 a considerable alteration had been adopted with regard to matriculations. Formerly it was required that young men should take an oath to fulfil all the requirements of the statutes, but that practice had now ceased to exist, and in lieu of taking the oath, every young man now received an admonition, which was addressed to him by the chief functionary of the University, the Vice-Chancellor. In the following year an alteration was made with respect to residence, which he thought would be found to be exceedingly salutary in its effects. In 1840 an alteration had been made in the statutes de moribus conformandis, and he believed that this was such a measure as would satisfy every hon. Gentleman. In another year, 1839, a further alteration had been made respecting lectures, requiring all persons to attend a certain number of courses, and of lectures in each course. He thought, that the right hon. Gentleman and the House would agree with him in thinking that much had been done, and that under the circumstances it was fit that a considerable portion of indulgence should be shown to the university. He could assure the House that the subject had not escaped the observation of those most interested in maintaining the discipline of the university, in promoting its welfare, and in rendering it one of the greatest ornaments of civilization in England.
Mr. V. Smithbegged to suggest to the hon. Baronet that he had not yet answered the questions which lie had put—namely, how soon the work which had been commenced would be completed, and whether the statutes might not be printed?
§ Sir R. H. Inglistook it for granted that the right hon. Gentleman was aware that the statutes were promulgated in Latin, and he did not know whether he 1298 could desire that they should be published in their original language. He might take this opportunity of adding what he had before omitted; the right hon. Gentleman's question had referred, not to the university merely, but to colleges also. He was able to state, that considerable progress had been made in the different colleges with respect to the revision of their statutes; but he must add, that each,)f the colleges had a visitor, subject to whose cognizance their internal affairs were conducted. The university, also, bad a visitor in the person of the Archbishop of Canterbury, besides a special visitor, to whom it was answerable.