§ THE EARL OF DERBY, in moving the second reading of this Bill, to which he did not anticipate any opposition, said, its object was to enable the University of Oxford to pass a statute amending a statute which had been already passed in pursuance of the will of Charles Viner. The Vinerian foundation arose from the will of Charles Viner, who died in 1755, and who bequeathed the whole of his very valuable library and a bequest worth £12,000 to the University. If all who had been at the University were actuated by the same conscientious motives as Sir Charles Viner that seat of learning would be enriched indeed; for Mr. Viner stated that his bequest was given to the Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University "in order to make some amends for my indiscretion there in infancy." The testator then proceeded to specify his objects, one of which was for nominating, appointing, and establishing a Professor ship of Common Law at the University and putting it upon a proper footing, in order that young gentlemen who might be students there might be instructed and enabled to pursue their studies to the best advantage when attending the courts at Westminster, and might not trifle away their time by hearing what they under stood nothing of, and thereby divert their minds from the study of the law to their own prejudice. For the purpose of effecting this very laudable object it was pro posed that out of a portion of the residue of the funds provision should be made for publishing a Supplement to his own Abridgment of the Law, and also appointing, ns far as the funds would allow, one or more fellowships and scholarships. The Abridgment to which he referred consisted of twenty-four large volumes, and the Supplement had been published, he believed, in the small compass of six additional volumes. The University desired to act in accordance with the directions of the founder in every respect; but in order to carry them out in his evident intention they desired to appoint a resident Professor. In order to do so, however, it was necessary that the original statute of 1758 should be modified accordingly. But upon proposing to make those alterations they were informed by the present Attorney General that it was doubtful 384 whether they could modify it without the assistance of Parliament, because the statute formerly passed was in conformity with the precise terms of the will of the founder. It was to enable them to make the necessary alterations that this Bill was introduced. The proposed modification had been sanctioned by the Hebdomadal Council, and had been unanimously approved by the Council of Convocation. The Bill had been introduced into the other House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as one of the Members for the University, and the Attorney General, its counsel, and had passed without opposition. He trusted it would be received equally without objection by their Lord ships. He begged to move the second reading of the Bill.
§ Motion agreed to; Bill rend 2a and committed to a Committee of the Whole House on Friday next.