nius he added the study of Virgil. This was enough for that worthy principal, after he had inquired into the other qualifications of the young man, to make him a regent. It was M. Hersan, who has done so much honour to the university. It might be of great service to a principal to train up himself good subjects in his college, and prepare them early for the regency. When they are thus seen to grow up under his eyes, he must be far better acquainted with them both as to their capacity, and what is still more essential, their morals and disposition. E shall resume this matter, and speak more fully to it at the conclusion of this article. . It is not sufficient to have made a good choice, he must keep up to it through all the rest of his conduct. The great skill of a principal lies in gaining the affection of the regents, in making himself valued and beloved by them, and acquiring their confidence, which can only be obtained by a civil and obliging treatment, remote from all haughtiness and pride. For he must remember, that the prevailing character in men of letters, is the love of liberty, I mean an honest liberty directed by reason. Besides what depends upon the regents, the principal may contribute very much of himself to the advancement of study, by raising an emulation in the classes, from the frequent visits he shall make them, to take an account of their progress, to encourage the good scholars by commendation, to distribute rewards and prizes amongst them from time to time, to excite the weak and indifferent to take pains, and universally to confirm the authority and good views of the regents. The distribution of prizes which is solemnly made at the end of the year, is one of the most effectual means to excite and keep up the emulation I am speaking of. The care of this belongs to the principal, and of all the expences he is at, this is the best employed. It were to be wished, as I have already observed, that his revenue might admit of wherewithal to do it with out out inconvenience to himself; and I admire the generosity of those, who having no boarders, or but very few, do notwithstanding distribute prizes at the end of the year, as though they were very rich. That this distribution of prizes may produce its full effect, it must be made with great equity, without favour or affection. It depends upon the principal, whether he will give prizes or no; but when they are once proposed, he is no longer at liberty. They are due, and of right belong to merit, and cannot, under any pretence whatsoever, be refused without manifest injustice. Here places are regulated not by birth or riches, but by knowledge and understanding. The plebeian is upon a level with the prince, and usually very much above him; nor does any thing more contribute to make learning flourish in a college, than the reputation of an exact and strict justice in the distribution of places and prizes. I return, according to my promise, to the choice of regents. The surest way of succeeding in it, as I have known several principals practise it with success, is to make choice of certain poor scholars in the classes, who are observed to have genius and good inclinations, to bring them up at their own expence, to have a particular eye over their conduct and studies; and when they have finished them, to commit some few scholars to their care, in order to prepare them for the office by instructing them; to oblige. them from time to time to compose verse and prose, and thereby enable them to enter into the regency when occasion offers. This expence is not very great, and may be attended with good consequences. The great advantage a principal may expect from it, is to draw down the blessing of God upon his college, and this he has great need of. For it must be owned, that generally speaking there is a kind of curse upon the rich and riches, which he must endeavour to avert, by mingling some poor scholars among the children of the rich, that may draw upon him the care and protection of him, who declares himself throughout the whole Scripture, the Protector and Father of the poor. I question whether a man of learning and probity can have a more refined satisfaction, than that of having contributed by his care and liberality to the producing of young men, who afterwards become able professors, and by their extraordinary talents do honour to the university. This satisfaction, in my opinion, is far improved, when it proceeds from a grateful disposition, and these services are done by way of acknowledgment, and paid as a kind of debt, in return for such as have been received in a like situation. For we must not be ashamed to own, that the most excellent members often spring from the bosom of poverty, as Horace observes, speaking of the greatest men in the Roman republic. [i] Hunc. & incomptis Curium capillis ARTICLE III. OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE COLLEGE. IT is the business of principals by their place and title, to keep a watchful eye over the general discipline. of the colleges. [k] It belongs to them to examine the scholars, in order to place them in the classes, for which they are fit. [] It is their duty to take an account every week how they have behaved; it is theirs to agree with the professors, what authors are to be explained in the classes. [m] They are obliged to see the statutes of the university exactly observed, and the regulations of the faculties of arts relating to the discipline of colleges and classes; such, for instance, as that of fixing holidays, and the times of entering into and quitting the classes, which was lately revived and [i] Fabricium. Hor. Od. 12. b. [7] Stat. 17. [4] Stat. 13. Facult. Art. [m] Stat. 24. autho authorised by parliament; and it is for this reason the [] university enjoins them to read over these statutes and regulations twice a year in the presence of all the masters and scholars. This last ordinance is very judicious, but not observed with sufficient exactness. To make the execution of it more easy, such statutes and regulations as have been judged most essential to discipline, have been separately printed and read over by some professors every year in their classes. Several others might be added to them, which have since been made, and it might be proper to reprint. mory I shall begin this article with the principal's duty towards the scholars of the house. What I shall afterwards say, likewise belongs in some measure, and is common to them with the rest of the scholars; but there is a peculiar care due to them from the princicipal. The house is properly theirs, and the colleges originally were founded for them. This the principal should always have in mind, and never forget the pious motives of the founders, who have dedicated part of their substance to so sacred an use. They were for the most part high and mighty lords in their time, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, chancellors, princes, and sometimes crowned heads. Their meshould be as dear and precious to a principal, as their persons would be, if they were actually in place and credit. In respect and gratitude to these illustrious founders, who are always living for him, he must behave to the scholars of the house with the affection and tenderness of a father, procure them all' the temporal and spiritual assistance in his power, take the utmost pains to enable them to fill the places worthily, to which Divine Providence shall call them, and especially hinder the children of the rich from expressing a contempt for them, and to this end must himself shew them great value and consideration. I have never observed that the pensioners have been of fended, that upon certain occasions the scholars of [n] Stat. 76. the house were set before them, and by way of honour preferred to the first places; but then these should not value themselves too much upon it, nor forget that it is from their poverty that they are scholars of the house, and therefore they should behave with respect, obedience, and docility, and above all with humility; for nothing is more insupportable than poverty and pride: [o] My soul hateth... a poor man that is proud. Upon these conditions we cannot express too great friendship for the scholars of the house. When a principal has been one of them himself, as very frequently happens, he is the more inclined to favour them, and is apt to apply to himself this verse in Virgil: [p] Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco. Or rather he applies to himself the command, which God so often in Scripture gives the Israelites, of taking care of the strangers, because they had been strangers themselves. [q] Love ye therefore strangers, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. One of the things which contributes most to establish the reputation of a college, is an exact and uniform discipline. There are many parents indeed, who almost blindly determine upon the choice of a college, but there are many also who behave otherwise, and who look upon the giving their children a Christian education, as the first and most essential part of their duty, and therefore devote all their care and application to that. Now what determines such parents in favour of a college, is the knowledge they have of the good discipline observed in it. The whole care of a principal is faithfully to discharge his duty without being uneasy about the success. A little honour suffices to induce him never to make an interest for any pensioner. This would be to disparage and disgrace his profession, and confound it with the employment of hirelings and mechanics, who would many of them blush at such a proceeding. It should be looked upon as an advantage to be admitted [o] Eccl. xxv. 4. [p] Æn. lib. i. ver. 634. [q] Deut. x. 9. |