UNIVERSITY, is the name of a corporation formed for the education of youth in the liberal arts and sciences, and authorized to admit such as have studied in it, to certain degrees in different faculties, which not only served as certificates of proficiency in science, but also confer on those who obtain them considerable privilege within the university, as well as some rank in the state without it. Universities generally comprehend within them one or more colleges; but this is not always the case; for the university of St Andrew's was in being before either of its colleges was founded, and it would continue in being with all its
University privileges though both its colleges were levelled with the dust.
In every university with which we are acquainted, there are four faculties, viz. Theology, Law, Physic, and the Arts and Sciences, comprehending mathematics, natural and moral philosophy, &c. &c. ; and in Oxford, Cambridge, and some other universities, Music is considered as a fifth faculty. In each of these there are two degrees, those of Bachelor and Doctor ; for though in the universities of Great Britain and Ireland we have no such degree as Doctor in Arts and Sciences, our Master of Arts answers to the degree of Doctor in Philosophy, which is conferred by many of the universities on the continent.
Universities in their present form, and with their present privileges, are institutions comparatively modern. They sprang from the convents of regular clergy, or from the chapters of cathedrals in the church of Rome, where young men were educated for holy orders, in that dark period when the clergy possessed all the little erudition which was left in Europe. These convents were seminaries of learning probably from their first institution ; and we know with certainty, that in Old Aberdeen there was a monastery in which youth were instructed in theology, the canon law, and the school philosophy, at least 200 years before the university and King's College were founded. The same was doubtless the case in Oxford and Cambridge, and probably in every town in Europe where there is now a university, which has any claim to be called ancient ; for it was not till the more eminent of the laity began to see the importance of literature and science, that universities distinct from convents were founded, with the privilege of admitting to degrees, which conferred some rank in civil society. These universities have long been considered as lay corporations ; but as a proof that they had the ecclesiastical origin which we have assigned to them, it will be sufficient to observe, that the Pope arrogated to himself the right of vesting them with all their privileges ; and that, prior to the Reformation, every university in Europe conferred its degrees in all the faculties by authority derived from a papal bull.
It is perhaps no improbable conjecture, that the church of Rome derived her idea of academical honours from the Jews, among whom literary distinctions extremely similar subsisted before the nativity of our Saviour. Among them, the young student, with respect to his learning, was called a disciple ; from his minority a junior ; and the chosen or elected, on account of his election into the number of disciples. When he had made some progress in knowledge, and was deemed worthy of a degree, he was by imposition of hands made rabbi, a companion to a Rabbi, the person who officiates using this form, I associate thee, or, Be thou associated ; and as soon afterwards as he was thought worthy to teach others, the associate was raised to the rank of Rabbi. Whether this process suggested the idea or not, it has certainly some resemblance to that by which a young man in our universities passes through the degree of Bachelor to that of Master of Arts or Doctor.
The most ancient universities in Europe are those of OXFORD, CAMBRIDGE, PARIS, SALAMANCA, and BOLOGNA ; and in the two English universities, the first founded colleges are those of University, Balliol, and Merton, in the former, and St Peter's in the latter. Oxford and Cambridge, however, were universities, or, as they were then called, studia, some hundreds of years before colleges or schools were built in them ; for the former flourished as a seminary of learning in the reign of Alfred the Great, and the other, could we believe its partial partizans, at a period still earlier. The universities of Scotland are four, ST ANDREW'S, GLAS-