UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN.

The university of Aberdeen was founded in 1494, by a bull of Pope Alexander VI., issued on the representation of James IV., who was desirous to extend the advantages of education to the northern districts of his kingdom. The papal edict authorized the erection of a studium generale et universitas studii generalis, in the city of Aberdeen, for teaching divinity, the canon and civil law, medicine, and the liberal arts; and conferred upon it all the privileges and immunities which were enjoyed by the universities of Paris and Bologna. The university was to consist of a chancellor, who was to be the bishop of Aberdeen, a rector, and doctors of faculties, and was invested with the power of conferring degrees, which were to be considered valid throughout Christendom. Two years after, or the publication of the deed of erection, the king granted a charter in favour of the university, bestowing upon it certain ecclesiastical funds for the support of its members, and communicating to it all the rights, liberties, and advantages which his ancestors had given to St Andrews and Glasgow. Its privileges were finally established by a papal bull issued in 1500. In erecting this new seminary, the model of Paris seems to have been mainly followed. The estates were divided into four nations, who seem to have elected their procurators (procuratores gentium); but they took no further part in elections, or in the government of the university, the procurators acting as their representatives.

In 1505, William Elphinstone, bishop of the diocese, for the purpose of increasing the revenues of the new university, and enlarging the number of its members, founded and endowed a college in honour of the Trinity and the Virgin Mary, which was in the following year confirmed by the aid of the church, and soon after by the reigning monarch. The college was to consist of thirty-six ordinary members, chief of whom was to be a doctor or licentiate of divinity, who was to be styled principal, and to whom all the members were to yield obedience. Next to him were doctors and licentiates of the canon and civil law and medicine; master of arts, who was to be regent and sub-principal; and another who was to teach the elements of literature. Besides these there were five masters of arts, students of divinity, who were to retain their appointments for a limited number of years, and thirteen poor scholars of respectable talents and proficiency, who were to be students of arts. All the members, with the exception of the doctor of medicine, were to be ecclesiastics, and were required to live within the college. The rector of the university, if not a member of the college, and if he was, the dean of the faculty of arts, and the official of Aberdeen, were constituted visitors, with power to remedy whatever was found defective.

A new erection was prepared by the bishop, and officially published in 1531, increasing the number of the members of the college, improving their comforts, and introducing a more efficient system of instruction. By this new charter, which, though modified by time and circumstances, still regulates, in a great degree, the form and Aberdeen practice of the university, the members of the seminary were to be forty-two. The first class consisted of four doctors; a doctor of divinity, who was to be principal, and whom all the other members were respectfully to obey; and doctors of the canon and civil law, and medicine, or licentiates if doctors could not be found. In the second class were eight masters of arts, the first of whom, skilled in philosophy and the arts, was to be sub-principal; the second was to be conversant in poetry, grammar, and rhetoric; and the other six, from whom the regents were to be elected, were to be students of divinity, and to retain their appointments for six years. The next class was formed of students of law, who were to study the civil law, and to attend the lectures delivered on that subject. All these, with the exception of the doctor of medicine, were to belong to the priesthood, and were occasionally to say mass for the founders. There were, besides, thirteen students of arts, retaining their endowments for three years and a half, the usual curriculum in that faculty; and eight prebendaries, who were to attend to sacred music, one of them being styled Cantor, and another Sacrist, and six boys for the choir. For all these accommodation was to be provided in the college. The revenues were placed under the charge of a procurator or factor, who was to be appointed by the principal officers of the college.

The principal was to be elected by the rector of the university, the procurators, doctors, sub-principal, regents of arts, humanist, theological students, cantor, and sacrist, and to be admitted by the chancellor. His duties were to govern the college, to preside in its meetings, to direct the regents in the delivery of their lectures, and to punish such as were deficient in their duty, to profess every day in philosophy and the arts, and to give lectures in divinity to the people six days in the year. The doctors, who were to be appointed by nearly the same electors, were likewise to be admitted by the chancellor, and to lecture to the students, each on the subjects belonging to his faculty. The election and admission of the sub-principal and humanist were to be conducted in a similar manner. The former was required to lecture in philosophy and the arts quolibet legilibit die, to instruct the students in manners and virtue, to preside at public disputations among the students, to inflict fines on such as absented themselves from divine worship, and, along with the principal, to take a general superintendence of the affairs of the college. The students of theology and the arts were to be elected by the sub-principal, the regents, and the doctors of faculties, and admitted by the principal. The theological students were required to apply themselves to the study of their science, and to be qualified within three years to take their bachelor's degree. Their places, when vacant, were to be filled up from the students of arts. The college was exempted from all civic burdens.

From this statement it appears that the northern seminary closely resembled in its constitution the colleges of St Andrews and Glasgow. The connection between the college and the university is distinctly marked in the charter of foundation, in which it is recommended that the permanent and higher offices should be supplied from the inferior members if they were qualified, if not, from the members of the university of Aberdeen; and failing these, recourse was to be had to other universities. As at Oxford, Cambridge, and St Andrews, however, the university has disappeared, and the incorporated and endowed college only remains. The college is co-extensive with the university, or rather the university is confined to the limits of the college; nor is any distinction between them preserved, as at Glasgow.

This college remained in nearly the same state for more than a century, without however escaping the deterioration which Aberdeen seems to be incident to all exclusive bodies. In 1619 Bishop Forbes obtained a commission of visitation, by which the abuses that had gradually been engendered were reformed, and the original foundation, with some exceptions, restored. By the introduction of the reformed religion, some of the offices were rendered unnecessary; and accordingly the General Assembly, in 1639, ordered those of the canons and cantors to be abolished. After the abolition of episcopacy, Charles I. resolved to apply part of the revenues to the different seats to the support of the universities, and appointed a commission to inquire into the state of those of Old and New Aberdeen; the result of which was his executing a charter, uniting them as one university, under the name of "King Charles's University of Aberdeen." The colleges however continued distinct, and are separately recognised in the act of 1641, by which the grant of the rents of the bishopric of Aberdeen was ratified; nor do they appear ever to have acted together as one university. Bishop Elphinstone's seminary has since retained the name of King's College. Another attempt to form both into one university was made about the year 1784, which after long negotiation and discussion was abandoned; and a similar result is likely to attend the labours of the commission appointed in 1836 and 1837.

From the period of its institution down to the earlier part of the last century, various improvements were introduced by royal and parliamentary commissions. The General Assembly also extended its jurisdiction to the college; and the chancellor of the university and the ordinary visitors appear to have watched over its interests. In what manner the rector and his assessors were elected, and how frequently their visitations took place, are unknown for a period of 129 years after the institution of the college. Subsequently this court appears to have been efficient, and to have been instrumental, in several instances, in giving effect to improved plans of education. The senate, consisting of the regular officers of the college, likewise applied themselves to the same laudable object, and from time to time introduced such alterations as a change of circumstances or the advancement of knowledge rendered necessary. About the year 1629 a professorship of divinity was instituted by the college, and was confirmed two years after by royal charter. Weekly discourses on catechetical doctrine were established; and in 1764 a professorship of oriental languages was founded, for which an agreement out of the profits of the college was obtained. In 1753 the teaching of the elements of Latin was abolished, and the scholarship of the class raised to the standard of the other universities. In the same year, the senate, taking into consideration the whole state of the college, approved of certain statutes intended to regulate the length of the session, the management of the bursaries, and the plan of instruction. On this last head, after mature deliberation, it was determined, chiefly, it is alleged, through the influence of the celebrated Dr Reid, who was at that time one of the regents, that the old system of the same regent conducting the students through the whole course should be continued, as at once more beneficial to the students, and more advantageous to the cause of literature and science. And it is a curious fact, that the system thus sanctioned by high authority prevailed till the year 1800, when the practice of the other universities was here introduced.

The university and college at present consist of a chancellor, rector, principal, sub-principal, and nine professors; the office of sub-principal being always held by one of the professors. The college contains the four faculties, and, as at St Andrews and Glasgow, the senate, besides managing the business of the college, and administering the revenues, exercises the patronage of certain academical offices. The chancellor and rector are appointed by the senate. The office of the rector is annual; his four assessors, who constitute his court, are elected by the senate at the same time with himself. The procuratores gentium are elected into existence only for the purpose of assisting in the election of certain office-bearers, and are also appointed by the senate. The office of dean of faculty is also fallen into desuetude, excepting in the case of a vacancy in the presidency of divinity, when a dean of the faculty of divinity is chosen by the senate, he being by the charter nominated one of the electors. The principal and sub-principal are elected by the rector, procurators, and professors, and admitted by the chancellor. The principal presides in the meetings of the college, but has hitherto ceased to take any part in academical instruction. The sub-principal presides in the meetings of the faculty of arts, and, in the absence of the principal, in the meetings of the senate, and collects the fines imposed on the students for any breach of discipline.

The Revenue of the college arises from certain properties acquired under the foundation charters, from others obtained subsequent to the dates of these charters, and from royal grants. A great part of the original grants consisted of tithes, which, being subject to the burden of supporting the parochial clergy, have been much diminished. The total net revenue for 1836 amounted to £234, the royal grant being £114. 6s. 8d.; the College possesses thirty-two foundations for bursaries, the benefit of which is extended to 134 students. Their aggregate value amounts to £1,771. 13s. 10d., and they vary from £50 to £5 and under. About eighty of these are open to public competition. The bursars are required to attend the junior humanity and Greek classes during the first session, and at the commencement of the following session are examined as to the proficiency which they have made in these languages during the vacation. They are also admitted to all the classes on the payment of modified fees in proportion to the amount of their bursaries.

The Session commences on the first Monday of November, the previous week being employed in deciding, by comparative trial, the vacant bursaries in the gift of the college, and in ascertaining the attainments of the bursars presented by private patrons. It terminates at the end of twenty-one weeks. It has long ceased to be the practice of the students to live within the walls of the college, and the discipline of the professors is therefore chiefly confined to the class-rooms. Strict attention is enforced, and various methods are adopted to fix the attention of the students on the subjects of study. The regular fees exigible from the students who do not hold bursaries are, for the classes of Greek, mathematics, moral and natural philosophy, £3. 3s.; first humanity and second Greek classes, 10s.; second humanity class, 15s.; chemistry and natural history, L.1. 11s. 6d.; oriental languages, L.1. 11s. 6d.; civil law, L.1. Is. These fees are modified, in the case of bursars, in proportion to the amount of their bursaries. An academical dress is prescribed by the charter of foundation, and is still imperative on all students except those of medicine and divinity. The students are required to attend the college chapel; but a dispensation is granted to all who produce a written request from their parents or guardians.

The number of students in 1839–40 was 350. Graduates in arts, 36; in divinity, 14; in law, 21; in medicine, 8.

The following table contains a list of the professorships, with the date of their foundation, the patronage, and total emoluments of the professors, for the year 1836:

| Office | Founded | Emoluments | Patrons | |---------------------------------------------|---------|------------|----------------------------------------------| | Principal | 1505 | 300 6 7 | Rector, procuratores gentium, professors. | | Professorship of Greek | 1505 | 474 3 8 | Rector, procuratores gentium, senate. | | Humanity (chemistry and natural history) | 1505 | 459 9 6 | Rector, procuratores gentium, senate. | | Mathematics | 1505 | 355 6 1 | Senate. | | Natural philosophy | 1505 | 369 12 1 | Senate. | | Moral philosophy | 1505 | 377 18 0 | Senate. | | Medicine | 1505 | 211 7 3 | Rector, procuratores gentium, senate. | | Civil law | 1505 | 214 9 3 | Rector, procuratores gentium, senate. | | Divinity | 1620 | 425 8 10 | Synod of Aberdeen, principal, dean of faculty of divinity. | | Oriental languages | 1674 | 242 11 0 | Crown. |

Besides the professors, lecturers have been established in connection with the college, who teach the following branches: practical religion, evidences and principles of the Christian religion.

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1 The students of divinity, who amounted to 91, and a few of the students of medicine, were common to King's and to Marischal College. 2 Report of the Royal Commissioners, printed in 1838, p. 71. Marischal College, in New Aberdeen, was founded by the Earl Marischal, under royal authority, in 1593; and in the same month received the sanction of the General Assembly. In July following it was ratified by an act of parliament, which granted to it all the privileges and jurisdiction appertaining to any free college within the realm, but contrary to the ancient practice, subjected all its members to the jurisdiction of the magistrates of the city, in all things done or committed by them beyond the walls of the college. The college was denominated an Academy, or Seminary of Learning, and was to consist of a chancellor, rector, dean of faculty, principal, three regents, six alums, and two inferior persons to manage the internal affairs of the seminary. The principal was to superintend the whole establishment, and to exercise jurisdiction over all its members; being invested with the power of censuring the regents, and of expelling them from the college, with the occurrence of the rector and dean, after three admonitions. He was to be well instructed in sacred literature and the learned languages, particularly in Hebrew and Greek, and was required occasionally to teach divinity, anatomy, physiology, the principles of geography, chronology, and astronomy, and the elements of Hebrew grammar and construction; duties presupposing an extent of acquirement which the founder would have some difficulty in obtaining. He was also invested with the power of conferring degrees in arts on such as he deemed worthy of distinction. The first regent was required to teach the elements of arithmetic and geometry, and the sciences of ethics and politics; the second was to teach the principles of logic, and to exercise the students in writing and declaiming in Latin and Greek; and the third, who was the lowest, was appointed to teach Greek, combining with it, during the first six months, Latin composition, afterwards the study of Greek, and adding a short account of the elementary principles of logic. It thus appears that, from the commencement of the college, the regents had particular professions assigned to them; and it was expressly ordained that no regent should undertake a new professorship. The Earl Marischal reserved to himself and his heirs the patronage of the professorships; the examination and admission of the persons nominated being vested in the chancellor if he were a clergyman, the rector, dean, the principal of King's College, and three clergymen, including the minister of Aberdeen. By the forfeiture of the Marischal family, the patronage devolved upon the crown. The election of the bursars was likewise retained by the founder, their admission vested in the members of the college. Vacation was allowed; and that the members of the college might devote themselves exclusively to their respective duties, they were prohibited from holding any public office, and even from acting as rector or dean of faculty.

The chancellor, rector, and dean, were instructed to visit the college three times a year, for the purpose of correcting whatever might be wrong in doctrine or discipline. The rector was to be elected by all the students, through the medium of procurators appointed by them when divided into four nations, to have jurisdiction over the college, to preside in its meetings, after taking the oath of office. The dean of faculty was to be elected by the senate and the minister of Aberdeen; his duties being to preside at examinations, to administer the oath of fidelity to the examiners, and to take cognizance of the doctrine and diligence of the regents. He was invested with all the privileges belonging to the dean of faculty at St Andrews, or Aberdeen, in any other university. A charter of confirmation was granted by William Earl Marischal in 1623, and a new confirmation was given by Charles II. in 1661. It is a curious fact, that, neither in the charter of foundation, nor in any of the acts of parliament which relate to the college, is it recognised as a separate university. It nevertheless confers degrees in all the faculties, founding, as it seems unquestionably entitled to do, on the clause in the first act of confirmation, by which it acquired all the privileges belonging to any college within the realm.

Notwithstanding the precautions of the founder, innovations were soon made on the constitution of the college. A few years after its institution, another regent was appointed, additional members were admitted, and each professor, in conformity with the general practice, conducted his students through the whole course. In 1700 the privy council of Scotland assigned the Greek department to the college; and in 1784 the system was finally altered by the senate. A professorship of mathematics was founded about 1613, and in 1616 a professorship of chemistry. From this time the principal seems to have confined himself to the superintendence of the business and discipline of the college. The state of the college was the subject of frequent visitations appointed by the king, the privy council, and the parliament, by means of which, and by the interposition of the senate, a system of instruction differing but little from that which at present prevails was at a comparatively early period introduced.

Marischal College at present consists of a chancellor, rector, dean of faculty, principal, and thirteen professors. No division of the professors into faculties has ever been made. When degrees are conferred, promoters in the different faculties are appointed. The rector and his assessors, four in number, are elected annually by the students, according to the charter of foundation; but as it is the usual practice to elect a distinguished individual who is not necessarily the extant powers which belong to the office have long been in abeyance. The dean of faculty is annually appointed by the senate and the minister of Aberdeen. The senate consists of the chancellor, rector, dean, principal, and professors. The first three are seldom present, and the affairs of the college are conducted by the ordinary members.

The Revenue of the college, including £550, 6s. 8d., annually granted by the crown, amounted in 1836 to £1,623, 9s. 2d., to which must now be added the endowment of the chair of humanity, which is to be £200. There are forty-five foundations for bursaries, for the benefit of 115 students. Their aggregate value is about £1,160 annually; and they vary from £1.30 to £5 and under. Sixty-seven of them are open to public competition; the patronage of the others is vested in societies, and in private individuals. The two highest are awarded, by comparative trial, for excellence in mathematics, to students who have completed two sessions.

The Session in arts commences with a competition for bursaries on the last Monday of October, and ends on the first Friday of April. The session in the other faculties is somewhat shorter. Lectures in both the colleges commence in the summer. Toward the end of the session, the students in arts are examined in the public hall in presence of the principal and professors.

The professors have the power of correcting any impropriety of discipline, conduct in their respective classes, by the imposition of a fine, or by expulsion from the class; but an appeal may be made to the senate, the rectorial court, and the chancellor. A public school, consisting of all members of the college, is assembled once a fortnight, for the purpose of investigating and correcting any breach of discipline. The bursars, as in King's College, must attend the curriculum in a particular order, and are examined at the commencement of each session before they are admitted to higher classes. The students who intend to graduate in arts are required to undergo an entrance-examination; and before obtaining their degree, are examined on all the branches of the course, including the evidence of Christianity. For ten years preceding December 1840, candidates for the degree of doctor in medicine were required to take the medical and degree of master of arts. By the present regulations this restriction has been removed, and an improved course of study prescribed.

The number of students in 1839-40 was 251; Graduates in arts, 21; in divinity, 0; in law, 2; in medicine, 2.

The fees for graduation in arts are, to alumni of the college, L.2, 14s. 8d.; to those who are not alumni, L.8; in divinity and law, L.15; in medicine, for M. B. L.1, for M. D. L.11.

The following is a table of the professorships, with the date of their foundation, patronage, and the total emoluments of those which existed in 1836. The full fee for the first Greek, natural history, natural philosophy, and moral philosophy classes is L3. 3s.; the average scholar's fees, L1. 16s. 7½d. The full fees for the second Greek and mathematical classes are L1. 1s., and L2. 2s.; and the reduced fees, 10s. 6d., and L1. 0s. 5½d. For the class of medicine the fee is L2. 2s., and for chemistry L1. 18s. 6d. The bishops are entitled to attend the latter class gratis. The fees for the classes of anatomy and surgery are L3. 3s. The professors of divinity and oriental languages receive no fees.

Lectureships in the following branches have been established in connection with the college: practical religion, evidences of Christianity, Scottish law and conveyancing, botany, materia medica, institutions of medicine, midwifery, medical jurisprudence, comparative anatomy, and agriculture. With the exception of the first, third, and last, the patronage is vested in the college.