Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/100

 Several hundred years ago (uppoe, for intance, in old King reign) certain traggling cholars, who liv'd and tudied at  without any regulation, or at mot only an inconiderable number of them, not yet incorporated, form'd a cheme amongt themelves, and offer'd it to the King, in which they propoed, That if he would grant them uch a charter, and uch privileges as they deired for encreaing their capital tock, and for etablihing a publick nurery of youth, they would requite his benevolence, by furnihing his ubjects with a vat quantity of learning, loyalty, good manners, religion, and other ueful commodities, to the value of everal millions, of which they tood grievouly in need. They repreented everal advantages which would accrue to the publick by this new cheme, which, in thoe days, was call'd (without intending a pun) the cheme; as th[?] particularly, it would ave us the great expence, and trouble, and candal of ending our children abroad for education; that when we had a publick eminary of our own, we hould export great quantities of academical manufacture to other countries, intead of importing it from thence, which was always eteem'd a beneficial branch of trade; that young men are apt to learn abroad principles incompatible with our contitution, and to aimilate with the nations amongt whom they are educated; and everal other reaons, que nunc percribere longum et.

On the other ide, it was uggeted, that it was too great a trut to be repoed in o mean and contemptible a body of men: that it would be of dangerous conequence to let them engros and monopolize all the learning in the kingdom; that it would put it in their power to intil what principles they pleas'd into the minds of youth; and by that means to give to government diturbance,