Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/270

 N xt. Terr,e.Flhs.' 5 The origin. al defign of eMowing college, wa undoubtedly this, to fupport fuch perforts s could not bear the charges of a learned education them- tes, till they were able to flift in the world, and ecome ferviceable to their county  for this realbn alihdar$ and feas (of mo colleges at lea) are obliged to take an oath, that th are not worth fo much ?er antram de ?roprio in mine colleges more, and in rome Iris; but in all col!ee the manin g the oath is the fame, Ixat no perfort fla]l have the benefit of the foundation, who can live without but this oath, hke other oaths, is commented away, and interpreted fo loofely, that, at prefent, it does- not exclude perfons of]0ur or five hundred. pounds- If therefore colleges wer ounded (as beyond contradition they were) For the maintenance and education of indigent perfon, till they were in a ca- city of maitaininz themfelve, and no loneer  think it would have een prudent in the Found%r of hefe focietie to have tuffer'd no perforts to be tows of their colleges above Fucl a term of years; at the end of which it might be prefum'd that they would be able to provide for themfc.'.ves in three. pro- on or.other fuppol the term were limited to te. or telw years i a man of tolerable parts and o a common apprehendon, might in that time, qualify himfall for almo any buffhers in the world. The advantages which wouI flow, from fuch a mitation, to learning and the commonwealth are b palpable, that at the bare mention o5 it, no body can be at a 1ofs to perceive them i it woul inevi- tably quicken the fucceon of fellows, encourage their indufiry, and fupply the nation with, at leai? twice the number of perfons, fit to ferve in all emplomts, which the univerfitics do at prolent.

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