Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/745

* EDINBURGH. 647 EDINBURGH, UNIVERSITY OF. burgh. From Robert the liruee the burglicrs received a charter which gninlcd them a great degree of self-government ami the possession of the port of Leith. In the lifteenlh century the Scottisli kings sought refuge from their turbu- lent nobles in the Castle of Edinburgh, and the town became the capital of the kingdum, and was closely connected with the chief events of Scot- tish history for the next two hundred and fifty years, witnessing the fortunes of Mary Stuart (q.v.), the spread of the Keforiuation. and the battles of the Covenanters. The accession nf James VI. to the English throne in 1003, and the union with England in 1707, deprived Edinburgh of nuich of its political prominence, but it ac- quired instead great fame as the literary cen- tre of Scotland, the home of Walter Scott. Jef- frey, and .John Wilson ( 'Christopher Xorth'). The new town dates from 17(1:!, after the Nor' Loch had been drained and bridged. BlBLiooRAi'iiY. Ballingall, Edinburgh, Past and I'rixvnt (Edinburgh, 1877) : tirant. Old and Ji'eic Kdinhiirgh (3 vols., London, 1882) ; Gillies, Edinburgh, I'lml and I'resent (Edinburgh. 1889) ; Chambers, Traditions of Edinburgh (Edinburgh, 1889) ; Stevenson, Edinhurqh, Picturesque Sotes (London, 1889) ; Oliphanit, Jtoi/al Edinburgh: Ber ftaints. Kings, Prophets, and- Poets (London, 1890) : Gullard, How Edinbur(ih is Governed (Edinburgh, 1801) : Wilson, Mrmorinls of Edin- hurgh in the Olden Time (Edinburgh, 1891); JIassen, Edinburgh Skefelirs and Memories CSevr York, 1892) ; Hutton. Literary Landmarks of Edinburgh (New York. 1898); Geddie, Ro- mantic Edinburgh (London, 1900). EDINBURGH, Unitebsity of. A Scotch uni- ■versity which owes its origin to a bequest of Robert Reid, first Bishop of Orkney in 1588, and to the later encouragement of the municipality of Edinburgh. In 15G3 the latter purchased ^ound on the site of 'Kirk o' Field,' and by grants of confiscated church property from Qvieen Mary, and a charter from .James VJ. (.lames I. of England) in 1.582, the university was finally established. It was formally opened, and teach- ing begun, in 1583, though it was at first, strictly speaking, only a college of arts. In 1042 a chair of theology was established, and in 1085 one of medicine. After 1688, the institution, with other Scotch universities, was subjected to Parliamen- tary visitation. At the beginning of the eigh- teenth century the present arrangement of the faculty of arts came into existence, and this, "n'ith the reorganization of the institution, in- cluding the establishment of a law faculty, gave it the rank and title of the University of Edin- burgh, which it has since held. Until 1858 the university had been almost entirely under the control of the municipality, but in that year, by the act of Parliament regulating Scottish iiniversities, the administration was vested in a self-governing corporation of members, the xenatus academicus, and the university court, together with a body of curators selected partly by the university and partly by the city, and in whose hands lay the patronage of the professional chairs. By the Universities of Scotland Act of 1S99, the University Court was constituted as a body corporate, holding all property, and hav- ing all powers of administration. It consists of the rector, principal. Lord Provost of Edin- burgh, one assessor nominated by the chancel- lor, one by the rector, one by the Lord Provost, magistrates, and town council of Edinburgh, four by the general council, representatives of the alliliated colleges. The university senate, con- sisting of the principal and professors, regulates teaching and discipline. The general council, consisting of the chancellor, members of the court, professors, and graduates, reviews the measures presented to it, makes recommenda- tions, elects the chancellor, and, with the general council of the I'niversity of Saint Andrews, re- turns one member to Parliament, The chancel- lor confers degrees, sanctions changes in ordi- nances, and presides over the general council. The principal, elected by the curators for life, presides over the senate. The rector, an inter- esting medi;pval survival found in Scotch uni versities, is elected liy the students for three years, and presides over the court. The ollice is almost invariablj- filled by some man, not neces- sarily connected with the university, who is distingushed in politics or letters, as Gladstone, Carlyle, Lord Rosebery, and Goschen, There are faculties of arts, science, divinity, law, medicine, and music. A students' representative council has certain rights of petition in matters atrectiiig teaching and discipline. Candidates for a B.A. degree must attend full courses in at least seven subjects: four — Latin or Greek, English or a modem language, or history, logic and metaphysics, or moral philosnpliy, and mathematics or natural philosophy — being re- quired, and three elective, Eacli course must consist of not fewer than one hundred hours, or meetings of the class. For a degree with honors, special classes and courses are provided. Special regulations are in force for the higher degrees of M,A,, D.Sc, D.Phil., and D.Litt., to all w-hich women are admitted. The university grants also degrees in medicine, law, divinity, and music, of which those in medicine are opcm to women. There are a large number of bursaries (70), and many prizes, apportioned among the dilTerent faculties. The increase in the number of students and teaching force of the university led to a movement in 1809 for the enlargement of the buildings, and in 1878, sufBcient sums having been raised, the 'new buildings' were be- gun. These, completed in 1888, together with M'Ewan Hall, finished in 1897, and the School of ilusie (1858), constitute the modern addi- tions to the original buildings. The university library, which contains 210,000 volumes and 7500 "iISS,, was founded by Clement Little in 1580. There are, besides, a number of special libraries in theology-, classics, philosophy, his- tory, physiology', and music. The museums in- clude that of natural history (1812), and a con- siderable number in various departments of learning, partly or wholly belonging to the pro- fessors in the several subjects. The Royal )?o- tanic Garden has also some connection with the university. The budget for 1900-01 was over £80.000, the number of students 2800, Long is the list of worthies: Blair, Akenside, Thomson, Hume. Goldsmith, the geologist Hutton, Brough- am, Scott, Palmerston, Carlyle, Earl Russell, Balfour Stewart, Darwin. Robertson of Brigh- ton. Robert Louis Stevenson, Crockett, Barrie, and Sir Conan Doyle. Its professors have been equally distinguished: Duiiald Stewart, Sir Wil- li:nii Hamilton. Playfair, ("halmers, .John Wilson, Aytoun, Masson, and his successor, Saintsbury.