Page:University Reform - Two Papers.djvu/23

Rh are relieved from the necessity of filling-up the number of fellowships insisted upon by the ordinances framed by the Commissioners of 1854. Doubtless they will be glad to apply such funds as may be available for the maintenance and benefit of persons of known ability and learning, who may be engaged in study or research.

The difficulties in the way of the New Commissioners, and of the colleges who may be anxious to reform themselves, will be considerable. Vested interests will weigh upon both at every turn; the difficulty of anticipating the future results of legislation, together with the desire to make this legislation final, will hand down to those who have to administer the system the Commissioners are to inaugurate the same difficulties which beset our course at present.

The plan shadowed out by Lord Salisbury seems to me to be vitiated by the radical defect of all attempts to reform on a large scale, and once for all, institutions whose business is mainly administrative. It is extremely hard to anticipate the results of such legislation, and few legislators will take any pains to anticipate these results, even so far as may be possible.

This was the defect which has doomed us to the almost intolerable burden of the present Examination Statutes. The adjustments necessary to make the old system work were denounced as tinkerings, and when it became necessary to separate Law and Modern History, opportunity was seized by the Constitution-mongers to introduce a comprehensive and final scheme for the Examinations. Comprehensive indeed it was, in that it upset everything. Final it was not, because it could not be.