PRIZES BURSARIES.

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ed. The allotment of the rewards for prize exercises is conducted with scrupulous precaution, and as the authors remain unknown to the judges till the decision is publicly announced, perfect -confidence is reposed in the impartiality of the verdict. It is otherwise however with the distribution of the class prizes; these are determined by the votes of the students, and it sometimes happens that conflicting motives and feelings sway the -minds of the voters, and modify the impartiality of their suffrages. The abstract propriety of such excitements has often been questioned; and though many objections are fairly chargeable against them I am inclined to think, that, constituted as the human mind is, more wisdom will be shown by their well-regulated use, than by their total abolition.

14.

Few, if any, bursaries, or exhibitions as they are styled in England, are connected with the American colleges. In Scotland the value of these is exceedingly small, generally about five guineas annually, and very rarely exceeding ten; yet trifling as they may seem, many who afterwards rose high in the literary world, were in a great measure dependent on such aid for their College education.

14 A bursary is a small annual stipend, resulting from the benevolent endowment of some friend to literature, and appropriated to the assistance of students whose resources are not ample. Bursaries are sometimes in the gift of the Professors, under limitations prescribed by the founders; and at other times appointed as the reward of superior classical attainments.

The paramount and peculiar advantage however of the Scotish Universities, is the low price at which education is afforded, and the facilities which are thus given to those in the humblest ranks of life, of raising themselves to respectability by literary and scientific attainments. Dominie Samp. son's College life, is a most appropriate, and by no means an overcharged illustration of this. "Abel Sampson," says the Great Unknown,' "commonly called from his occupation as a pedagogue Dominie Sampson, was of low birth, but having evinced even from his cradle an uncommon seriousness of disposition, the poor parents were encouraged to hope that their bairn, as they expressed it, might wag his pow in a poupit yet. With an ambitious view to such a consummation, they pinched and pared, rose early and lay down late, eat dry bread and drank cold water, to secure to Abel the means of learning." After describing the Dominie's peculiar habits and ungainly appearance, our author proceeds, " He slunk from College by the most secret paths he could discover, and plunged himself into his miserable lodging, where, for eighteen pence a week, he was allowed the benefit of a straw mattress, and, if his landlady was in good humour, permission to study his task by her fire. Under these disadvantages he obtained a competent knowlege of Greek and Latin, and some acquaintance with the sciences." After poor Sampson's fruitless efforts at pulpit ora

'DOMINIE SAMPSON.'

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tory, it is recorded that "he sought to assist his parents by teaching a school, and soon had plenty of scholars but very few fees. In fact he taught the sons of farmers for what they chose to give him, and the poor for nothing; and to the shame of the former be it spoken, the pedagogue's gains never equalled those of a skilful ploughman.”

I doubt not that most readers who are not intimately acquainted with a Scotish College, have regarded this sketch as broad caricature, possessing only so much resemblance to truth as was necessary to identify the portrait; but there are few who have studied in our native country who have not seen living instances of almost equal poverty and perseverance, happily however resulting in very different success. The remarkable, I might almost say instinctive, desire for education which pervades all classes in Scotland, from the castle to the cottage, has in numberless cases

15

15 The truth of the following anecdote comes within my personal knowledge. A few years ago a poor woman, in a small village on the west coast of Scotland, was by her husband's death left dependent on her own exertions for the support of herself and four children, the eldest of whom was about eleven years of age. Unable to bear the expense of educating each in the customary way, and yet eager that they should be instructed, she bargained with the village schoolmaster, that for the price of teaching one, he should allow two to attend the school alternately, one the one day and the other the next; by this ingenious device, she procured for both of them the invaluable blessing of education, and furnished a striking instance of the honourable shifts, by which the poor can often acquire for themselves advantages which are seemingly beyond their attainment.

instigated to self-denial on the part of the parents, and exertions on the part of the children, as great as are here depicted; and our peculiar system of College education has afforded facilities, which could no where else have been found, for gratifying this laudable thirst for knowledge. The sum of eighteen pence a week, is indeed below the amount of room rent which I have known to be in any case paid, but I have known of accommodations being had for three shillings and sixpence a week, so much superior to those of poor Sampson, that I have no doubt many have been accommodated, even since I went to College, for a sum little exceeding that which the poor Dominie paid; and many it is well known struggle their way through the different classes, dependent altogether for their maintenance on that which was the sticket minister's' last resort, the teaching of a small school during the few hours which they are able to snatch from their studies and their sleep. Names of no small renown may be quoted, who, by their own experience in this respect, knew

The steep where Fame's proud temple shines afar!"

The author of these lines himself, the amiable Beattie, taught his way through the University, aided only by a small bursary which was won by his superior merit, and it is said that the early life of Dr. Adams, the late distinguished rector of

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the High School at Edinburgh, was a still more striking instance of successful struggling with adverse circumstances. Such instances are sufficient to reconcile us in a great measure to the system of our Scotish Colleges. They could not have happened in England or in America. Whatever advantages may be derived from the students' living within the walls, and from few vacant hours being left to their own disposal, it necessarily follows that little if any difference can be made in the necessary cost of education, lodging and food; and that almost nothing can be done by a poor student to earn his own support.' 16

Setting aside however individual cases, the expense of académical education in Glasgow is extremely moderate. The fee paid to the Professor of each class for one session is three guineas, and was till lately but two. A young man therefore who attends two classes during the same session, as is very customary, pays six guineas in fees; and another guinea will discharge the minor academical charges. The cost of board and lodging in the city varies, of course, according to the inclinations and means of the individual; they may be both obtained for less than

16 I have subsequently learned that occasionally a few of the students at Yale College receive leave of absence for three or four months to teach some of the district schools; and that others become entitled to exemptions from some part of the College charges, by waiting upon the other students at meals, ringing the College bell, &c. (1823.)