among them, from the various means, intentions, and perhaps caprices, as well of the original founders as of subsequent benefactors. The opinions also and views of the corporation itself exercised much influence on its own destiny. Some may have so managed their property, as always to reserve a fund, even independently of any new donations. Any such residue might be used, either to adorn the exterior of the College, or to extend its scientific resources, or to enrich the fellowships, or to found new ones. The mode also of election to these posts varied exceedingly. Indeed a plurality of votes among the already existing members generally decided how the vacant places were to be filled: but the qualifications for candidates were very different. In some cases the matter was perfectly unrestricted; in others especial advantages were granted either to members of the founder's family, or to natives of certain towns or counties, or to the scholars from certain schools, &c.

$111. Interior Growth of the Colleges and of their Endowments.

The first stem of a corporation of this kind consisted of the endowed members, and their Head, who was elected from among themselves and bore various names :* but to these were very soon added * [Master of University College, President of Magdalen College, Provost of Oriel College, &c.]

members of another kind.

Thus we find in the oldest statutes of Balliol College the directions that the remnants of the common table should be given to poor scholars. scholars. A more intimate connection of course then arose between them and the College, by their rendering certain menial offices in the house in return for this benefaction. Fixed stipendiary endowments for poor scholars were then established; and they thus became members and inhabitants of the College, in a subordinate position, although in some cases with special advantages for attaining a fellowship when vacant. Many of these stipends were destined for scholars of certain schools - a new element of diversity between College and College. Another tie to the growing societies rose out of their devotional exercises. Merton College first, from its very foundation, was provided with a private chapel: and a private chapel was soon looked upon as indispensable to every College. This arose both from the ordinary religious duties attendant upon College discipline, and from the extraordinary ones, such as the masses to be repeated for the souls of benefactors. Hence it became needful to swell the retinue of the College with Chorister-boys, Chaunters, Organists, and Sacristans, all of which posts by degrees received especial endowments. After this, the College libraries were a new call on the liberality of benefactors. Finally, the servants properly so called, at least the most important of them, such as Cook,

Butler, and Purveyor, were established by especial foundation.

112. Swelling numbers of Academicians in single Colleges.

In all the Colleges, the pupils or boarders* whose payments formed one source of the College revenues, soon greatly outnumbered all the other members. To accept of such inmates, does not seem to have been originally at all intended, at least in the earlier Colleges: yet it soon became not only the general practice and right, but, to a certain extent, a duty also, since (as we have seen) the academic pupils were obliged to enter some College or other. Most of the old Halls were entirely given up, or became the property of the Colleges; to which they served as supplementary buildings under the superintendence of Fellows appointed for the purpose. Naturally, it was but by degrees that the earlier Colleges enlarged themselves, and developed their system; but the later ones, which had a pattern before them to copy, from the very first aimed to attain every thing. At the same time the grades of liberality in the Founders were very various. We see the college system begin from the four poor Magistri who formed the first germ of University College, and proceed to the seventy Fellows of * [Called at Oxford commoners, at Cambridge pensioners; i. e. those who pay for their board.]