The present state and future prospects of mathematical and physical studies in the University of Oxford / [Baden Powell].

  • Powell, Baden, 1796-1860.
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The present state and future prospects of mathematical and physical studies in the University of Oxford / [Baden Powell]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    pelled to 6it is thus reduced to very agreeable li¬ mits. This grand obstacle being now removed, it does not appear what difficulty remains to hinder a recurrence to the old and just principle of the original Examin¬ ation System ; and which had been ably advocated by two of the anonymous writers who kept up so memorable a paper war during the stormy period of the discussions previous to the Statute of 1830; as well as approved by many whose opinion is entitled to great consideration. The labour of the Examiners has doubtless been abridged by the sacrifice of the principle of viva voce; and by the union of the Mathematical Examiners in the general work. A very trifling improvement has also been made on the system of classification, in the in¬ stitution of four Classes: but these radical difficulties remain untouched ; viz. first, the extreme invidiousness of the task of deciding upon the absolute admission or rejection of a Candidate into or from a given Class ; and, secondly, the difficulty, without any means of quali¬ fying the decision by a graduated scale, of fairly assign¬ ing the relative value of acquirements in so many different branches, as are included under the Literae Humaniores, in order to fix the absolute standard for the Classes. The first of these evils being felt in a ten¬ fold degree in the Mathematical School, from the pecu¬ liar nature of the subject, whilst the latter is peculiar to the Classical. And, thirdly, the inefficiency of all means of inducing Candidates of inferior pretensions to come forward, the lower Classes even with the new