Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

25 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES.

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES. TO THE EDITOR OF THE GUARDIAN. SIR,—It is an ungrateful task to discourage enterprise cr to check the flow of charity, but it is a task which it is sometimes judicious to perform. The institution which has assumed the name printed at the top of this letter has thrown down the gauntlet, and will claim the victory if it is not taken up. A circular has been issued, in which it is announced that "Ia temporary sustentation fund is to be raised, first, by a house-to-house can- vass, and, next, by congregational collections. The canvass to be made in the last week, and the collections on the last Sunday, in October." It may, perhaps, be taken for granted that the canvass is for the purpose of taking money, and that it is intended for those who do not attend any place of worship, and also for members of tbe Church of England. For it is not probable that Churchmen will be tempted, as members of their several congregations; few, if any, of the clergy will comply with the request of the circular; but when men are canvassed in their own houses, perhaps by friends, whom they fear to offend, they are very defenceless. It is, therefore, the object of this fetter to show reasons why they should not contribute. These reasons are two, which may be stated at once. 1. The institution, for the support of which we are to be canvassed, is not calculated to advance the higher education of Welshmen. 2. It is distinctly prejudicial to the interests of the Church of England in Wales. 1. Nothing is apt to make members of the so-called party of progress more angry than to tell them that they are making a retrograde movement. And yet this is a manoeuvre of which they are often. guilty. We shati not soon forget how an ex-Prime Minister, to force his own policy ou an unwilling House of Lords, produced a weapon which had been rusting in the legislative armoury since the days of the Stuarts. His followers, after a long and bitter struggle, forced our national Universities to cast away the Tests, which kept Noncon- formists outside their gates. They gained a victory, which they now decline to use they are determined to found, for the benefit of a tract of country not larger Tiran a great English county, a university, which shall make worthless to Wales the result of their long cam- paign. This is a retrograde movement. Again, if there is any principle inscribed on the Liberal banner, it is this—that in matters of education the voluntary system must be abandoned, and that for the future the State must educate. But the institution of which I am writing, though of an educational character, is to be supported by voluntary contributions. This is a retrograde movement. But the Conservative may say that the movement is none the worse for that, so that it remains for us to consider whether it is wise. No one can admire more than I do many points in the Welsh character. The Welshman is famous for his patriotism, for his intelligence, and for his religious zeal. To these high qualities he adds industry, aptitude for business, and thirst for knowledge. If he has any faults (to which we must not be wholly blind) we might mention provincial narrowness of mind, bigotry, and conceit. I, by no means, say that every Welshman has these faults, but that there is a tendency to their development in the national character. The great antidotes to these faults are travel, intercourse with tolerant men and books, the society of equals and superiors. No plan can be devised more likely to intensify them than to assemble in a small town a number of Welsh youths, who have little or no knowledge of the world, and who will easily mis- take The rustic murmur of their bourg For the great wave that echoes round the world. But is such an assemblage necessary ? We may be quite sure that it is not, at any rate in the present day, when facilities of transit are so great, and when expenses are so reduced at Oxfofd, Cambridge, Dublin, and London, that for £ÜÜ a-year a student can enjoy the privileges of any one of these great seats of learning. If, however, this should be thought too high a price, and if the voluntary system is to prevail, for half the mooey now spent in buildings, professors, &c., twice the number of students might be sent to reap the advantage of endow- ments already at the service of the nation. The argu- ment for a Welsh University, which has been hitherto urged with considerable success, may be termed the argument from analogy. Other countries have Universities, but poar Wales has none. Of all the countries mentioned in the circular, the only one, where there is a shade of analogy, is Scotland. Indeed it provokes a smile to find that the existence of one University in New Zealand, and of two in Australia, is quoted as a kind of reproach to Wales. And when we come to examine the Scotch analogy, we see that it is very faint, for its four Univer- sities are cf ancient foundation. When they were founded, the communication between Scotland and England was not what it is now, and it is more than doubtful whether great need would be felt for them in the present day, if they had become national institutions when it was not possible to make use of the Universities of England or Ireland. But if this be thought an extravagant view, we may say that the Highland lad is likely to have his mind enlarged and his intelligence quickened by residence in such, cities as Glasgow and Edinburgh, but it is not easy to see what advantage can be gained by a Welsh youth from his sojourn in tbe little town of Aberystwyth. Again, the Scotch Univer- sities are substitutes for the higher class of Grammar Schools, which abound in Wales, and are open, without restriction, to all-comers. The quality of the education offered by the University College of Wales is, doubtless, gotd but it is no disrespect to the Principal and Pro- fessors to say thet it is not, and probably never will be, superior to what is offered by many English schools. If it is to be a great school, it will certainly be valuable; and, by means of the voluntary system, will do work which the endowed schools of the country might be made to do. But what becomes of its claims on the Welsh patriot ? He will say that he cannot support an institu- tion which robs his countrymen of the culture and ex- perience which they might gain elsewhere, and offers them, at no cheap rate, an education which must always be inferior to that given by Universities within easy reach. 2.—But if this objection should be thought insufficient by the Welsh patriot, and he should nevertheless dive deep into his pockets and produce a gold coin to gladden the hearts of the collectors, I have no fear of the consistent Churchmen following his example. For I maintain that the Institution, as at present constituted, is prejudicial to the interests of the Church of England in Wales. Why so," says the ready collector, allow me to point out to you a clause in the constitution, by which it is decreed that no one shall be iaeligible for office by reason of his religious views. It is true that the Principal is a Cal- vinistic Methodist minister and son of the great leader of that branch of Methodism in Wales but you will see among the Professors, clergy of your own Church, as well as members of other religious bodies." "Thank you," my friend, I do not judge the character of the Institution by the views of its paid officers, but I look at the list of those wh8 originated and promoted the undertaking. There I find an overwhelming majority of the enemies of my Church. 1 find the names of those who were returned to Parliament as tbe champions of Dissent. I find the distinguished lawyer, who wants to take away our churchyards. I find an English millionaire, who has no connection with Wales. but whose wealth is always at the disposal of those who wish to injure the Church of England. I find the popular correspondent of a Welsh newspaper whose watchword is Down with it, down with it even to the ground." And you come to ask me to help such as these! Never may my hand be with those who attack her against whom no weapon shall prosper! And yet I cannot help admiring the skill of my adversaries. Unwise as I deem the founding of a Welsh University for the higher education of the country, for the interests of Noncomrormity it is exceedingly wise. Even this refusal on the part of my brother Churchmen and myself to aid our opponents will be quoted as an instance of our want of charity. In every way the pro- ject is for the advantage of Welsh Dissent. The English Universities are open; no Dissenter is there obliged to violate his conscience his Nonconformity is-not likely to make his social life unpleasant. Yet we find that the two parties who joined in unholy alliance to open the doors, will not enter in. The Roman Catholics, as well as the Welsh Nonconformists, are founding a University. We have not far to go for their motive. In the great Universities there is a spirit of free inquiry" a generous toleration, a hatred of bigotry not favourable to the propagation of Ultramontane or Welsh Dissent. The adherents of such forms of Dissent will not fight an open contest, but in the bustle and distraction of the metropolis, where they are likely to pass unnoticed, or in some corner of the Principality where they have an immense majority of numbers, they will show wondrous valour. The philosophic calm and the clear brilliance of Academic life show the deformity of their favourite idols. But in their own chosen haunts they draw the sword and invite even adversaries to aid their battle, displaying the banner of Secularism and Toleration which has its true motto at present concealed within its folds. As a spectator, I admire the ingenuity of such tactics, but because I cannot aid a movement which I believe to be worthless to my country and injurious to my Church, I am obliged, gentlemen, with every assurance of appreciating the honour you have done me, to send you empty away. Apologising for the length to which my letter has grown, I am, yours, & GWLADGARWR.

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IRON. '

The Mark-lane 7 AGRICULTURE.

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