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HISTORICAL VIEW OP THE

In England, the reign of Alfred (commencing in870) had been marked by many advances in civilisa-tion. That eminent sovereign was not less conspicuousfor his own attainments than for his munificent andenlightened endeavours to promote and encourage theacquirement of learning among his subjects. To whatprecise extent he actually completed any establishmentof the nature of an university at Oxford , is a matter ofquestion among antiquarians; hut it seems to be ad-mitted that he certainly made some attempts towardssuch an object.

The tumults and wars of the next 300 years effec-tually interrupted the course of improvements, andnearly extinguished the little learning which had begunto appear. Some of the Norman sovereigns, and espe-cially Henry II. , were distinguished for their patronageof letters; and it seems to have been under theirauspices that the universities of Oxford and Cam-bridge first effectually assumed the form of privilegedseats of learning and science. It is, perhaps, impossi-ble at the present day to decide which of these two hasthe priority in date.

It appears to be generally admitted that in this age,or soon after, they had both, from local circumstances,become favourite places of resort for study, and hadacquired an extensive celebrity from the great eminencewhich even a very moderate share of learning conferredin those days on the scholastic recluse. The numbersof those who followed this mode of life seems to havebeen almost incredibly great, if we can trust the recordsof those times; and the names of several individualshave been handed down who enjoyed a high reputationamong their contemporaries as teachers in the differentdepartments of letters and philosophy.

To the celebrity of such teachers, and the incitementsto study held out by the habits of life adopted in theseplaces, and the stimulus of companionship and rivalryin the pursuit of knowledge, we may most probablytrace the increasing resort of students to these seats of