COLLEGE AND CASTLE AT DUBLIN.* THE University of Dublin, which
may be conveniently, as it is commonly, called Trinity College, Dublin, owes its existence to the Elizabethan revival of letters. There had been earlier efforts to establish an Irish University,—one dating from the fourteenth century, and due to the initiative of the Arch- bishops of Dublin, the other originated in the reign of Edward IV., by the Irish Parliament. Then, again, that ablest and most energetic of Viceroys, Sir John Perrot, proposed in 1585 a grand scheme for two Universities. Perrot was " thorough " in his way. There were two
(1.) The History of the University of Dublin. By John William Stubbs, D.D. Dublin : Hodges and Figgis. London: Longmans. 1589—(2.) Dublin Castle. By W. O'Connor Morris. London: Harrison and Sons. 1889. cathedrals in Dublin, and that of St. Patrick being "held in more superstitious reverence," should, he thought, be dissolved. The revenues of St. Patrick's would suffice to endow two colleges with 21,000 a year each, and leave some- thing over for the better sustentation of Christ Church. This plan was overthrown by the opposition of Primate Adam Loftus, who himself contrived to bring about a few years later the starting of a humbler scheme. The Mayor and Corpora- tion of Dublin gave the site of the old Augustinian monastery of All Hallows, a few thousand pounds were contributed throughout the country, and MOO per annum was allowed, but not till after some delay, out of the Irish revenues of the Crown. From these humble beginnings sprang what is now one of the wealthiest educational foundations in the world.
The first stone of the new building, a poor structure, no remains of which now exist, was laid on March 13th, 1591-92, and it was opened for work in less than two years afterwards, a piece of commendable energy. Five years afterwards we find an estimated revenue of 2298 7s. 4d., and an estimated ex- penditure of 2358 10s. Part of this expenditure was, it is true, extraordinary. "Bread and beer" cost 240 more than the usual sum, owing to the dearth of the time." The building was already "weak and dangerous," and had to be repaired at a cost of 210, while travelling and legal expenses of various kinds absorbed £108 more. The Fellows enjoyed the modest stipend of 211 13s. 4d. each, and the scholars 24. The Provost had an income of 250. The Crown was now induced to give a little more help, a "physician's pay," six "dead pays" (why not a note to explain the term "dead pay"?), and a " canonier's pay." The allowance was also doubled, and the whole contribution came to somewhat more than 2400. The endowment proper of the College—i.e., the revenue coming in from its own estate—was very small. "College Lands, Munster," are put down at £80; but the note is added, "Never received, on account of the Rebellion."
The curriculum at this time (the early part of the seven- teenth century) comprised Logic, Moral Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, and Astronomy. The astronomy was the Ptolemaic system. Aristotle was read in Greek. Neither the Classics, properly so called, nor Mathematics were repre- sented. Discipline was largely administered by the rod. The offence of breaking the Provost's windows was thus visited, the sinner being "whipped in public." Another transgressor, who "fought with weapons," was made to sit in the stocks at supper-time.
One is glad to find that the native Irish were not forgotten. When, in 1613, a scheme was drawn up for the apportionment of the revenues (then increased to 21,100), there were to be thirty "natyve scholars" with stipends of 23 (the same as that received by the junior Fellows) ; the forty scholars not natives had their commons, but no money. Earlier in the history of the College, interest had been taken in work of printing the New Testament in Irish. In 1628, Provost Bedell took great trouble with the instruction of the Irish scholars. His example was followed by Provost -Crasher fifteen years later, and improved upon by Provost Marsh towards the end of the century. Marsh found that the Irish scholars had some acquaintance with the vernacular. What they wanted was a knowledge of the classical language. He employed a converted Romanist priest to teach them (giving him 216 a year and his board). The Church Service was read in Irish, and an Irish sermon was preached once a month. It was open to the public, and drew a crowded audience. But one gathers that it cost these re- formers an effort to carry on their work, and that they had to contend with a lack of interest on the part of their colleagues, and a still more discouraging lack of good material among th.e Irishry.
The College escaped a great danger to its revenues in its early days. It found it difficult to collect its rents, and a certain Sir James Hamilton offered to pay a perpetual rent-charge of 2500 for its Ulster lands. Happily, a majority of the Fellows re- sisted, and the arrangement fell through, Sir James finding it to his profit to pay 2600 for a terminable lease. A peril more formidable in appearance, but only temporary, came upon the College in the evil days, 1642-49. It was nearly starved out. Indeed, it was only saved from suspension, if not extinction, by the sale of its splendid store of plate. Nearly two pages are filled with entries taken from the Bursar's books of articles pledged but never redeemed, or sold outright. The total amount thus realised is 2538. The College, which had been
„founded little . more than forty years, must ha.ve had liberal benefactors. Indeed, it is lamentable to read such entries as .."Mr Courtenay's flagon which was coined," and " Sir William - Wentworth's basin and ewer." ' . Forty-years later came another time of trouble. On Janbary • 9th, 1688-89, the Provost and Fellowsresolved, "no tenants pay-.
lug any rents," and:" the stook being almost exhausted," that there should be but one meal a day, and that one, dinner, sup- per being "the more expensive meal by reason of coals." They - could dine, it seems, without fires. The remainder of the plate --was to be sold, being taken over to England for this purpose. The Lord Deputy, however, refused to allow this. Six weeks afterwards only four Fellows were left in College. In September the Fellows and scholars were turned out of the building, one of them, who was ill of small-pox, dying from the effect of the removal. The Roman Catholic Bishops begged to have the College handed over to them. "It had been common," they said, with a fine disregard of facts, "before the Reforma- tion to all the laatives of this country." The absentee Fellows and scholars escaped inclusion in the Attainder Act of the ;Irish Parliament by the judicious absence of the Clerk of the Buttery. In after-years it was the favour rather than the hostility of the" powers that be," that endangered the College.
• Perhaps the most discreditable part of its history is the reign ...of Provost Hutchinson (founder of the Donouglmore family). He steadily used his power for personal and political objects, - quarrelled bitterly with all who were not in thorough harmony . with his views, and, in short, did as much mischief as he could. Dr. Stubbs's volume is full of interesting matter, which might, however, have been somewhat more attractively displayed.
We have not found Dr. Stubbs's index a very good one. But Mr. O'Connor Morris has not thought fit to supply his volume with any index at all ; and even his "table of con- tents" is of the most meagre kind. In other respects his book is often disappointing. Doubtless there was difficulty in his task, because the actual buildings of the Castle are, with but a very few exceptions, as modern as those of the College, while it lacks the continuity of history that belongs to the academical foundation. Whatever the cause, the result is a volume of less value than we expected from the historical, the social, or the antiquarian point of view. There is good reading in it now and then, but one cannot help regretting the "Chapter on Anecdotes relating to the Castle," which Mr. Morris once thought of making the piece de resistance in his work, but has omitted altogether. Even more to be regretted is the chapter on the topography of Dublin which the writer abandoned because it would have "led him too far.". Doubtless it would have cost more trouble than the compilation of historical or semi-historical facts which Mr. Morris has given, but it would have been of much greater value. Our author has, we see, a taste for scholarship, for he quotes, not quite relevantly it must be allowed, Lord Wellesley's beautiful verses to Eton. The strange punctuation here may be due to the printer, who cannot, however, be held responsible for dazaaiccara and inripoxom. And how are we to construe the addition by which he is pleased to give point to a quotation from Juvenal ?— " Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat
Res angusta domi ; Eblana durius illis Conatus."
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