andJohnson’sloveofhisuniversityisanequivocaltestimonytoitsintellectualmerits。Wegenerallythinkofitasofasleepyhollow，inwhichportlyfellowsofcolleges，liketheconvivialWarton，imbibedportwineandsneeredatMethodists，thoughfewindeedrivalledWarton’sservicestoliterature。Theuniversitiesinfacthadbecome，astheylongcontinuedtobe，highschoolschieflyfortheuseoftheclergy，andiftheystillaimedatsomewiderintellectualtraining，weresinkingtobeinstitutionswherethepupilsofthepublicschoolsmight，iftheypleased，putalittleextrapolishupontheirclassicalandmathematicalknowledge。Thecollegespreservedtheirmediaevalconstitution；andnoseriouschangesoftheirstatutesweremadeuntilthemiddleofthepresentcentury。Theclergyhadanalmostexclusivepartinthemanagement，anddissenterswereexcludedevenfromenteringOxfordasstudents。21*Buttheclergymandidnotasaruledevotehimselftoalifeofstudy。Hecouldnotmarryasafellow，buthemadenovowsofcelibacy。
Thecollege，therefore，wasmerelyastepping-stoneonthewaytotheusualcourseofpreferment。Afellowlookedforwardstosettlinginacollegeliving，orifhehadthelucktoactastutortoanobleman，hemightsoartoadeaneryorabishopric。Thefellowswhostayedintheircollegeswereprobablythosewhohadleastambition，orwhohadatasteforaneasybachelor’slife。Theuniversities，therefore，didnotformbodiesoflearnedmeninterestedinintellectualpursuits；butatmost，helpedsuchmenintheirstartuponamoreprosperouscareer。Thestudiesflaggedinsympathy。Gray’sletterssufficientlyrevealthedulnesswhichwasfeltbyamanofcultivationconfinedwithinthenarrowsocietyofcollegedonsoftheday。Thescholasticphilosophywhichhadoncefoundenthusiasticcultivatorsinthegreatuniversitieshadmoreorlesshelditsownthroughtheseventeenthcentury，thoughrepudiatedbyalltherisingthinkers。SincethedaysofLockeandBerkeley，ithadfallenutterlyoutofcredit。Thebrightcommonsenseofthepolishedsocietyofthedaylookedupontheolddoctrinewithacontempt，which，ifnotjustifiedbyfamiliarity，wasanimplicitjudgmentofthetreebyitsfruits。Nobodycouldsupposethedivinesofthedaytobethedepositariesofanesotericwisdomwhichthevulgarwerenotworthytocriticise。Theywerethemselveschieflyanxioustoprovethattheirsacredmysterieswerereallynotatallmysterious，butmerelyonewayofexpressingplaincommonsense。AtOxford，indeed，theladswerestillcrammedwithAldrich，andlearnedthetechnicaltermsofaphilosophywhichhadceasedtohaveanyreallifeinit。AtCambridge，ardentyoungradicalsspokewithcontemptofthis’horridjargon——fitonlytobechatteredbymonkiesinawilderness。’22*EvenatCambridge，theystillhaddisputationsOntheoldform，buttheyarguedthesesfromLocke’sessay，andthoughtthattheirmathematicalstudieswereacheckuponmetaphysical’jargon。’ItisindeedcharacteristicoftherespectfortraditionthatatCambridgeevenmathematicslongsufferedfromamistakenpatriotismwhichresentedanyimprovementuponthemethodsofNewton。Thereweresomesignsofrevivingactivity。Thefellowshipswerebeingdistributedwithlessregardtoprivateinterest。ThemathematicaltriposfoundedatCambridgeinthemiddleofthecenturybecametheprototypeofallcompetitiveexaminations；
andhalfacenturylaterOxfordfollowedtheprecedentbytheExaminationStatuteof1800。Acertainnumberofprofessorshipsofsuchmodernstudiesasanatomy，history，botany，andgeologywerefoundedduringtheeighteenthcentury，andshowacertainsenseofaneedofbroaderviews。ThelecturesuponwhichBlackstonefoundedhiscommentariesweretheproductofthefoundationoftheVinerianprofessorshipin1751；andthemostrecentoftheCambridgecolleges，DowningCollege，showsbyitsconstitutionthataprofessoriatewasnowconsideredtobedesirable。Cambridgeinthelastyearsofthecenturymighthavehadabodyofveryeminentprofessors。Watson，secondwranglerof1759，haddeliveredlecturesuponchemistry，ofwhichitwassaidbyDavythathardlyanyconceivablechangeinthesciencecouldmakethemobsolete。23*
Paley，seniorwranglerin1763，wasanalmostunrivalledmasteroflucidexposition，andoneofhisworksisstillatextbookatCambridge。IsaacMilner，seniorwranglerin1774，afterwardsheldtheprofessorshipsofmathematicsandnaturalphilosophy，andwasfamousasasortofecclesiasticalDrJohnson。
GilbertWakefield，secondwranglerin1776，publishedaneditionofLucretius，andwasamanofgreatabilityandenergy。HerbertMarsh，secondwranglerin1779，wasdivinityprofessorfrom18O7，andwasthefirstEnglishwritertointroducesomeknowledgeoftheearlystagesofGermancriticism。Porson，thegreatestGreekscholarofhistime，becameprofessorin1790；Malthus，ninthwranglerin1788，whowastomakeapermanentmarkuponpoliticaleconomy，becamefellowofJesusCollegein1793。Waring，seniorwranglerin1757，Vince，seniorwranglerin1775，andWollaston，seniorwranglerin1783，werealsoprofessorsandmathematiciansofreputation。Towardstheendofthecenturytenprofessorswerelecturing。24*Alargenumberwerenotlecturing，thoughMilnerwasgoodenoughtobe’accessibletostudents。’PaleyandWatsonhadbeenledoffintothepathofecclesiasticalpreferment。Marshtoobecameabishopin1816。TherewasnoplaceforsuchtalentsasthoseofMalthus，whoultimatelybecameprofessoratHaileybury。Wakefieldhadthemisfortuneofnotbeingabletocoverhisheterodoxywiththeconventionalformula。