the memory of george augustus selwyn, the great bishop, first of melanesia, afterwards of lichfield, is honoured in cambridge by the latest of all the colleges. selwyn, one of a famous cambridge family, died in 1877; and in 1882, selwyn college was opened. the object of the college is that which had, some time before, prompted the foundation of keble—the provision of university education at a more moderate rate than had hitherto been the case. it is conducted on what is known as the hostel system; that is to say, its members, while enjoying all university privileges, have all their meals in common, and are supplied with most necessaries at fixed rates from the college buttery. this is, we may believe, the simple system out of which great foundations like trinity grew; and, since selwyn began it, one or two other colleges have pursued it with some success on a voluntary principle. at selwyn, however, the hostel life is compulsory; and the college is known officially as selwyn hostel. it has not lived long enough to produce any great sons as yet, but its record is honourable, and we may[267] expect much from it in the future.[8] its buildings, forming two sides of a quadrangle, are of red brick, and were designed by sir arthur blomfield, who also built the master’s lodge at the east corner of the enclosure. as the essence of the college’s existence is to provide accommodation for students, the buildings are devoted to rooms, and the hall and chapel were left to the last. for the first thirteen years of the history of the college, these necessities of college life were supplied by the low range of temporary buildings just inside the entrance gate. there, too, for some time to come the hall will have to remain, a very simple room, whose only ornament is the portrait of mr arthur lyttelton, late master and now vicar of eccles. this, by mr c. w. furse, is a striking example of the new english school. in 1895, however, one of the wishes of the college was fulfilled, and the present noble chapel was erected from sir arthur blomfield’s design. it stands north of the master’s lodge, and is a very large and lofty building of red brick, with freestone dressings. the style is a free adaptation of english perpendicular, the admirable window tracery being a remarkable feature. the interior is very good, and the very complete set of stalls, with their grotesque carvings and modern misereres, would do honour to a medieval collegiate church. its consecration by the bishop of ely in october, 1895, was one of the most[268] imposing ceremonies which have been seen of late years in cambridge. the late archbishop of canterbury and several other prelates assisted at the function, and the sermon at mid-day was preached by the archbishop. if the pious founders of the older colleges had been able to be present, and had seen the whole college walk in procession round the quadrangle in the early morning, singing the sixty-eighth psalm, and had assisted at the celebration of the holy eucharist which followed, they would assuredly have thanked god that the traditions of their church and of the university which was its daughter were preserved and cherished by more modern foundations.
ridley hall represents a school of thought somewhat different from that to which selwyn owes its being, and is altogether a modern development in university life. like selwyn, it has an oxford counterpart in wycliffe hall. it was founded in 1879 as a training college for those who, having already graduated from some college, wish to proceed to holy orders. under the headship of doctor moule, it has already sent out several distinguished members of the evangelical party, and has also been of great service to missionary societies. it has certainly proved itself a power in modern cambridge, chiefly through the influence of its eminent principal; and has encouraged other religious bodies to attempt what is an accomplished fact in oxford. the presbyterian body are now building themselves a large theological college[269] at the corner of the madingley road. the buildings of ridley are not unlike those of selwyn, and the renaissance chapel with its picturesque iron turret is a pleasing object from most points of view. the architect of the older portion was mr charles luck; the chapel and southern range were designed by mr w. wallace.
after many vicissitudes, ayerst hall has at length disappeared. some years ago the rev. w. ayerst of caius college established a small college on the hostel principle, which occupied the buildings now known as queen anne’s terrace, between parker’s piece and the university cricket ground. in 1894 his students vacated these buildings for a new range between the huntingdon and madingley roads, and their original home is now the offices of the university correspondence college. rather less than three years later, the venture was abandoned, and the new buildings were purchased for a colony of benedictines. since the building of the great church of our lady of the assumption and the english martyrs, which is so conspicuous a feature from the railway, the influx of roman catholic students has been much greater. in 1896 a roman catholic chaplaincy was founded in both universities. the direct result of this measure was the purchase of ayerst hall and the establishment of a theological school for roman catholic undergraduates. this scheme is in its infancy, and its future remains to be seen. the new hostel is known as edmund house.
another abortive attempt was cavendish college, founded in 1882, which took its name and coat-of-arms from the late duke of devonshire. by an irony of fate, it is the only collegiate building which the passer-by sees from the train—that is, unless he keeps a sharp lookout for king’s chapel. it was, however, a mile from the nearest college, on the furthest outskirts of the town, and, after a precarious existence, it failed and was closed in 1891. between 1891 and 1895 the curious might roam through its halls unchecked, inspect the deserted library and the singularly comfortable buildings, and muse on the names of departed occupants inscribed on the staircases. some of its students went down; others joined other colleges. in 1895 it was bought by mr j. c. horobin of homerton, who transferred to it his training-college for schoolmasters and schoolmistresses. its part in university life is not over yet, but its proud title has been exchanged for the more suburban name of homerton, and now only old-fashioned people call it cavendish.
lastly, there is fitzwilliam hall. the same desire which led to the foundation of selwyn and keble led to the passing of a grace by the senate of both universities, by which students were allowed to become members of the university without joining any particular college. unattached students now form a considerable element at both oxford and cambridge. the necessity for a certain amount of combination goes, nevertheless, without saying; and its result[271] is fitzwilliam hall. a house opposite the fitzwilliam museum has been purchased, and has been turned into a club for non-collegiate students. there are a reading-room, lecture rooms, and rooms for the tutors, who are, for the most part, distinguished members of the older foundations. the non-collegiates have their own gown, their boat on the river, and their own clubs and societies; and, although some of their most promising members in time join other colleges, they have a distinct corporate life and status of their own. thus, although cambridge has in none of these respects been in front of her traditionally conservative sister, she has at all events followed not very far behind her in any.
