B O O K
V I I .
This town is particularly celebrated for its univerfity, the
moil antient in Sweden. In 1246 Birger Jarl eftabliihed a
fchool atUpfala;. and in 1478 Steen Sture adminiftrator of
Sweden laid the firft foundation o f the univerfity ; the plan
whereof had been formed, but not carried into execution, by
Eric o f Pomerania: the regulations were modelled after
thofe o f Paris. The inftitution was confirmed in a diet
which met at Straengnaes on the 2d o f July ; and the univer-
lity was opened with due ceremony on the 7 th of October in
the fame year *. Guftavus Vafa warmly patronized it, as
being the place in which he had completed his education;
and as it was greatly fallen into decay, he conferred upon it
fo many additional privileges, and endowed it in fo ample a
manner, that he is juftly called its fecond founder. Under
John III. it Was transferred to Stockholm; but again re-
ftored to Upfala by Charles IX. t During the Con flan t wars
in which that prince was engaged with his rival Sigifmond
king o f Poland, it confiderably declined; but was again
revived by Guftavus Adolphus, whbfe extenfive knowledge
and protection o f letters ate loft in the fplendour of
his military atchievemefits. That great monarch, befide
conftruCting a large building at his own expence,'endowed
the univerfity with his patrimonialeftate o f Vafa-; by which
donation the falaries o f the profefibrs were augmented, afid
150 ftudents maintained. His exarnple was followed by his
fucceffors, as well as by feveral individuals; and as the funds
have increafed, the'number o f fcholars fupported by them
have been confiderably enlarged.
At the head of the univerfity ;is a ch a nee llo r fw h o is Always
a perfon of high rank and confequence), chofen by the
* D a h lia , V o l. I I . p. 610.
•J- MeiT. Scon. I llu f. T om . I V . p . 37, D a h lia .
1 - , profeflors.
profefibrs, and confirmed by his majefty : he regulates and ™ * 1’-
explains the ftatutes; compofes all material differences ; a n d '. <
delivers all petitions and meffages from the body to the king.
When he is abfent, his office is fupplied by the archbifhop
of Upfala.
The prefidency devolves by rotation upon one o f the profeffors,'
who is ftyled ReSior Magnificus: he is a kind o f
juftice o f peace; can puniih the ftudents for fmall delin-
(luencies, by fending them to prifon; and fettles fuch differences
as are too trifling to be laid before the confiftory.
The univerfity has its own court o f juftice, called Conjiflo-
rium Minus, for the trial o f the ftudents and dependents : it
is compofed o f a certain number o f profefibrs, and judges
mifdemeanors according to common law. An appeal lies ■
from its decifion to a Conjiftorium Majus, which is formed by
all the .profeffors; and -from that in the laft refort to the
chancellor.
The profeffors are'about twenty in number, o f whom the
.principal'are thofe o f divinity,- eloquence, botany, anatomy,
ch-ymiftry, natural philofophy, aftronomy, and agriculture.
Their falaries. are from £70 to^ fio o per annum. Upon a
vacancy in any of the chairs, one o f three candidates, chofen
by their body, is nominated by the king. During each term
the profeffors give four publick lectures in the week gratis ',
and the fame number o f private lebtures, for which they receive
from each o f thofe who attend the ftipulated lum o f
five lliillings. A profeffor ,who has continued in office for
the fpace o f thirty years, is allowed to retire with the. title o f
■Emeritus., and enjoys his falary during life.
Youth are admitted into the univerfity .of Upfala at about
the age of iixteen, for the completion of their academical ftu-
dies. They do not inhabit, as in our uniye.riities, any diftinbl
V o i. II. G g g college