SCOTCH UNIVERSITIES.

The universities and colleges of Scotland differ so widely from our own that some explanation is needed of the contests over the election of "lord rector," one of which, as the cable informs us, has resulted in the elevation of James Russell Lowell, our minister to Great Britain, to the lord rector ship of St. Andrew's University. Since 1858 the Scottish universities, however differently organized before that time, have had a uniform constitution, created by the "university act." This act was referred to by Earl Selborne, who, having been asked the other day whether Mr. Lowell was eligible to the rectorship, replied that "nothing in the Scottish University act of 1858 precluded his election." Under the statue each university has three governing bodies-a senates academicus, a university court and a general council. The first regulates the property, discipline and instruction of the university; the second reviews the decisions of the first and regulates minor internal affairs; and the third is a deliberative body which advises the university court. Apart from these dignified bodies each university has for chief individual officers a chancellor, representing the higher powers, a vice chancellor, appointed by the chancellor, and a rector elected by the matriculated students. The latter is an honorary office, and is usually conferred on some distinguished non-resident, sometimes on account of his scholarly eminence, but more frequently on political grounds. The voting for lord rector is generally taken to be a fair indication of the party bias of the students, who, in turn, are looked upon as fairly representative young men. The universities confer degrees that correspond to those awarded by our colleges.