Ossian Collection > Journey to the western islands of Scotland

32 A jOURNtY TO THE
The courfe of education is extended to
four years, at the end of which thofe who
take a degree, who are not many, become
niafters of arts, and whoever is a mafter
may, if he pleafes, immediately commence
dodtor. The title of dodor, however, was
for a confiderable time beftowed only on
phyficians. The advocates are examined
and approved by their own body ; the mi-
nifters were not ambitious of titles, or were
afraid of being cenfured for ambition ; and
the dodorate in every faculty was com-
monly given or fold into other countries.
The minifters are now reconciled to diftinc-
tlon, and as it muft always happen that
fome will excel others, have thought gra-
duation a proper teftiraony of uncommon
abilities or acquifitions.
The indifcriminate collation of degrees
has juftly taken away that refped: which
they originally claimed as flamps, by which
the literary value of men fo diflingulfhed
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