The subject of university men must not be dismissed without noticing how many of the most distinguished Cantabrigians never earned a degree. We have already seen (in chapter iii.) that in some periods of greatest intellectual achievement the examination tests at the university were wholly inadequate: what follows is a list of great and prominent men who took no degree at all:--Bacon, Byron, Macaulay (fellow of Trinity), Gray (professor of history),[438] Morland the hydrostatician,[439] Woodward the founder of mineralogy,[440] Donne, Fulke Greville, Parr the classic, Sir William Temple, Cromwell, Pepys and Mildmay both of whom were conspicuous benefactors of the university, Dryden who received his degree by dispensation of the Primate, Stratford de Redcliffe who was created _M.A._ by royal mandamus, Palmerston who graduated “by right of birth.” There was no one so important as Macaulay in 1822 when his name was absent from the tripos list, no one so great as Darwin in the tripos lists of 1831 when he took an ordinary degree. The Oxford roll of non-graduates is not less distinguished: Sir Thomas More, Sir Matthew Hale, Sir Christopher Hatton, Sir Philip Sidney, Wolsey, Massinger and Beaumont the dramatists, Shaftesbury, Gibbon, Shelley--while Halley the astronomer took his _M.A._ by royal mandamus, and Locke’s degree was irregular. Dublin university has not a dissimilar tale to tell; Burke failed to distinguish himself there, and Swift was given a degree _speciali gratia._ CHAPTER VI GIRTON AND NEWNHAM Etheldreda of Ely and Hild of Whitby connect the school of York with the monastery of Ely--English women and education--the four “noble and devoute countesses” and two queens at Cambridge--the rise of the movement for university education--two separate movements--Girton--Newnham--rise of the university lecture movement--Anne Clough--the Newnham Halls and Newnham College--the first triposes--the “Graces” of 1881--social life at the women’s colleges--character and choice of work among women--the degree--status of women’s colleges at Cambridge and Oxford--and status elsewhere. The foundation of the women’s colleges is of sufficient importance to call for a chapter in any history of the university, even if they did not in themselves awaken so much general interest. Cambridge cannot be otherwise than proud of its position as pioneer university in the higher education of the women of the country; the women’s colleges count as one of its glories and stand to it in the relation which Spenser gave to the river Ouse: My mother Cambridge, whom as with a crowne He doth adorne, and is adorn’d of it. They belong to its atmosphere of vitality and growth, their presence adds something to that air of newness and renewal which has never been absent from the university town.