A royal charter, and grant of money, was obtained, incorporating a
number of gentlemen therein mentioned, by the name of "The Governors
of the College of the province of New York, in the City of New
York;" and granting to them and their successors for ever, among
various other rights and privileges, the power of conferring such
degrees as are usually conferred {34} by the English universities. The
president and members to be of the church of England, and the form
of prayer used to be collected from the Liturgy of the church of
England.

Since the revolution, the legislature passed an act, constituting
twenty-one gentlemen, (of whom were the governor and
lieutenant-governor for the time being,) a body corporate and
politic, by the name of "the Regents of the University of the state
of New York." They were entrusted with the care of the literature of
the state, and a power to grant charters for erecting colleges and
academies throughout the state.

It received the name of Colombia College in 1787; when by an act of
the legislature, it was placed under the care of twenty-four
gentlemen, styled, "the trustees of the Colombian College," who
possessed the same powers as those of King's College.

In 1813, the College of Physicians and the Medical School were
united; and the academical and medical departments are together
styled "The University of New York." It is now well endowed and
liberally patronized by the legislature of the state. The College
consists of two handsome stone edifices, but the view given is but
one-third of the originally intended structure, and contains a
chapel, hall, library of 5,000 volumes, museum, anatomical theatre,