In 1772, Harvard College being in an embarrassed condition, the Legislature granted it the benefit of a lottery; in 1794 this grant was renewed, and for the purpose of enabling the College to erect an additional building.  The proceeds of the lottery amounted to $18,400, which, with $5,300 from the general funds of the College, were applied to the erection of Stoughton Hall, which was completed in 1805.  In 1806 the Legislature again authorized a lottery, which enabled the Corporation in 1813 to erect a new building, called Holworthy Hall, at an expense of about $24,500, the lottery having produced about $29,000.—­Quincy’s Hist. of Harv.  Univ., Vol.  II. pp. 162, 273, 292.

LOUNGE.  A treat, a comfort.  A word introduced into the vocabulary of the English Cantabs, from Eton.—­Bristed.

LOW.  The term applied to the questions, subjects, papers, &c., pertaining to a LOW MAN.

The “low” questions were chiefly confined to the first day’s papers.—­Bristed’s Five Years in an Eng.  Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 205.

The “low subjects,” as got up to pass men among the Junior Optimes, comprise, etc.—­Ibid., p. 205.

The low papers were longer.—­Ibid., p. 206.

LOWER HOUSE.  See SENATE.

LOW MAN.  At the University of Cambridge, Eng., the name given to a
Junior Optime as compared with a Senior Optime or with a Wrangler.

I was fortunate enough to find a place in the team of a capital tutor,... who had but six pupils, all going out this time, and five of them “low men.”—­Bristed’s Five Years in an Eng.  Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 204.

M.

M.A.  An abbreviation of Magister Artium, Master of Arts.  The second degree given by universities and colleges.  Sometimes written A.M., which, is in accordance with the proper Latin arrangement.

In the English universities, every B.A. of three years’ standing may proceed to this degree on payment of certain fees.  In America, this degree is conferred, without examination, on Bachelors of three years’ standing.  At Harvard, this degree was formerly conferred only upon examination, as will be seen by the following extract.  “Every schollar that giveth up in writing a System, or Synopsis, or summe of Logick, naturall and morall Philosophy, Arithmetick, Geometry and Astronomy:  And is ready to defend his Theses or positions:  Withall skilled in the originalls as above-said; And of godly life and conversation; And so approved by the Overseers and Master of the Colledge, at any publique Act, is fit to be dignified with his 2d degree.”—­New England’s First Fruits, in Mass.  Hist.  Coll., Vol.  I. p. 246.

Until the year 1792, it was customary for those who applied for the degree of M.A. to defend what were called Master’s questions; after this time an oration was substituted in place of these, which continued until 1844, when for the first time there were no Master’s exercises.  The degree is now given to any graduate of three or more years’ standing, on the payment of a certain sum of money.