TEACHER

This title of learned distinction was first adopted in the twelfth century. The degree of Doctorate, succeeding and superior to that of Master in European universities, was first conferred at Bologna; by the university of Paris, in 1145, on Peter Lombard; in England, it is supposed, in the reign of King John. Before this time, if the appellation of Doctor was used, it was only in its plain sense of " teacher," and as synonymous with master. The degree of Doctor is conferred, in the English universities, in each of the three faculties of divinity, law, and medicine, — but not in that 357 DODRANS. of arts, — and in the science of music. The Continental degree of Doctor of Philosophy is unknown among us. Do'cTOR. A thin plate of steel used in scraping the colour or mordant off" the copper plates employed in calico printing; the term is probably a corruption of the word abductor. DOCTORS' COMMONS, is the popular name for the courts and offices occupied by the body incorporated in 17G8 under the title of " The College of Doctors of Law exercent in the Ecclesiastical and Admiralty Courts," and which are situate on the southern side of St. Paul's Churchyard. The college consists of a president (the dean of the arches for the time being), and of those doctors of law who having regularly taken that degree in either of the universities of Oxford or Cambridge, and having been admitted advocates in pursuance of the rescript of the Archbishop of Canterbury, have been elected fellows of the college in the manner prescribed by the charter. See Court.s, Ecclesiastical. [s. 370]