The first of a three-volume set, A History of the University of Wales. It was with a sense of pride and conviction that the founding fathers of the University of Wales created a national institution "in and for Wales" in 1893. This volume celebrates the centenary of the University by recalling the foundation and early days, tracing the development of the university movement in Wales from the very beginning to the granting of the Charter in 1893. It casts a critical eye on an institution which was reputed at its inception to represent "the soul of the nation".