The Express.
London, England, 1861-10-12 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 12, 1861.

LORD PALMERSTON ON COMPETITIVE
EXAMINATIONS.

The ceremony of presenting the certificates
granted at the rel-tat Orford local examination, at Mouth.
employ', took place yesterday at the Carltou Rooms, in that
town, in the premises of a large number of patoi% who
entirely filled the building. The company included all the
principal residents of the town and neighbourhood, lathes
constituting a largo proportion of the turienildsge. When
Lord Pelnierston, who Lid promised to diatribut•
the certificates, entered the Lill, he was enthusiastically
greeted. He wan accompanied by the Mayor of Smithson,.
too, Mr. Richard Coles, who appeared in his robes, and
was attended by several °liken of the corporation and
most of the aldermen and tueillheni of the town council.
The Me‘ox was isimuintously elected to the chair, and
opened the proceedings by some appropriate observations
upon the great advantages of these local examinations, and
the liberality and wisdom of the University of Oxford in
instituting them.

The Rev. Mr. Stmt.,' then read the report detailing the
eirenmstaneee attending the examination at Houthatnpton,
and the result.

The Bishop of llocriEsTra, io moving the adoption of
the report. said be had very great pleasure in appearing on
that occasion, when he saw so many of his old friends, and
learnt the progress of a system of examination fur honours,
which he had been a party to introducing in Southampton
four years age. After adverting to the objections
which some parents were supposed to have to
subjecting their eons to so severe a test with
the prospect of failure, he showed that they were
groundless, and urged upon the parents and the public gene.
rally to give a more ready and gen. runs support to these
examinations, which were calculated to be productive of a
vast amount of good throughout the country. The objec-
tion to the term •• examinatioas" be also
thought ' posses.ed no weight. For himself be could
not see why such a term should curry any
reproach with it, as the strength and prosperity of
England consisted, in his opinion, in the highest departments
being continually filled from the middle classes. (Cheers.)
He bad lived long enough to see those great lines of de-
marcation which separated one class from another very
materially rubbed out. (Hear, hear.) He had beard some
people talk about filling up the gap which existed in the
social body, and they were unite familiar with what was
called the missing link " which it was said had yet to be
found. Some discovered the missing link in scripture
readers, in missionaries, and in other persons differently
employed, but he believed it was active Christian cceope•
ratlon on the part of the Laity at large with the ministers of
religion ; and he believed that would supply in a satisfac.
tory manner the wants of the &adieu. (Hear, hear.) With
regard to these local examinations by the Cuiversity of Ox-
ford, ho believed that they would have an important and
blessed influence on the kingdom at large, and they deserved
all the aid and co-operation which the town of Southamp-
ton could give. (Cheers.)

The motion was seconded by the Rev. J. G. WRIGUT,
sad carried.

The certificates were then distributed by Lord Palmer-
ston to the different successful candidates, to each of whom
he addressed some words of praise and encouragement.
The Hon. and Rev. C. HAMM. upon the conclusbn of the
ceremony, moved a vote of thanks to Lord Palmerston, and
said that be felt grateful, as a member of the University of
Oxford, to his lordship for enhancing the value and credit
of the distinctions just awarded by delivering them himself,
being as he was a Ili.tinguisbed member of the sister
University of Cambridge. It seemed from what had taken
place as if one university did its utmost to cooler value on
the certificates granted by the other. (Cheers.)
Yr. F►t.vgr seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation.

Lord PALMERSTON, who on rising was received with loud
cheers, said—Mr. Mayor, my Lord, Ladies, sod Gentlemen,
—1 beg in the first place to return you my most grateful and
hesutfelt thanks fur the honour you hare done me in per-
mitting me to perform a must agreeable duty on the present
occasion, and in giving me that mark of your goodwill and
approval which has been accorded to me by the vote which
has just been passed. My hon. friend, in moving that rem-
lutioa, mid :hat • member of the committee which made
the arrangements for these proceedings said that whoever
might propose a vote of thanks to tue would do well to be
short, because the assembly would be more disposed to do
me the honour of hearing me. Now, although I may on
general principles be disposed to acquiesce, as a speaker,
in such so opinion, because in general • speaker is inure
pleased to hear his own voice than that of anybody
elan—(laughter)—yet I mw► say that if those who speak
in regard to myseU were always as kind as my hon. friend
has been, and as forbearing as well as kind as the seconder
has been, who has abstained from using that British prin-
ciple, or privilege, of abusing prime ministers—(laughter
and cheers)—aad who has on the present occasion only
availed himself of that which, I trust, is alai a British privi-
lege—saying something in their praise—(cheers)—I can
only enure you that speeches so complimentary and kind
will always be more agreeable to a man than even hearing
his own voice. (Cheers.) Now it is most agreeable to me,
in the first place, to be present at • meeting of friends and
neighbours, but it is also moot gratifying to be allowed
to be present myself on an occasion like this. There is
nothing perhaps more remarkable in the progress of the
country than the advent* which of late years has been
made in the diffusion and in the quality of education. The
advance which England has made in population, in wealth,
and is everything which constitutes in common opinion the
greatness of a country, is well known, and is most extra-
°cheery ; but we should indeed have been wanting in our
duty as • nation, if we had not accompanied that progress
in wealth and population by a corresponding progress in
the development of the intellectual faculties of the
country. And Southampton, which equals in the
rapidity of its progress, both u to numbers and wealth,
almost any town in the kingdom, has shown, I
thiek, that it has kept pace with the advance of the country
in its intellectual development as well as is its material
prosperity. (Chews.) And, indeed, it is satiafectory to
see theta than who presented themselves to-day to receive
certificates of their attainment., so many have distinguished
themselves in that particular branch of science which of all
others requires the strongest and most persevering appli-
' cation of the faculties of the mind--I mean in
mathematical studies. (Hear, hear.) And consider.
ing how near we are to the see, and how much
navigation must tend to the prosperity of Southamp-
ton, it is pleasing to see so many of the rising
generation have directed their minds to the attainment of
distinction in mathematical science. The advancement of
education has for many years past been an object of most
earnest and persevering solicitude to alma► all men who
have risen to eminence in this country. We are glad to see
that the universities have started forth in that honourable
career; and, as my hon. friend who moved the resolution ob-
served, it is peculiarly gratifying to me, a member of the
University of Cambridge, to be permitted to distribute certi-
ficates arising out of the examination of the sister Univer-
sity of Oxford. (Cheers.) There nu ♦ time long now gone
by when envious critics who wished to run down the univer-
sities of the land said that they might be likened to hulks
moored in • rapid current, which served only to mark the
rapidity of the stream which hourly passed them by and
left them far behind. That has long since ceased to he
true representation of the universities. They have im-
proved like all other institutions in the course, object, and
direction of their studies, and they can now vie with any
academical institutions to be found in any civilised country
in the world. (Cheers.) There are objection; which have
been made to the system of competitive exami-
nations. Some people say that it leads to a
system of cramming ; and it is often the ease that when
mankind seize upon a word they imagine that word to be
an argumeut, and they go about repeating it, thinking they
have arrived at some great and irresistible conclusion.
When they say " cramming," they think they have utterly
discredited the system to which they apply that word ; but
these men imagine that the human mind is like • bottle,
and that when you have filled it with anything you can
pour that out and it remains empty as it was before.
That, however, is not the nature of the human mind. A
boy who is crammed, as, it ie said, has, in point of fact,
learnt • great deal, and that learning has accomplished two
objects. First of all, the faculties of his mind are exer-
cised in being crammed ; and in the next piece, there re-
mains in his mind a great portion of the knowledge so

acqtdred, which furors the hods probably of future attain-
ments io different breeches of henna knowledge. (Cheers )
Therefore let no man run away with the notion that this
competitive examination is not of great act' infinite value
because men are found who instruct candidates for competi•
tioo io those branches of knowledge with regard to which
i examination is to take place. Depend upon it that the boy
who is crammed successfully not only succeeds io the
I examination for which Le is prepared, but is from that time
Iforward a more intellectual and better informed young roan,
and more dimipmed to push forward the knowledge which by
that cramming Lehi. acquired. Well, another objection is
made. Riyadh' you are tearlingyoung men agreat variety Of
thins that are of DO use to them in the carter which they
are destined to pursue, and that you are pandering t • their
vanity by making them believe that they are wiser than
they really ere. These objection,' are also, in
my opinion. utterly futile; for as to vanity
and conceit, the most vain and conceited are those who
know least. The more a man knows the more he acquires
a conviction of the extent of that which be dine not know.
A man ought to know a great deal to acquire a knowledge
of the immensity of Lis ignorance. (Cheers) There was a
very snarp and shrewd gentleman, well known in former
times, a Mr. Harvey Combs, who, in conversing with a
friend of whore attainments he had no very high opinion,
made some observatiou, to which this friend replied, " I
am sure I don't know." " You don't know," said Mr.
Harvey Combo ; " I tell you what, my friend, what you
don't know would nuke a very large book." (Laughter.)
That may be said of a great part of mankind—(continued
laughter)—therefore let no man—let no parent—be de-
terred from sending his sou for competitive examination,
under a notion that he would get much beyond the title-
page of that great book. (Laughter and cheers.) Well,
then, if the system of competitive examination is not liable
to objection on the score that it ms calculated to raise in the
minds of the young men themselves an undue notion of
their own superiority, so also it is a great mistake to ima-
gine that an extended range of knowledge disqualifies a '
young man for the career to which he is destined. It is my
opinion that nothing could be more fit and proper than that
a young man, having selected a particular profession. should
devote the utmost vigour of his mind and intellect to qua-
lify himself for that profession by the acquisition of the
knowledge necesoary for distinction in that line of life ;
but it would, I think, be a great mistake if he were to
confine himself to that study alone, for you may be sure
that the more be knows of a great variety of subjects, the
more he exercises his intellect in the acquiring of a greater
range of knowledge, the better he will he able to perform I
the duties of his own particular profession. That
sort of general knowledge may be likened to the gymnastic
exercises of our soldiers. It is not that they are expected
to he of any use to them on the day of battle, but still they 1
render their muscles flexible—they strengthen their limbs,
they invigorate their health, sad they make them better
able to undergo fatigue, and to adapt themselves to all the
circumstances in which they may be placed. (Hear, hear.)
So it is with enlarged study. It sharpens the wits, it in- I
fuses general knowledge into the mind—it sets a young
man thinking ; and instead of merely crowding his memory
with facts, that habit of thought, and that custom of exer-
using his iatellect ou r. great variety of subjects, makes
him a better and a more able man in the puttee.
lam profession which he intends to pursue. (Cheers.) Well,
then, a remark has beep made that in this country—in this
happy land—there is no barrier between clan and class—
that the highest positions in the country are attainable by
I persons starting from the most humble origin, and that if
11 they have only talent, if they Lave only acquirements, if
they only have perseverance, and are if good conduct, there
is not anything within the range of the institutions of the
country to which they may not aspire, and to which any
man may not attain. (Cheers.) I trust that among those
to whom it has been my good fortune to deliver certificates
then are young men who are destined to rise far
above the praitioa in life from which they start. (Chien.)
It is the peculiar character of this country, as distinguished
from many others, that where, as in some countries—unfor-
tunately for them—men try to raise the level on which
they stand by pulling others down, in this country men try
to nine the level on which they stand, not by pulling others
down, but by riding themselves. (Cheers.) I trust, there-
fore, that those examinations will from year to year have
an increase in the number of candidates in Southampton
and its neighbourhood. (Hear, bear.) They will, I
am convinced, produce among the rising genera.
Hen a spirit of emulation, one of the noblest feel-
ings of the human mind ou which depend the elevation
of the individual, and the prosperity and greatness of
nations—a spirit wholly distinct from jealousy and envy,
and which is compatible with the utmost kindness and good-
will to those with regard to whom the emulation is applied,
which ennobles the individual, and does nut load to any un-
friendly sentiment towards others. It appears to me that
this system of competitive examination will not only inspire
that generous spirit of emulation into the minds of the tieing
generation, but that it met also act powerfully upon those
who are the instructors—a most valuable class of society—
men upon whose exertions depend the well-being of the Dation,
because, unless the people have their minds cultivated and
stored with knowledge, it is plain that for all great pur-
poses they are almost as if they ware not. (Hear, hear.)
This competitive system tends to inspire emulation as well
among the instructors as among the instructed, auil is there-
fore doubly effective in advancing the intellectual progress
of the country. (Chess) Now, Mr. Mayor, my lord,
ladies, and gentlemen, having stated the advantages of the
system of competitive examication upon those who
are successful in it, and upon these who are their
instructors, I would, with your permission, take leave
to say a word of encouragement to those who may have
failed in obtaining certificates. (Hear, Lear.) Let not thane
young men—let not their parents—think that they have
gained nothing by the struggle in which they have been en-
/ gaged; for depend upon it, although they may not have sue-
! ended in obtaining that distinction which they aimed at,
they have succeeded in acquiring a great deal of useful
knowledge. They have acquired a habit of mind, a power
of application, the exercise of memory, a power of thinking,
which will be of use to them teethe rest of their lives. I may
compare them to the sons of that father who, when he was
on his deathbed were told by Lim that Le had a treasure
buried in a certain field, and that if they dug the whole field
through they would find it. The sons dug the field, but
found no gold, but in the next year there was that which to
them was a treasure—a most abundant and valuable
harveth That was the treasure which their father made
them seek for, and that was the treasure which they found.
So also it was with the u mmucceraful competitors. They had sot
obtained the treasure they sought fur, vie., the certificates
from the examiners, hut they had gained a treasure which
was of infinite value in that habit of mind, in that exer
vise of the powers of thought, and in that amount of know-
ledge upon which a larger building might be erected, and
they will have reason to thank their parent' for having scat
them ton competitive examination, and so rendering them
better able to struggle through life, for whatever cereer they
may be destined to run. (Cheers.) Mr. Mayor, my lord,
and ladies and gentlemen, I again thank you most sincerely
for the honour you have done me. and I assure you that
nothing ever affords me greater satisfaction than having
ae opportunity of meeting you on public occasions lake
this. (Loud cheers )
A vote of thanks to the University of Oxford, and to the
mayor, terminated the proceedings.

The Lord Chancellor has presented the Rev.
Alfred Jinni Coleridge, M.A., of Magdalee College, Ox-
ford, to the rectory of RakeLy, war Greta•rxidye, Yorbi re.

- •
10f RTROPOLITAN BOARD or Woluts.—Tlio usual
weekly meeting of the Metropolitan Board of Works was
held yesterday at the office in Springlardens ; Mr. J.
Thwaitee in the chair. The financial statement wail pre-
sented, which pre the following cash balances in the
hands of the treasurer :—Current accounts, 139.20008 e Rti
deposit accoutts, 95,600/. ; total, 231,700/. 18s. fid• Go-
vernment Securities, New Three per Cent. Annuities,
24,4121.75. 7d. ; cheques ordered but not presented—issued,
3,039/. Os. 11d. ; not issued, 15,306/. 9s. 10d. ; total,
18,5141. 16e. 9d. Mr. Doultun, pursuant to notice, moved
—" That the chairman be requested to represent to the
First Commissioner, is his conferences on the Thames Em-
bankment Bill, that We board is strongly of opinion that
no plan will be complete or satisfactory which does not
make provision for • roadway and embankment on the south
side, and to use every effort to procure the necessary powers
for enabling the board to construct such a work." After a
long debate the motion was agreed to with but 0110 dissen-
tient. The routine business was then disposed of, and the
board adjourned.