The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-13 00:00:00

tone to his discourse, and impresses his hearers
very favourable. Lord GRANVILLE, however,
possessed this advantage, and stood on this van-
tage ground, that proof were not wanting to
illustrate his words, and he accordingly adduced
this unanswerable argument in favour of the
benefits conferred by this university, of which he
that day treated. This year, for the sixth time,
there is at the University of Cambridge a senior
wrangler who is one of its members, and also
there are a second and third wrangler also, be-
sides many others who have taken very distin•
guished honours. These circumstances certainly
speak volumes in favour of the success of the
efforts that are made to promote progress and attain
Efficiency. It is not often that so satisfactory an
account can be given of an institution, and in the
present instance it is the more gratifying, because
there has been from time to time a great prejudice
engendered against this university on account of its
more liberal and extended views. .It is well, then,
that answerable testimony should be afforded to its
excellence and utility. Lord GRANVILLE made
some very sensible remarks concerning the mode of
education that was carried on in different places,
and on the peculiar nature of university instruction.
It is only of late years that this subject has been
mooted at all. People used to go on as if it was
an established fact, and a well known thing, that
whatever was the order of the day regarding educa-
tion at these places must be right and fitting. The
question is, however, not what course of study trains
up scholars of solid learning, and proficients of bril.

liant excellence, but whether from those
seats of study issue men fitted for
the business of life, who are qualified to be of ser-
vice to themselves and others. The Commission of
Inquiry approved highly of the course pursued at
the London University as to what was required of
scholars before being admitted at all within its
precincts. Lord GRANVILLE explained the im-
portance of this strict rule being enforced, because
it is the only way to compel parents and masters
of schools to make a change. Every one knows
how addicted people are to old established rules and
regulations. Many pedagogues will declare all
new ideas a sham, and all strange suggestions a
perfect mockery. To guard against the narrowing
tendencies and contracted scope of these prejudices
it is necessary to take every precaution. If the
heads of a University enfcrce their edict that such
and such things must be studied before an entrance
is permitted, it follows as a matter of course that
all ambitious of the privilege will make themselves
in some way or other acquainted with the deside-
ratum of information. It stands to sense that
many striking alterations are highly imperative,
for as Lord GRANVILLE forcibly put it, it was
shown that the large mass of students quitted the
University " with a great knowledge of cricket
and a very good knowledge of rowing, with only
that sort of Latin and Greek which is perfectly
useless in after life, and entirely destitute of ma-
thematical, scientific, elementary truth, a know-
ledge of history and of their own country, which
it must be admitted are desirable if possible to
attain." It is a great pity that many cultivated
men will fancy that no way is right but what they
themselves have previously taken, and that all suc-
ceeding generations must follow in their wake
until the crack of doom. Far otherwise is

the view taken by the wise and experi-
enced ; they can appreciate the good of
their own style, without at all ignoring the benefits
conferred by other means which a more advanced
state of society may deem to be requisite. Lord
GRAN-VILLE did well to dilate upon this topic, be-
cause he thus furnished food for reflection to his
hearers, when the first excitement of the hour was
over. The more the fundamental principle that
guides and governs all connected with Univerbities
is recognised to be, that the main object is to fit
youths to be men of service in their day and gene.
ration, fitted to fulfil with honour and credit the
station appointed for them by their Maker, fitted to
serve their fellow men, and to adapt their talents to
be a benefit and blessing to themselves, the better
it will be for the state of society and the recipients
themselves. Lord GRANTILLE has well performed
his, and it is to be trusted that his earnest exhorta-

tions and eloquent language will not be thrown
away, but stimulate and encourage all who heard
them to renew their energies and press on to the
prize of their calling, making it their endeavour to
attain what should be the end and object of all
training, whether school or college, the privilege of
becoming " useful and virtuous citizens of that
great country to which we are all so proud to
belong.'

It is satisfactory to find an idea or a theory put
to practical use. We have all heard so much about
the celebration of the three-hundredth birthday o:
our great poet that it is pleasant to find the COM•
memoration leaving some tangible results behind i.

—not melting away into the things of the past
without effecting any other purpose than giving
occasion for a temporary rejoicing. The opportu-
nity, however, has been turned to good account by
the managers of the Royal Dramatic College, who
have seized the moment when the public sympa-
thies are awakened on behalf of the greatest of
dramatists to bring forward the claims of the pro-
fession for kindly help and encouragement. It is
proposed by these gentlemen to establish a new
public school for boys and for girls, to be called
" The Shakspere Foundation Schools," whose dis-
tinguishing feature should be to have an endowed
foundation for a limited number of scholars, who
must be the children of actors, actresses, or dra-
matic writers. By this means it is hoped to com-
bine the benefits of an institution with the nume-
rous advantages of a free public school. This very
excellent scheme does not indeed own its origin to
the Tercentenary Festival, but since it had been
long cherished by the projectors, it was felt that
this was a fitting opportunity to invoke the aid of
the public in endowing the foundation. A public
meeting was held on Wednesday at the Adelphi
Theatre, ander the able presidency of Mr. CHARLES
DICKENS, whose admirable speech set forward the
claims of the proposed institution on the public for
encouragement and support in so clear and forcible
a manner as to carry conviction to the hearers.
There was no rd misericordiam address, no mourn-
ful -lamentation over the errors or misfortunes in-
cidental to the profession, but a brave, cheery,
manly appeal for a little kindly help in giving the
first start to an establishment which should here-
after pay its own way' a demand for a helping;
hand in pushing off the vessel, which, once afloat,
will need no other assistance. "The school," said
the chairman, after recounting the origin of the
scheme, " to be equal to the best existing public
school. It is to impart a Bound, liberal, and com-
prehensive education, and it is to address the whole
great middle class at least as freely, as widely, and
as cheaply as any r:i.ting public school. There
are foundation scholars at Eton, foundation
scholars at most of all our old schools, and if the
public, in remembrance of a noble part of our
standard national literature, and iu remembrance
of a great humanising art, will do this thing for
these children, it will at the same time be doing a
wise and good thing for itself.' I I answer to a
possible objection, Mr. DICKENS remarked that it
was a singular thing that the ohildr:o of actors and