The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-19 00:00:00

METROPOLITAN PREE HOSPITAL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Comparatively few of the wealthy and benevolent
of this country are aware of the existence of this invaluable
institution. It occupies no proud position in a leading
thoroughfare, where it may attract the attention and invite
the liberal contribution of the passer-by : but, situate in the
midst of a densely populated and notoriously poor distriet,
immediately contiguous to the overcrowded parishes of
Spite:fields, Bethnal-green, Whitechapel, and Shoreditch,
it effects an amount of good amongst the extremely poor
second to none of the more wealthy institutions of a similar
kind.

It is unendowed and dependent entirely upon voluntary
contributions for its support. In the year ending Dec. 31,
1862, the attendances of poor patients for medical and sur-
gical relief reached the enormous amount of 103,983; the
income for the same period being under £3,000. It has
hitherto been principally supported by a few City merchants
and their friends; but, owing to the fact of its being en-
tirely free, no letter of recommendation being required to
obtain admittance, and also to the removal of St. Thomas's
Hospital, the applications for relief have increased so rapidly
as to render it absolutely necessary to seek for some more
general support. Believing an appeal in your columns is
rarely if ever made in vain, the committee earnestly so-
licit your insertion of this plain statement of facts, in the
hope that many will be induced at this season of the year,
in the fulness of their hearts, out of the store with which
they have been blessed, to assist in endeavouring to alleviate
the sufferings and distress of the sick and destitute.—l
have the honour to be, sir, your obedient servant,

_
JNO• GURNEY FRY.
Metropolitan Free Hospital, Devonshire..
square, Bishopsgate.

Death of the Rev, J. Forehall, M,A., P.R.S.

We have to announce, and so soon after the decease of
the Rev. Dr. M'Caul, the removal of another ripe and sound
Biblical scholar by the death of the Rev. Josiah Forshall,
M.A., F.R.S., some time fellow and tutor of Exeter Col-
lege, Oxford, and subsequently keeper of MSS. and also
secretary of the British Museum. Mr. Forshall entered
Exeter College as a commoner in 1814. He took his degree
of B.A. in 1818, obtaining a first class in mathematics and
second class in lit. hum. In 1821 he proceeded M.A. In
1519-20 he was ordained deacon and priest respectively by
the Bishop of Oxford. Mr. Forshall's first appointment to
the British Museum dated from 1824, when he was nomi-
nated assistant-keeper of the MSS. by Archbishop Howley,
who always entertained the highest opinion, no less of his
personal worth, integrity, and gentlemanly bearing, than
of his scholarly accomplishments and great learning. Mr.
Forshall's active connection with the British Museum was
only severed in 1851, when he retired from the secretary-
ship, in the enjoyment of a pension, and carrying with him
the reputation of being one of the most accurate and deeply
versed scholars of the day on all matters connected with the
MSS. of the Bible. At the period of his death Mr. Forshall
was occupied in preparing for press, at his own expense,
" The Holy Gospels in the Received Text of the Greek,
with various readings. . • • . Ex-
posing the errors of modern editors, and maintaining the
general integrity of Scripture, as read in the Church of
England." A few specimen pages lie before us as we write
these lines, and for beauty of type, convenience of form,
and unexampled laboriousness of search, they promise a
work altogether invaluable to the student of the Bible.
Mr. Forshall has carried with him the peculiar qualifica-
tions, both natural and acquired, for the completion of his
plan, and it is to be regretted that a work of so much pro-
mise, from the pen of one so completely versed in the
codices of the Greek Testament, must lie unfinished. De-
serving of great commendation are Mr. Forshall's recently
published English edition of the four Gospels, printed in a
cheap form, "far the use of schools and young students."
The Gospel according to St. INlark, of this series, has al-
ready taken its place as a text-book for candidates for holy
orders, chiefly owing to the valuable introduction which
precedes it. It contains also some very piquant "cautions
against the Greek Testament of Dean Alford and the
Hu:seart lectures of Dean (now Bishop) Ellicott." Mr,
Forshall was a thorough scholar of the massive old Eng-
lish divinity school. He looked wistfully askance at what
he considered the empirical attempts of modern theology
to elucidate and to furnish amended readings of the sacred
text.

Mr. Forshall died yesterday (Friday), at his residence,
49, Woburn-place, Russell-square, at half-past 5 a.m. His
removal will prove a great loss to the Royal Society, of
which he was a distinguished member.

ST. THOMAS'S.DAY,

(From the City Press.)

On Monday next the customary Wardmotes will be held,
for the election of "fit and proper persona" to represent
the various Wards in the Court of Common Council for the
ensuing year. The following is a resume of the changes,
which on this occasion are somewhat more numerous than
mufti :

Aldersgate Ward—Mr Paterson throws down the
gauntlet, the whole of the present members again present-
ing themselves.

Aldgate—Mr H. Hill withdraws. Mr Dresser Rogers,
Mr Broadwater, and Mr J. C. D.Lvis are candidates.
Bishopsgate—Mr Geddes retires. Mr T. S. Richards
and Mr G. W. C. Dean came forward, and Mr G. Richard-
son has been nominated.

Bread-street—Mr A. J. Coles has been nominated; so
also have the whole of the presant members.
Bridge—ln consequence of Mr Pay's death four candi-
dates have emit forward, viz., Mr H. Gover, Mr W. May,
Mr J. T. Moss, and Mr It. P. Taylor.
Castle Baynard—Mr Iladley retires. The new candi-
dates are Mr J. H. Hale, Mr Christopher Walton, and Mr
T. Douglass.

Coleman-street—Mr Sheriff Cave, Mr E. Hart, and Mr
A. Digby will contest the vacant seat of Mr W. H.
Roberts.

Farringdon without—Mr Botterill, Mr Warwick, Mr F.
Cox, and Mr J. Crispe coma forward. Mr M'Lauchlin
retires.

Portsoken—Mr Charles Barber and Mr Thomas Woodley
have issued addresses. Mr J. G. Rhoads has been men-
tioned, Mr Deputy Annis withdraws from the repre-
sentation.

Queenhithe—Mr G. Rayment retiree.
Tower—The only candidate really in the field for the
vacancy caused by Mr. Deputy Turnbull's retirement ap-
pears to be Mr J. Northway.
Vintry--Mr R. Tees retires.
In the following wards no changes are anticipated :
Bassishaw, Billingsgate, Broad-street, Candlewick, Cheap,
Cordwainer, Cornhill, Cripplegate (Within and Without),
Dewgate, Farringdon Without, Langbourn, Limo-street,
and Walbrook.

ACCIDENTS ON THE GREAT NORTIIERN RAILWAY.
—About half-past 10 on Thursday evening a coal
train was travelling on tho up line of the Great Northern
Railway. When two miles from Corby the drawing-up
bar between two of the trucks broke, causing the train to
part. Tho pin buried itself in a slanting position in a
sleeper, and the last part of the train, running upon it, WUN
thrown oil on the down line. Under the superintendence
of Mr. Dance and a staff from Peterborough the lines were
cleared, and the traffic resumed about 7 o'clock yesterday
morning. This had scarcely been effected, however, when
another accident more serious than the first occurrei. The
traffic was being worked on a single line between Bythanc
arid Corby. Six trains had successfully passed, and a cattle
train was waiting its turn, when a coal train, cunning past
all the signals, dashed into it. The shock was so severe
that many of the cattle were killed and others jerked out of
the trucks. A drover was injured, and the driver of the
coal train was also hurt. The damage to the trucks,
&c., was very great, and the two accidents threw the traffic
of the line into the utmost confusion, the trains from the
North having to be passed round by way of Sleaford and
Boston. _ _

-----
A COMMISSAIRE OF POLICE the other day arrested
on his way from Boulogne to the steamboat for England a
person who had absconded from Paris with £120,000 worth
of diamonds bclorging to his Highness the Duke of Bruns-
wick,