The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-21 00:00:00

elitist's Hospital Speech Day.—This Day,

STATE VISIT OF THE CORPORATION.

To-day being St. Matthew's Day, the Corporation of the
City of London paid their annual %isit to Christ's Hospital
this morning. They were received by the Rev. Dr. Jacob,
the head master, the Rev, R. South, the Rev. M. Gibbs,
the masters of the various departments in the school, and
the three Grecians who are about leaving for the Univer-
sities. In the first instance the Corporation attended Divine
Service in Christ Church, Newgate-street.
At the close of the service the Corporation and visitors
proceeded to the great hall, which was soon well filled. The
Corporation occupied raised seats at the western end of the
hall, and the orations were delivered from a dais in the
centre.

Mr. J. H. WYLIE, first Grecian, Classical Medalist,
1863, Scholar of Pembroke College, Oxford, delivered the
English oration in praise of the founder. After some pre-
paratory remarks on the excellence of the institution, he
inquired what name in history was more honoured than
that of the royal founder of that house? Was there an
Englishman who did not feel a pride at the mention of
Edward VI. It might be that his early and premature
removal from an earthly throne had spared his reign from
infamy and his name from scandal, but the acts of his short
life were of so distinguishing a colour, and all his ways so
stamped with piety, that surely they did not give him
more than his due who distinguished him with the name
of " The Good." His name should be graven on the hearts
of each and all of those who ever had experienced the
benefits of his royal hospitals. His memory stood in every
corner of those time-honoured foundations, and in those
monuments of piety he had built up for himself an impe-
rishable name, which no decay, nor time, nor age should
Lever take away. From his day until this present hour,
through all the changes of 300 years, the star of that
house had been ever rising—her foundations had become
daily deep-rooted, and her head now towered amongst the
highest glories of the land, because she had dispensed her
blessings, hoping for nothing in return. She saw her sons
at home in every walk of life, mounting in the steps of ster-
ling industry to high and honourable positions—abroad, in
every profession or occupation in which a man could law-
fully engage, she had seen them struggling to approve
themselves good servants to their Queen and country.
(Cheers.) Well might that school be called the boast of
Englishmen. In the gratuitous education of English youth
she took the lion's share—her interests were guarded by the
representatives of every class (as the armorial bearings on
those walls could well attest), her foundation was benevo-
lence, and her support a strict discharge of duty. He well
knew that there were those who were glad to attack and
ridicule her system, who were "utterly sceptical" as to her
advantages, but against them stood unanswerably the great
practical results that had been effected, and were being
effected, by her means, and they did but think how different
might have been the case had her management been en-
trusted to less able and less scrupulous hands. It had been
usual on these occasions to enliven the course of the Eng-
lish speech by some marked allusions to the political events
of the past year, but ho had purposely avoided all
notice of such topics that day, because he must
confess himself incapable of connecting the Confederate
cause or the insurrection in Poland with the benefits of the
Royal Hospital. Having conveyed the hearty congratu-
lations of the sch,ool of which the Prince of Wales is a
governor, to the Prince and Princess, Mr. Wylie remarked
that there were two subjects of hones interest of which all
would be expecting some mention. This year had seen the
first very spirited attempt to establish among them a pub-
lic competition in English athletic sports; hitherto, how-
ever, no opportunity had occurred of thanking the movers
and promoters of these excellent games, so that he should
best express the feelings of every boy throughout the
school, when he offered their hearty thanks to those gen-
tlemen who originated and supported the athletic games of
1863. Their exertions were indefatigable, their rewards libe-
ral, their decisions impartial, and, as might be expected,
their success was complete. (Cheers.) The orator next
adverted to the sudden death of Mr. Chapman, the French
master, upon whose character he passed a high eulogium.
Mr. J. H. Nrw Num, second Grecian, mathematical me-
dallist, and imes scholar, 1863, scholar of Pembroke Col-
lege, Cambridge, delivered a Latin oration. He remarked
that King Edward had been praised at that commemoration
so assiduously for 300 years, that the ears and minds of the
audience had become wearied from the very excess of praise
lavished on them. He might be allowed, therefore, to dis-
miss King Edward and his good deeds, and to employ the
opportunity of bestowing his thanks upon the gentlemen
before him, who deserved them so well. He then briefly
touched on the loss they hid sustained in the death of their
French master, M. Chapman, and turning to Dr. Brette,
his successor, bade him a most cordial and eloquent wel
come. He briefly noticed what he termed the spiteful
attack which had been made by Mr. Gladstone on Christ's
Hospital. _ _

Mr. C. G. LoAD, third Grecian, who is proceeding to
Trinity College, Cambridge, delivered the Greek oration.
He expressed his opinion that the praises of King Edward
could never be exhausted. That religious, royal, and
ancient foundation had often been bitterly assailed with the
most malignant invectives, yet had they seen its grandeur
daily increasing, and its system, although maligned, conti-
nually trampling over its antagonists. That sacred foun-
dation, which the fell sword of civil war could not injure,
nor the scourge of pestilence molest, nor the storm of anni-
hilating fire blast, had stood for more than three centuries
—a loving foster mother, ever affording to the homeless an
abiding place and a home. (Cheers.)
The following were also recited : —Greek lambics, trans-
late°. trom "Richard the Second," by Mr. Lewis 1,
Hardy Sharky, Fourth Grecian, Classical Medallist, and
Richard's Medallist 1862; Latin Elegiacs, Translation o:
"The Soldiers Dream," by Mr, Arthur Bovell, Eighth
Grecian ; Greek Hexameters, translation from " Paradise
Lost," by Mr. Charles Alan Tyffe, Fifth Grecian ; Latin
Hexameters, "Fodinoo Carbonarim," Richard's Prize Com-
position, by Mr. George Frederick Warner, Sixth Grecian ;
Greek Elegiacs, translation of " The Field of Gilboa," by
Mr. William Farrer, Seventh Grecian; Latin Alcaics,
translation from " The Lady of the Lake," by Mr, Robert
Harry Hughes, Ninth Grecian; English Poem, "The
Nile," by Mr. Charles Alan Tyffe, Fifth Grecian.
At the close of the recitations purses were handed round
and collections made for the Grecians, who are proceeding
to the Universities. The National Anthem was then sung
with great heartiness, and the proceedings closed.