The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-06 00:00:00

OXFORD COMMRMORATION.

The following further particulars of the ceremony
of presenting the Honorary Doctors of Law will be
interesting to many of our readers :—The Regent
of Baden and Prince William Frederick of Prussia,
being made Doctors by diploma, accompanied the
Chancellor of the University on his entrande into
the Sheldonian Theatre with his Royal Highness
Prince Albert, and took their seats at once in the.
semicircle on the left of the Chancellor, his Royal
Highness being seated on his right hand. The
Honorary Doctors meanwhile remained in the
Divinity School, while the Chancellor proposed
their Graces to the house—or, in other words,
asked the consent of the Convocation to each de-
gree. The places having been recorded, the be-
' dell left the Theatre, and shortly reappeared,
ushering in a most brilliant cortege, which made its
way with difficulty through the dense crowd in the
area to the foot of the steps leading up to the semi-
circle of the Doctors. The ambassador of the Sul-
tan was the leading personage, followed by the Prus-
sian Minister and the Marquis of Abercorn. After
him came the E trl of Clarendon and the other can-
didates, in order of precedence. As soon as the
procession reached the steps of the semicircle, the
Regius Professor of Civil Law presented the Am-
bassador to the Chancellor, and introduced him in
a short Latin speech as the first Christian subject
of the Porte who has ever represented the person
of the Sultan as his Ambassador, and congratu-
lated the University on the occaSion of his visit be-
ing at so auspicious a moment, when the Sultan
had granted equal laws and full civil rights to his
Christian subjects. The name of the Earl of Cla-
iendon, which followed the announcement of the
Prussian Minister and the Marquis of Abercorn,
was welcomed with loud plaudits, more especially
when the Professor alluded to his great ancestor
(whose character as a historian was the subject of
the Stanhope prize), and whose name his Lordship
had preferred to retain rather than accept a higher
title from his Sovereign in reward for his distin-
guished services. Lord Elgin's successful adminis-
tration of Canada was next referred to in connection
with the promotion of its foreign trade by treaties
of commerce, and the development of its internal
resources by great lines of Railway and other pub-
lic works. The name of Sir Edmund Lyons was re-
ceived with great applause. The professor alluded
to the enemy having sunk their ships rather than
risk their destruction by encountering the allied
fleet. The bombardment of Sweaborg was coupled
with the name of Sir Richard Dundas, while the
capture of Bomarsund and the overthrow of Sebas-
topol were cited in illustration of the engineering
skill of Sir Harry Jones. Dr. Sandwith's en-
durance and his humanity to friend and foe alike
during the terrible siege of Kars were the next
subject of eulogy, and a tribute of respect was paid
to General Mouravieff for his treatment of the Bri-
tish prisoners. Dr. Barth's intrepidity in explor-
ing the course of the river Beuin, the western
branch of the Niger, was the last subject of com-
mendation, and his constancy was highly praised
in resisting for seven months the threats of the
King of Thnbuctoo, and his endeavours to compel
him by the fear of instant death to renounce the
Christian faith. The names of the other distin-
guished candidates whose good deeds were also re-
cited Lord Ashburton's, in reference to his
exertions in promoting the education of the poor ;
Sir Henry Holland's, in regard to his writings on
medical science and psychology were all most
favourably received ; and the presence of the
Chancellor of the University gave more than usual
interest to the ceremony of admission, which fol-
lowed immediately after the presentation of each
Honorary Doctor.

MEETING OF THE CHARITY CHILDREN,

The anniversary gathering of the charity children
from the various free schools of the metropolis (56
in number) took place yesterday in the nave of St.
Paul's Cathedral, and attracted, as usual, many
thousands of persons.

The nature of this ceremony and its character.
istic featurez have ben so frequently described
that they must be familiar to our readers. Such a
spectacle as that presented by the children, how-
ever, the oftener seen the more firmly is it im-
pressed upon the mind. The coup d'ceil, from
whatever part of the cathedral it may be witnessed,
is equally magnificent and astonishing. Nor is
the spectacle offered by the congregation less im-
posing—something like 15,000 people being so
closely packed together, that the whole mass ap-
pears to be animated as with a single impulse—to
ebb and flow, as it were, like the tide of some
mighty ocean.

There was no change whatever in the musical
selection which has for many years accompanied
the full cathedral service. What the children
did was, of course, more interesting than anything
else. Once again we have to record how capi-
tally the " Gloria Patti" was pronounced by
the multitude of young and fresh voices, in re-
sponse to the reading psalms, as chanted by the
members of the choirs ;. and once again to state
how much better and more steadily the 100th
Psalm—" All people ant on earth do dwell"—was
sung than the others, although a real improvement
was observed in the 113th—" Ye saints and ser-
vants of the Lord"—which preceded, and the 104th
—" My soul praise the Lord." At the end of each
of the Psalms for the day the children joined in
the "Gloria Paid." The, Te Deum and the Jubilate
were sung by the choir. Before the prayer for the
Queen the Coronation Anthem was sung. The
words are as follows :

" Zadok. the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, anointed
Solomon King.
"And all the people rejoiced and said : God save the
King, long live the king, God save the king, may the
king live for ever, amen, amen, hallelujah, hallelujah,
amen. God save the king, long live the king, may the
king live for ever, amen, amen, hallelujah, hallelujah,
amen. May the king live for ever, for ever, for ever,
amen, amen, hallelujah, hallelujah, amen. Long live
the king, God pave the king, long live the king, may the
king live, may the king live, for ever, hallelujah, amen,
amen, hallelujah, hallelujah."
The children joined in the worth following " re-
joiced and said." The effect was very startling.
Before the sermon, were sung three verses of the
113th Psalm, with a Hallelujah chorus by the
children. Then came the sermon, by the Bishop
of Lincoln, on the, text Deut. iv. 2, " Ye shall not
add unto that word which I command you, neither
shall ye diminish ought from it." We would fain
have given an abstract of his lordship's discourse,
but we are obliged to confess that the feebleness of
his voice was unable to make even the ordinary im-
pression in that vast area filled with twelve thou-
sand souls. We were informed, by those who sat
immediately under the bishop, that he was only
imperfectly hoard. After all, a sermon is almost
out of place on an occasion like that of yesterday.
After the sermon part of the 104th Psalm and the
Hallelujah chorus were sung. The receipts were
4671. 16s. 9d. As those in 1855 were 3931. 95., the
associated charities will receive nearly 701. more
than was the case last year.

TURIN, June I.—General della Marraora arrived here
la t night, and was received at the railway station by the
Ministers, the municipality, and a large crowd of private
friends. He was loudly cheered as he got into his car-
riage, and all along the streets as he drove 'home. TO-
- be is gone to Pollenza, to pay his re,peets
.to the
It is sal that the 15th has been fixed on for the
distribution of the Crimean decorations.