The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-20 00:00:00

LONDON NATIONAL SCHOOLS.

.The Annual Examination of the Children of
these Schools was held yesterday, in the Egyptian
Hall of the Manion House, and never did we
witness a more delightful spectacle. The Hall
was filled at a very early hour, and shortly before
t tvo'o'clork, the Lord Mayor, accompanied by
the Duke of YORK and the Archbishop of CAN-
tEIIBURY, entered, and took the Chair, amidst
very general approbation. The examination of
the children commenced almost immediately, and
their intelligence and information alternately
astonished and delighted the audience.
A numerous party of Gentlemen, friends to the Institution,
afterwards dined-together at the City of London Tavern ; the
Duke of York in the Chair. The Lord Mayor sat on his right
han I, and on his left Prince Leopold. After the usual loyal
and'apprupriate toasts were given, the Lord Mayor proposed
the health of " His Hoyt.' Highness the Duke of York, one
of the Patrons of the Society."—Drank with three times three.
The Duke of Yenta rose amidst general acclamation. He
had to thank the Lord Mayor and that Assembly for the very
flattering distinction they had just conferred upon him, and
still more for the exalted sentiment with which they had
connected him. To be elected Patron of a Society whose oh-
jeet was to form the mind's of the youth of this country on
just principles of religion and loyalty, could not fail to be
grateful to him—to be so elected when the Bishop of their
Diocese was his colleague, increased, if possible, that gratifi-
cation; and if any, thing.could -add to that pleasure, it was
the consciousness that he owed that. distinguished honour to
the principles in which ha had been educated.— (Applause.)—.
lie was convioced-tbrit in assisting their Institution be was
but Aissemiilating those principles, and they might, therefore,
. rely with confidence upon his constant support and exertions'
in behalf of that Institution.—(Applause.)
The health of Prince Leopold was then proposed; and
drank with three times three.
Prince LEDROLD said, that ha stood so connected with this
country, that he should feel it to be his duty to support an
Institution so laudable in its origin and so beneficial in its
consequences 'as the one to elicit their attention had been
devoted.—(Applause.)
The Duke of Yulta then proposed the health of the Bishop
of London, which was drank with three times three.
The Itisnov of LONDON felt deeply indebted to that meet-
ing for the honour they had been pleased to confer on him.
Some events, he observed, had lately taken place which had
indisposed people from feeling as deep an interest as formerly
in the education of the poor; it had been observed that the
multitude of juvenile offenders had nut been diminished, but
on the contrary increased, since the commencement of the
system of National Education; and he admitted that there
was sonic colour of troth'in the observation ; but the causes of
that increase were quite tmeonnected with education. If it
could be shewn that crime abounded among those who were
educated in the same peoportiou as among the uneducated,
then indeed he should be:ready to allow that education was
pernicious, or useless, or next to useless;- but he wOlll.l
IDeDtiqll two circumstances which had some weight in the
consideration of that subject. The first was, the testimony
of the Chief Law Officer of London, the Recorder, who stat-
ed that few juvenile offenders had been educated; and the
second was, the information which lie had received from the
Chaplain of the Milbank Penitentiary, who discovered that
Only two out of 400 persons confined there had been educat-
ed at,National Schools. With such experience, then,
,before
them, could they hesitate to pursue that good path which
had produced such incalculable advantages to Society ?
(Cheers.)
The Duke of Yoga then proposed the health of the Lord
Mayor, which was drank with considerable enthusiasm.
The 10RD MAYOR returned thanks. '
'the next toast given was—" The City of London and the
National Schools."
Mr. 11A1C11 afterwards detailed the progress of the Society
s4sce their last Anniversary; and immediately afterwards he
Duke of York, acCompanied by Prince Leopold aid the Lord
Mayor, retired. The meeting shortly afterwards separated.