The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-17 00:00:00

ANNUAL RECITATIONS AND DELIVERY OP
PRIZES AT THE ROYAL INSTITUTION.

The annual recitations and delivery of prizes took place
Yesterday, at the Royal Institution, Colquitt-streat, when
the theatre, including the gallery, was crowded by a highly
recpectable and fashionable assemblage of ladies and gentle-
tien, the former preponderating. Joseph Brooks Yates,
f'sq• Was president upon the occasion. The pupils of the
Institution were ranged on the side forms in the lower part
of the theatre, whilst those, to the number of twelve, who
Were selected to deliver recitations, with those to whom the
Prizes were to be awarded, occupied a seat in front of the
Platform.

The Rev. Dr. Iliff, immediately upon the arrival of the
hour appointed—twelve o'clock—called upon the pupils to
commence their recitations.
The first revitatiou was the scene from Shakspeare's play
of Henry V., in which the young monarch, upon his acces-
sion to the throne, expresses his satisfaction with the firm-
ness displayed by the Chief Justice in having executed the law
OPon himself for his violent conduct whilst Prince of '. ales.
The dignified justification of the Chief Justice was delivered
ery gracefully, and with very appropritate action, by Master
p
Y, and the part of Henry sustained with considerable
nullity by Master POOLE ; and both young gentlemen were
rewarded with the warm approbation of the audience.
The next was a Latin recitation, by Mr. CHILTON, of the
death of Turnus, from Virgil's JEnead ; and to those who
were hut partially acquainted with the author, the spirit and
correctness of tone with which it was delivered must have
conveyed a great portion of the beauty of the passage, into
the full appreciation of which the reciter had evidently
entered ; •whilst to every classical scholar it must have
afforded unmixed gratification.
Mr. SALUSBURY delivered, with considerable feeling and
ect, a poem, " My Three Sons," by Moultrie, and was
warmly applauded, although the piece itself was not one
"fitted for the display of the graces of elocution. '
Mr. MILNER gave, with considerable energy, and, what
Is better, with correct enunciation, Helen's description to
Priam of the Grecian Chiefs, in the original Greek of the
The only desideratum, in our opinion, of this beau-
tiful and somewhat arduous effort was a better preservation
of the stately rhyth of the author. Mr. Milner was loudly
and deservedly applauded.
The next recitation was by Mr. WILLINK, and was very
prettily given, although the producfion itself was quite un-
Worthy of being selected for such an occasion.
Mr. BENSON recited from the Greek of Plato, the Dis-
course of Socrates upon the Immortality of the Soul. It was
beautifully and impressively delivered, and elicited marked
approbation.

_ .
Mr. HARRISON gave, with great chasteness and taste,
although occasionally with somewhat too little energy, the
Powers of Music," by Dryden.
The gem, if we may so term it, of the recitations was the
scene front Terence, given by Masters BOUTFLOWER and
PLETCIIER. Nothing could be finer than the picture of
Subserviency and plausible cunning depicted in the tones
and manner of Master Boutflower, as the " Parasite," un-
less we except that of the opposite qualities of " the patron,"
as depicted by Master Fletcher. The enunciation too of
both was beautifully distinct; and the whole was received
with, and deserved, the loudly expressed approbation of the
audience. .

.I_4 The Prisoner of Chinon." by Byron, was given with
great taste and feeling, by Mr. BANNER, and was loudly
applauded.

The concluding recitation was the noble description, by
Milton. of " The Battle of the Angels," and was given
very spiritedly by Master GLADSTONE.
The President, JOSEPH 'BROOKS YATES, Esq., then rose
to deliver the prizes to the successful competitors, previous
to doing which he expressed himself in highly flattering
terms of the recitations which had just been delivered, and
Particularized especially that of Mr. MILNER. He com-
mented at the same time upon the excellent conduct which had
distinguished the pupils generally, and in a few feeling re-
marks impressed upon them the all importance of preserving,
together with their attainments in learning, correct morality.
Ile then explained briefly the motives by which the com-
mittee and Dr. _Hifi had been actuated in abstaining at the
Present meeting from awarding the classical prizes to any of
the seven young gentlemen whose names appeared as the
most worthy to contend for it. Five of these had been
selected for the university ; and it was thought better in
order to forward their proficiency that they should be con-
tinued a little longer in their course of amicable emulation.
He took the opportunity now, on the part of the master,
the Rev. Dr. of correcting an error which might go
abroad—that this was solely or chiefly a university school.
The number of pupils which it had hitherto furnished for
academical education were very few. It had seldom been
more than at the rate of two in a year, although this present
quarter six had left for Oxford and Cambridge. The edu-
efttion which they designed to supply was one which would
fit the pupils to adorn any station or profession to which
they might be called.
Messrs. WILLINK and CHILTON were then called up to
receive the prizes for mathematical proficiency, in the course
of which both were highly complimented by the president;
end in corroboration of what had been before stated with re-
sPect to the objects of the course of education pursued in the
school, Dr. TUFF explained that Mr. WILLINK had, only a
few weeks ago, been decided upon to go to the university,
and that, in consequence of his proficiency in his studies.
Ile remarked also that the competitors for the mathematical
Prizes were required to have a certain proficiency in the clas-
sics as well.

The prizes awarded were—to
Mr. WlLLtrix—Wordsworth's Greece and Martin's Edition
of Milton ;
Mr. CuiLTON—Curiosities of Literature and Wilkinson's
Ancient Egyptians ;
the whole in beautiful bindings. _

The prizes for the drawing class were awarded to Messrs.
and DESPREUX,as follows, viz., to.

ER—Haydon's Dictionary of Dates.
Mr. Dzsrauvx—Sir Walter Scott's Poem of " Marmion."
The names of the seven young gentlemen, selected for fur-
ther conQtion for the classical prize, were Messrs. BAN-
NER, B BOUTFLOWER. FLETCHER, GLADSTONE,
ti.s.asilsON-, and MILNER. We have arranged them, as
Riven is.the printed bills, alphabetically, in order to avoid
the appearance of preference. It was announced by Dr.
ILIFF, that the president, Mr. YATEs, had intimated to him
his intention of presenting to the successful competitor a
itost valuable and splendid work, at present in course of
Publication, viz., a " Dictionary of Greek and Roman Anti-
quities." which, when completed, would be a prize worthy
of the acceptation of any scholar.
YATEs then moved that the thanks of the audience
were due to Doctor ILIFE, the head master of the school,
and to his four tutors, for the eratification which had been
afforded to them by the interesting recitations which they
had heard.
The motion was seconded by Mr. bstAN, and was re-
sponded to with loud acclamations, after which Dr. 'LIFT,
briefly returned thanks, and the meeting dispersed.

We cannot conclude our hasty notice of this gratifying ex-
hibition without expressing our warm satisfaction with the
degree of proficiency displayed by the pupils who were
brought forward on the occasion ; a proficiency—and the pro-
mise which it afforded, as well, of better things to come—
Which must bare been the source of highly delightful feelings
to those of their parents and friends who were present.