The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-12-24 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

LIVERPOOL ROYAL INSTITUTION SCHOOL

-DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.

The theatre of this excellent institution was crowded
on Monday, with a numerous and fashionable audience—
(and when we remember how many of those present were
parents, brothers, or sisters of the pupils, we may say
an anxious and elated audience)—to hear the aanual re-
citations of the pupils, and to witness the distribution of
the prizes awarded to those of the pupils who had most
distinguished themselves in the various branches of study.
The Rev. Rector Campbell was in the chair, supported
by the Rev. Rector Brooks, J. B. Yates, Esq., the Rev.
Pr. Iliff, principal of the institution, &c. ; and amongst
the assembly we noticed several members of the com-
mittee, and a number of our leading clergy and mer-
chants. The younger pupils of the institution occupied
the space on each side of what we may call the stage,
and a more lively and intelligent-looking set of boys we
have rarely seen. The elder young men, including
those appointed to deliver recitations, with the teachers,
occupied the seats surrounding the stage.
The first recitation—the quarrel of Brutus and Cas-
sius—was well delivered by Messrs. Wood and Hough-
ton, the former young gentleman representing the " lean
and hungry Cassius," and the latter Brutus, whose dig-
nified rebuke of his co-conspirator was very finely and
chastely given.
The next--the immuring of Constance—from Sir
Walter Scott's Marmion, was delivered by Mr. Wood-
gate with much feeling and taste, and an evident appre-
ciation of the author.
The third recitation, " the establishment of the Areo-
pagus," from 2Eschylus, wts delivered very prettily, and
with great appropriateness rf action, by Mr. Walrond.
We never listened to a recitation of the noble strains of
the Greek poets without pleasure ; and have seldom been
more pleased than with the clear intonation with which
this passage was given by the above-named young gen-
tleman. The beginning of it, we may remark, was a
little marred by being delivered before the plaudits which
' greeted the preceding speaker had subsided, and the
andience settled down into a quiescent state.
The fourth recitation was Virgil's fine episode of Or-
pheus and Euridice, which was given, from Dryden's
translation, by Mr. Petty. The original Latin text was
then delivered by Mr. Glynn ; and certainly this young
gentleman's effort was a masterly one, displaying, with
a thorough appreciation of the genius and sense of the
author, a very tasteful regard to modulation and prosody.
It is rarely that we hear an English poem recited so
correctly in every respect. The action, too, of the young
speaker was chaste and impressive.
The fifth recitation (Marmion's Remorse) was very
prettily delivered by Mr. Craig, a young pupil, upon
whom and his preceptors it reflected great credit.
No. 6, the Scythian Ambassadors to Alexander the
Great, from the Latin of Quintus Curtius, was given in
a very spirited manner by Mr. Armstrong.
The next was a Greek recitation—the funeral ora-
tion of Pericles, from the text of Thucidides—and was
given, with excellent emphasis and great clearness, by
Mr. Stewart, a young pupil who has distinguished him-
self as the third mathematical prizeman.
The best of the English recitations, in our humble

judgment, was the drama of Marmion, a difficult compo-
sition to go through with the energy required for it, but
which was very effectively delivered by Mr. Iliff, a
a highly talented son of the excellent principal of the in-
stitution. This young gentleman, it will be observed,
bore away the third prize in classics, and the second in
mathematics.

The next recitation, set down in the paper for Mr.
Fletcher, was not delivered, owing to the state of health of
that young gentleman. Mr. Fletcher took the second
prize in classics.

The concluding recitation was one of Macaulay's Stir-
ring Days of Ancient Rome, which was delivered by Mr.
Boutflower, and received with great applause. This young
gentleman has this year borne off from his competitors
the first prize both in classics and mathematics.
At the conclusion of the recitations, Dr. Iliff intro.
duced the successful candidates for the prizes ; which the
rev. chairman then proceeded to deliver. After compli-
menting Mr. Boutflower, the first prizeman, upon his
having had already three times to present him similar
marks of deserving, he expressed his hope and confidence
that, in the university tor which he was intended, he
would equally distinguish himself. Mr. Fletcaer was
then presented with the second prize in classics, and it
was explained by Dr. Iliff that but for the same ill-health
which had prevented the delivery of his recitation, he
would have been successful in carrying off a mathematical
prize as well. In presenting the prize, the Rev. Chair-
man remarked that he knew Mr. Fletcher's father well.
and valued him highly as one ever forward in the cause of
benevolence. He (Mr. Fletcher, the younger) was, he
was aware, destined for the university ; and he trusted
that, by keeping quiet, his weak health would be restored,
and that he would become a useful labourer in the high
and holy calling which he had chosen. Addressing Mr.
Iliff, the next prizeman in order, the rev. gentleman ex-
pressed himself glad to find that the worthy principal of
the institution had a son so deserving and talented. He
had borne off the mathematical prize, which, as be was
destined for Cambridge, would be of great use to
him there, as would also be his classical attainments.
Mr. Stewart was then presented with the 3d Mathemati-
cal prize, and highly eulogized for his proficiency. His ex-
treme youth had been the only bar to his success in clas-
sics as well. We understood the Rev. Chairman to state
that he was a son of our respected townsman, Mr. John
Stewart.

Three prizes for drawing were also awarded—the let to
Mr. J. Fletcher, the 2nd to Mr. Smith, and the 3d to Mr.
Branscome.

At the conclusion it was announced by the Chairman
that the trustees of the Canning statue had intimated
their intention to present £340 to the institution, to be
laid out in a scholarship, provided the proprietors would'
make up the sum to £5OO, which he trusted would be
done. Dr. Iliff remarked that to compensate for the
present want of scholarships, an effort was making by a
number of young gentlemen, who had themselves been
pupils, to raise a fund to provide some more substantial
marks of proficiency than the books which, at present,
were all which they could afford to give, and that a consi-
derable fund had already been raised. By the exertions
of the same parties he hoped that a second scholarship
would be in operation next year.
The Rev. CHAIRMAN then addressed the assembled
pupils in a feeling and beautiful speech ; and, after thanks
being voted to himself, the Rev. Principal, and the Com-
mittee of the Institution, this most gratifying meeting
terminated.