The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-10-26 00:00:00

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READING SCIJOOL.
The Triennial Visitation of this ancient and cele.
orated School was held on Wednesday last, by the
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, the
President of St. John's, and the Warden of All
Soots, according to the_ appintment of its distin-
guished Pupil, Patron, fad Benefactor, Archbishop
Laud.
On this occasion the following yOung Gentlemen,
Messrs. F. Valpy, Harrington, Streaker, Prender-
gtnst, Deacon, and Denson, being six of the Senior
Scholars, underwent an examination. The books,
in which they were examined, were Romer, and the
Medea of Euripidei.
They were first desired by the Visitors to construe
• into English a portion of each of the above-men.
• Coned Classics, and the fluency with which they ac.
complished their task, as well as the elegance of their
diction, made a very favourable impression opal
their hearers, and afforded a convincing proof that
• they both understood the original language and en.
tered into the spirit of the Authors, and into time
' grandeur and graces of their sentiments god
style.
lit their hands these Grecian models lost nothing
of their native excellence, and every one present•
seemed to give full anent to the declaration of lb,.
race :

Grails *maims, Grails dedit ore Mead°
Musa love.
This exercise finished, the Master of the School,
Dr. Velpy, proceeded to examine them in the more
'abstruse and difficult points of Grammar and Criti-
• clam, in the Rules of Accents, in Prosody, and in
Etymology. In particular he called upon them to
explain the nature of the Digamma, as used by
Homer, according to Dr. Bentley's hypothesis, and
to apply it in many instances to the probable cor-
rection of the present text. All this they performed
very readily, and with a great share of sagacity and
ingenuity. . • •
Dr. Valpy having then,equested any of the party
present to put what further questions they thought
proper to his pupils,
Mr. Monck examined them chiefly in the doctrine
of the Euclitus, and in some peculiarities of the
Anapaestic and lambic metres. Their knowledge
in all these matters was beyond expectation, and
well grounded and accurate in the extreme. He se-
lected Mr. F. Valpy for an esplattation of Pro-
fecior Porson's Canon respecting the 4th foot of the
Tragic Senartau lambic, and received from him a
minute definition of it with all its limitations and
distinction's, mid a full illustration of it by many ex-
ample,.
To some persons many of the questions may ap-
pear to have related to points more curious than im-
portant. Let it he considered, however that an in.
timate acquaintance with the niceties of I
a language
by no means deadens the faculty of discerning it,
mere conspicuous beauties, but is rather the acquisi-
, don of a new sense, and of a new source of enjoy-
ment. An admirer of Nature at large can certainly
never become less one for being a Botanist or a
Chynsitt ; he finds on the contrary in every object
increased interest and delight. .These studies too I
serve to strengthen the memory, to sharpen the judg-
ment, and to give to the mind the most woeful of Mt
habits, that of limiting general principles by certain
exceptions. They lead not anfrequently even to the
correction and improvement of the text. Above all,
the whole doctrine of metre is nothing but a system
of niceties, as it is by these niceties only that it is ,
distinguishable from prose, and that different metres '
are diitinguishable from each other. Those there-
fore, who say, that they do not think it worth while
to attend to the niceties, say in other words, that
they do not think it worth while to attend to the
subject of metre.
These few observations have been indulged with a
view of obviating the 'objections of the unlearned,
for to all true scholars and lovers of the classics they
perfectly are snperttuous.
• To these (and to these only the appeal was made) ,
the day was a day of exultation, reflecting equal ho- '
sour en the well-known discernmeut and ability of
the Master, and on the docility and application of
Its Pupils. It was an exhibition which would have
been highly creditable Co Winchester, Westminster,
or Eton.
The Visitors were afterwards entertained with a
splendid dinner, in the Town-Hall, given by J.
Randy, Fag. the Mayor elect, at which were assem-
bled the most distinguished Gentlemen of the neigh-
bourhood, and of which, by the kindness of the
Way% the young, Gentlemen examined partook.
•

Between four and five o'clock on Friday morning,
a fire was discovered in the stables of the Swan Inn,
Tewkesbury, which threatened the most alarming
consequences; but from the timely arrival of leveret li
fire-engine, and the contiguity of the River Avon,
it was it happily subdued with far less damage than
wu apprehended. Eight fine post.hwrses were in
ehe-eteisie, several of whom were severely burnt,
from the litter on which they lay taking fire, and all
suffered more or less from the suffocating nature of
the smoke of the burning bay and straw ; indeed, it
is estremely doubtful whether four of them will ever
recover. Most of the interior of the stable was also.
destroyed, as well as the floor, bedsteads, and for.i
niters of a room adjoining, reserved for soldiers'
lodgings.
Coaorma's INQUEST.—Yesterday evening an In.,
quest was taken before THOMAS SnevroN, Esq. on
rue body of Sarah Jones, who died suddenly in
Brideaell, two dap preceding. The deceased, it
appeared, had been many years an inhabitant of:
Wales, but had lately wandered up to town, and,l
beitsg.found in the streets, was brought before the
Lord Mayor, as a vagrant, and committed to Bricle,
well, peerless to being pissed home to ber parish.---j
Daring this interval, her health, which had lupe,
considerably impaired, in consequence of her formai
dissipation, was greatlyrestored ; but upon these-,
rivet of tie diy when she was about to be rt.
meted Into his country, she soddenly cploplaieed
nT illness, and was re.conducted to her apartmmst.
Were in a 'hurt thee Au again assunsed her health,
and Was left Welland cheerful io her reset. Bow.
ever, epos beim; some after ro.eatered, she was dis-
ensweed a .r.arre. irerdici—Died by the Vipitegos
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