Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888. King of Great Britain Edward VII

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Upwards of 208 children of Scottish parents resident in the Metropolis have during the year been educated at the expense of the corporation. Soldiers and sailors, natives of Scotland, to the number of nearly 400, have been in receipt of pensions from the Kinloch Bequest.

      "Although the facts must be known to most of you, I have nevertheless thought it necessary to mention a few of them in order to stimulate your generosity this evening, and induce you to contribute as largely as you can for the benefit of this excellent charity. I hope you will drink the toast of 'Prosperity to the Scottish Hospital' in full bumpers. I have great pleasure in coupling with the toast the name of the noble Duke on my left, who has been president for four successive years."

      The Duke of Roxburghe, in responding to the toast, announced that His Royal Highness had kindly consented to allow his name to appear as that of President of the Corporation for the ensuing year. As Duke of Rothesay he had a warm welcome that evening, and in the name of his brother Scotchmen he gave his heartfelt thanks for appearing among them. "Nay more, I thank him in the name of the aged recipients of this great charity, many of whom have seen better days, but who now, bowed down by poverty, look to you for assistance in the hour of need. I also thank His Royal Highness in the name of all whose sorrows have been lessened, and whose homes have been brightened, by the ministrations of this Society." He proposed the health of the Prince of Wales.

      The toast was drunk with "Highland honours." His Royal Highness, who was loudly cheered, said: —

      "Your Royal Highness, my Lords, and Gentlemen, – Allow me to return you my most hearty thanks for the excessively kind way in which my health leas been proposed and received by you. On any ordinary occasion I should have been deeply gratified by the kind feeling displayed towards me, but I am deeply touched by the enthusiasm you have manifested just now in drinking my health with Highland honours. I can only say it has afforded me great pleasure to preside here this evening. Although for some years past the Duke of Roxburghe asked me to take the chair, different circumstances unfortunately prevented me – being absent from the country two years ago – and again last year being on the Continent. I feel, therefore, exceedingly happy that I have been enabled to be present this evening, and to discharge what I have found to be the very easy duties of chairman. My lords and gentlemen, let me thank you once more for the honour you have done me in drinking my health, and for the support you have given me this evening."

      His Royal Highness then announced that telegrams had been received during the evening from meetings with similar objects held in New York, Glasgow, Belfast, Ipswich, and Aberdeen, and answers had been returned expressive of kindly feeling to the different associations. The secretary then read a list of contributions received, among which were 100 guineas from Her Majesty the Queen, 100 guineas from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 100 guineas from the Highland Society of London, 300 guineas from the Caledonian Society of London – in all about £2500, being by far the largest subscription received at any anniversary of the Scottish Hospital.

      ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS

March 30th, 1870

      The seventy-second anniversary festival of this institution was held at Freemason's Hall on the 30th of March, 1870. The Prince of Wales presided, and was supported by Earl de Grey and Ripon, G. M. elect, the Duke of Manchester, the Earl of Jersey, Earl Percy, the Marquis of Hartington, and a numerous company of above six hundred brethren, all of whom wore dress of the craft. The galleries were crowded with ladies.

      After dinner His Royal Highness, in giving the toast of "The Queen," said that Her Majesty had been patroness of the institution since 1852, and on this occasion sent a donation of a hundred guineas, in addition to the annual subscription.

      The next toast was "The health of the Earl of Zetland," the retiring Grand Master, who had held the honourable and useful post for more than a quarter of a century. The Grand Master elect, the Earl of Ripon, in giving the toast of the Prince and the Princess of Wales, said that the Prince had entered the craft determined to discharge his duties to the fullest extent, and he had taken the earliest opportunity of presiding at one of the festivals of the craft. The Prince of Wales, in responding, said: —

      "Brethren, I feel deeply touched by the excessively kind manner in which this toast has been received by you. I wish to take this opportunity of thanking you for the kind reception you have given me this evening, and I desire especially to express to you the pride I feel at being so heartily received among you as a brother Mason. I feel deeply grateful for the kind words which have fallen from the Deputy Grand Master, and I can assure him and you of my desire to follow the footsteps of my grand uncles, who were so long connected with the craft. Brethren, much has been said against Freemasonry by those who do not know what it is. People naturally say they do not approve secret societies; but I maintain that the craft is free from the reproach of being either disloyal or irreligious; and I am sure you will all support me in that assertion, for I am convinced that Her Majesty has no more loyal subjects than are the Freemasons of England. Brethren, I desire to remind you that when, about 70 years ago, it became necessary for the Government of that day to put down secret societies, my relative the late Duke of Sussex urged in his place in Parliament that Freemasons' lodges ought to be exempt from such a law, and the force of his appeal was acknowledged. From that time Freemasonry has been devoid of politics, its only object being the pure and Christian one of charity. Brethren, I once more thank you heartily for the welcome you have given me this evening, and let me assure you that the interests of Freemasonry shall be always upheld and respected by me."

      Other toasts, usual at Masonic festivals, having been given, the Prince of Wales proposed success to the institution, and made a statement respecting its position and progress: —

      "Freemasons had fully recognized the importance of education – a subject which had of late so much occupied the public mind – and had founded many schools. The Royal Masonic Institution for Boys was founded in 1798, when six boys were admitted. In 1810, when the jubilee of the reign of George III. was celebrated, the number was increased to 50, and now there were 110 in the school. The total cost of the new building had been £47,000 of which £5000 was still owing, while there were other matters which raised the total liability to £10,200. There were now 155 candidates for admission, but there were only nine vacancies, although 20 more boys could be admitted if the institution was free from debt. He was sure he had only to mention these facts to so distinguished an assemblage of Masons to insure a response which would greatly forward the prosperity of the institution."

      INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL EXHIBITION

April 4th, 1870

      In everything pertaining to Exhibitions, national or international, the Prince of Wales has never grown weary, even when the public interest has seemed to flag. On the 4th of April, 1870, His Royal Highness presided at the rooms of the Society of Arts, in connection with the "Educational Section" of a series of proposed International Exhibitions. On rising to open the proceedings, the Prince said: —

      "We are assembled here for the purpose of organizing the educational section of the Exhibition to be held in 1871. I appear before you on this occasion in a double capacity, for I hold the position of President of your Society, and I am President of the Royal Commission of 1851, having succeeded in this post the late lamented Lord Derby, whose name will always be remembered among the names of our great statesmen, and who will be greatly missed from that Commission, the interest of which he had so much at heart.

      "The long-standing connection of the Society of Arts with Exhibitions is well known, and in these very rooms the Exhibitions of 1851 and 1862 were first planned. This Society is, I consider, well qualified to deal with the subject before it, and I assure you that it is a great gratification to me to preside here and show that I am entirely alive to the great question of the day – that of education.

      "I have now to state that the meeting to-day is of members of a large Committee, of persons eminent in their various stations for the interest they have displayed in education, and that it СКАЧАТЬ