dows east and west, a gothic oak canopy, and a carved oak gallery over the space dividing the hall from the buttery. The oak panelling around the room is cut all over with the names of Etonians of several generations.

Among the Eton festivals was, the Montem, formerly celebrated every third year on Whit-Tuesday, and believed to have been a corruption of the Popish ceremony of the Boy Bishop. It consisted of a theatrical procession of pupils wearing costumes of various periods, for the purpose of collecting money, or "salt," for the captain of Eton, about to retire to King's College, Cambridge. To each contributor was given a small portion of salt, at an eminence named therefrom Salt-Hill; the ceremony concluding with the waving of a flag upon this hill or Montem.* Boating and cricket are the leading recreations at Eton: the College walks, or playing-fields, extended to the banks of the Thames, and the whole scene is celebrated by Gray, the accomplished Etonian, in his wellknown Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College, commencing —

"Ye distant spires, ye antique towers
That crown the watery glade.".

"Waynflete was the first Provost of Eton. Among the eminent scholars are Archbishop Rotherham, and Bishop West; Croke, the celebrated Hellenist, one of the first who taught the Greek language publicly in any university north of the Alps; Bishop Aldrich, the friend of Erasmus; Hall, the chronicler; Bishop Foxe; Thomas Sutton, founder of the Charterhouse; Sir Thomas Smith, and Sir Henry Savile, provosts; Admiral Sir Humphrey Gilbert; Oughtred, the mathematician; Tusser, the useful old rhymer; Phineas and Giles Fletcher, the poets; the martyrs, Fuller, Glover, Saunders, and Hullier; Sir Henry Wotton, provost; Robert Devereux, third Earl of Essex; Waller, the poet; Robert Boyle; Henry More, the Platonist; Bishops Pearson and Sherlock; the evermemorable John Hales, 'the Walking Library;' Bishops Barrow and Fleetwood; Lord Camden; the poets Gray, Broome, and West; Fielding, the novelist; Dr. Arne, the musical composer; Horace Walpole; the Marquis of Granby; Sir William Draper; Sir Joseph Banks; Marquis Cornwallis; Lord Howe; Richard Porson, the Greek Emperor; the poets Shelley, Praed and Milman; Hallam, the historian; and W. E. Gladstone, the statesman.

The Premiers of England, during the last century and a half, were mostly educated at Eton. Thus, Lord Bolingbroke, Sir William Wyndham, Sir Robert Walpole, Lord Townshend, Lord Lyttleton, Lord Chatham, the elder Fox, Lord North, Charles James Fox, Mr. Wyndham, the Marquis Wellesley, Lord Grenville, Canning, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Grey, and the Earl of Derby — were all Etonians.

Among the celebrities of the College should not be forgotten the periodical work entitled The Etonian, the contributors to which were Eton scholars, and the author-publisher was the Etonian Charles Knight a name long to be remembered in the commonwealth of English literature." King's College, which Henry founded in 1441, at Cambridge, to be recruited from Eton, is the richest endowed collegiate foundation in that University.

The last Montem was celebrated at Whitsuntide, 1844. The abolition of the custom had long been pressed upon the College authorities, and they at length yielded to the growing condemnation of the ceremony as an exhibition unworthy of the present enlightened age. A memorial of the last celebration is preserved in that picturesque chronicle of events, the Illustrated London News, June 1, 1844.

DEAN COLET AND SAINT PAUL'S SCHOOL.

JOHN COLET, D. D., Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in London, was born in that city in 1466, the eldest son of Sir John Colet, twice mayor. In 1483, he was sent to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he passed seven years, and took the usual degrees in arts. Here he studied Latin, with some of the Greek authors through a Latin medium, and mathematics. Having thus laid a good foundation for learning at home, he traveled in France and Italy from 1493 to 1497; he had previously been preferred to the rectory of Dennington, in Suffolk, being then in acolyth's orders. At Paris, Colet became acquainted with the scholar Budæus, and was afterwards introduced to Erasmus. In Italy he contracted a friendship with Grocyn, Linacre, Lilly, and Latimer, all of whom were studying the Greek language, then but little known in England. Whilst abroad, he devoted himself to divinity, and the study of the civil and canon law. Colet returned to England in 1497, and subsequently rose through various degrees of preferment to be Dean of St. Paul's. By his lectures, and other means, he greatly assisted the spirit of inquiry into the Holy Scriptures which eventually produced the Reformation. He had, however, many difficulties to contend with; and tired with trouble and persecution, he withdrew from the world, resolving, in the midst of life and health, to consecrate his fortune to some lasting benefaction, which he performed in the foundation of St. Paul's School, at the east end of St. Paul's churchyard, in 1512; and, "it is hard to say whether he left better lands for the maintenance of his school, or wiser laws for the government thereof."-(According to Fuller).

The original school-house, built 1508-12, was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, but was rebuilt by Wren. This second school was taken down in 1824, and the present school built of stone from the designs of George Smith: it has a handsome central portico upon a rusticated base, projecting over the street pavement. The original endowment, and for several years the only endowment of the school, was 55l. 148. 104d, the annual rents of estates in Buckinghamshire, which now produce 1858/. 168. 104d. a-year; and, with other property, make the present income of the school upwards of 5000l. Lilly, the eminent grammarian, the friend of Erasmus and Sir Thomas More, was the first master of St. Paul's, and "Lilly's Grammar" is used to this day in the school; the English rudiments were written by Colet, the preface to the first edition probably by Cardinal Wolsey; the Latin syntax chiefly by Erasmus, and the remainder by Lilly: thus, the book may have been the joint production of four of the greatest scholars of the age. Colet directed that the children should not use tallow but wax candles in the school; fourpence entrance-money was to be given to the poor scholar who swept the school; and the masters were to have livery gowns, "delivered in clothe."

Colet died in his 53rd year, in 1519. He wrote several works in Latin; the grammar which he composed for his school was called "Paul's Accidence." The original Statutes of the school, signed by Dean Colet, were, many years since, accidentally picked up at a bookseller's, and by the finder presented to the British Museum. The school is for 153 boys "of every nation, country, and class" the 153 alluding to the number of fishes taken by St. Peter (John, xxi. 2). The education is entirely classical; the presentations to the school are in the gift of the Master of the Mercers' Company; and scholars are admitted at fifteen, but eligible at any age after that. Their only expense is for books and

wax tapers. There are several valuable exhibitions, decided at the Apposition, held in the first three days of the fourth week after Easter, when a commemorative oration is delivered by the senior boy, and prizes are presented from the governors. In the time of the founder, the "Apposition dinner" was "an assembly and a litell dinner, ordayned by the surveyor, not exceedynge the pryce of four nobles."

In the list of eminent Paulines (as the scholars are called), are, Sir Anthony Denny and Sir William Paget, privy councillors to Henry VIII.; John Leland, the antiquary; John Milton, our great epic and poet; Samuel Pepys, the diarist; John Strype, the ecclesiastical historian; Dr. Calamy, the High Churchman; the Great Duke of Marlborough; R. W. Elliston, the comedian; Sir C. Mansfield Clarke, Bart.; Lord Chancellor Truro, &c.

EDWARD VI. AND CHRIST'S HOSPITAL.

THE most munificent patron of education who ever sat upon the British throne was Edward VI., the only son of Henry VIII. who survived him. He was born at Hampton Court in 1537, on the 12th of October, which being the vigil of St. Edward, he received his Christian appellation in commemoration of the canonized king. His mother, Queen Jane Seymour, died on the 12th day after giving him birth. The child had three step-mothers in succession after this; but he was probably not much an object of attention with either of them. Sir John Hayward, who has written the history of his life and reign with great fullness, says that he "was brought up among nurses until he arrived at the age of six years. He was then committed to the care of Dr. (afterwards Sir Anthony) Cook, and Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Cheke, the former of whom appears to have undertaken the prince's instruction in philosophy and divinity, the latter in Greek and Latin." He succeeded to the throne when little more than nine years of age. The conduct of the young prince towards his instructors was uniformly courteous; and his generous disposition won for him the highest esteem. In common with the children of the rich and great, he was from his cradle surrounded with means of amusement. It is related that at the age of five years, a splendid present was made to him by his godfather, Archbishop Cranmer; the gift was a costly service of silver, consisting of dishes, plates, spoons, &c. The child was overjoyed with the present, when the prince's valet, seeking to impress on his mind its value, observed: "Your bighness will be pleased to remember that although this beautiful present is yours, it must be kept entirely to yourself; for if others are permitted to touch it, it will be entirely spoiled." "My good Hinbrook," replied the prince, mildly, "if no one can touch these valuables without spoiling them, how do you then suppose they would ever have been given to me?" Next day, Edward invited a party of young friends to a feast, which was served upon the present of plate; and upon the departure of the young guests, he gave to each of them an article of the service, as a mark of regard.

Cranmer, to encourage Edward in his studies, was in the habit of corresponding with him once a week, and requiring of him an account of what he had done during that time. The prince also complied with the request of his venerable godfather, by keeping a journal, for which purpose he divided a sheet of paper into five columns, and under that arrangement recorded his progress in mythology, history, geography, mathematics, and philosophy.