education, certainly the very mode in which the examination was proceeded in, tended to keep alive this suspicion. Begging the reader not to forget these circumstances, I shall now turn to your letter; and, in answer to some objections, I shall speak of one of those seats of education, to which I am indebted for most of that knowledge (as little as it may be) which I possess. I allude to WINCHESTER COLLEGE. If I shall be able to prove, that you have mistaken the objects of that illustrious charity; that you have attributed abuses which do not exist; have exaggerated some objections; and even misunderstood the language of the statutes to which you appeal; I trust the meditated blow which has been aimed at all similar establishments, may lose somewhat of its direction and force.

It seems evident from your letter, that you consider the bounty of the munificent Founder of Winchester, as diverted from its object, the "poor and indigent," and applied to enrich the Wardens and Fellows, whom you appear to place in the light of robbers of the poor! You therefore cite the words of the statute of the Founder, "Pauperes et indigentes scholares;" literally seeming to consider the word pauperes the same as is used to designate "paupers" at our Quarter-Sessions.

Now, the public may, perhaps, remember a pointed and decisive observation of your own, by which you confounded the arguments of some of the ignorant or unprincipled defenders of Universal Suffrage, quoting MAGNA CHARTA (to which they foolishly appealed) against themselves. The beginning of that material clause in the charter to which you referred, you justly said contained THREE Latin words-Nullus-Liber-Homo: not, nullus Homo, but Nullus Liber Homo.

The liberi homines were indeed very few, in those blissful times, in comparison of the villani, cotelarii, &c.

Allow me to use the same mode of argument towards yourself. The sentence "pauperes et indigentes scholares," (besides the "et,") consists of THREE WORDS pauperes indigentes scholares not pauperes et indigentes, but pauperes et indigentes SCHOLARES! You, Sir, leave out " scholares," and say " poor and indigent." And who were the SCHOLARES? Not the children of the lowest orders in the state; but the children of those men in general who were able to give them some previous education. For these the endowments of Winchester and new College were established. The choristers, in that very reign, were distinguished, as the children of the lowest poor, from these pauperes et indigentes SCHO-. LARES. The same difference was constantly intended to be kept up by the appointment of all inferior servants.

To proceed it is required that the scholars at fifteen shall take an oath, that they have not, of their own, FIVE marks to expend by the year, three pounds six shillings.

It is plain, these pauperes et indigentes scholares might have to spend in a year of their own 31. 5s. And how much was that? I think we may come to the conclusion, that it would keep in those days ten cows and fifty sheep! and if this be so, or any thing approaching to it, then those poor scholars who had 31. 2s. a-year to spend, could not be of the description and class for which you think the magnificent halls and chapels of these establishments were provided.

The reason why, I think, we may set so high a value on the sum specified, may be almost proved from one of the sermons of Old Latimer. He says, his father rented land at FIVE POUNDS a year, with which he kept twenty cows and one hundred sheep, was enabled to portion out his children, to maintain some hospitality, to exercise charity, and give a cup to the poor.

I will allow the money to have been pounds in weight, that is, three pounds to one; estimating the value of money in the time of Latimer's father, and the time when Winchester College was founded, I think we may reckon the sum nearly at what it is here estimated; but take only one-half, that a boy at school had as much as would rent a farm of ten cows or fifty sheep, or half this, it is plain that the pious and liberal Founder of the two St. Mary Colleges had not in view those objects exclusively to which you think the words pauperes et indigentes scholares would confine them.

To show, further, that the expressions "poor and indigent scholars" could not be meant by the founder to designate mean, destitute, charity children; there is absolutely no provision whatever for their subsistence for the first two years, after they become fellows of New College, unless they are Founder's kin. From whence are they to get any support for, those two years, before they become actual fellows? Or, can we believe for a moment, that the beneficent Founder's intention was, after furnishing the means of edu cation, with a cruel mockery to say, 66 now subsist as you can; you must starve, if neither yourselves or friends have any thing." The supposition is utterly impossible; and therefore they could not have been those to whom only you apply the words "poor and needy" in the English popular sense of those words, leaving out "scholars."

If they had been " poor and needy" absolutely, and not comparatively, they could have no means of arriving at the first degree

The scholar is to leave the foundation, if he have more than a hundred shillings of his own to expend; a sum equal, it may be conceived, to a hundred pounds in these days...

Undoubtedly, from the hundred shillings, or less sum, which they were allowed to possess of their own, or from their parents.

of education, which designates them as scholares; nor could they have been afterwards left at Oxford, utterly destitute of all subsistence, by him who had brought them there.

To put this beyond even the possibility of doubt, I will quote a particular fact, which cuts both ways, proving, that TWO PERSONS were admitted to New College, having had the advantages of Winchester School, who were of a KNIGHT'S FAMILY, and who, when they came to New College, not being Founder's kin, had to subsist themselves. The words are these:

"Est enim certissimum, Joannem Wicamum de Swakeclive (quem constat ex antiquâ stirpe equestri procreatum fuisse, et Ricardum Wicamum de comitati Hampshire, quos Hurpisfildus in presidiis suis collocat, ut fundatorem ex egregiâ Wicamorum familia ortum esse veniat) non jure singulari et privilegio, sed MORE USITATO et ORDINARIO, non statim ut consanguineos Fundatoris, sed DUOBUS probationis annis jam expletis, ut extraneous in numerum sociorum Collegii esse ascriptos."Louth's Life of Wykeham.

From which it appears, that the Knightly family of Wykeham received the benefit of the foundation at Winchester, in the very age of the founder, or shortly afterwards; and yet, not being founder's kin, were for two years to find their own subsistence; and this, before any abuses of time could have crept in.

And who, in general, are those who now partake of the benefits of these institutions? Those, I do not fear to say, for whom they were intended. The spirit of the institution is still kept in view: and, when we compare money. (a mere sign) with its real value in corn or cattle, the liberal discretion of those entrusted with the management of these institutions will be justified, who make the oath of possessing £.66 to exclude a boy, instead of one hundred shillings.

The great question is, whether the management of this place of education is such, all circumstances taken into consideration, as, in a fair view of society, it may be supposed THE FOUNDER

INTENDED.

They who are educated on the foundation of Winchester, are, for the most part, sons of clergymen, many with large families, and some without preferment. The fathers who had been bred up, perhaps, by the same bounty, are anxious to procure for their children that education which they cannot entirely afford themselves. The preamble of the statutes of William of Wykeham, written by himself, states that his foundation was intended to "relieve poor scholars in their 'clerical education."

The children of all such as a limited income presses, who gladly avail themselves of that relief which the Founder has held out, are admitted, though the majority are sons of clergymen,

The reformation brought many claimants, of this peculiar description; and let me call your attention to a beautiful picture

by a Poet of the very age when these Colleges were founded the person of whom Chaucer speaks had ' tithes,' and yet is called, "the Poor Parson of a Town:

"There was a good man of religion,
And was a poor parson of a town;
But rich he was in holy things and work ;
And he was a scholar and a clerk.
Benign he was, and wonder diligent,
And in adversity full patient.

And such he was proved oft sythes,

And lothe they were to curse him FOR HIS TITHES!”

Such poor men, designated as poor in the very age that William of Wykeham lived, after the reformation, have poor children! Could you deny to such the benefit of instruction, which these institutions bestow? Then you would strike at the VERY ROOT OF THE CHARITY. For the benefit of those who had some property, who were anxious that their children should have these means of education vouchsafed to them, which they could not afford themselves, were these asylums of learning, in an ignorant age, established; and that their advantages are confined chiefly to that description of people, as far as worldly situation may be estimated, for whom they were intended, (not the lowest, certainly, but those in humbler life, who have small incomes, and who find the education of their children difficult,') I trust I shall still further prove, to the conviction of every dispassionate mind.

Though it is provided, that grammatical learning be taught, yet the general designation, from the statutes, is, that the boys may be admitted, by your own account, at the ages between eleven and twelve-not exceeding twelve.

In a work of high credit it is said, the statutable age is from eight to seventeen, [Carlisle Endowed Schools ;] but allowing you may be more accurate, if the boys are admitted under twelve, and more than eleven, some previous education must be necessary; and this could not be given, if the boys were of the class to which you think the bounty of the Founder should be confined.

Even taking your words, without the addition of "scholars,” I think they would prove this point against you.

2

The word poor, in its primary sense, signifies those who are not rich; and upon the most severe examination, I think you would find very few, if any, (notwithstanding you say, indefinitely, they are ALL IN EASY CIRCUMSTANCES,)" very few, if any, of the parents who could fairly be estimated, as being ever in those easy circumstances which (without consideration, I hope) you attribute

A man of large hereditary fortune, may have a large family, and the younger sons have little provision.-In such case the bounty of William of Wykeham is not misapplied, if the younger are admitted on the foundation. Johnson's English Dictionary.

to all! It would be impertinent to send a senatorto a dictionary; but, permit me, Sir, to think, that those who have had the benefits of this public education, to which you seem at all events unfriendly, would better have understood the meaning of the words " pauperes et indigentes," grammatically considered, and without the adjunct "scholares."

Let us then for a moment turn to a dictionary:
"Egens est cui necessaria desunt!
Pauper est qui parùm habet,” &c.'

"Nempe quod alter egens, altera PAUPER erat.”

-OVID.

Non video quid sit paupertas, nisi PARVI POSSESSIO!Seneca.

And what is strictly the meaning of indigens? he who wants aid; indigens mei-in want of my help the very words of the statutes to relieve poor scholars, in their clerical education.

You

say, sweepingly, that the parents of children of Winchester College are "ALL IN EASY circumstances!".

Can any man think, a person, hazarding so unfounded an assertion, to be unprejudiced? All in easy circumstances!" Didst thou say ALL? Many and many, thus indefinitely, and without exception, pronounced "to be in easy circumstances," without being weighed down, perhaps, by

"Such expense as pinches parents blue,
And mortifies the liberal hand of love,"

would be most thankful to you, if you could prove the assertion to be true. Some of them I know.

But what are we to understand by "easy circumstances?" A logician ought to be more accurate upon a point so important, from which to establish his deductions.

The member for Winchelsea may talk, with great complacency, of "easy circumstances;" but has he visited the firesides of a thousand humbler gentlemen, humbler in their lot of life, but as adorned in every thing that might distinguish the scholar and gentleman, as himself? Has he witnessed the anxieties of many a parent, so situ ated, in the decent, but humbler walks of life, educated as a gentleman, whilst the small stock, he had laid by for the comfort of his declining days, has been little by little reduced, in consequence of his care for the education of a beloved son? Has the member for Winchelsea ever witnessed the pride such a parent has displayed, forgetting all the circumstances of a small fortune, with a large family, that preyed upon an ingenuous mind, when, perhaps, that son has gained some distinction at school?

Are the children of such parents improper objects of the munificence and charity of William of Wykeham ?

Latin Dictionary.