the system of education under which they were enabled to arrive at such excellence, distinction, and success.

The general system of education in Ireland, under the superintendence and management of the National Board, was a subject of deep interest to Lord Carlisle, and engaged his constant and most assiduous attention. Sir Robert Peel, in his speech, above referred to, says:

"The very last official visit, I believe, which he paid in this country was to the Marlborough-street National Model Schools, with his friend Alexander Mac Donnell, in order to prove that he was in favour of that system of united education which has given such inestimable benefits."

In order to carry out the National System efficiently, it was indispensable to provide duly qualified teachers for the numerous schools throughout the country; for this purpose Model Schools for the training of teachers were established, and at the close of each half year public examinations were held, to classify the teachers, and to test their proficiency for the discharge of the important office of imparting a sound, useful and moral education. Lord Carlisle attended at these examinations, and at the close of the proceedings addressed the assembly. This volume contains some of these Addresses; they serve to show how eminently qualified he was to advance the great work of National Education in Ireland-how eloquently, how feelingly, how zealously he impressed upon those trained teachers (the pioneers of the rising intelligence of the country) the dignity and usefulness of their vocation, their responsibility, and the importance of a faithful discharge of their duties. The noble Lord, in one of his Addresses, says :

"You are now about to separate, and proceed to your several destinations; and I am sure that all who have been concerned in the work of your training the able and zealous professors, the members of the Board, my valued and beloved friend Mr. Mac Donnell, the Resident Commissionerand, if you will allow me to be included in the number, I shall say, myself— shall accompany you all with the sincerest good wishes, that, whatever may be the functions or duties to which you are about to devote yourselves, they

may be fulfilled with credit and comfort to yourselves, and with advantage and usefulness to others."

In speaking of the merits of the National System, Lord Carlisle says:

"I will only say that it seems to me to be as near an approach, as the necessary imperfection of human projects and performances will admit, to the fulfilment of that great Christian commandment of loving one another, which is to be the law for us on earth, and a habit for us in heaven."

In taking leave of the professors and teachers, the noble Lord said:

"Great is your responsibility, and great may be the reward you may all receive, both from the visible effects of your teaching, and still more from the inward testimony of your own private consciences. You may have learned here other lessons beside and beyond those connected with the absolute abstract knowledge of which you have made yourselves masters. You may have learned—you will have learned, if the genius of the place has made itself rightly felt within you-how young persons, it may be of different opinions, whether secular or religious, can be brought together, and can entertain mutual regard and friendship for each other, without assailing the opinions of others, and without compromising their own; how you may be all things to all men, and yet belong wholly to God. This is the principle-the living principle— which has always made me deeply attached to this parent institution, and to all those throughout the land which are moulded in its form, and have embodied its spirit.

"It is now thirty years-if I may advert, for a moment, before I take leave of you, to myself--it is now thirty years since I first gave my adhesion to the system of National Education in Ireland. That system has, in all essential particulars, remained the same. It has passed through many phases of opposition, and lukewarmness, and misrepresentation-of violence blowing with strange force from the most opposite quarters—

'Una Eurusque Notusque ruunt.'

Even in the midst of all this encircling whirlwind, it has maintained for itself a tranquil inner-haven, where the moderate, the liberal, the peace-loving, might find secure refuge and pursue their appointed work. It has leavened, though not to the fullest possible extent, and with the most entire success, the intellect of the country."

THE ROYAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL, PORTORA.

Lord Carlisle's anxious desire and sustained efforts to develope the system of National Education in Ireland, and to promote the successful progress of the Queen's University, have been exemplified; there remains yet another important branch of public Education which claimed and received his Lordship's care and encouragement-the public Grammar Schools of Ireland. As an illustration may be selected his Viceregal visit to the celebrated Royal Grammar School at Portora, Enniskillen, on the occasion of the Public Examinations and Distribution of Prizes, previous to the commencement of the summer vacation of 1863.

This famous School had made great and rapid progress in learning under the Head Mastership of the Rev. Wm. Steele, who had been appointed to that arduous and responsible office by Lord Carlisle. The proceedings commenced with the presentation of a beautiful Address of welcome, written in verse, by the Rev. H. J. Carpenter, Assistant Master, from which the following lines are extracted :

* University Examinations in connexion with Grammar Schools have been established in England. It would seem to be desirable to extend to Ireland a similar test of education. At the late Annual Distribution of Prizes, after the "Oxford Local Examination" of the Manchester Grammar Schools, the Lord Bishop of Oxford said:— "He believed that he might assume that that which, two years ago, was nothing more than an experiment, had now proved a great success; and he believed that not only those classes, for the sake of which specially the University Examinations had been formed, had reason to rejoice in that success, but he believed that the Universities themselves had good grounds for rejoicing with them in the prosperity that had awaited the undertaking. Nothing could be worse for the country than that the old Universities of the land should be severed by a gulf which could not be passed from the great middle classes of this great and industrious people. In many ways the advantages returned to the Universities which they hoped to render to the people. It returned to them in those links which blended the Universities with the life, the vigour, the energy, and the breadth of thought which belonged to the great middle classes, and, above all, to those centres of intelligence in our great manufacturing districts.

"He rejoiced that our Universities had been permitted to take this part in helping out the education of the middle classes, who formed the distinguishing feature in so many respects of the people of England.

"He comes, our festal holiday to grace,

A noble son of Eton's noble race.

Pleased with our welcome mirth, aside he lays
His Sovereign's sword, twined in his blushing bays;
No circling coronet his brows now wear,
No courtier's pomp or statesman's public care.
He leaves the gilded footstool of the Throne,
Clad in the vesture which we love to own;
He comes with smile of letters, and mild peace,
The joyous herald of a school's release.
High rear the trophied arch, fresh garlands bring;
Cull the choice sweets of our less genial Spring;
In clustering boughs the pillared portals hide;
Spread for each breeze the banner's opening pride.
Swell high the strain, lead forth your joyous rout ;
Thrice, as he enters, raise the rapturous shout;
Thrice, far and near, to every hill proclaim,
Till all have learned and echoed back his name.
Oh, welcome, welcome, noble guest, and kind!
Where shall our loyal tongues due homage find?
Never from cheering street or gathered crowd
The deafening welcomes rang more long and loud;
Never has glance, or speech, or presence poured
Such lavish gladness round our annual board.

Deign, then, great Earl, our heart's pure joys to share;
View the bold sports that make our youth more fair.
Accept their welcome; list while they rehearse
Their simple parts and tributary verse.

Hear each fond greeting, whether said or sung,
Framed on the flowing lip, or faltering tongue;
Come, void of pomp, to grace our lowlier sphere-
Come, as thou com'st, and make the day more dear;

Not as thy highborn sires in warrior state,
On fiery chargers borne through moated gate,
With bickering lance, in burnished steel arrayed,
With belt and plume for conquest or crusade;
Nor yet as they, when the full clarions' blare
Called their trained prowess to the doubtful war-
Called through the glare of battle's deepening night,
A HOWARD's arm to crush a foaman's might."

The Rev. Mr. Steele delivered a long and lucid statement in relation to the gratifying progress and prospects of the Portora School, and observed:

"From the moment I found myself appointed to this important office, I resolved that, with God's help, no exertion should be omitted by me to maintain to the full the high character for scholarship which the School had enjoyed for many years under the able conduct of my predecessor-a man of great energy and learning. Under him the School held the first place among the public Grammar Schools of this country; and I am now proud and happy to be able to say, that for the last six years it has maintained the high character it bore before. Whether the prosperity of the School be tested by the number of its pupils, by the academical distinctions gained by them, or by their success at the Competitive Examinations, I speak but the truth in saying that Portora School stands as high in every respect as it did at any period since its foundation."

When the proceedings had concluded, and the Prizes had been awarded, Lord Carlisle, addressing the assembly, paid a just tribute to the merits of the Rev. Mr. Steele-alluded to the advantages of a religious and moral education, and expressed his eager anxiety for the success of this great educational establishment. His Lordship said:

"I do with confidence claim the thanks of an audience at Portora, since it was my happy privilege to place Mr. Steele in the position which he fills, and which he adorns. The best attestation of his merit is the present condition of the School.

I do indeed feel that it is of no mean importance to the gravest interests of Ireland that the rising youth of her gentry and of the mercantile classes should receive the advantage of an education that is at once religious, moral, scholarly, and gentlemanlike—wherein our young men would be initiated into all manly studies and all manly sports.

66 "I assure you I rejoice to find that, in addition to all the historic renown of this old and loyal borough, and its associations with the military prowess of the country, it should have secured in Portora a home for the Sciences, and a haunt for the Muses. I seized with eagerness the opportunity that presented itself of coming here, because I do really feel anxious, in accordance with the sentiment that has been expressed by the excellent and accomplished Rector of this town, Dr. Magee, to employ the whole weight and effect of the

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