Читать книгу Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888 - King of Great Britain Edward VII - Страница 22

July 10th, 1867

On the 10th of July, 1867, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales inaugurated this institution, established under the auspices of the International Education Society. Some years previously a Committee, of which Mr. Cobden and M. Michael Chevalier were members, proposed the formation of an International College, having four principal establishments, in England, France, Germany, and Italy. The pupils were to pursue their studies at each branch in succession. It was to inaugurate the English branch of this institution, at Spring Grove, under the direction of Dr. Leonard Schmitz, formerly Rector of the High School of Edinburgh, that they assembled this day.

After inspecting the building and grounds, the visitors assembled at luncheon, the chair being occupied by Mr. Paulton, the treasurer of the College, having on his right the Prince of Wales, and on his left the Duc d'Aumale. The Prince de Joinville and the Comte de Paris were also among the guests. On the health of the Prince of Wales being proposed, he replied as follows: —

"Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen, – I beg to thank you for the kind manner in which you have drunk my health, and for the feeling and touching sympathy you have evinced for the Princess of Wales. I can assure you it gives me the greatest gratification to be present to-day to inaugurate this College under the auspices of the International Education Society. I sincerely trust that this propitious weather and the goodly company I see around me may be omens of the future of this institution. The site of this College is all that can be desired, and I know that its management will be so administered as to fulfil to the utmost the anticipations of its promoters. There is now room for 80 pupils within its walls, and when the new wings are completed it will be capable of accommodating twice, probably treble, that number. There are, I understand, two sister institutions abroad – one in Germany, and the other in France; and after the pupils have completed their studies here they can avail themselves of the advantages of these institutions to perfect themselves in modern Continental languages.

"I am not going to discuss the relative claims on our attention of the living and dead languages; but I believe it to be most important that modern languages should form one of the principal subjects of study on grounds of practical utility. No persons were ever more deeply impressed with this fact than my late lamented father, and another man whose name is now celebrated through England, Richard Cobden. I have travelled a great deal on the Continent, and I am confident that I should have found my sojourn in these countries far less pleasant than it was if I had not possessed a considerable knowledge of the vernacular of the people.

"I thank you again sincerely for the manner in which you have drunk my health, and I shall convey to the Princess the deep sympathy you have evinced for her in her illness, the enthusiastic affection with which you have received her name, and your warm good wishes for her speedy restoration to health. Before sitting down I beg to propose a toast, which I am sure you will receive with every demonstration of approbation. It is "Success to the London College of the International Education Society." With that toast I beg to couple the name of Dr. Schmitz, whose pupil, I am proud to say, I once was while studying in the city of Edinburgh."

The toast having been received with great enthusiasm, Dr. Schmitz, in reply, said he had to thank His Royal Highness for the kindness of heart with which he had spoken of his humble name, and hoped that the College so happily inaugurated would have a prosperous issue. The distinctive feature of the institution was that in it the study of modern languages and natural sciences were to be largely pursued. The dead languages, however, were not to be ignored. They protested only against the exclusive study of classical literature. He had himself devoted his life to letters, but at the same time he fully recognized the claims of the modern continental tongues and the natural sciences, by which the civilization and progress of the world were unquestionably advanced. Professor Huxley then proposed the "Health of the Committee of Management," coupling with it the name of the chairman. The Chairman having briefly replied, the meeting broke up, and the visitors dispersed throughout the grounds for promenade.