On Reading.

and the benefits it confers—was held at its head quarters , a largo , lofty , and Avell-vetitilated building , s ' . tuate in the heart of Bishopsgate . The School , which has been popular and successful from the very first , Avas established in 1842 , chiefly through

the instrumentality of the Rev . William Rogers , M . A ., Rector of Bishopsgate , aided by most of the principal citizens in the Ward , among whom he is exceedingly popular . The occasion of the meeting Avas the annual distribution of prizesand

, the ceremony attracted a very large audience , including the representatives of the Ward in the Court of Common Council , and most of the principal inhabitants of the district ; the members of the committee of management : Sir John BennettMr .

, John L . Ogle , M . A ., honorary secretary , ancl other gentlemen . Mr . AnthonyTrollope on whom the duty of distributing the prizes devolved , Avas much cheered on rising to discharge it . He said there was nothing , he believedin this Avorld so

, variable as success , and he could conceive nothing more typical of success than the giving away of prizes , Therefore he had been asked to take part on that very

interesting occasion . But he had not unnaturally asked himself the reason Avhy . He Avas a man Avho had devoted his life , not to the instruction , but to the amusement of his felloAv-creatures . " All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy ; " ancl

unless they could amuse themselves by means of recreation they could hardly be successful . He was going to recommend them to become readers ; but he Avas not going especially to recommend them to read novels , though he Avas a writer of novels ,

From reading good novels they might derive good lessons ; but if they Avould condescend to read bad novels they would certainly get very bad lessons . He hoped that every young boy that heard him would have to earn his bread .

Ninetynine out of a thousand AV IIO had to earn their bread Avere much more happy than the unfortunate person Avho got his livelihood Avithout labour . Each one of those he Avas addressing had to ask himself what he meant to do Avith his life . Let their

trials and struggles be what they might , there Avould be many hours to each of them in which tlieir happiness Avould depend on the recreation which they might

be able to obtain for themselves . He remembered Avhen he came to London as a young lad , ancl Avhen he went into a public office to earn his bread , that an old relative ol his—a dear old lady—wrote him a letter recommending him Avhen he left his

oflice for the day to be sure to go home to tea and read a good book . That was all very well in its Avay , but it did not brim * to him a sufficient idea of the life he Avas going to lead . There Avas no doubt that the reading of book ' swhether with tea or

, Avithout , ought to be the recreation Avhich they mainly proposed to themselves for their future life . With reference to the reading of books lie Avould ask a question which would perhaps insult them all ; but if they were indifferent , as some of them

might be , be Avould ask them to stay their hands and not cut him at once . The question was , could they read ? ( A laugh . ) He had no doubt that every young person present Avho heard him Avould answer , " Certainly I can ; Avhat business has he to

come here and ask me such a question ? Ol course I can read . " Let him ( Mr . Trollope ) tell them , liOAvever , that among his friends —among those Avho were dearest and nearest to him ; among some Avho were among the Avisest he had—he found men

and Avomen AA'ho could not read . They could take a book ancl open and read it as well as any whom he was then addressing ; but they did not read . Macaulay once said a man Avho Avas a scholar Avas one Avho could sit with his feet on the fender at his

ease ancl read Plato . Mr . Trollope was not going to recommend his audience to read Plato ; but again he asked them could they read ? There was , no doubt , many present Avho said to themselves that reading Avas rather dull work ; but he had learnt to readand could reada book as

, , fast as anybody . If those among the friends he was addressing never read books Avhen they Avere young , they mig ht be assured they Avould never read them when they Avere old . ( Cheers . ) He had Avritten doAvn a passage from a well knoAvn author

in Latin , which he Avould read to them in English— -namely , what Cicero had said of literature . He had been speaking of the pleasures of the world , and he said , in effect , speaking of literature , it nourished our youth and delighted our old age ; it adorned our prosperity , and tended to rob