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--THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES

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THE UNIVERSITY OF WALES JNSTALLATIOS OF TH PFINCE OF WALES AS CHANCELLOR. The crowning institution of all the institutions of Wales is her University, which on Friday recei- Ved its due recognition, when H.R.H. the Prince of Wales was installed as the first Chancellor. The visit of the Prince, of course, marks a starting- I Point in our national history. It helps to bring home to the people of Wales, to the peer and the peasant alike, the fact that Wales at last has its OWn University, in the same way that England, Scotland, and Ireland has each its Universities. When the Royal Charter was obtained the Univer- sity Court, there is no question, acted wisely and in inviting the late Lord Aberdare to become first chancellor. His lordship had done so much- 1io ttlan had done more-for Welsh intermediate and higher education, had sacrificed so much time &nd. labour and money, that it was a graceful act On the part of the authorities to acknowledge his 8ervices. But Lord Aberdare was removed just 48 the goal of his ambition had been reached, and the chancellorship once more became vacant. yn. 1 'th praiseworthy ambition, the Conrt was in- deed to aim very high for a successor, and, as the ates would have it, it did not aim in vain. The Prince, with a graciousness which has made his bante proverbial, accepted the Court's invitation, \Vith the result that on Friday he was, as before 8tated, installed as Chancellor of the University of the country from which he derives his time- honoured title. It goes without saying that the event means quite a fortune to the Welsh University. No other circumstance, however fortunate or favourable, could, both in the imme- diate future and in the long run, prove so service- able to the University. However democratic the age may have become, however strongly King Demos may emphasise Burn's honest sentiment, A man's a man, for a' that!" it must be admitted that a Royal Prince is a Royal Prince, and even the stoutest of Radicals, as well as the silliest of Socialists, is prone to acknowledge that there is still a divinity which hedges round a King. There is not the least doubt that the acceptance of office by his Royal Highness has given the University half a century's start, which means a great deal for a poor, struggling country like ours, only just com- mencing its educational career, centuries behind the sister countries of England, Scotland, and Ireland. The Prince, therefore, has a very special claim upon the gratitude of the Welshpeople, a claim which, it is gratifying to learn, the University Court seems to fully appreciate. Friday's pageant, if for its brilliancy alone, is unique in the long history of the Principality. Wales had long been thought of by those great men who dreamed a dream of a complete system of education for Wales, reaching from the elementary school to the highest summits of learning. Men like the late Lord Aberdare, Henry Richard, Sir II ugh Owen, Dr. Lewis Edwards, and others, had striven with unyielding vigour to bring about this consummation, but the scheme of the Welsh Univer- sity had to become something more than a vision before it could be brought into crystalised form and presented to the House of Commons for its sanction, which was granted in 1894, and for this the thanks of the Principality are due to those who formed the Draft Charter Committee and other true lovers of Welsh education. During the last few years there has been in Wales a marked revival of interest in national affairs. This movement had been led by the educated and literary men of Wales, and conse- quently great attention had been paid to educational matters. Free and intermediate education having been obtained, together with three University Colleges, there was but one thing required to com- plete this national system of education, and that was a University for Wales. This Wales has at last secured, and she is the prouder and happier for it. The dignity of the nation, too, demanded that Wales should have a University. Wales did not want a University which would allow a Welshman to get a degree that would be no sure test of his worth or ability; but she wanted a University where he could obtain a valuable degree without the necessity of facing and overcoming the obstacles with which he had to contend with formerly. The educational system of Wales is to be likened to a pyramid. It had a broad founda- tion, and had been increasing symmetrically by the addition of Intermediate Education and the three University Colleges, and now finally by a University. Wales had long needed an institution of this kind to train her medical men, her theologians and her national leaders, and this having been obtained, we have every reason to believe that the Welsh will now become more truly national. Sir Lewis Morris has written a special Ode, on the installation of the Prince of Wales as the first Chancellor of the Welsh University. The Ode consists of five stanzas, in which the poet refers to Wales, past, present, and future; her yearnings for a higher life, and the consummation of her hopes in the installation of her Prince as head of her national seat of learning. The first stanza opens with the lines This is our joyous hour, The Dawn expected long, Break sea of music in a surge of song The expression sea of music" is, of course, a translation of the Eisteddfodic motto, Mor o gan yw Cymru i gyd." A courtly compliment is paid to the Prince of Wales in the couplet in which he is made to represent the national hero—Prince Llewelyn- Our lost Llewelyn seems again to come For love of learning to his ancient home. And a graceful reference is made to the fact that on this auspicious occasion the Prince is accom- panied by Our gracious Royal Lady, with her daughters twain." The ghosts of heroes who in the dead past fought and sacrificed for their country are depicted gazing with admiring eyes upon the new-built temple of knowledge, to see which they in life yearned in vain. Then, with prophetic vision, he pictures the glories of the Wales to come, when, by means of her national University, she will proudly claim her place among the nations of the empire and the world. The poet concludes thus Rise Thou dear land, on Learning's even wings, Rise in Heaven's face, and, soaring, leave behind Thy sordid outworn robe of lower Things"; The eye by grosser mists grown blind The earthly soul; the unawakened mind All jealous hates, all faithless fears, And low delights more pitiful than tears. Awake Advance! Arise Ascend at length Through wider knowledge to a fuller strength, To loftier heights, and nobler ends complete, Purge thoroughly from thy late enfranchised sight The clouds, the glooms of Time's departed night, Soar higher, higher with the increasing light, Where, throned with clouds beneath her shining feet, Sits Wisdom crowned with Right!" Sir Lewis proposes to include this ode in the new collection of songs which lie is about to publish.

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---"Ut WELSH UNIVERSITY AS…

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF WALES,…