SCHOOLS 



street, converted the whole into * Commoners' College.' In the end the 

 headmaster's house, like Aaron's rod, swallowed up its rivals, and with 

 the chapel and the Spital became ' Old Commoners.' But that was not 

 till long after Burton's time. The title of ' Founder of Commoners ' is 

 therefore only applicable to Burton in a very limited sense. 



In 1737 there were 93 commoners, including the Duke of Rich- 

 mond's eldest son, Lord March, the Marquess Clydesdale, the Duke of 

 Queensberry's eldest son, Lord Drumlanrig, Lord Elcho, Lord Charles 

 Douglas, Sir Richard Wrottesley, Sir Richard Bamfylde and many other 

 'great ' people, making 179 boys in all. Then, perhaps because of the 

 Eyre quarrel, a grave depression ensued. In 1740 the number of 

 commoners had fallen to less than half, 41 ; in 1742 to 28 ; while in 

 the middle year of the century, 1750, there were 10, and in 1751 just 8 

 commoners. Not until 1756, when Dr. Warton came as second master, 

 did the numbers rise again above 20. 



The frequent falls in the numbers of commoners at Winchester are 

 paralleled at Eton, though the total number at Eton was much larger, 

 being in 1706, including 70 collegers, 353, and in 1744 only 144. 



Burton's own view of the cause of decadence is on record in some 

 interesting letters 1 apropos of the election of Warden Lee in 1763. Dr. 

 Burton, Joseph Warton, then second master, and a fellow of New College 

 named Phelps, who dates from Whitehall and was apparently in the 

 Treasury, were much exercised at the election of Lee, whom they called 

 King Log. 



In Lee's 'sovereignty,' which lasted from 1763 to 1789, the school 

 returned to more than its former prosperity of numbers. As the change 

 for the better did not take place till after Burton's own resignation in 

 1766, when he was seventy-four years old, and had been no less than 

 forty-four years headmaster, it is to be feared that it was his too 

 lengthened stay and not the rule of this or that warden, which led to its 

 decadence. 



Christopher Eyre, the second master, who was also a canon of 

 Winchester, and Dr. Burton each left a memorial of their prosperity. 

 There had always been a difficulty about providing for those scholars 

 who did not ' get off to New,' i.e. have the good luck to be elected 

 to New College. To meet this, Warden Dobson, with Eyre and Burton, 

 started the Superannuates Fund, with a yearly subscription list and 

 donations, Burton giving 10 a year and Eyre 5 a year and 100 

 down. In 1742 Burton and his kinsman Bohun Fox, an old Wykehamist 

 and founder's kin, gave half the prebend of Bedminster, in Salisbury 

 Cathedral, and 40 a year charged on certain rents from Commoner's 

 College, for the same purpose. The exhibitions are now given to 

 those who do get scholarships at New College as well as to those who 

 go elsewhere. 



Joseph Warton was one of the most interesting figures that has ever 



1 Stowe MS. 799, p. 153. 

 347 



