Bath in its relation to Education. 131 



brated at the Abbey Church and the Guildhall by a goodly 

 assemblage of influential citizens, under the presidency of 

 the Mayor, honoured also by the attendance, from a dis- 

 tance, of eminent masters of other Free Grammar Schools.. 

 In addition to Hales and Prynne, many remarkable men 

 have been educated here : notably Mr. Lysons, antiquary ;. 

 Dr. Falconer, editor of the Oxford Strabo , Dr. Charles 

 Parry, author of the " ParUaments and Councils of Eng- 

 land ;" Thomas de Quincey, George Monkland, George 

 Norman, the Rev. F. Kilvert, Sir Sidney Smith, Sir Edward 

 Parry, Sir Bartle Frere, and very lately Mr. Herman, the last 

 Senior Wrangler. A new scheme, approved by the Queen 

 in Council in 1872, introduced various imprortant changes;, 

 two, at least, of the governing body were to be women, one 

 Governor was to be the chairman of the Royal Literary- 

 Institution, another the chairman of the Bath School Board;, 

 the living of Charlcombe was to be sold, any surplus of 

 funds above certain defined liabilities was to go to the esta- 

 blishment of a girls' school, and many rules were added 

 insuring greater efficiency in general teaching and greater- 

 responsibility to the Charity Commissioners. The present, 

 number of scholars is about 120 : the reports of the Official 

 Examiners are satisfactory, and though, in consequence of 

 the establishment of other schools, the benefit is now con- 

 fined chiefly to one class, yet this venerable institution, now 

 in its three hundred and thirty-fifth year, is still doing ex- 

 ceedingly good work. 



It was only by slow degrees that the educa- 

 Educationai ^-^q^^X wants of the other classes in Bath were 



Progress. 



supplied. In 171 1 the Rev. Robert Nelson 

 was the chief founder of the "Blue Coat School," so called 

 from the costume still worn by the children, A prominent 



