injunction of concealment upon Mr. Firmin, the friend whom he had entrusted with the charge of the undertaking, and the disbursement of the expenses. In the meantime various improvements had been introduced into the plan, which had the effect of nearly doubling the amount of the original estimate; the entire payment of which, in consequence of the death of Mr. Morrice, devolved upon Sir Robert. Sir Robert. When the work was completed, with the exception of some projected alterations, adapted to certain proposed improvements in the system of education then pursued, the excellent donor was checked in his career of benevolence by the political factions of the time. Party spirit then ran high in relation to the Popish Plot, and the Bill of Exclusion against James II.; and Sir Robert, with many other high-minded and public-spirited individuals, became an object of popular indignation, and was ejected from the councils of the city, and the government of the Hospital. Then it was that Mr. Firmin thought himself no longer bound to keep the secret which had been confided to his care, but regarded it rather as a duty to place the character of so true a patriot in its proper light. The pious act was accordingly divulged; and the memorial of a deed, which might otherwise have remained in everlasting concealment, is now recorded beneath a statue of the youthful Founder, in a niche above the south gateway :

EDWARD THE SIXTH, of famous Memory,

was the Founder of CHRIST'S HOSPITAL: and SIR ROBT. CLAYTON, KNT. and ALDERMAN, sometime LORD MAYOR

of this CITY OF LONDON, erected this Statue of KING EDWARD, and built most Part of this Fabrick, Anno Dom.

1682.

In speaking of Mr. Firmin, it would be unjust to limit the consideration of his merits to a mere activity in dispensing the bounty of others. Prompt in the suggestion of a deed of benevolence, and active in its execution, he was no less ready to afford the means of its accomplishment. Independently of the part which he took in forwarding the

views of Sir Robert Clayton, he was himself a considerable benefactor to Christ's Hospital; and his numerous private charities were not less meritorious from the unostentatious manner in which they were bestowed. He lies buried in the south cloister of the Hospital, beneath the walls of his friend's erection; and his epitaph, inscribed on a plain unsculptured slab, and written by Dr. Fowler, Bishop of Gloucester, in terms no less eloquent than just, may well supply the place of further eulogy:

"TO THE MEMORY OF

MR. THOMAS FIRMIN, Late Citizen of LONDON, and one of ye Governours of this and ST. THOMAS'S HOSPITAL. He was to ye Orphans of this a most tender Father, and for ye sick and wounded of ye other a careful Provider. He constantly expended y greatest Profits of his Trade, Portions of his Time, and Labour of his Thoughts, in Works of Charity, in providing Work for thousands of poor People, in visiting and Releiving necessitous Families, and in redeeming Debtors out of Prison. He took indefatigable pains in succouring ye distressed Refugees from France and Ireland. He was a most eminent Example of improving all opportunities of doing good, of Successfully provoking others to good Works, and of unconfined Charity, both as to Places and Parties. He was very faithful and wise in disposing both of Publick and Private Charities, and zealous for promoting a Reformation of Manners. Yet, after all, he ascribed nothing to himself, acknowledging on his Death-bed that he had been an unprofitable Servant: and he professed that he hoped for Salvation only by ye mercy of GOD, through ye Merits and Mediation of JESUS CHRIST.

He departed this Life Dec'. XX. MDCXCVII.

In ye LXVIth Year of his Age.

This monument was erected by his sorrowful Widow.

He y' soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.—2 Cor. ix. 6.”

The example which had been thus set by Sir Robert Clayton was not without its effect in eliciting the emulation of others. In 1680, a survey was taken of the GREAT HALL, which had suffered materially in the fire of 1666, though such repairs were made at the time as the immediate accommodation of the children required. It was discovered to be in a state of so complete and irreparable decay, that Sir John Frederic, Knt., then President of the Hospital, ordered it to be pulled down, and rebuilt. The entire cost, to the amount of £5000 and

upwards, was defrayed by Sir John; and two square tablets, respectively commemorative of the munificent exertions of Sir Robert Clayton and himself, were affixed on either side of the entrance. Before the fire the quadrangle, of which the hall formed the west side, was a uniform structure raised upon the conventual cloisters, and enclosing a court, which, though now paved, is still called the Garden. Whittington's Library formed the northern side; the original wall of which, though shamefully defaced and mutilated, is now the only remnant of the ancient priory; though the fratry and refectory were also, within these few years, in existence. The hall, as rebuilt by Sir John Frederick, greatly exceeded the original building in dimensions. It was a noble edifice, one hundred and thirty feet in length, thirty-four in breadth, and forty-four in height; with a magnificent arched window at the southern extremity, and five of smaller span along the east side. Originally, the windows were on the western side; but they were bricked up in the year 1762, and the wall covered with Verrio's great picture. In the centre of the western side was the pulpit; lower down on each side a small choir; and over the entrance, at the north end, a fine organ, which had been presented to the Hospital by Edward Skelton, Esq., one of the Governors, in 1672.

It is with this Hall, which has recently been removed to make way for the splendid erection which supplies its place, that all the associations of modern blues are indelibly connected. Here were arranged the necessary preliminaries for the annual solemnities at Easter; here were the Public Suppers celebrated; here were the speeches delivered on St. Matthew's day; and numberless occurrences have here taken place, of little or no importance perhaps, but on which the school-boy memory is wont to dwell with retrospective fondness and delight. At this stage of the history, therefore, a brief notice of these ceremonies may be appropriately introduced. The old hall was levelled with the ground in the autumn of 1827; and a view of the ruins, taken as the work of demolition proceeded, by my kind friend Mr. H. C. FIELD, cannot be otherwise than interesting to every Blue.

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