The ceremony in the entrance-hall was thus brought to a close, and the Prince of Wales, the Chancellor, and their respective suites proceeded to the picture gallery, where His Royal Highness held a levée, which was very numerously attended. After the levée he returned to Trinity College. It was several years since the Prince of Wales had paid a visit to Cambridge of any duration. He spent some time there as an under-graduate, and made with the Princess of Wales a stay of three days in 1864, when he had the degree of LL.D. conferred upon him.
Another memorable visit was paid on the 9th of June, 1888, when the Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Princess and their three daughters, witnessed the conferring of an honorary degree on Prince Albert Victor. Other notable graduates honoris causâ were on the list that day, including the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Rosebery, Lord Selborne, Mr. Balfour, Mr. Goscheu, and Professor Stokes. At the luncheon afterwards given in the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Prince of Wales said it was seven and twenty years since he was first connected with the University. "They were happy days," he added, "and I always look back to them with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction."
INFANT ORPHAN ASYLUM, WANSTEAD.
June 28th, 1878.
This institution maintains and educates the orphans of persons once in prosperity, from earliest infancy till fourteen or fifteen years of age. About 60 children are now (1888) annually elected. Nearly the whole of the income depends on voluntary contributions. Subscribers have votes, according to the amount of their subscriptions. There are now nearly 600 in the Asylum, which is open to children from all parts of the British dominions. The Asylum stands in beautifully wooded grounds, at Wanstead, on the outskirts of Epping Forest.
The Prince, accompanied by the Princess of Wales, presided at the anniversary festival, on June 28th, 1878. They drove to Wanstead, and were received at the Asylum by the Bishop of St. Albans, in whose diocese it is, and by the officers of the institution. They were conducted to the Examination Room, where, Dagmar Mary Petersen, a little orphan girl, eight years old, daughter of a Dane, who settled in London as a commercial clerk, herself admitted just eighteen months ago by the loyalty of a lady of the Society of Friends, who wished thus to honour the Princess, commenced the proceedings with a pretty speech which she had got perfectly by heart and recited very clearly. In her childish voice she gave those assembled a distinct account of the asylum. "She had been told that it was the largest of the kind in England. When the boys, girls, officers, and servants are all there, 700 persons sleep in the building. The schools are in three divisions, senior, infants, and nursery children. In the two large senior schools there are about 400 boys and girls. They learn grammar, history, geography, arithmetic, French, music, and drawing, and the girls learn needlework besides. In the two infant schools they do not learn quite so much. In the nursery they learn just a very little and play a good deal. And being little children they learn about the Bible." The little girl who spoke this simple address presented a bouquet to the gracious Princess after the ceremony, and was kissed, praised, and otherwise gratified.
"God bless the Prince of Wales" was excellently sung at the conclusion of the speech; the children came up to the Princess and took their prizes from her hands; and marched out of the room, keeping time to lively music. The Royal party inspected the school-rooms, play-rooms, and dormitories, cheerful and well-ventilated halls; and the Princess carried toys to the children in the nursery.
The Prince of Wales took the chair at luncheon, supported by the Princess of Wales, and their suite, the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, the Bishop of St. Albans and Hon. Mrs. Claughton, and a large assembly. After grace the Prince of Wales rose and proposed "The Health of Her Majesty the Queen." The toast-master next announced a bumper toast, and the Duke of Manchester gave "The Health of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the Princess of Wales," "a toast which is never more heartily honoured than on these fortunately frequent occasions, when their Royal Highnesses patronize and encourage well-organized charitable institutions, among which this was perhaps one of the best he knew."