ve made them a present of it. He
was therefore anxious that they should on that occasion record a
unanimous vote of thanks to him for his great liberality, and
for the interest he had taken in the welfare of that which they
had so much at heart."

The Duke of Edinburgh seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.

FOUNDING THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC.

_February 28th, 1882._

As far back as June, 1875, the Prince of Wales, we have seen, had taken
steps to secure improvement of musical education throughout the kingdom.
With this purpose he had invited many influential persons to a
Conference at Marlborough House, which was held on the 15th of June of
that year, and which resulted in the establishment of the National
Training School of Music, with Sir Arthur Sullivan as its Principal. Ten
years earlier, in 1865, the Prince had induced the Society of Arts to
appoint a Committee to consider and report on the whole subject of
musical education in this country, and of this Committee he gladly
consented to act as President.

In 1878 the Prince summoned a number of gentlemen to a meeting at
Marlborough House, where the proposal to found a National College of
Music, uniting the Academy and the Training School, was first mooted. A
committee was appointed, and the assent both of the Academy and the
School had been obtained, when the Academy withdrew, and declined to
accept the proposals of union. It was not till after the lapse of
several years that the way was clear for the establishment of a new and
truly national institution.

On the 28th of February, 1882, the Prince of Wales presided at a meeting
held in the Banqueting Hall, St. James's Palace, for the purpose of
soliciting public support for founding a "Royal College of Music." This
meeting is destined to be a memorable event, not only in musical annals,
but in the history of the nation. What was the character and influence
of that meeting was stated in eloquent terms by Sir George Grove, in his
speech at the inauguration of the Royal College in the following year.
This statement will be given in full on a subsequent page, the following
words being sufficient to quote here: "A meeting so truly national in
its aspect gave, if I may use a not inappropriate figure, the key-note
of the movement; and the key-note thus struck at St. James's Palace
resounded through the country, and met with a ready and harmonious
response."

Larger meetings th