pected and unhappy event, and from the necessity of my assistance in the School. I am, Sir, with great respect, your most obedient servant, SAMUEL PARR. It appears by the two following letters that Parr exerted himself much as a candidate. The Rev. Dr. Smith, Master of Caius College, writes thus to him, September 19th, 1771: DEAR SIR, I wish you success with all my heart, on account of Harrow School in general, &c and I will most assuredly sign and forward, as I am able, your petition for a Master's degree. I am, dear Sir, your obliged and humble servant, J. SMITH. From the Earl of Dartmouth to Mr. Parr: SIR, I have just received, with the utmost concern, the melancholy account of the death of Dr. Sumner. In the confusion that such an event must necessarily create in the School, you will not be surprised that I should be particularly anxious for my sons, and that I should beg the favour of you to pay more than ordinary attention to them, and to have them under your eye as much as possible. As the reputation and prosperity of the School will depend so much on the choice of his successor, there can be no doubt that the governors will take care to supply his place as worthily as possible. My wish is, that the choice may fall upon you. If you should have any thoughts of the employment, I shall be very glad to contribute any thing in my power towards your suceess, and to write to Sir John, and Mr. Rushout, for that purpose. I shall be obliged to you, if you will let me know what plan is intended to be pursued. Lord Lewisham joins very sincerely in my concern for this loss, and desires me to present his compliments to you. I am, Sir, Your obedient humble servant, 15th Sept. 1771. DARTMOUTH. To the Earl of Dartmouth, from Mr. Parr: MY LORD, As Dr. Sumner had repeatedly declared to me his intentions, in case of his resignation, and as his friendly representa tions of my conduct have established some interest among the trustees, I thought proper to declare myself a candidate. It gives me, my Lord, the highest pleasure to find that such proceeding is agreeable to your Lordship's inclinations; and I am at a loss to express the sense I have of the great honour you do me in wishing me success, and of the service you offer in forwarding it. A recommendation, my Lord, to Sir John Rushout and Mr. Rushout would, I am confident, carry with it the greatest weight; and you will give me leave to hint, that the sooner such a step is taken, the more likely it is to avail. Your Lordship may be assured of my very particular attention to the Mr. Legges at this critical juncture. The general propriety of their behaviour secures them from every suspicion of irregularity, and it is but justice to every part of the School to acknowledge, that they have conducted themselves in the most decent and respectful manner. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. S. PARR. This confidence of the Earl of Dartmouth in Mr. Parr continued, till the education of all his sons was finished. Mr. Augustus Legge, the youngest, was placed under his care at Hatton. The elder branches of this family boarded with Dr. Glasse, who at that time lived at Harrow, and received a select number of boys who were educated in the public school, which he thus made subservient to the interests of his own establishment. His boarders were chiefly boys of fortune, attending the school without being subject to bills.* Dr. Sumner on his accession to * Bills of absence, or callings over, a check upon boys, to keep them within reasonable bounds. the mastership, issued an order, that no boy should be exempt from bills.* This order deranged Dr. Glasse's plan, and after some struggle he withdrew his pupils from the school. In this struggle he so warmly engaged the present Lord Radnor's father on his side, that the Earl threatened to destroy the school if Dr. Sumner would not yield. He was inflexible and undismayed. Lord Dartmouth supported him in the change, and took his sons away from Glasse, and placed them under the care of Sumner, and afterwards under Parr at Stanmore. Glasse finally left Harrow, and then established himself at Greenfield. The following is an account of what happened on Dr. Heath's election to the school, by an eye witness, the Rev. David Roderick, then one of the assistants : "Dr. Askew, with whose character for literature you are I presume acquainted, was the friend of Dr. Sumner; and the physician who was called in, whenever a physician was necessary at Harrow, unless the parents had pointed out some other person. When Dr. Sumner was seized by his fatal apoplexy, Dr. Askew was sent for, and arrived at Harrow about midnight. Dr. Sumner was then dead, or dying. Parr, Drury, and I were in the house. Dr. Askew then said, that Parr must offer himself for the Headship, unless Mr. Wadeson should think of making application. This, as we had foreseen, he declined, and Parr immediately applied to the governors; and through the Duke of Grafton, the Chancellor of *From Mr. Roderick's authority. Cambridge, he had taken necessary steps for obtaining by mandamus the degree of M. A. which was a necessary qualification. When it was discovered in a week or more that Heath was to succeed, Parr determined to give up the assistantship; but, whether setting up an establishment of his own was his thought, or the suggestion of some other person, I do not now recollect." Stanmore was recommended by Mr. Smith the rector, who was then Parr's warmest friend, as the most promising place. In answer to his circular of application, his age, not then 25 complete, was pleaded by the governors as a reason for rejecting his pretensions. The boys, whom he had instructed with so much assiduity, and grounded with so much wisdom, were anxious for his success; and when the election fell upon the learned Mr. Benjamin Heath, the young gentlemen endeavoured to avenge the cause of their favourite master, by overt acts of violent rebellion. "When it was known that Heath was likely to become master," says Mr. Roderick, “the upper boys considered it as an indignity to have an Eton assistant put over them, when they had in their own school a person of superior learning." This notion they inculcated into the other boys, so that a petition ably drawn up and signed by every boy in the school was presented to the governors on the subject.* "The * The following is a copy : SIRS, To the Governors of Harrow School. We, the senior scholars, as the voice of the whole school, having received intelligence that you propose, con rebellion at Harrow," continues Mr. Roderick, “was totally unforeseen by Parr or me; nor had we scen trary to the manifest desire of each of us, to appoint Mr. Heath, or some other person from Eton, as successor to our late master Dr. Sumner, earnestly desire you would in some measure take into your consideration the unanimous wishes of the whole school, which are universally declared in favour of Mr. Parr. As we most of us are independent of the foundation, we presume our inclinations ought to have some weight in the determination of your choice. We are informed your only objection to Mr. Parr is his age, which indeed his sound abilities and distinguished morality sufficiently obviate. If you consider the age of his predecessor, (when elected,) the difference will be found immaterial. Our natural affection for such a person educated at Harrow, enforced by the consideration of his many good qualities, are sufficient reasons for our preferring Mr. Parr. We cannot help being surprised at your so strongly supporting a man from Eton, as there appear so many objections for any one from that place. Our late master's abilities were such as at that time fully authorised your choice. But when a person like Mr. Parr, whose capacity yourselves cannot object to, assisted with so many advantages, is universally proposed, a master from any other place would be needless, and therefore we flatter ourselves our request will not appear unreasonable. A school of such reputation as our late master has rendered this, ought not to be considered as an appendix to Eton. Nor should the plan by which it has been raised to such eminence, be subverted by continual innovations from another school. Mr. Parr cannot but be acquainted with those rules. which his predecessor has established, and will consequently act upon the former successful plan. We hope in your determination, private attachments, or personal affection, will not bias your minds to the prejudice of the school. A school cannot be supported when every individual is disaffected towards the master; neither will the disregarded wishes of numbers. want opportunities in shewing their resentment. It is hoped that an answer will be given to our request, which, if granted, |