10 DECEMBER 1836, Page 2

be inetropotto.

A meeting of the Court of Common Council was held on Thurs. day ; when the refusal of the Gresham Lecturers to leave the small room in the Royal Exchange and lecture in the new City of London School, where a spacious apartment was prepared for them, was the subject of considerable discussion. The Lecturers, with the exception of Mr. Pullen, denied the right of the Trustees of the Gresham estate to interfere with their arrangements, and declared that it would be a degradation to be associated with the City of London School : they maintained that there was no need of any alteration, as the lectures had been attended by 1900 persons during the last year, which showed that they were popular ; but if there was to be any change, a distinct building should be erected for them on some part of the Gresham estate.

Mr. Baylis observed, that of the 1900 attendants on the lectures, GOO went to hear 11r. Pullen, the popular Astronomical lecturer, who on being appointed had agreed to any alteration that the Trustees might afterwards resolve to make ; and Mr. Wire said that the reason why so many persons had attended the lectures last year was, that there being a vacancy, some curiosity had been excited on the subject, and the friends of candidates had attended. Frequently, upon going to the little lecture-room, the door had been shut in his face, because he had arrived three minutes after the appointed hour. Mr. Stevens considered that the lectures were sad trash ; and be inferred from the conduct of those who delivered them in refusing the accommodation of a spacious room, that they were conscious of their laziness and incom- petency. It was stated by Mr. Baylis, that Lord Abinger and Sir Edward Sugden had declared that it was competent for the masters to remove the lectures to any part of the city of London ; and a committee was appointed to confer with the Mercers Company, who are co .trustees with the Corporation, as to the steps proper to be taken with a view to render the Gresham lectures more generally useful.