The College of Music was opened on Monday by the
Prince of Wales, amidst a great concourse of persons eminent in the musical wcrld. It was stated by the Director, Dr. G. Grove, who, like almost everybody else, has been knighted, that, -exclusive of the cost of the buildings, which have been given by Sir C. Freake, £110,000 have been collected. With part -of this money, fifty scholarships have been founded, thirty. Eve of which secure a free musical education of the highest -order, and fifteen that education and free maintenance besides. The competition for these scholarships was extra. .ordinary. It was stated that no less than 1,588 candidates came forward from the United Kingdom, who were winnowed -down by severe examination to 480. These were again ex. amined in London, and, according to the Prince of Wales, who made a much better and more human speech than usual, fifty were selected,—twelve from London, twenty-eight from fourteen different counties in England, five from Ireland, only two from Scotland, one from Wales, and one from Jersey. No attention was paid to condition. One scholar is the daughter of a brick. maker, another the son of a blacksmith, while the best violin- player is the son of a farm hand. The Council of the College intend all examinations to be most striot, for they are invested by their charter with some University privileges, being author- ised to grant the degrees of Bachelor of Music, Master of Music. and Doctor of Music, we presume to both sexes. There seems little doubt that the College will become the centre of hope to all poor musical ability, and should therefore succeed.
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