The annual meeting for the conferring the degrees of the
Uni- versity of London was held in the theatre of the new building in Burlington Gardens on Wednesday, Earl Granville, as usual, pre- siding, and Mr. Lowe appearing rather opportunely at the very moment when the achievements of a young lady who had passed a brilliant examination in "harmony and counterpoint" were -eliciting the applause of the audience,—applause which swelled into a roar on the advent of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Neither Lord Granville nor Mr. Lowe made long speeches, Lord .Granville contenting himself with first regretting the serious illness which kept the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Grote, from the ceremony, and at the same time highly complimenting Mr. Millais' picture of Mr. Grote, painted for the University, to be seen at the Academy,—then getting a hit at Mr. Ayrton, the First Commis- sioner of Works, for his very economical ideas as to the furniture of the University,—and finally making an appeal that was not without results, for the empty shelves of the new library ;—and Mr. Lowe only humorously remarking on the great zest which a long run of unpopularity gives to a little applause. Certainly no interruption of harmony was ever more productive of apparent enjoyment than Mr. Lowe's appearance in the University, the .additional 2d. on the income-tax in any wise notwithstanding.
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