A PRIZE ESSAY SCHEME.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1338, 28 March 1883, Page 2

A PRIZE ESSAY SCHEME.

Among 1 , curiosities:. of }prize';jessay schemes maybe put the bequest of an Aberdeen Mr Burnett'. This worthy founder of the biggest prize essay fund ever known was afflicted with a painful illness for many years; but''his-sufferings did not shake his faith !in the. loving kindness of the 'Supreme'Being, and he desired that after his.death the faith of others under similar'circumstances should be sustained and strengthened.as-his'had." With this view he left a sum of money to the University of Aberdeen to be given as prizes for the best essays on the existence of an all-powerful, wise; and good Diety. The conditions of the bequest were that the competition was to' take place at intervals of forty years, so as ; to allow the fund to accumulate to a sum oi not less than £I2OO for the first prize, and £4OO for the second. The first contest toolcplace in 1814 and such big prizes naturally attracted some big competitors. The first prize was awarded to Dr William Brown, Principal of Aberdeen University; the second' to Dr Sumner, afterwards Archbishop, of Canterbury. The second-contest took placo in 1854, when the Rev R. A. Thompson was awarded the first prize amounting to £IBOO, and the second ofp£6o.o to Principal Tulloch. The third contest should take place in 1894, when the sum available for distribution; is expected to amount to about '£6ooo j but a question has arisen in the minds of the trustees 1 whether the money cannot be applied to more practical purposes. According to the terms of the will, the offer had to for seven years out .of < evbiy fo'rfcyj'f in the literary papers of all English-speaking countries at a cost estimated at-£700: and the successful essayist had to aend 300 copies' of his essay to'the'trustees) who were compelled to advertise extensively, that,-these copies are for gratuitous,,distribution. When the question came before the House of Lords last year, Lord Roseberry considered the prospects gloomy If the 'religious feeling of the country upon those essays, for he fouhaflp more than 200. of the last 300 stliTremained in the trustees' hands. Could the pious founder have foreseen a time when his well-meant scheme wouldyield such barren results, hie might possibly have, devoted his '.wdaith td f a nobler object. The Trustees have applied under the Endowments'lnstitution Act for an order to vary the conditions of. trust, and to substitute for the essay, prizes ■ at 40 years' interval ,an annual lectureship at : and theirrequesthasbeen ■ complied with. —AUthe Year. JtaidL ■ ■''■■ ' ■" .■