“_May it please your Excellency, Reverend Gentlemen, Gentlemen and Ladies_,
In obedience to the commands of my superiors, and relying also on the candour and benevolence of your Excellency and this polite and respectable company, I beg leave, with all humility, to make this public address. It may not be improper to mention, that on this day, thirty-two years ago, the foundation of this house was laid by the reverend Founder, whose death _we orphans in particular_ cannot sufficiently lament; that also on this day, two years past, your Excellency honoured this place with your presence, and condescended to lay the foundation of the two wings, superadded to the Orphan-house, for the accommodation of young gentlemen intended to be educated in academical learning, to enable them to move in a superior sphere of life; and we are now met to open and solemnly dedicate this new and convenient chapel to the service of our God and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. The many and great advantages accruing from the establishment of public schools in every government, is obvious, and in a young province, as this is, it must be of the highest importance to its future prosperity and welfare, which is the professed design of this charitable institution; an institution evidently calculated to promote the happiness of society, by providing for, and instructing such poor children, as would otherwise, in all appearance, be brought up in ignorance, and become of little use and value to mankind. They are _here_ early taught their duty to GOD, and their country, and the respect they owe to those in authority over them. GOD has various, and to us unthought-of ways, which we poor short-sighted beings cannot fathom, to effect his purposes; but I hope I may be allowed to say, that, in all human probability, great might have been the blessing to this noble undertaking, had it pleased divine Providence to have prolonged the valuable life of the deceased Founder: but he is now no more. We have, however, no doubt of the great Father of the fatherless supplying his loss; and that your Excellency, and all well-disposed persons, especially the good people of this province, will espouse our cause, and promote our welfare. Agreeable to the plan of our deceased Benefactor, an Academy is now _begun_ to be superadded to the Orphan-house, and gentlemen of this province will have an opportunity of educating their sons under their immediate inspection, and will not be under the necessity of sending them at a great distance for that purpose, or be constantly labouring under the painful anxiety of knowing of their health and welfare, besides being probably at a greater and more uncertain expence.
The utility of this, it is humbly presumed, wants no recommendation: it is natural to love the place where we received our education, and passed our first years. If parents would therefore have the pleasure of seeing the daily progress their children make in knowledge; if they desire they should love and revere them, and have a peculiar regard for the place of their nativity; if they would preserve them from the improper liberties they may take, when removed from their authority; it surely must be most eligible to let them spend their early years under the shadow of their wings, and within the reach of their parental admonitions.
_May it please your Excellency_,
I have now in charge to return your Excellency, with all deference and humility, our most grateful acknowledgments for your kind patronage and countenance; and to assure your Excellency, that we do and will constantly pray for your happiness, wherever Providence may please to place you, unfeignedly wishing, that your Excellency may continually experience that heart-felt satisfaction which can only dwell in the breast of the humane and benevolent; and we are persuaded, when you return to your native country, our cause will not be forgotten by your Excellency.
_Honourable Sir_,¹
We should be highly wanting in gratitude, if, on this occasion, we omitted to acknowledge your unwearied and unabating attention to serve this institution from its first foundation; and we are happy that GOD has been pleased to preserve _your life_ to succeed our kind Founder, and carry into execution his truly generous intentions. Your disinterested regard to promote our real welfare is well known, and therefore I shall forbear to add, only that for your happiness, and long continuance amongst us, we daily pray.
¹ The Honourable _James Habersham_.
_Reverend Gentlemen, Gentlemen and Ladies_,
Permit me to return you our best thanks for the very kind regard you have shewn us, and to assure you, that we will endeavour to deserve the continuance of your friendship and favour.
_Sir, and Gentlemen_,¹