The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1864] STATUE IN BIRMINGHAM. 387
resigned his position in the Post Office in consequence of the state of
his health. Six months ago he applied for six months' leave of
absence, in the hope that he might then be enabled to resume his
duties, but at the end of that period the beginning of this month
he forwarded his resignation, saying that the six months' leave of
absence had not restored him, and accompanying it with a medical
certificate that it would not be safe for him to resume his duties.
Those were the whole circumstances connected with Sir Rowland
Hill's resignation, as far as he was acquainted with them. He was
sure that he should meet with their lordships' concurrence in expressing
the deepest regret at the retirement of this able public servant.
(Hear, hear.) The name of Sir R. Hill would be inseparably connected
with the establishment of the penny post system one of the
greatest improvements of the present age which had, perhaps, conferred
more benefit on mankind than any other invention. (Hear,
hear.) Those who recollected the state of things before the penny
post would know that to the poorer classes correspondence by letter
was practically interdicted, that to the class above them the cost of a
letter was a very serious matter, and that, in the commercial and
mercantile world, intercourse was very much restricted by the expense
of correspondence. Since its first introduction, the penny post
system had been greatly extended ; facilities of all sorts were given ;
money orders and savings banks had been connected with it, and in
every way it had been largely developed. It had become popular all
over the civilized world, and with it the name of Hill would be for
ever connected. Their lordships would confirm him in expressing
the general regret which would be felt by the public at his retirement,
and the universal acknowledgment of the value of his services would,
no doubt, be a great satisfaction to Sir R. Hill. (Hear, hear.)' "
Amongst
the numerous manifestations at this
time, not the least gratifying was the meeting at
Birmingham,
at which it was determined to raise
subscriptions for the purpose of erecting
a statue
to me in some public part of that town, in which I
had passed so many of my early years. My pleasure
at this movement was not a little enhanced by the
fact that the originator of the project, the late Mr.
James Lloyd, had been, some forty years before, my
pupil.
c c 2