A MELANCHOLY END,

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1314, 24 October 1883, Page 4

A MELANCHOLY END,

An inquest was held recently at the Melbourne Hospital by Dr Youl, the

city coroner, upon the body of Benjamin ■ Purser, aged ibrfcy-one, a teacher of classics, who died in the institution on the previous day, he having been taken there from a house where he lodged in Latrobe street. The deceased was well connected, and was a University man, but was of dissolute habits, and for a long time was a hard drinker. He was in receipt of remittances from Home, but was occasionally reduced to great straits. It appeared from letters found among his effects, written by Professor Edward Dowden,' L.L.D., professor of Eug ish literature in the University of Dublin, F. Hewson Hall, M.A., L.L.D., head master of Portarlinwton School, and Professor R. Y.

iyrvell, Fellow Trinity College, professor of Latin, that the deceased was a distinguished graduate of the University of Dublin, and that he obtained a classical scholarship and moderatorship and gold medal. As an undergraduate he obtained honors in scienco as well as in classics, and his acquaintrnce with German and French literature was remarkable, while he was a vigorous student of mental science. ; Since taking his degree he had pursued* various studies with disinterested zeal, and had : had large : experience as a teacher. He was: for some years first classical -master in- porfcarlington School, was an excellent linguist, and had a s vei'y extensive knowledge of. modern languages and of science. He took university scholarship in 1860,, mpderatorship in 1863, having besides obtained numerous honors and prizes in his university courses. He gained all the highest distinctions in Trinity College, Dublin, and in the open competition for the India Civil Service he gained the greatest number of marks in Greek ever scored at that examination. Evidence was gi^en by Kosa Spmks, of Latrobe street, to the effect that the deceased had resided with her mother for abbut eighteen months, and that he was unmarried.' He drank to excess, but not so much the past couple of months. • On Friday he was seized with illness, and was unable to speak. A medical man was called in, who advised ' his Veraoval to'the hospital, where he was taken. He had a few pupils- to "whom: he taught^Greek and had about i>7tXßs in the savings bank. He obtained his r^mittancelb through the Bank' of New South Wales. Tlie niedicaV evidence to the effect' that the braiti of 'the djeceased wfiighed 58oz£., ' ' rind softened generally. The'<sause;of death » was serous apoplexy. The juVy. found accordingly. ' >; ■■■• '"