Pièce 41 - Letter from E. A. Abbott to Marshall

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Has looked through the report of the Syndicate [established to inquire into the issue of the allowing of alternatives to one of the classical languages in the Previous Examination], and very much wishes that he could come up to Cambridge to vote for it. Agrees with the principle of parts II, III and IV, and hopes that the Report will be adopted. In relation to part II, believes that 'it will have the effect of raising the standard both of dead and of modern languages', and predicts that teachers will no longer have to inflict both Greek and Latin upon pupils 'that will never get a single literary idea from either'. Adds that French and German will gain more respect and attention also.

Believes that the 'peculiar training' given by the classical languages would now be supplied by one of the two 'dead languages'. Fears that if both were to be insisted upon as requirements for the Previous Examination, 'an increasing number of able scientific and mathematical students might find Cambridge inaccessible to them.' Expresses the wish that part IV had been in force when he was an undergraduate. Believes that the majority of headmasters will welcome the proposed changes.