Item 32 - Letter from H. Montagu Butler to Henry Sidgwick

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[Referring to the report of a Syndicate established to inquire into the issue of the allowing of alternatives to one of the classical languages in the Previous Examination], states the he is 'strongly in favour of the general principle embodied in Parts II and [VII]', and that it is 'highly desirable that a certain number of neither dull nor idle boys at school should be subjected to a literary training not involving both Greek and Latin, and also highly desirable that they should carry on this training afterwards at the University.' Believes that Latin should be a required subject in the Previous Examination. Suggests that where a knowledge of the Gospel in Greek is dispensed with, the alternative could be French or German rather than English, and adds that 'Bowen does a good deal of Scripture in French with his "Modern Side" ' [at Harrow]. States also that if the paper were in French or German or English, the marks given should not be equal to those given for the corresponding paper 'in the far harder Greek.'