Stuk 222 - Letter from Henry Sidgwick to F. W. H. Myers

1 doc

Explains his failure to write to Myers lately; he has been involved in 'memorializing Gladstone: entreating him to investigate and reform [Cambridge University] without unnecessary preludes and prefaces.' Reports that they collected one hundred and ten signatures, but that it fell to him, who has come to be regarded as 'Perpetual chief clerk and servant of all work' of the Liberal Party in Cambridge, to collect them. Declares that he thought Myers' circular 'excellent'. [Note in Myers' hand explains that the circular is of the Corresponding Society; 'Cambridge men teach young women [by] correspondence. Each sent out a circular to his pupils.'] Tells Myers to estimate his expenditure of time and trouble on the project.

Thanks him for [James] Saumarez' letter, which disposes him to accept Jebb's insight that Saumarez' nature resembles Myers'. [Notes in Myers' hand: 'I hope there is some truth in this', and 'letter later forthcoming - consisted principally of good advice....'] Announces that Arthur is to come [to Oxford] the following day. States that now that [Arthur and others] 'have got their Board ['the "promising Body" ', according to Myers], the puzzle is how to fashion it into an offensive [a reference to Arthur Sidgwick and other masters at Rugby's struggle against the head of the school, Henry Hayman].'

In relation to the women installed in Cambridge under his scheme for female education, whom he refers to as his 'Garden of Flowers' [referred to by Myers as Sidgwick's 'harem or collection of girls reading at Cambridge'], reports that 'Miss Kennedy yearns to attend Wards (Clough) Catholic ritual by herself on Sunday night, and [Sidgwick and others] refuse...' Predicts that 'Restraint of Liberty' for the women will be a problem in the future. Refers also to 'Emily Davies and the inevitable complication of educational machinery'. Announces that he intends to go to J.A. Symonds 'on the 26th', and is glad that he will also see Myers.

In relation to Middlemarch, claims that he feels he could have planned the story much better: does not think that the 'Dryasdust hero [Casaubon] need have been more than, say, thirty-five, and he might have had an illusory halo of vague spiritual aspirations; the ending could have been made just as tragic'. Says 'the style is the finest intellectual cookery'.

Praise Myers' 'French verses', and asks how he does them; he himself could not, despite having had 'the finest classical education'.

Part transcription in Sidgwick, Arthur, and Sidgwick, E. M, 'Henry Sidgwick'. London: Macmillan, 1906, p 255-256.