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Edinburgh - Thanks WW for his second round of comments on JDF's paper ['The Danger of Superficial Knowledge; an Introductory Lecture to the Course of Natural Philosophy in the University of Education', delivered on November 1 and 2, 1848: See JDF to WW, 19 Oct. 1848]. He is particularly grateful for WW exposing the obscurity of some of his arguments. However, 'whilst you justly convict me in one instance of using Macaulay's terms of profundity and shallowness as applied to the attainments of great men in different ages, my thesis is exactly that which you so well state that 'the knowledge of later times is more advanced, more extended: but not more profound, necessarily, except in more profound minds'. You add that you doubt whether I shall easily allow this; but it indeed expresses my very meaning'. 'Lord Brougham is a perfect index to the grand distinction between knowledge and wisdom' and personifies 'the very beau-ideal of Macaulay's 19th Century man'.

12 Thistle Grove, West Brompton, S. W. - Met Houghton at Cannes when she was governess to Lord Brougham's nephews; he lent her the evidence to the Schools Committee and sang one of his songs; she now wants to give private readings from Shakespeare and seeks an interview.

29 Beaufort St, Chelsea:- Has just returned from Harrow, where he goes to 'get a game [of football] once a week' to keep himself 'very fit in body and mind'. Bowen had got up a 'team of masters and old boys' against the boys of his house, 'which is very good this year'. Robert's team were 'Somehow' beaten 6-0, but Bowen 'covered himself with glory, playing better than he has done for years'; he also told Robert he 'played like a hero'.

Met Charlie in the morning at the B[ritish] M[useum] Library, 'getting up the question of State Railways'; he is 'much interested in a scheme for a progressive periodical [the Progressive Review] which [William] Clarke, late of the Chronicle, and a young Socialist, [Ramsay?] MacDonald, are going to start next year. It is to be to these dregs of times what the Edinburgh Review was to be to those other dark days'. It 'promises to do well', and Robert wishes it 'God-speed', though they say it 'has as yet no Brougham, much less its Sidney Smith'. Bernard Shaw, whom Robert saw recently in a restaurant, told him 'with his usual superb egotism', that if they had wanted the paper to succeed, they ought to have asked him to 'write a series of articles, as he knew the secret of making a splash and drawing the gaze of the public'. However, 'Clarke cant stand G.B.S., calling him an anarchist and a Jacobin', and Shaw is a 'little piqued at being out of it'.

[Roger] Fry has a cold today and has taken to his bed 'as he always does at the slightest alarm'; this is sensible as 'his colds are both more sudden and more formidable than other people's'. He is doing well otherwise, and has 'just finished some theatrical scenery for a friend [a pencil note suggests this is 'Badley - [at] Bedales']' - the wood in Midsummer Night's Dream] - which is as good as anything Robert has seen by him, 'though you can't get very rich colour effects in tempera'. Their next door neighbours, Ricket[t]s and Shannon, have 'just brought out a magazine... a single Christmas number [The Pageant]' for which they have obtained contributions from 'all the great names in the literary and artistic word' such as Swinburne, Bridges, Maeterlinck, Verlaine, Burne Jones and Watts. There is 'some fine work in it, and some very queer'; Robert's friend [Thomas Sturge] Moore has two short poems included, though Robert does not think them his best. Will show his parents the magazine when they return. Shannon and Ricketts are 'taking to publishing poetry'; he believes they 'make a great success', and hopes that knowing them 'might be useful in the future'.

Is putting this letter into an envelope he finds 'on C[harles]'s table' with his parents' name on it but not yet their address. Expects they will soon be in Rome. Is going to see Aunt Annie [Philips] next week' does not plan to go abroad as he is 'very well, and do not feel the cold'. He will go to Welcombe for a few days, but otherwise stay in London unless 'the frost gives [him] colds'. Is glad their travelling is going so well, and that they like Gregorovius: it is 'always pleasant work welcoming a new historical star', though he doubts this one is 'of the first magnitude'.

Marton, Bridlington. - Requests letter of introduction to Lord Brougham; leaving shortly to winter in Cannes.

Brougham and James Smith both writing against Monk , Duke and Duchess of Gloucester visiting Trinity for the Commencement

Edinburgh - JDF did his best to look after Professor Plücker [Julius Plücker] of Bonn: 'He seemed pleased with my optical apparatus which is now pretty complete and in the Airy [George Airy] fashion'. Thanks WW for reading his memorandum for the Philosophical Magazine [on heat]. Professor Powell [Baden Powell] 'much to my gratification, disclaims in toto the colour which the reporter has given to his account of my experiments in the Phil. Mag....I don't know what Murphy [Robert Murphy] says. It is only lately that I have grown jealous of any little credit my polarizing might bring me'. JDF is sorry he has not acted sooner on WW's suggestions for tides but will endeavour to get it established. George Airy has asked JDF for advice on taking magnetic observations, can WW make sure he received JDF's reply. He spent a day with Mr Harcourt [Vernon Harcourt] and urged him to work hard in securing a good attendance at Bristol for the forthcoming BAAS meeting: 'I think the place ill chosen, but yet that it may be one of the best in point of science'. What does WW think of Lord Brougham's book?: 'it is certainly remarkable'. WW should not enlarge his mechanics which JDF still expects it to sell well in Edinburgh. JDF still hopes to publish on the Pyrenean hot waters. He has been examining his thermometer in Bessel's [Friedrich Bessel] way 'which does not do much credit to Troughton [Edward Troughton] and Simms [William Simms] 'standard''.

Library of the H[ouse] of C[ommons]'. - Need not tell his uncle how much he felt on hearing about his illness, and how 'heartily glad' he was to see his handwriting again. This morning was declared to be 'duly elected for Calne' by an Election Committee chaired by Charles Wynne [sic: Charles Williams-Wynn]; the petition of Colonel Cheyney [sic: Edward Cheney, defeated candidate] 'narrowly escaped being voted frivolous & vexatious'.

Brougham's 'elevation [to the House of Lords] - or rather descent, for such it really is - leaves the empire of the H of C to be scrambled for, and I shall certainly take part in the scramble'. Gave 'that impudent Croker a dressing some days ago which the house received very well'. Differs a little from his uncle on Lord Althorp's qualifications for the post of leader: Althorp has 'improved within my own memory as a speaker' and is therefore probably much better than in his uncle's time, and 'A mind more perfectly sound and just - stronger principles and greater clearness in explaining a point - are not to be found in the House of Commons'. Further praise of Althorp. Would 'never have done for us to act under Palmerston, coming in as we do, on the question of reform, to which he is a very recent, and as yet very suspected convert'

London; sent to 'Mrs Babington', Rothley Temple. - Thanks her for the note and cheese, which are 'both excellent [in] their way. The cheese is the best [that] I ever ate'. Sends love to his uncle and cousins; is 'extremely obliged' to his uncle for his letters, though thinks 'he is a little mistaken as to Brougham's having suffered in character by his promotion. In influence and power he has certainly suffered'.

Acknowledges Monks payment to be a life member of Trinity, has a favourable opinion of the new Lord Chancellor

Volume with the title page "The Lyndhurst Papers used by Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B. in writing The Life of Lord Lyndhurst published in 1884." The letters and writings have been tipped in and pasted in with cutouts to show both sides. The letters include those from Queen Victoria (to Lady Lyndhurst), Earl Grey, George Washington (to J. S. Copley senior), George Canning, the Duke of Wellington, T. B. Macaulay, the Earl of Aberdeen, Sir Robert Peel, King William (1835), Prince Albert, Maria Edgeworth, Lord Brougham, the Earl of Derby, and W. E. Gladstone.

Enquiring about 'a bill of L[ord] Brougham's respect[ing] Slavery....'

5 Tavistock Terrace, Upper Holloway. - Is 'the most unfortunate author in... literary history'; Milnes must sympathise on reading enclosed statement; also encloses note from Rev. John P. Wilson. Is humiliated by having to seek aid in this way despite endorsement of a bishop. Postscript: last Saturday's Oxford Herald contains appeal by the Fellows of Magdalen; appends list of donors.

'Extraordinary Statement addressed to the patrons of Literature in behalf of a well-known historian', containing copies of letters from the bishops of St. David's, London and Llandaff, Lords Ashley and Brougham, the Earls of Clarendon and Haddington, Lord Francis Egerton and Hugh James Rose, Mar.-Jun. 1841, as well as critical opinions on Dunham's writings. Printed, 2 ff. [1842?]

Letter from John Posthumous Wilson to Dunham, 17 Apr. 1842, Magdalen College, Oxford. Sends £4; he and Mr Faber will advertise case in the Oxford Herald. 2 ff.

Lincoln's Inn - introduction to Lord Brougham for Blakesley

Christopher Wordsworth has spoken with Henry Reeve, William Wood has counselled against a controversy with the 'Edinburgh Review', Brougham and Sydney Smith looked on as demi-gods by the 'Edinburgh Review'

Edinburgh - JDF has decided to become a candidate for the Principalship of the United Colleges of St. Andrews, to be vacated by Sir David Brewster (who is to become the new Principal of Edinburgh): 'May I ask you to use any influence you may have with Sir George Lewis (or Lady Theresa Lewis) or with any other member of the government. But it is stated to be directly in the gift of the Home Secretary'. The next most influential figure is Lord Brougham, who 'was yesterday elected chancellor of this university by a large majority'.

HB has been looking at WW's Bridgewater Treatise and has a query regarding his discussion of the law of centripetal force. He would like a note of WW's analysis.

Thanks WW for his kind letter and hopes he really can do something for him [one of the candidates for the Professorship at St. Andrews in Natural Philosophy]. The evidence [for the discovery of Neptune] is decisively in favour of John Couch Adams.

When they last met HB should have mentioned Mr Rodrich - a young friend of HB's - who is going to Cambridge: 'I am anxious he should be made known to you whether he enters at Trinity or not'.

Is the book WW mentioned the one on Natural Theology reviewed in the new Quarterly Review? HB thought WW spoke of it as a book on morals and general jurisprudence.