Bishopthorpe, York
One of a group of letters about the election of the Duke of Devonshire to the Chancellorship.
On embossed notepaper for Boreatton Park, Shrewsbury. - Encloses papers relating to his brother-in-law Furse Vidal, one of the Conducts of Eton College Chapel; his contract has been breached regarding preferments; asks Houghton to refer to matter to the Archbishop of York as one of the Public School Commissioners; the Vicar of Staines will approach the Attorney-General; the Provost and Fellows recognise the hardship of the case but cannot override the new Statutes; address to Gladwyn, Wrexham.
Enclosure: letter, 26 Mar. 1872, from Francis Furse Vidal to Sir Robert Alfred Cunliffe, Eton Coll[ege]. - Encloses copy of statement of case [no longer present]; is now ninth in line for a Living, below those formerly below him; was led to expect swift preferment when appointed and fears injury to health if kept in present position for long.
Whitehaven. - Very glad to see the news of the birth of Milnes' son announced in the Times; hopes Milnes and his wife will live to see their son 'develop some of the qualities which make his parents beloved to all that know them'; years have passed since he and Milnes 'met on the Danube', and he does not find that 'the union of high intelligence and kindly sympathy with others which it was easy to discover in both [his] travelling companions, is other than rare in the world'. His wife is not with him but he knows she will share his joy at the news. Returns to Oxford on Monday.
Tells her to send the papers to him, as he has not gone abroad. Explains that he is trying to cure his stammering in Cambridge. Expresses his regret at hearing of the 'inroads of illness', and remarks on how unfortunately she is situated 'in having no stock of young men near to impress', and states that at Rugby there are always recruits. Tells her to inform Arthur that he sits opposite Elliot, 'The ELLIOT [a reference to C. A. Elliott?]', in hall. Claims that he didn't know anyone there 'until Macfarlane dropped heavensent from the North Riding of Yorkshire. Claims that the people he knows have gone down for the vacation, and that he has forged Arthur's name to an order on the Union Library and buried himself in the literature of the eighteenth century. States that he is also reading 'Aids to Faith [edited by William Thomson], which seems good, except for Dr Mc Caul's contribution.' States that somebody is to be married, but he cannot remember whom, and refers to the piece of letter that he left out of his last missive.
Trin[ity] Coll[ege] Cambridge. - His brother-in-law J. G. Wilson seeks transfer from 'a very disagreeable part of St James's parish' to the country, for his family's health; Heslerton is to be offered owing to the lunacy of the present incumbent; Wilson was raised a Nonconformist in Scotland but has long been in Anglican orders; asks if Milnes will approach the Archbishop of York.
Bishopsthorpe, York. - Condolences on the death of Lady Houghton, arrangements for her funeral.
Sent from Hull to Lord Houghton at Fryston Hall, Knottingley. - Condolences on the death of Lady Houghton.
[Bishopsthorpe] - thanks him for the trouble he took over David Purton
The Vicarage, Bawtry, Yorkshire. - His brother Edmund seeks secretaryship of the National Society; asks if Houghton would mention him to the Archbishop of York; he narrowly missed high educational honours.
Queen's College, Oxford - Thanks WW for book on the 'Philosophy of Discovery' ['On the Philosophy of Discovery', 1860]: 'In another form I have long known and valued it' ['The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, Founded upon their History', 2 vols., 1840].
Letters from 22 Dec. 1882 to 6 Jan. 1883 typewritten.