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Broadlands. - Lord Palmerston acknowledges Houghton's application in favour of Dr [Charles?] Badham for Charterhouse headmastership; the Dean of Westminster [Richard Chenevix Trench] is to be the new Archbishop of Dublin.

Containing tributes to the late Lord Houghton and Archbishop Trench.

thanks him for his equestrian sketch, the portrait of [Richard Chenevix?] Trench and the Discourse

Itchenstoke - RCT apologises for his unceremonious leavetaking at Trinity Lodge last week, but he felt he should make room for late comers. He has been informed by the Bishop of Oxford, 'a few days since, of the purpose of Government to issue such a Commission [into the universities] as you have alluded to. Indeed he spoke of it, & apparently with knowledge, as already issued. He did not think that Ministers had any purpose of again attempting to compel the universities to admit Dissenters - but that the expressed purpose of the commission would be to enquire whether the universities could not be made, as regarded the members of the Church, more adequate to the needs of the present time. I am not aware whether the Bishop knew who the members of the commission were or would be. He only stated that no one concerned with the University Education would have any place on it - & that it would contain a good number of sufficiently unfriendly names'.

Itchenstoke - RCT wishes to offer himself as a candidate for the vacant Theological Professorship at Cambridge - 'that is, supposing that Archdeacon Hare [Julius Hare] should not be a candidate. Should he determine to offer himself for the post, in that case every motive of respect & affection to him, & of interest in the theological well being of my university, would hinder me from putting myself forward as competitor, (which would be absurd) with him. Perhaps I might have a line from you to say what steps I ought to take for the purpose of officially declaring myself a Candidate, & whether I ought to announce my intention to each one of the electors'. RCT took great pleasure in WW's (anonymous) review of his Sacred Latin Poetry - 'both for the articles sake itself, & for the sake of it, as coming from you'. He also thanks WW for his volume on Induction: 'The subject lies only too far out of the line of my studies; but I can still perceive how much is at issue, how much more than at first sight might seem, in your differences with Mill [John S. Mill]. My sympathies, (I dare not in my ignorance of the subject use a stronger word) are altogether with you'.

London - RCT has received a letter from Julius Hare declaring that he is still interested in offering himself as a candidate for the vacant Theological Professorship at Cambridge [see RCT to WW, 7 November 1849].

Printed pamphlet of poems, with preface by F. W. H. Myers.

Herstmonceux - JCH is very pleased with the appointment of Alfred Ollivant as the Bishop of Llandaff - 'a most conscientious appointment it seems to me, on the part of Lord John [Russell]'. JCH's 'first wish was that Trench [Richard C. Trench] shd succeed him in the Professorship [of Theology]; for Maurice [John F. D. Maurice] seemed to me out of the question. However, after talking over the matter with Esther [Hare] in the morning, I was brought to wish that I might myself be allowed to take part in helping to work out the new system in my beloved University. At the last election it seemed to me that I had no right to come forward in opposition to a man so far superior to me in theological learning as Mill [William Hodge Mill]'. However, although JCH knows 'that in many things his claims are higher, I shd not shrink from opposing him. For I cannot think that his doctrinal views are those which are the most likely to promote the cause of Christian truth in our days'. JCH's 'own views have become much firmer of late years, and I have a securer knowledge of the foundations on which my doctrines rest. The many testimonials of gratitude & affection which I have received from students of Divinity at Cambridge encourage me to think that, if I were living amongst them & opening my heart & mind to them, I might render them service in helping them to steer among the quicksands by which theological speculation in these days is best. And it might be of some use to shew them that one may admit and recognise whatever is true and valuable in German theology, and yet retain a strong conviction of all the positive truths of the Gospel. Many signs show that this is one of the main perils of our days; & we cannot escape it by turning away from it. We must face it dauntlessly & overcome it'. Obviously JCH will not stand for the theological chair if WW is considering it. Would it be possible for JCH to take a B.D degree, or a D.D. in time to be qualified for becoming a candidate?'. Could he take the Professorship with his current living?

Herstmonceux - Notwithstanding all that WW has kindly said to him with with regard to entertaining vain hopes of gaining the Professorship in Theology [see JCH to WW, 31 October 1849], JCH 'cannot quite bring myself at once to give up the desire I had been led to cherish of doing something in my latter years in the service of the University to which I owe so much love & gratitude. Nor was there any one, among the candidates whom you mentioned, whose success would comfort me, as Trench's [Richard C. Trench] would, under my own disappointment'.

Cambridge - recovered from illness, [James] Spedding failed [Fellowship examination], College tutors, [Apostles] "grievously thinned", [John] Sterling's son may be apostolic, Spedding taking drawing lessons, [Richard Chenevix] Trench has preached in W. B. Donne's area, death of Arthur Hallam, Tennyson depressed, left some poems with him, George Farish "professes to read law and practices ... the smoking of cigars", Christopher Wordsworth full of modern Greek literature

25 Weymouth Street - paid Donne's account at Mortlock's in Cambridge, health of Trench, Trench's Medieval Church History, grandchildren, Sellar's Roman Poets of the Augustan Age

Herstmonceux - Thanks WW for his invitation to Cambridge but will not be able to come due to illness and various people visiting. The wife of John D.F. Maurice is extremely ill and may die. JCH presumes WW is lecturing this term on moral philosophy. 'Worsley [Thomas Worsley] & Trench [Richard C. Trench] are admirable additions to the theological strength of the university, & I hope will be good watchdogs against the Oxford hysteroproterites. I am very glad you concur so entirely with my church-views'.

RCT [Professor of Divinity at Kings College, London] 'owed so much to yourself in the second edition of my little book [possibly 'On the Study of Words', 1851 or 'Exposition of the Sermon on the Mount drawn from the Writings of St. Augustine, with Observations', 2nd edition 1851 (1844)]. RCT is 'very much pleased that you had already recognized that curious process of word formation to which I have alluded, and am obliged for the future examples you have given'.

Notting Hill, London - WW 'must have felt some sympathy with us during the late distressing proceedings at King's College. Now in regard to what is personal in them, Maurice's [Frederick D. Maurice] friends may do what they like to show their affection for him; but it wd of course be unbecoming in me to take any part in such a demonstration: indeed I have felt convinced all along that to him this trial wd be only a purificatory process to fit him for the higher work appointed for him. But so far as the decision affects the church, I see no impropriety in my coming forward, along with others, to do what we can toward averting the evils which seem to me likely to ensue from it. For if the decision is acquiesced in without any protest or remonstrance, - if it is to be held that the belief in the everlasting duration of the torments of hell is an essential article of the faith of our Church, - I cannot but anticipate that the great mass of the thought and intellect of England, which of late years has been drawing nearer to the Church, and among divers classes, in no small measure, through the influences of M's [Maurice's] teaching, will be more and more alienated from her, and that many of the best men who were precarious to doubt themselves to her ministry, will seek refuge out of her pale, in Romanism or some form of pantheistic speculation. In the hope of doing something to counteract this, I have been taking counsel with Trench [Richard C. Trench] and some others; and have thought that a Protest, somewhat like the accompanying Draft, might be of great use, if, as we hope, it cd get a large body of signatures, weighty both from the character and from the number of signers'. What does WW think of such a measure and would he join it?

Anglesey, nr. Gosport - RCT would be tempted to stand for the Hulsean Lectureship at Cambridge if he felt he had a chance [he was invited to give them in 1845]. He remembers the kind welcome he received from WW two years ago: 'Of course it is exceedingly probable that you may have some one in your eye infinitely fitter for the task'. They are expecting a visit next week from Julius Hare and his bride.

Trinity College - Sends WW a volume of his work [either Poems from Eastern Sources, 1842, or Genoveva, 1842].

Itchenstoke - Due to his work at King's College [Professor of Divinity at King's College, London], RCT, 'could not find room in the year for the preparation and delivery of fifteen additional lectures on such a subject as Moral Philosophy, I have determined not to offer myself as a candidate for the vacant Chair'. However, he thanks WW for suggesting that he should apply.

Westminster - Since WW and Lady Affleck will be in London next week, RCT [Dean of Westminster] hopes WW 'will take a personal share in our Election proceedings this year; and may we hope for the pleasure of you and Lady Affleck's company to dinner on Saturday next to meet Elector & examiners as in former years'. Could WW give him the reference to a passage, he thinks in WW's Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences, to do with terminology and nomenclature - 'I want to make some use of it'.

Westminster - It is important that the new Mastership of the College should be from Westminster.

Itchenstoke - William's letter of invitation to stay at the Lodge followed him to his new home living on the banks of the river Itchen - 'which I owe to the kindness of Lord Ashburton'. If Mrs Trench can leave their home and seven children it will be a pleasure to accept WW's invitation.

Re memorial to William Makepeace Thackeray.

Westminster - RCT hopes WW will be personally present at the election this year.