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6 Hanover Square. - Sends part of forthcoming work on criticism [no longer present] in support of application for the Chair of Rhetoric and Literature at Edinburgh University; seeks Houghton's influence with Gladstone and Sir George Grey; Dr. [William?] Hanna a formidable opponent for the chair; only four and a half months residence required.

Thanks for photographs

On headed notepaper for Trinity College, Cambridge:- Had a 'very good journey', and is here with all his belongings. Is well, but has 'not got into [his] work thoroughly yet'. Everybody is now here, but there is no real news. Is 'probably coming to town on Monday', but will not stay the night. Hopes his father is well, and 'that the councils of the nation are prospering'. Is 'glad that Mr Gladstone has put his foot down on Pharaoh, so that even the Tories have to applaud'. Leaburn[?] is well, and [Eddie] Marsh will go to him next term. Will write a 'longer and more respectable letter next Sunday'.

Supposes this will be the last time he writes to her 'from here [Wixenford]'. Mr A[rnold] has let him look at the Times of the 8th, and he has read 'Papa's speech', though he 'could not get through much of the G[rand] O[ld] M[an - Gladstone]'s speech'; does hope 'his bill [the Government of Ireland Bill] will not be passed'; Gladstone 'must be a wonderfully strong man to speak for 3 hours and 25 minutes at his age'. It will be all right if they get Mr Arnold's present on Saturday. Thinks G[eorgie] is 'doing very well in his examinations', and does not see why he should not get a history prize. Expects he himself will get a history prize, but 'Mr B[owen?]' says he was 'not as good as the other boy who got the real prize'; in the [Harrow?] examination, 'those who do not pass the first paper cannot go in for the other two'; as Robert could not have passed the first one, he would not have been able to do the others, and it was in those that he came top; B[owen] says he did the last 'very well'. Sackville-West has had a bad 'feverish attack' and will not be able to do any more work this term. O'Brien took the exam at Charterhouse last Wednesday, and 'got a good place'.

40 Weymouth Street - London Library closed for cleaning, forwarding Guizot's Essais sur l'histoire de France, Mrs Baynes' book, Gladstone losing his temper

Coombe Grove: heard that Gladstone always intended to make H M Butler Master of Trinity.

Explains the delay in replying to Patterson's letter as being due to 'a difficulty about finding appropriate topics of Consolation - suitable to the unfortunate situation, private and public, which [his] letter depicts.' States that the prevailing idea [in England] is that there is to be no war; and 'that Russia is to have her way in Bulgaria...' Believes that Patterson's colleagues 'will be spared the necessity of going into military quarters', and reports that now 'there appear to be the first mutterings of another scare about Affghanistan [sic].' In relation to Patterson's private troubles, i.e., the small size of his class, states that at Oxford and Cambridge they 'are beginning to consider that it is rather in a Professor's favour if he only gets a small class: it is a sign that his loyalty to his subject is too strong to allow him to degrade it by popularizing it.' In relation to his other problem, i.e., the length of time his lectures take and the fact that he has been called upon to lecture on English literature, to which task he feels himself inadequate, Sidgwick charges Patterson with being 'the laziest of men', but someone who, when he makes up his mind to do some work, 'is very exacting in its thoroughness'. Asks if he would like 'an opportunity of getting out of [his] position'. Reports that in England they 'are keeping her Majesty's jubilee in a rather unjubilant frame of mind.' Refers to the state of things in Ireland in negative terms, and to Gladstone, who is 'agitating for Parnell with the reckless impetuosity of his [in every sense] green old age'. Admits to being doubtful about his brother-in-law's [A.J. Balfour] prospects in relation to coercion, the failure of which will cause his career to be a failure. Predicts that if it succeeds 'the "left wing" of the patriots are likely to dynamite him.' Asks Patterson to send some more news of himself. Tells him that Mrs Sidgwick send her kind remembrances. With envelope. (2 docs)

36 Norfolk Road, Lower Road, Islington. - Asks Houghton to fulfil his offer of assistance by mentioning Smith to Gladstone; seeks secretaryship or similar post. Mr Stansfeld introduced Smith to Thornton Hunt, who will try to obtain a parliamentary reportership for him.

177: Letter from William Henry Gladstone to Lord Houghton, 24 Sept. 1868.

The Shiffolds. - Is sending the Prime Minister a report of a speech given by his father at the Whitefriars Club dinner, about forty years ago, which he recently found amongst his papers. If Churchill has not seen it before, thinks he will be interested in what Sir George Trevelyan said about his father Randolph, for whom Trevelyan thinks his father 'had a real affection as well as admiration'. Sir George once told him how, just after Gladstone brought in his first Home-Rule Bill, he walked away from the House with Lord Randolph; they had to part ways at the bottom of St James's Street but stood there for some time while Lord Randolph gave him a forecast of what would happen. Robert supposes 'his prophecy did not include the Parnell divorce case', but Sir George said practically everything else came true. The Prime Minister knows Robert's brothers, but he expects he will not remember him, though they must have been at Harrow together for some years.

Budget speeches, 1885-1892; printed speeches by G. J. Goschen, 1887-1891; press reports on Goschen's visit to Cambridge. 15 Oct. 1891; press reports of touring speeches by Goschen, Feb.-July 1892 (two of these, in the Glasgow Herald, also contains report of James Parker Smith's Parliamentary candidature); press reports of touring speeches by W. E. Gladstone in Scotland, July 1892.

Question of separating the sees of Gloucester and Bristol

Refers to an enclosed cheque [not included], which he sends with gratitude. Informs him that his 'Socrates or anything else' will be welcome. Refers to the 'rage and fury in the Whig tea-cup at Gladstone's resolutions'. Mentions that he breakfasted with the latter that morning, 'and found him wholly absorbed in an eager controversy with a learned [not odious] Jew pundit as to the [comparative] sense of colour-differences in ancient times.

On headed notepaper for Wallington, Cambo, Northumberland]: - Thinks they will have their 'quarter marks' today; will tell her them at the end of the letter. Does not think he can come out second, though he might manage third or fourth. Thinks Charlie will also be placed today. Came third in the 'house small-hundreds', very close to Mitchell, who was second. Charlie won the house long-jump; he would not have done so if Henry 'had not sprained himself', but he still 'jumped very well; he also came second in the house hurdles.

[Writing later] He has returned from school, but he has not had his quarter marks. Was third last week. Will not hear their quarter marks until next Monday. Has 'got a composition copy', though could not win the prize as he got it last term; Moss says that he was 'really first'. Vanity [A. G. Watson] has gone to Greece, so Moss took them last week. It has been 'rather hot for the last few days'.

Gladstone is coming to tea with Welldon this evening; there is 'a crowd of chairs [?] waiting to see him'. Robert will bring some of his verses back. Hopes his grandfather is well.

[Sent from Munich]:- Presumes that, since no letter was forwarded to him from Göttingen, there is a slim chance of his meeting up with his brothers in Switzerland. Asks her to let them know that he is anxious to hear of their plans. His own plans are 'an excursion to the Bavarian lakes, returning to Munich', and also a trip to Pontresina, where he intends to stay until 22 August. States that he if does not hear from Arthur and William there, he shall probably go to Zermatt and Riffelberg and 'homewards along the Rhone Valley to Geneva.' Claims that he finds it hard to leave Germany 'in this exciting time.' Reports that he could not go to Göttingen, as the lines were too much occupied with the transport of soldiers. States that he got to Nuremberg 'with some difficulty'. Claims to be very well, that he has 'left off' working and that he enjoys seeing the German towns, and hearing the talk of the people. Remarks that it is 'a grand time for Germany', in that 'the whole people is at length united in a just cause'. Reports that the bad feeling against England on account of 'sham-neutrality' is great, and does not think that it will easily be forgotten. Finds it 'rather disagreeable', especially as he sympathises with this attitude and thinks that Gladstone 'has been weak.' Considers coming to England at the end of the month. Adds that they are expecting a decisive battle. Believes that if Napoleon is beaten, 'he will make peace at once, if he can.' States that the doubt relates to whether the Germans will make peace without exacting when Napoleon cannot grant. Predicts that if Napoleon wins this battle, 'the war may last indefinitely.'

Reports that Paul's letter of 30 November has been forwarded to him [in Cheltenham]. Claims that he would be very happy to be associated with the gentlemen whose names Paul mentioned, but fears the F[ree] C[hristian] U[nion] being turned into 'a new [ ] denomination.' Also maintains that he is so busy with other affairs that he would not be able to do much in relation to the matter. Expresses his regret at seeing 'these men dropping off', but is [no?] longer so hopeful as before of an enlargement of the Church of England from within, and thinks that 'perhaps the more vigorously it is attacked from without the better.' Presumes that the Bishop of Ely [Harold Browne] 'cannot relieve [Mr] Clarke of his orders.' Mentions to deprivation of orders and to Parliament's role in the matter. Refers to some twenty-five years previously when a member of the House of Commons brought in a bill for enabling the giving up of Orders, and Wilson wrote to Gladstone about it, but the latter 'was not then favourable to a relaxation'. Claims that in the case of the Church of England, which is publicly endowed, 'the regulation of the legal obligations of ordination is quite as much within the competence of the legislature...as of those of subscription'. Agrees with Sidgwick about the articles in Paul's book. Refers to its form, and believes that the subject of Public Worship [in one of the essays] 'will prove a very arduous one.'

Informs Sidgwick that Macmillan and Co. are planning to publish a series of school primers on 'the more prominent Greek authors; Jebb is to produce the primer on Sophocles, Gladstone is to undertake that on Homer, and a friend of Green's is to write on Herodotus. Asks Sidgwick to undertake to produce a primer on Plato. States the aim of the series to be the fostering of 'a more popular interest in these subjects...and a more intelligent study of them' in schools. Mentions that he has been reading Dowden's primer on Shakespeare, and remarks on how informative and interesting it is. Explains the terms of payment which the company offers.

32 Osborne Terrace, Clapham Road. - Is the widow of the illustrator George Cattermole; encloses letter to Gladstone seeking pension [no longer present]; has no friend since the death of Dickens; Lord Lytton does not support the present Government and Mr [Henry Austen?] Layard is at Munich; offers to send original unsuccessful pension drawn up by Dickens; Mrs Thomas the artist's widow received a pension at the time. Postscript: original petition signed by artists and writers was intended for Disraeli; a copy was sent to Gladstone in January 1869 after Disraeli left office.

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.

30, Bruton Street, W. - The news of Bob's engagement was 'most exciting and delightful'; found the letter as he was leaving home and was 'so thrilled by the first words that [he] read it under a lamppost, as Mr Gladstone read "Treasure Island"'. Bob's description is 'perfect', and Marsh has 'already chosen the costume to imagine [him] in, which will make [him] a Jarburg [?] young gentleman to the life'. Looks forward to meeting 'Mrs Bob', and as Bob says is sure they will have no trouble in making friends. Hopes Bob will draw as 'attractive a picture' of Marsh to her. Afraid this will give Bob an 'added reason for being miserable abt this awful war [the Second Boer War'; thinks he is lucky to be remote from news. The 'third bad defeat this week was announced this morning': London is 'deeply gloomy', all the conversation in the street is about the war, and his own 'official circle is even more despondent than the rest of the world'. This though makes it 'all the pleasanter' to think of Bob's happy feelings. Wishes he had said more of his future plans; hopes he will soon return to [his fiancée's] 'marshy fatherland'; wonders whether he will settle in England or near Amsterdam 'as Sanger hopes' and 'received the Brethren [Cambridge Apostles] from Saturday to Monday].

Thanks Nora for having sent a copy of 'the Memoir of one whom I regarded with so much esteem and affection [Henry Sidgwick: a Memoir]. Is at present 'deep in Morley's Life of Gladstone ', and also has Mathilde Serao's Il Paese di Gesù [to read]. Reports that her health is still good, but is aware of a deterioration in her mental and physical strength over the previous six months. Reports that her nephew, Charles Cannan, with his wife and family, have taken lodgings in the vilage for three weeks around Easter, which pleases her greatly. Relates that their hills [in Westmorland] are still covered in snow, but that the valleys are green and the roads are again passable for pedestrians. Asks Nora to burn any old letters of hers that she finds. Adds that she is glad to hear 'tolerable accounts of [the] William Sidgwicks and of Arthur.' Tells her not to be overworking herself.

Reports that he has decided 'with much regret' that he cannot leave Cambridge during the coming vacation, as he is too busy. Had intended to come down to her, but explains that about two weeks previously he had a bad attack of indigestion while he was trying to finish some work. Though he was recovering after taking a holiday, he wanted to see a doctor before resolving to work through the vacation and, on going to London 'on the business of Miss Clough's new house [for female students in Cambridge], consulted Gladstone's doctor, Andrew Clark, about his health. The latter diagnosed 'a tendency to rheumatic gout', put him on a strict diet, but let him go back to Cambridge to work.

Hopes to have 'a really good holiday' in the Long Vacation. Asks for news of Arthur; declares that he ought to be coming to England about that time. Refers to events at Rugby, and the attacks in the newspapers thereon. Claims that it was 'a clever trick of Hayman's lawyers to put the matter into Malins' court: no other judge would have allowed so much [ ] talk about the merits of a case which he knew he was not going to try on it's [sic] merits.' Hopes that she has been feeling well and it getting through her [ ] of removal'. Asks her to let him know of 'any Rugby or domestic news', and if she hears anything about Temple. Declares that he is sorry for him

Hagley - now understands Blakesley's argument, Gladstone visiting, will send "dues" with his brother

17/18 U[pper] B[rook] S[treet]. - Has removed Blake's broadside ballad [i.e. relief etching of Hayley's Little Tom the Sailor?] from the lot sold to the Museum, as [Severn?] indicated that Milnes would like it; has great pleasure in presenting it; regrets absence from Milnes' breakfast as he had to visit Oxford to vote for Gladstone. Postscript: would like to borrow Milnes' American De Quincey; hopes MIlnes liked Ionica.

Trinity:- Will go to Wallington on the 11th [Aug] and be there ready for the 12th [grouse shooting?]; supposes George will go up on Tuesday. Hopes they had a 'successful dinner' last Friday, and that 'Gladstone enjoyed himself, and was in good conversational form for G[eorge] to hear'. George's visit to Cambridge was 'very pleasant'; Robert thinks he will 'take on his predecessor's furniture', which is 'reasonably good'. Asks his mother to thank Booa [Mary Prestwich] for the parkin if she is still in London.

Welldon was in Cambridge yesterday to preach the University sermon: he 'did his very best, and certainly it was a remarkable performance', in which he said 'the lord had kept the good wine of Christianity until now, and that we had only had the bad wine hitherto'. Also implied that 'if he was allowed to run the old business, he would run it on new and original lines, in such a way as would astonish the world', and 'deplored the fact' that 'just when Christianity was ready for a new development', it was usually 'in bad odour with a large part of the world'.

Hopes his father is 'keeping well and strong'; supposes the work is ;just as hard, though the excitement is not as great'.

Welcombe, Stratford on Avon. - Bessy read them Robert's account of the Maharajah at breakfast, and Sir George received the letter from Benares [Varanasi]; he himself was there, but probably only between trains; Warren Hastings was there longer and liked it less. Has a vague recollection of a ghaut [ghat], a little like Robert's postcards. That was fifty years ago and much has changed; today is Gladstone's birthday, and it says much about the man that he is remembered 'half a generation after his death'. Sorry that [Goldsworthy Lowes] Dickinson was so ill; hopes he is 'permanently right again' now. In the future, Robert will be glad to have got to know a 'great native household' [that of the Maharajah of Chhatapur], rather than going to Burma; he himself prefers his 'thorough, and rather dearly-earned knowledge of Calcutta' than to have seen more, 'even more romantic objects'. Their journey south on Friday was 'arduous' but went well; Julian behaved perfectly and enjoyed it very much. Is reading the later volume of Gibbon, and more or less agrees with Robert that 'they are a stately bridge between the ancient and the modern world'; keeps thinking what a 'bright man of the world' Gibbon was.