Pièce 40 - Letter from Adam Sedgwick

3 pp.

It has been some months since AS received a letter from Professor Selwyn informing him 'that there would be a great meeting at Cambridge in the Michaelmas, I am for the purpose of promoting a Church Mission to Southern Africa. The Bishop of Oxford, Mr Gladstone and other distinguished persons were expected to attend; and it was hoped that Prince Albert might take the chair as Chancellor of the University'. He subsequently heard that 'Gladstone's attendance was by no means certain; and without a more official communication from the Committee I did not think myself justified in troubling our Chancellor'. However, AS received another communication yesterday from the acting Secretary of the Cambridge Committee: 'I immediately forwarded his letter 'to General Grey at Balmoral; that they might be laid before the Prince'. AS indicated to the Prince that he did not know whether the plan of the Mission had arrived at a mature state, and whether it could be regarded as a general academical movement. Could WW give him any more information on the subject?