Item 162 - Letter from Julius Charles Hare

10 pp

Herstmonceux - 'Personal influence exercised by a man having the peculiar gifts which qualify us to exercise it, seems to me of far greater importance than anything that mere institutions can effect for the development & cultivation of all life, especially of religious life; and therefore my main question wd be where can I find an able learned & pious man endowed with those gifts? The man being found, it would be a very minor consideration whether he had the care of a parish or the superintendence of a college, though each situation wd also have its special advantages'. If JCH had a son reading for ordination, he would send him to study under John F.D. Maurice: 'For notwithstanding the disadvantage of his position in London, & of his not having the care of a parish, I shd think the blessing of being constantly with him wd far more than counter balance everything else'. JCH gives a couple of other names he approves of who would be willing to take a pupil. Regarding the Diocesan Colleges, JCH is 'convinced that they are excellent institutions; and ours, I can answer for it, has done much good, & sent out many useful clergymen'. JCH sings the praises of the Principal of his College, Mr Brown. He is an admirable person and apparently an excellent teacher: 'He looks with great repugnance & dread on the Romanizing tendencies of the age'. JCH is pleased that WW has resumed his lecturing and to large audiences. W. Taylor is an expert translator but his book on German literature is miserably shallow. JCH sees 'no prospect of a time when I shall ever be able to arrange my etymological materials; & at least according to my view of it, etymology will be a sore root for old age'.