CHAPTER XXIV. 1866—1867. AGED 47-48. CAMBRIDGE-DEATH OF DR. WHEWELL-THE AMERICAN PROFESSORSHIP MONOTONOUS LIFE OF THE COUNTRY LABOURING CLASS-PENNY READINGS -STRANGE CORRESPONDENTS-LIFE OF BEWICK-LETTERS TO MAX MÜLLER -THE JEWS IN CORNWALL-THE METEOR SHOWER-LETTER TO PROFESSOR ADAMS AND SERMON IN THE CHAPEL ROYAL-THE HOUSE OF LORDS-A FATHER'S EDUCATION OF HIS SON" FRASER'S MAGAZINE ”—BIRD Life, WOOD WRENS-NAMES AND PLACES--DARWINISM-BEAUTY OF Colour, its INFLUENCE AND ATTRACTIONS-FLAT-FISH-ICE PROBLEMS-BAGSHOT SANDS - ST. ANDREWS AND BRITISH ASSOCIATION--ABERGELDIE CASTLE-SCOTTISH ANTIQUITIES-HORACE FIELD'S HEROISM-RULES FOR STAMMERERS. VOL. II. "WE were weary, and we Fearful, and we, in our march, Beckonedst the trembler, and still Stones might have wounded thy feet, Thy spirit, of that we saw Nothing! To us thou wert still Cheerful and helpful and firm. Therefore to thee it was given MATTHEW ARNOLD. CHAPTER XXIV. WHILE the Professor was giving his usual course of lectures in the Lent term of 1866 at Cambridge, a great blow fell upon the University in the death of Dr. Whewell, Master of Trinity, and he writes home: "I am sorry to say Whewell is beaten by his terrible foe. It is only a question of hours now. The feeling here is deep and solemn. Men say he was the leader in progress and reform, when such were a persecuted minority. He was the regenerator of Trinity; he is connected with every step forward that the University has made for years past. 6 "Yes. He was a very great man: and men here feel the awful suddenness of it. He never was better or pleasanter than on the Thursday, when I dined there, and he was asking me for my dear wife.' His manner with women was always charming. He was very kind to me, and I was very fond of him. "Whewell is dead! I spoke a few solemn words to the lads before lecture, telling them what a mighty spirit had passed away, what he had been to Cambridge and science, and how his example ought to show them that they were in a place where nothing was required for the most splendid success, but love of knowledge and indomitable energy. They heard me with very deep attention. He is to be buried in the College Chapel, Saturday. . . . . I am up to the eyes in work, sending round my Harvard address." The Harvard address alluded to here was on the subject of an American Professorship, which had been proposed for Cambridge. The following letter to Sir Charles Lyell explains its object : BARTON HALL, February 18, 1866. "I take the liberty of enclosing a broadsheet which I have just issued at Cambridge. It expresses, I am happy to say, the opinions of all the most educated Cambridge men, on the subject of the proposed American Lectureship, to be founded by a Mr. Yates Thompson, of Liverpool, and supplied by the authorities of Harvard College, United States. If any of your many American friends are interested in the matter, you would perhaps kindly show them this broadsheet. "I have done myself the honour of signing the requisition to Government about Sir J. Hooker's collection of dried plants, &c. "I think, considering that governments (like the unjust judge) will not take the trouble to do right, unless they are forced, that it would be well to bring the press, eg, the Times,' the 'Saturday Review,' the 'Athenæum,' to bear upon public opinion; or the whole matter may be 'burked' unknown." THE AMERICAN LECTURESHIP. "I trust that it will not be considered impertinent, if I, as Professor of Modern History, address a few words on this matter to the Masters of Art in this University. "My own wish is, that the proposal be accepted, as frankly as it has been made. "Harvard University-an offshoot, practically, of our own University -is a body so distinguished, that any proposition coming from it deserves our most respectful consideration; and an offer of this kind, on their part, is to be looked on as a very graceful compliment. "The objections are obvious; but after looking them through fairly, as they suggested themselves to me, I must say that they are fully met by Mr. Thompson's own conditions; by the Vice-Chancellor's veto, and by the clause empowering either University to put an end to the Lectureship when they like. "But they are best met by the character of Harvard University itself. Its rulers, learned and high-minded gentlemen, painfully aware of our general ignorance about them, and honourably anxious to prove themselves what they are) our equals in civilization, will take care to send us the very best man whom they can find. And more than one person suggests himself to my mind, whom if they chose (as they would be very likely to choose) I should gladly welcome as my own instructor in the history of his country. "When I did myself the honour of lecturing in this University on the History of the United States, I became painfully aware how little was known, and how little, then, could be known, on the subject. This |