ATTACHMENT TO ALMA MATER.

plete the notice of this transaction.

113

It is in the

form of a vestry resolution by the parishioners of St. Oswald.

'Resolved unanimously,

'That this meeting, duly appreciating the unparalleled generosity of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Llandaff (as dean of the cathedral church of Chester, in the year 1827), in erecting the elegant partition between that and the parish church of St. Oswald, at the expense of 600l. and upwards, expresses the sense it entertains of the obligation it is under to his lordship, and in the name of the whole parish returns its most sincere thanks. Resolved further, that this resolution be transmitted to his lordship by the chairman.'

New interests in life, and new connexions, had now commenced, and were soon to withdraw Dr. Copleston altogether from the university; but they could not withdraw his thoughts and regards, which were still given to his Alma Mater, when occasions arose in which her welfare or reputation was concerned. Some of these in after years were not without their attendant pain; but the one that I now notice, occurring just on the eve of his elevation to the bench, was altogether of an agreeable nature. In assisting to place the present professor in the Savilian chair of astronomy, I believe it will be generally allowed that Dr. Copleston not only served his friend, but also the best interests of science. I have been favoured by Mr. Baden Powell with some letters referring to this transaction, and select from them one, which not only confirms what I have said.

above, but also illustrates the bishop's views in an important particular.

My dear Sir,

Oriel College, March 5, 1827.

The state of my health has of late much interfered with my correspondence, and with my wish to enjoy the society of my friends. This was partly the cause why I saw so little of you in Oxford. I am now better, and I proceed to answer your inquiries, among many others which await my attention.

In the first place, I am far from recommending an inaugural lecture on the subject of mathematics. I do not think it would be well attended, and you might take a great deal of pains to no purpose.

You will, I suppose, give out notices, as Rigaud used to do, of lectures in elementary parts, and will feel your way as to anything higher. In some colleges I fear even elementary instruction is not regularly given, and it certainly would be well for the professor to supply this want. But it is impossible to say, till you try, what may be done in the way of encouraging study in the higher departments. You will, I am sure, encourage it, and rejoice if you succeed. Let that take its course when you come.

But the credit of the university will be chiefly consulted by such philosophical essays and scientific researches as form your principal employment.

These may be given to the public from time to time, as you have hitherto done. In that respect I feel very confident that you will do honour to the appointment.

I am not for plans of study sketched out beforehand; but for assiduity and spirited engagement in the ordinary discharge of duty, which cannot fail of bringing out industry, and exciting a desire of knowledge.

The mode of proceeding, therefore, must of course de

EXTRACTS FROM DIARY.

115

pend upon the success of your endeavours, and be regulated

by experience.

Believe me, my dear Sir,

Most truly yours,

E. COPLESTON.

From the diary for this year I select the following entries:

'Jan. 1,1827. Breakfasted at Dropmore, a beautiful morning, and an enchanting scene. Lord Grenville in excellent spirits and very communicative. After breakfast, drove with Dr. Buckland to Beaconsfield, from whence he proceeded to London, in his way to Althorp, to which place I had been invited, but declined the invitation, as I had so short a time at my disposal, and wished to visit my friends in Devonshire. Before the Oxford coach arrived, I walked to the site of the house, formerly Mr. Burke's, and talked with an old man who knew him well, and used to work for him.'

' March 1. Went to London to preach at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, as dean, on the following day. Dined this day with Dr. Philpotts, at the Athenæum. His letter to Canning, just published, much read and admired.'

May 15. Wrote a letter of remonstrance to Mr. Brougham, on the false charge against myself in an article on the Catholic question, in the ninetieth number of the Edinburgh Review, said to be written by him. He answered my letter by return of post very civilly, and stated that before he received my letter he had written to Jeffrey to correct the erroneous statements.'

‘June 11. It being necessary that I should hold a chapter at Chester on the 23rd, which might last some days, and to begin my residence there for the summer, I set out by way of Birmingham, having brought all matters of college business to a settlement, and having seen the college in a tranquil, orderly state, which seemed likely to

continue till the 27th, the day of commemoration. Sydney Smith was a fellow-passenger. His facetious good humour was highly amusing, as well to myself as to two young ladies, passengers, who were returning from Paris to Dublin with their brother.'

'June 17. Having inspected the works in the cathedral and planned further alterations on the preceding days, preached this day at the cathedral.'

On the 30th of November, Dr. Copleston received a letter from Lord Goderich, offering him the bishopric of Llandaff, and the deanery of St. Paul, both being vacated by the translation of Bishop Sumner to the see of Winchester. From a variety of papers relating to this last and most important of all the appointments which I have to record, those are selected which appeared to me most suitable for the illustration of my subject. Valedictory addresses are probably not unusual when, as in the present instance, the presiding head retires from a capitular body; but there is a warmth and earnestness about the following document, which sufficiently distinguish it from a mere commonplace formula.

'Chester, Dec. 2, 1827.

We, the vice-dean and prebendaries of the cathedral church of Chester, capitularly assembled, hold it to be our first duty, in consequence of the promotion of the Very Reverend Dr. Copleston, our dean, to the see of Llandaff, to express our strong and unanimous feeling upon the occasion.

'While, however, we take leave to offer our hearty congratulations to the dean himself on the promotion so

CONGRATULATORY LETTERS.

117

abundantly earned by his numerous disinterested and invaluable services, we cannot forbear to express our personal regret on being deprived of a head, whose loss it would be too presumptuous to hope to see adequately supplied.

(Signed)

Unwin Clarke, Vice-Dean.

Fr. Wrangham,

Wm. Ainger,

G. B. Blomfield.

Prebendaries.

Of the congratulatory letters which I find preserved, many are worthy of being transferred to type; but I insert two only. The first from Lord Grenville; the second from Sir Robert Peel.

My dear Sir,

London, November 29, 1827.

Lord Goderich had the great kindness to communicate to me yesterday evening the offer which he had made to you, well knowing, as he did, the great delight which I should receive from it. I trust I need hardly say to you, for I willingly hope that you already fully believe it, that there is not, and cannot be, any one of your friends who more warmly rejoices in the justice, tardy as it is, which is at length rendered to your merits, or who more laments it having been so long delayed--and that, in part, I fear, from the too partial opinion which you manifested towards myself on a former occasion. You will have so many letters of this sort to acknowledge, though written from less powerful motives than I have on this occasion, that I will not delay you longer with this; and I beg that you will not think of answering it otherwise than by giving me an opportunity, on your way to or from town, to take by the hand a new acquaintance and old friend in the Bishop of Llandaff.