Clergy -- England -- Biography; Stoughton, John, 1807-1897
During visits to Chichester I became acquainted with one of the canons,
Dr. Swainson, then Norrisian Professor at Cambridge, afterwards Master of
Christ’s College in that University. He rendered me essential service
whilst I was writing my volumes on “The Church of the Restoration.” Some
of the books and MSS. in the library of the cathedral were of great use;
and when I visited him afterwards at Cambridge he rendered me further
valuable aid. I had the pleasure of meeting some Cambridge dons at his
dinner table, and I remember being interested and instructed by a long
conversation on the rendering of names given in our version of the Bible
to ancient instruments of music. In 1869 I was present at the
announcement of wranglers for that year. I stood side by side with my
friend in the gallery, close to the gentleman who held in his hand a
paper big with the fates of university competitors. It was a dark
morning, and at eight o’clock, amidst breathless silence, the personal
secrets so many waited to learn, were publicly proclaimed. It was a
grand piece of living mosaic which lay before me, as upturned eager
countenances were fixed on the spot where I was standing; and the
announcement of the new senior wrangler raised applause which seemed
enough to lift the roof.
My friendly relations with Dr. Swainson continued through after-years;
and his laborious investigations into Church creeds were frequent topics
in our conversation. His inquiries into the date of the Utrecht MS.
containing the “Quicunque vult,” etc., were extraordinarily extensive,
minute, and careful, as I can bear testimony from repeated accounts he
gave of Continental journeys and inquiries. I apprehend that nobody ever
spent so much time and labour on the inquiry, as he did; therefore his
conclusions ought to carry much weight in the settlement of a controversy
touching historical theology, as well as an archæological question.
On the occasion of my visit to Cambridge I went to see my friend, Mr.
Fordham of Melbourne, who possessed a valuable collection of paintings;
and I mention him here, for the sake of what he related respecting Lord
Beaconsfield, who had been a schoolfellow with Mr. Fordham’s
brother-in-law, the Right Honourable Russell Gurney, Recorder of London.
They were educated at an academy in Walthamstow, kept by Mr. Cogan, a
Presbyterian minister, whose son I knew well. Young Dizzy, as people
called the politician, was famous at school for two things. He delighted
in forming parties and getting up cabals—there was an embryo politician;
next he excelled in telling stories, and would keep the boys awake at
night by his romantic inventions—there was an embryo novelist. He had
early dreams of future greatness, I think; and my friend informed me that
he had talked to his schoolmates of being one day Prime Minister of
England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account