I regret to have to tell you that it went against you at the
University Court yesterday. After the three appellants (Profs.
Muirhead, Turner and Laycock) had been heard on the one side, and
Prof. Balfour and I on the other, we left the Court to their private
deliberations. These were long, and resulted, I understand, in an
agreement to something like this effect—that considering the extreme
inconvenience that would attend any present arrangement for the end in
view, especially when that is demanded for only one lady, the Court,
without pronouncing on the general question whether ladies ought to be
educated in the medical classes at the University, do not consider it
expedient, etc. I tried to get the exact terms of the resolution, but,
not having seen the Secretary, report the substance as it was told me
by Principal Sir A. Grant, and Mr. Nicolson. The _Scotsman_ of
tomorrow will probably have the communicated report: if so, I will
send it to you.
Only five of the Court were present,—the Principal, Mr. Gordon, Dr.
Christison, Mr. Phin and Mr. Nicolson. I believe the petition of the
180 students against you was really the determining argument,—the
Court foreseeing the chance of a disturbance, and not being prepared
to run the risk. Except two, I rather gathered that those present
favoured the notion of the medical education of women, if
circumstances would permit, and, on the whole, what has occurred to
me, since I learnt the decision, is, that, if a new attempt were to be
made, on the University of Edinburgh (and I hope there will), and if
it were to come in the form of a joint and simultaneous application
from a few ladies (say from half a dozen to a dozen), then our
authorities would be obliged to yield and to betake themselves to the
consideration of the means whereby such a class could be best
conducted—how far along with the men, how far apart.
Much chagrined at the result, but with the firm conviction that your
application and visit have done great good, and led to an advance in
the right direction beyond what could have been anticipated.
I am,
dear Miss Jex-Blake,
Yours very truly,
DAVID MASSON.”
“Aberdour, Fife, April 20th.
DEAR MISS JEX-BLAKE,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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