SOME OXFORD PROFESSORS.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7540, 2 May 1890, Page 2

SOME OXFORD PROFESSORS.

By An Oxonuh. and Literature Wiw the cauw oVfiftg! l known "Log-rolling" couiroverw ?£ created so great a stir in literal«iL T> 1885. Mr Napier was a Wtm^JhS? , h , Exeter, who'began order to be able to read acieutiflTSJ* that language. Hβ began to a o *eSK unexpected taculty for philologi<XM aud, after takiug aid degree iwSwtM* self to Getting andl & hi* philological studies Iα %hmt iSfif lish. Tliat he attained distinction Tin ffi studies is shown by hfcS Bt t Teacher of Knglieh it MHSKB migrated to (ifctungen as Profew ' r 1 Anglo-baxon. When the Merfeoa iw t was founded, acthe recommit tion of the late Commission, tfaero^ should it be for the teaching of fijfe PhUoloKy> or should the Proicßsor SS quired to devote himself to pure LUerv*" There was already a Professor of Msh. Saxon for the teaching o£ Phlloto&y $& many people thought that the matt mont should be given to some onento had already earned a reputation for w*k in pure Literature. However, tho Mwt« of Professor Max xMuller, who wi c A the electors, was thrown on chos/deof the phiiologers, and Mr Napier, wijo vtu looked upon as his candidate, was elecWL m ? n «-,. cn ® unsucce3Bful appUcanU w« Mr J. Churton CoUlua, a gentleman who had contributed sundry &rtklm in ib% quarterlies. By way of showing hh ottalon of the whole Jsis Collins—he la a double-barrelled gsaEJo* man, and. perhaps my readers ujsay**3remeniber Lord KandolpU OJiurchilla «)• marks on euch geutry—vwo&a & article in the Quarterly, on tlio of English Iα the univoesitles," wkisl created a tremendous soneatioa by the charges brought agaiasfe tfce ftofeteoriate as a body aad a weJI-faiatra C«abridge Lecturer in special, Mtfa mato to waa quite right ia ills costeßtiea t&»6 neither Saglish titsratara urn ISagttsh Philology waa systematically taught-ia ourUmveraitles. 4605,50j4 thevft i&ao Professor or Reader who devotes himself to pure Literature and criticism, fehaugfc the Professors of Poetty hava doss something in that way of late years, candidates for degrees arc. sspacted %9 have a , bowing acquaintance frills English Literature and i;« history, aad h some cases a special knowledge of ac&tfiiii period ia required, At Cwiibndga tUera ia a , Beadership of EngHah Literstiire attached to Trinity, which tvasfoumiedia memory of the lace Mr Ciark, tho weß> known Shakesperian scholar anil com* mentator. Not satisfied wJMi aa on hie own University, Mr Climtoa Collins also attacked the «ystom ot tadi> ing at Cambridge, especially st'j«jct!fig tbe then lately published lectures o! Hi Edmund Gosse, tha Clark Reader, " From Shakespere to Pope," whereou to pousf oat the viafe of hie wrath. By tbs wsjp. Ms Oosse may be considersd aiacky rnse? f« he married one of f;he two dtuightosvf late Mr James Eppa, of cocoa fame, s!j« were known as '" wafcefal" aud " Cou)»aU> inpt," and the dot she brought deed have remiudod him "of 6he pfi££"K? advertiaeraeht. These lecture , } w>e mercilessly dissected,, and every. In* accuracy In etatemont or douStfes inference waß ruthlessly dragged M light, and held up to ■ ridicalc J* fact he flatly accused Mr Goase of ignorance of his subject, and denied h\m& first hand acquaintance with EHsabnlaa literature. In the openiug lecture tiww j- , certainly a very curious Htatemcnt ct J.? Gosae's chat Sydney's " Arcadia " !a a was in verse, ftud furfcbe* on Mr Qosw'e wo?« 3 ieave no doubt in any caudid reader's ims? that each ia hia idea, Thle is eouiqwrr: startling in a man who professes to instruction In the literature of the&iy bothan age. There are othep blemtsio*si the book, but theae are apparentlj ttf rather to carelessness than to any wjm cause: still in statements ex cathtds-X ihm should be no Inaccuracy or cluud!n«a-s presentment. Mr Goase t* a member of the Saville, a- London dsfo much frequeuted by literary raea, any w frienda took up the challenge tc ■■ <** Academy and other literary was much fury and wrath ink; bad feeliug was aroused, &w only result of all this vxptnrt* , * 1: energy was the introduction .V;"' literary language of H lO . " log-rolling," an achievement u-Jiiw, -y be only credited to Mr Caurtoa What was meant by theeiprc»»h«»a»i-S* pusaled the public, but; wa* sous clear ttiat it was only anotbef w»y » «? presahig "mutual admiration. bo»M In worcTbut in deed ; in plain pofßng of literary wares oa uw J of " you scratch xny back aod I» f»J* yoara," for Mr Gosse's book: I»<very favourably reviewed, 'fas ihu* J, members of the Savlllo were μ-xwj- - iteiag paatmastera in this crt, f**~ exercising it successfully to of the public. The Saturday *vf - 'te held lip as the chief offender Wβ H. Pollock ac the f ta* «' log-rollers; but the S flouriahes, and Mr Pollock i« Jf*J« •*.' land of the living. In, t"»« »J* i Quartiriw cannot claim the *««£» achieved of old over Keafca.

Who killed John Keats 1 I, eaid the Quarurty, With my critique so twtafly* I killed John Keats. Perhaps that venerable V*fjss s lost its force and its vigour ju «»«V jr 9 more llkelf, people WPSJ*! «* Charton • Collins _, wan antn**g,r' t t* much by a desire to 7 ! - i^ English Universities or else»«e»*jj' rt . disSppointment at bto &£»» «-«.* rtte u». rolledarnoaa the di majms ing to thatTlixlrersity 0^ he might scatter tne pearls of t w kid trusting students otmm "Vj IU-gll BSSwSSSaam a year »