and so it is. I am aware that I shall most likely be cut off in the midst of it.'

Jowett's desire to devote his time and energy more entirely to finishing these literary labours was not allowed to interfere with his habits of hospitality. At the laying of the foundation-stone of a new debatinghall at the Union (May, 1878), a number of old members of the society were brought to Oxford, and among them Sir Stafford Northcote, who was Jowett's guest. After the ceremony of laying the stone was over, Jowett entertained a large party at luncheon. In proposing Sir Stafford's health, he alluded to their long friendship, and added, ‘He was not only kind but he was always ready. On one occasion in our College days, when he and I had to go up together to ask some favour of the Master (Dr. Jenkyns), and I was to be the spokesman, he said, "Do remember that he has the gout, and ask after that first."'

Another guest, whose visits always gave him the greatest pleasure, was 'George Eliot.' She has the cleverest head,' he writes, 'I have ever known, and is the gentlest, kindest, and best of women. She throws an interesting light on every subject on which she speaks. She seems to me just right about philosophy, quite clear of materialism, women's rights, idealism, &c.'

He asked all kinds of persons-men and women--to meet her. And certainly it was a pleasure to listen to her conversation. Her voice was low and soft, yet penetrating, and she spoke with an earnestness and force of conviction which compelled attention. Her appearance at this time was very striking. In her features she was not unlike the portraits of Savonarola; her hair was brought forward over her ears, as was the manner thirty

or forty years ago, and upon it she wore lace. The head looked strong and massive. Mr. Lewes was very proud of her: She,' he used to say when he wished to settle a disputed matter, 'she thinks' this or that.

6

At this time Schliemann was astonishing the world with his discoveries at Mycenae. To many it seemed that the Homeric age had risen from the grave; the faces of the heroes who fought at Troy were brought before us, and with a little exercise of the imagination one could realize the details of that piteous' scene when Agamemnon was slaughtered at the banquet like an ox at the manger.' 'We have only to suppose,' said a guest at Jowett's table, 'that Homer changed the scene and introduced a few imaginary details, and then we need have no doubt that these corpses which have been discovered are the remains of Agamemnon and his men.' 'Yes,' replied Jowett, who had been listening attentively, but suppose we begin with a totally different set of suppositions,' and under his criticism the fabric melted away. He was not attracted by antiquarian or archaeological researches, and would often dwell on the uncertainty of the results derived from them 1.

The summer was spent at Oxford and West Malvern, and in visits to friends in Scotland; to Woburn, where he met Sir H. Rawlinson; to Shrewsbury in connexion with the school, for which new buildings were about to be erected; and to Clifton, where arrangements were being made for connecting University College and the Medical School. In his sanguine way he had looked forward to finishing his translation of Thucydides and

1 See the Essay on Inscriptions in vol. ii. of his Thucydides. Yet he supported the establishment

VOL. II.

L

of a Museum of Archaeology in Oxford; see below, p. 213.

Aristotle's Politics within the year. But an unexpected disaster occurred, which had a very serious effect on his literary work. His secretary, Matthew Knight, who was not only a secretary but helped him in a hundred ways, fell very seriously ill of lung disease, and became quite incapable of work. During the Michaelmas Term Jowett arranged for him to stay with his sister at Torquay; and in the next year, when he had somewhat recovered, he was sent to Davos. But it was a long time before he could undertake any active work, and indeed he never quite returned to his old duties. His place as secretary was taken in part by his sister, who wrote letters for Jowett, and kept his correspondence in order; but the important assistance which Knight had given in his literary work, Jowett could not supply in any adequate manner, until later, when F. Fletcher grew up to be a very efficient helper. I get on pretty well,' he writes to a lady who offered assistance as an amanuensis; the youth in the Library helps me in matters purely mechanical (he is very punctual and good, if only he wrote a better hand).' But his dream of finishing his translations vanished: 'I am going to print Thucydides,' he writes; 'poor Knight's illness makes me give up the Politics for the present. I find it a satisfactory work, because it is the summing up of so much desultory reading. But for difficulty I believe that no book equals it.'

Of West Malvern he could never have too much. We were very sorry to leave West Malvern,' he writes, Sept. 6, 1878; the air there has the property of Falstaff's sherris sack. "It ascends me into the brain 1," and fills it with all sorts of conceits and fancies-this air of Oxford is very dull and depressing.' Of these Malvern

1 2 Henry IV, iv. 3.

days I have the following description from Matthew Knight :

'The Master was often seen at his best during these little parties at Malvern. He had a stock of stories to which he was constantly adding, and which he told with the greatest enjoyment. I remember Mr. B. relating a Scotch story at table of a minister who seeing one of his congregation asleep brought him up with a pause, and then holding out a finger said solemnly, "There'll be no sleeping in hell, John;" to which the offender retorted, "Aye, but it'll no be for the lack of ministers." Jowett was very much amused with this, and after a little time said, "Now, B., let us have another story, equally good and equally wicked with the last." In Scotch stories indeed he took an especial delight, and always came back from Scotland with a new store. Sometimes, however, he would be distrait and weary, and sit silent at the head of the table, leaving us to our own devices and only interposing an occasional remark when something caught his ear. Once when we were talking among ourselves about the Middle Ages, and at last I happened to say that "it would. be interesting to know more about the real character of the people," he roused himself at this, and observed in his quick way, "Oh, much like ourselves, I expect, only dirtier in their habits." But in general he treated us in the Socratic manner, and often contrived to elicit from us a good deal more than was ever in us. Like Dr. Johnson, he would argue a question contrary to his own convictions, either in a dialectical spirit or in order to put our opinions to the test. He attached great importance to good conversation, and would sometimes say, half apologetically, "I wish that I had had some one to point out my mistakes when I was your age." At times his rebukes were of what Boswell would call an "overwhelming character." Once, for instance, when on his way to Clifton, I accompanied him as far as Tewkesbury. The quaint old-world town seemed asleep in the summer sunshine, and after we had walked about some time, I rashly ventured to say, "I believe that there are more dogs than people in the streets this morning." He instantly awoke from his reverie and replied, "If you have

nothing more sensible to observe, you had better be silent altogether."

'He rarely failed to go to the village church on Sunday mornings, or sometimes, for a change, to the Priory Church at Great Malvern, and he was pleased if we accompanied him, although he did not mention the subject. He once gave me a characteristic piece of advice: "Always read the best poets, and keep up a habit of regular attendance at church."

1879 the Balliol boat was Jowett was delighted, and

In the Summer Term of once more head of the river. wished the event to be celebrated in some worthy manner. The ordinaryBump supper' which is given on these occasions seemed inadequate, and if carried to excess such festivities are perhaps more honoured in the breach than the observance. Squibs and bonfires had not yet become the rage, nor is Balliol Garden very well fitted for such savagery. It was proposed that there should be a dance in Hall. Nothing could have pleased Jowett more. The dons' had had their entertainment at the opening of the new Hall; and it was fitting that the undergraduates should have their entertainment too. They would feel more at home in College when they had invited their sisters and cousins to see them, and all would cherish the recollection of the first dance given in the new Hall. From one source only did objections come. Woollcombe, who still resided in College, though he took no part in the Tutorial work, raised his voice in protest. He was about to leave Oxford, and perhaps he was glad to escape from the changes that were coming. The introduction of married Fellows was a most unwelcome change. I have seen,' he said, on returning from a dinner at another College, 'what I should have thought impossible-ladies coming into the Common Room.' And now he maintained that a College