802 FINAL JOURNEYS AND WORK. [1887, 



glad to see, Lord Acton, middle-aged, of high 

 scholarship and admirable taste, who fought a long 

 and losing battle against the superstitious tendencies 

 of his (Roman Catholic) church ; and after lunch I 

 had a pleasant conversation with him ; was glad to 

 find he was one of the new D. C. L. crew at Oxford, 

 where I again saw something of him. He has been 

 in the United States when only a baronet. 



At the Oxford Christ Church dinner I was placed 

 at the high table, only two away from the Dean's 

 left, the two Dr. Jellett, provost of Trinity College, 

 Dublin (who was doctored), and the bishop of Gi- 

 braltar. On my left was Talbot, the warden of Keble 

 College (the very high church one), and I know little 

 of what I ate or drank, for we had a steady stream of 

 conversation on high topics, treated with immense 

 frankness on both sides. Dr. Jellett made the return- 

 thanks speech for all four of the new-made Doctors 

 present, himself, Story, Dr. Wright, Arabic pro- 

 fessor at Cambridge, and myself, a speech full of Irish 

 humor. That was arranged to be all. But the lower 

 tables somehow knew by instinct what Story wanted, 

 and called him out. He made a rather funny speech. 

 Then Liddon had to move thanks to the president of 

 the feast, the Dean (Liddell), and a capital speech he 

 made, even to my apprehension. I saw that there was 

 a good deal between the lines in what he was saying, 

 but did not know the half of it till I was told after- 

 wards. Paget, my host, was opposite me. Prestwich, 

 whom I had not before got sight of, was next him. It 

 was a long affair, but very pleasant to me. 



Next morning was the call on Professor Bartholo- 

 mew Price and wife, in a charming old house, meeting 

 Tylor and Maspero ; then we went to the Museum, 



