254 JOHN BUSKIN. [1874-75. 



was so fully occupied that he was quite unable to 

 join. 



J. Euskin to J. Prestwich. 



CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD, 7th Novr. '74. 



DEAR PROFESSOR PRESTWICH, I very earnestly petition you, 

 if it be at all in your disposition of days possible, to honour me 

 by dining with me at Corpus next Thursday. It is the begin- 

 ning of a series of quiet meetings which I hope may take place 

 weekly in my rooms : any Masters of the University coming 

 who care to talk with each other, over the coffee, of matters 

 at present doubtful in our University work and prospects. 



It seems to me that, not prolonged to fatigue and conducted 

 on the comfortable after-dinner principles, such discussion may 

 every now and then elicit things (otherwise not determinable) 

 with security up to a certain point. 



Dinner will always be at seven punctually. Coffee at half- 

 past eight, when any chance visitor who wishes to join in the 

 talk will come in. Talk to finish in formality at ten. Subject 

 for a beginning on Thursday next : What is a University ? The 

 subjects will always be questions, and some kind of answer will 

 be set down in memory of the evening, as agreed to by such and 

 such guests. The records, of course, always private. Please 

 join us. I want you so much, and am always faithfully yours, 



J. EUSKIN. 



The University Museum was a daily resort, or rather 

 it should be said the working day was spent there. 

 With the old energy he sought to make himself 

 acquainted with the geological collections, and to 

 complete their arrangement. His Inaugural Lecture, 

 " On the Past and Future of Geology," was very well 

 received, the audience increased by friends from a dis- 

 tance. After reviewing the strides that had been 

 made in geological science, and indicating how much 

 still remained to be accomplished, he summed up with 

 a profession of the faith which had been his from 



