294 GEOEGE JOHN BQMANES 1892 



apologies to the Yice-Chancellor ; for I am sensible 

 that the altered reply may seem less than respectful 

 to the resident Head of the University. 



Believe me, most faithfully yours, 



W. E. GLADSTONE. 



It had been arranged that the lectures (which the 

 University, rather against the Founder's wish, decided 

 should be called the ' Romanes Lectures ') were to be 

 given in the Trinity Term, but owing to the General 

 Election of 1891, Mr. Gladstone postponed the de- 

 livery of his inaugural lecture until October 1892. 



Journal, March 1892. The Comptons have been 

 here for Norman's baptism, which was a strikingly 

 pretty ceremony in cathedral at evening service with 

 the choir. Our Dean and the President of Magdalen, 

 as well as Lady Compton, stood sponsors, so the boy 

 is well provided. The students at St. Hugh's Hall 

 decorated the font, and as the boy's second name is 

 Hugh, he is a special protege of the little Hall. 



April 1. We spent a week at Malvern, in com- 

 pany with the Walter Hobhouses, and then went on 

 to Denton Manor, 1 where a company of the wise, inclu- 

 ding Ray Lankester, Professors Poultonaiid Shadworth 

 Hodgson, and Mr. Sully, were. Also others, including 

 Lady Cecil Scott Montagu, who walked abroad with 

 a divining rod, a real act of courage considering who 

 were among the party. 



At Malvern Mr. Romanes wrote a sonnet which, 

 in the light of after years, was a sad prophecy. 



1 The home of Sir William and the Hon. Lady Welby- Gregory. 



