xxvm LONDON UNIVERSITY 53 



Sir John Lubbock then wrote the following 

 letter to Professor Rucker, in reply to the fore- 

 going addressed to him by the President and some 

 other members of the Royal Society : 



2, St. James's Square, S.W., 

 9th July 1895. 



My dear Rucker — I am sorry I could not imme- 

 diately answer the letter which you have forwarded to 

 me on behalf of Lord Kelvin and other members of the 

 Royal Society, but I only received it this morning as 

 I was away from home. I observe that most of those 

 who have signed it are (as they themselves say) not 

 members of Convocation, and consequently not con- 

 stituents of mine. Still, I should welcome any oppor- 

 tunity of co-operation with such high authorities in the 

 promotion of those interests which we all have at heart. 

 I regret, however, that before publishing the letter they 

 did not give me an opportunity of conferring with them, 

 in which case, I think, I could have given good reasons 

 for what I have said in my letter to Professor Foster. 

 I am glad to observe that the only point objected to 

 is the reference of any new charter to Convocation. 

 In this, however, I am not asking that any privilege 

 which they do not at present possess should be con- 

 ferred on my constituents, but only supporting what 

 is now their legal right. As the law now stands no 

 change can be made in the " charter without the consent 

 of the graduates." This right I know they highly 

 value, and it is surely natural that, as their representa- 

 tive, I should do my best to preserve it. Moreover, in 

 view of the difficulty of passing a bill strongly opposed, 

 as any bill would be which seeks to abrogate the present 

 right of veto possessed by Convocation, I can imagine 

 nothing more likely to wreck any scheme such as you 

 desire than to link it, quite unnecessarily, with an 

 attack on that right. Your objection to the reference 

 to Convocation implies the belief that a Statutory Com- 

 mission would arrange a wise charter for the Univer- 

 sity, and that the graduates would reject it. But 

 why should it be assumed that they would do so ? It 

 has been my proud boast that I represent a con- 

 stituency second to none in education and ability, and 



