PEENE LEGACY. 189 



hensioii as to the grounds of their decision, have thought it 1853. 



right to record their reasons in the foregoing resolution. The prin- 



3rd. That the Secretary be directed to communicate the fore- universit 



going resolutions, together with a copy of the extract from Dr. College. 

 Peenc's will, to the three Professors named in the will. 



It will be seen by this that the principle of religious 

 equality was still fully recognised twenty-six years after 

 the foundation of the College, as having been that ' on 

 which the College was founded,' and as having been ' in- 

 variably adhered to by the present Council and their 

 predecessors, as well in the appointment of Professors, 

 the admission of students, and the award of honours, as 

 as in the general administration of the affairs of the 

 College.' 



I wish I could find, for the reason advanced for passing 

 by a principle so distinctly acknowledged, any other word 

 than that which my husband applied to it ' a shuffle.' The 

 determination to accept the books on the prescribed terms 

 confirmed his fears, and on hearing of it his first impulse 

 was to resign his chair. He was induced to remain by 

 the consideration that the classes were not numerous, 

 and that he wished to see the College in a more pros- 

 perous state before quitting it altogether. I did not, for 

 iny part, endeavour to influence him in this matter. 

 Indeed, at this time my whole thoughts were filled most 

 painfully by the illness of our eldest child, whose danger 

 was not at first realised by her father. I think that when 

 he spoke to me of the condition of affairs at the College, 

 I did not strongly urge his leaving it, for I knew that his 

 doing so would be a trial, and that he was then unpre- 

 pared for the one already hanging over us. But, with 

 reference to the resolutions, he said, ' They have got in 

 the thin end of the wedge ; the next move will be a 

 stronger one.' And so it proved. 



The end of this year was the beginning of a long 

 period of sorrow and suffering to us. Our eldest dear child, 

 Alice, who had caught cold after a severe attack of 



