276 GEOEGB JOHN EOMANBS i89i- 



I therefore thankfully and respectfully accept ; 

 secretly relying a good deal, as I own, on the fact that 

 there is (if I recollect the Y.C.'s letter rightly) a good 

 deal of time before me, and that the chances of inter- 

 mediate reflection may bring up something to the 

 surface which is not now there, for I own my 

 perplexity continues as to the chance of making any 

 presentation not wholly worthless. But enough of 

 this : and let me thank you very much for the interest 

 you, who have so high a title, have personally taken 

 in bringing me to the front. 



We are much delighted with this place ; more 

 eminently, I think, a sea place than any other I happen 

 to know. 



I am sure, let me add, that you will make my 

 apologies to the Vice- 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 ' Eomanes Lectures ') were to be 

 given in the Trinity Term, but owing to the General 

 Election of 1891, Mr. Gladstone postponed the 

 delivery 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 



