The life and letters of Benjamin Jowett, M. A., master of Balliol college, Oxford.

Letters, 1840-1846

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proportion as we believe less, that little, if it be only an aweful
feeling about existence, must be more constantly present with
us; as faith loses in extent it must gain in intensity, if we
do not mean to shipwreck altogether. I go about from one
subject to another just as if we were talking together, and am
well aware how feeble and unmeaning my words are to bring
us to any further agreement on these subjects, but I cannot
help often thinking about you, and sometimes-it is at least
a harmless superstition-remembering you in prayer.
To A. P. STANLEY.
BOWNESS, January, I845.
Concerning your pamphlet' I have spoken to Tait, who
thinks that he cannot possibly judge without reading it. I do
not think his opinion of much value in such a matter. Ask
Donkin or Price2 or Clough, if you want a good opinion.
All vulgar reasons seem to me in favour of publishing. It
will be a hit; even the Newmanites will be propitiated:-'We
have read with pleasure Mr. Stanley's most seasonable pamphlet,' will be the leader of the next week's English Churchman.
The Bishop of N.'s son and Dr. A.'s biographer cannot be
worse off than he is with reference to suspicions of Latitudinarianism. The 'gens Newmanica' possesses in an eminent
degree the virtue ascribed to our Master in the Statutes, 'sagaciter odorat,' sc. Hereticos.
Also, there are many persons like Donkin, Mr. Myers of
Keswick, and myself, who would be glad to see what they feel
and think, well said for them. I do not doubt that it would
have a great sale and gain its author much honour if it
were published. My reasons against are-the greatness of
the subject, which I quite believe you will one day have the
opportunity of putting out in a better form. A pamphlet is
inadequate to such an extensive work, which should be the end,
not the beginning, of a life. I think you may mar it in some
I See Life of A. P. Stanley, the Gorham Case in Edinburgh
vol. i. p. 335. The pamphlet Review, July, I850.
was not published, but seems 2 Bonamy Price, afterwards
to have furnished some of the Professor of Political Economy
materials for Stanley's article on at Oxford.
I 2