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

212 Life of Benjamin Jowett [CHAP. VII
schemes were already germinating, two of which, at
least, were ultimately realized.
First, that of a Balliol Hall for out-College students.
This, although mentioned by him in confidence to two
persons only, was a practical idea which he had very
warmly at heart for some time before the Report of
the Commission in I852. He even indulged himself
in a fond vision of bringing Stanley back to Oxford
as the Head of such a Hall. A letter to Stanley on this
subject is of sufficient interest to be embodied here:RUGBY, June 6, 1852.
I am going to trouble you with a scheme for University
Extension, 'cujus tu pars magna es.'
While other people are writing pamphlets and reports and
theorizing about 'caste,' and trying to meet on paper difficulties
that can only be got over in practice, might we not attempt
the thing itself?
I remember proposing it to you at Christmas: you did not
encourage it then-and I would not like to annoy you by
pressing it again. But your taking part has struck me so
strongly since as likely to be for the great good of all and also
for your own good, that I hope you will consider the following
points, and if you feel hearty in the cause we may work
together in it.
I. I think it may be fairly urged against us University
reformers that we are unpractical. S — can raise --
and -- which fall to pieces again from his folly and Tractarianism, and we who 'being the children of this world imagine
ourselves wiser than the children of light,' sit still and do
nothing. M — will be deluging the Church of England with
his straight-coated buttonless clergy, and no one is ready to
show the same energy and self-denial in a better cause. As religious men I think we can give no account of our indifference
to such an opportunity. As University reformers we must
appear to the world rather as seeking to make an intellectual
aristocracy or, to express it more coarsely, to form good places
for ourselves out of the revenues of the Colleges, than earnest