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

1850-I854] W. L. Newman's Reminiscences 2I9
glimpses." In those days the University was not as much in the
grasp of its examination system as it has since come to be; we
kept the Schools in view, but they were not the Alpha and Omega
of our reading as undergraduates. Jowett's lectures were very
useful to me; I found them a welcome addition to the teaching
of others and to the books which one read for examination or
otherwise.
' But I think that his conversation was even more useful. He
often took his pupils for walks and invited them to breakfast,
and I am sure that I learnt much from this familiar intercourse
with him. In those days he was quite unconventional, and his
occasional intervals of silence may have been baffling and disappointing to some, but no conversation was more stimulating to
thought than his. It did not stimulate to research or to learned
inquiry, but to thought. The value of a conversation with him
arose partly from the fact that he listened as well as talked, and
often made one's own remarks the starting-point of what he said.
Indeed it was frequently necessary for his companion to set the
conversation going; I think he rather liked those who were
useful in that way; I remember his saying once how much he
appreciated the company of a friend, " he starts so many hares."
The remark which gave the first impulse to the conversation was
commonly of little value in itself, but it elicited comments and
additions from him which were of the greatest value. His
quick apprehension and ready sympathy were encouraging; one
felt sure that if there was anything whatever in what one had to
say, more than justice would be done to it. He was himself quite
candid and very ready in comment, and one learnt much from
the pithy sense and subtle insight which were never lacking in
what he said. He was at his best when some observation threw
him into a momentary reverie; he would be silent for a minute
or two, and then would say something which went to the heart
of the matter. His strength lay especially in quick perception
-quick perception of fact, quick perception of character, quick
perception of the best thing to be done. His insight into
character was very keen and was aided by his ready imaginative
sympathy. No one was more alive than he was to the subtle
mingling of good and bad in human nature, to the frequent combination in it of characteristics apparently opposite and incom