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

1865-1870]

Mr. Charles Voysey

403

impossible to avoid this entanglement. Far from reproaching him, Jowett continued to advise and help
him: attending meetings of counsel, suggesting the line
of defence, &c. But the case in its earlier stage had
gone adversely, and the constitution of the Committee
of Privy Council at this juncture made it improbable
that they would reverse the judgement of the court
below. Jowett saw that to proceed further would
endanger freedom, not for himself, but for others in the
Church of England. The following letters to Mr. Voysey
will show what course he took:
OXFORD, February, [I870].
I do not think that there would be any giving up of the
truth or of the cause of freedom by your resignation. That
appears to me to be the right course, if your counsel and
lawyers are of opinion that there is no hope of a favourable
issue on the principal points.
Your reason for resigning would be generally appreciated,
viz. that you fear lest by trying the question under unpropitious
circumstances you may curtail the liberty of others. Your
sermons and the articles of accusation against you contain
most of the distinctive tenets of the Anglican Church, and
it would appear ridiculous and impolitic to settle these at
one swoop by the authority of Phillimore, Chelmsford, and
others, and would probably overthrow the tribunal itself.
That is my view, and is in general that of H. B. Wilson,
with whom I had the opportunity of conversing about the
matter last week. I should like you to hear his opinion;
for he has experience and is very acute in these matters.
I should like also to talk the matter over with Bowen,
whom I shall see this day week.
There is no hurry, I suppose, about the resignation, as
the cause cannot come on until November, and perhaps
not then. I shall not mention your possible intention
of resignation to Bowen or to any one, and I would advise
you not to speak of it yourself. It will require some
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