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

22

Life of Benjamin Jowett

[CHAP. I

remonstrated, but, absorbed in his unprofitable task,
seems to have left his wife and daughter very much to
themselves. He would shut himself up in his study,
even in the evenings, which had heretofore been enlivened with Emily's exquisite playing on the piano. In
early days she had been used to accompany her father,
who had a fine bass voice.-So things continued for some
years; but prices rose under the Empire, and living in
Paris became more difficult. The metrical Psalter, too, was
approaching completion. At last, in 1856, the 'trio' are
found at Dover for a while. Here Mrs. Jowett's letters
reveal fresh uncertainties, and speculations about trying
Germany again. But before the spring, all shadows had
cleared away, and the wish of the mother's heart was
gratified by their returning to their former lodgings
at Tenby. Emily shrank from the scene of old sorrows,
but Mrs. Jowett found comfort in being there, in the
house of Mrs. Lewis, who had known and been kind to
her daughter Ellen. She was again much alone, through
the temporary absence of Emily, in attendance on her
friend, Miss Cruickshank. Mr. Jowett meanwhile renewed his friendship with the Laws of Kennington 1, the
Channells, and Dr. Blundell (who gave him an annuity
of ~40), and at last he published anonymously, with
Samuel Bagster and Sons, A New Metrical Translation
of the Book of Psalms 2.
In I857, the year of the Indian Mutiny, deep anxiety
was naturally felt on Alfred's account. He sent his usual
remittance in that year, but died in October of the
year following. His father survived him by only six
See Mr. F. Law's account on notion of chanting common
p. 27. English metres. Mr. Jowett had
2 The work is by no means learned enough Hebrew to make
contemptible, although doomed elaborate use of English Conto failure by the impracticable mentaries on the original Text.