Untitled - Electric Scotland

1842-50] THE HAMPDEN CONTROVERSY 133
them can be given. I am glad of this, for, however groundless
or incapable of proof the objections really are, it is monstrous that
they should be smothered in the strange way which Dr. Lushington
proposed. I think the opposition to Hampden quite uncalled
for and wrong ; but I do not see how he himself could wish the
matter to be smothered in the way proposed. ... If the law is
really as Dr. Ltishington expounded it, then certainly either the
old forms of citation, etc., ought to be abolished, or new powers
granted, to allow objections when made to be entered on. The
whole matter is certainly a very grave one. Lord John would
have done much better not to appoint Hampden at first. After
he had done so the Bishops were strangely unwise to make their
protest, knowing, as they must have done, that Lord John could
not draw back with common respectability, and also being well
aware that no such grave objections now lay against Hampden
as the clamour of a few party men had tried to persuade the
world. And now, the objections having been personally stated,
I think Hampden will behave ill if he tries to stifle inquiry.
The most absurd part of the matter is that almost no one has
and some
read the book objected to. To be sure, it is very long
what dull, but Bishops at least ought to read it. I have re-read
it on this occasion with great care, 1 and am fully of opinion that
no case of heresy can be made out after the explanations in
Hampden s subsequently published writings. ... I signed the
address which deprecated the original agitation in opposition to
the appointment."
Two years of specially hard work followed upon the
Italian tour which has been described above. Besides his
absorbing duties at Rugby, which multiplied with the
increasing numbers of the school, he maintained a keen
interest both in Oxford affairs and in the wider public
questions of the day.
But the work was too much for his
physical strength. His devotional journals during these
years contain an ever-recurring reference to his frequent
fatigue and drowsiness. He seems to have regarded it in
the light of a fault to be conquered. It might better have
This statement is amply confirmed by the pencil-marks and annotations,
which may still be seen throughout his copy of the volume.