Untitled - Electric Scotland

1860-64] CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. TEMPLE 293
"
myself.
"
In conclusion, I must say a few words personal to you and
If you do not wish to alienate your friends, do not treat them
as you have treated me. Do not, if one of them seem to you to
have done a foolish, or even a wrong thing, ask him to your
house, speak of the subject kindly, condemn in such a tone as
to imply no severe reprobation ; and then, in deference to a
popular clamour, join in an act of unexampled severity. You
might have spoken severely if you had thought severely. Having
spoken leniently, you were pledged to deal leniently. Nothing
would have been easier than to imply to me what you were
going to do, if you then had thoughts of doing it. And surely if
your quiet perusal of the book had given you no such thoughts,
the mere cry of this mob ought not to have influenced your
judgment.
" What
you did had not the intention, but it had all the effect,
of treachery.
" You will not keep friends if you compel them to feel that in
every crisis of life they must be on their guard against trusting
you. Yours faithfully, F. TEMPLE."
From one of the Rugby Masters Bishop
the meantime received the following letter :
Tait had in
"
Since your lordship s answer to the Address has appeared,
we have been placed in a very difficult position at Rugby. As
the Address itself has not yet been published, no one can say
exactly who or what has been censured. Most of us think that
Dr. Temple s essay is not included in the general censure. I
am one of the few who hope that your lordships have only
agreed in condemning certain specified opinions not maintained
by Dr. Temple.
Under these circumstances, would you pardon my writing
to beg that the Address and the Answer should be published
together ? You will be sorry to hear that Dr. Temple was very
far from well when the school met. As he is still in a very weak
and nervous state we are very anxious about him.
He has determined, for the sake of the boys, to disconnect
himself in some way or other from the other essayists. Indeed,
the parents are in such an uneasy state that something must be
done to reassure them."