Untitled - Electric Scotland

34 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP TAIT [CH. 11.
between Brundusium and Dyrrachium, and with the courage
of the hero himself I dashed through the difficulties, and gave
a rapid, and providentially a correct, translation of Caesar and
his fortunes. The approbation of the Master and the Proctor was
very decided. And now, Mr. Tait, said Dr. Jenkyns, in his
peculiarly clipped rather than polished English, allow me to ask
you with what view you come here ? This was rather a poser. I
knew nothing of the man who spoke, or of his peculiarities ; but
by a happy inspiration made reply : First, in order to study, and
also, I hope, to benefit by the society of the College. I had hit
upon the very answer to please laim. Mr. Tait, he said, with an
approving smile, your answer is that of a very sensible young
man, and I am happy to welcome you to Balliol. From that day
forward I always kept my place in the good books of the master.
While this process had been going on, little Oakeley, afterwards so
kind a friend, limped in to have a good look at his new pupil."
The matriculation over, Tait returned to Glasgow to
complete the session, paying a visit by the way to his
sister, Lady Sitwell, at Renishaw.
He was not yet nineteen years of age, and there is
nothing in the extant letters to show that he had as yet
announced or entertained any definite intention of taking
Holy Orders. It is, therefore, curious to find, in Lady
Sitwell s memorandum of this visit, that he was called
upon one Sunday evening at Renishaw, when the house
was full of visitors, to read prayers and give a short
address. He did so, and his sister s account says,
"
It was
a very striking sermon, and was listened to with pro
found attention. But he whispered to me at the close,
I thought I should have fainted when I discovered that
there was no Lord s Prayer in the book. I really feared I
should break down.
;
This incident leads naturally to a short consideration
of what had been, up to this time, the religious training
and surroundings of the future Archbishop. For two
generations the family, as we have seen, had been Presby-