Untitled - Electric Scotland

1 834-41] WORK AS TUTOR OF BALLIOL 61
unfavourable conditions in a very unromantic country
parish.
But his foremost charge, of course, was Balliol. And
College duties were in the meantime multiplying fast upon
his hands. Changes among the Fellows followed in rapid
succession. Oakeley, though he did not finally leave Oxford
and settle in London till 1839, was now very frequently
absent, and felt it right to resign his tutorship. Thus before
Tait had completed his twenty-sixth year he found himself
the senior and most responsible of the four Balliol Tutors.
" MY
Rev. J. W. Pugk .
to Rev. A C. Tait.
"MANARAVON, LLANDILO, May 2$d, 1837.
DEAR TAIT, You will wonder why I have not written
to you before, and I have no other excuse than that, like your
self, I have no taste for letter-writing. ... I hope, my dear Tait,
you are going on prosperously in College. I have been thinking
a good deal since I saw you what a very trying situation yours
must be ; I mean that it must be one of considerable danger
to a young man. Oakeley being gone, and you therefore the
Senior Classical Tutor, the affairs of the College must be a good
deal under your control. Now I do not know how it is with
you, but with regard to myself I am sure the least success has
a tendency, without very great watchfulness, to draw away my
mind from God, and I know how the best of men have been
allowed to fall when at any time they have forgotten to live in
entire dependence on Him.
"
If I may speak my mind to you, I should say ambition was
one of your greatest snares, and I am sure there are others of
your friends who think so too. Beware of it, my dear Tait, for
I do not think there is anything more likely to dim the eye of
taith. . . . You see I am not afraid of telling you home-truths,
and one reason is that I know you too well to think you will
be offended. ... -Your affectionate friend,
"J.
W. PUGH."
These were eventful years in Oxford. The spell of
Mr. Newman s influence was at its height, and the Tracts