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R,CHARD MONCKTON MILNES was born in the year - OUDL Home

R,CHARD MONCKTON MILNES was born in the year - OUDL Home

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252 W. E. Heitlandadm<strong>in</strong>istration of <strong>the</strong> Local Lectures <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> same office(1873), and by unspar<strong>in</strong>g activity <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> despatch of o<strong>the</strong>rUniversity bus<strong>in</strong>ess, <strong>the</strong> new officer quietly atta<strong>in</strong>ed anunrivalled share <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> control of current affairs. Theeffect of this <strong>in</strong>dustry appeared as time went by. AsSecretary to <strong>the</strong> Commissioners of 1877 he <strong>was</strong> <strong>in</strong> closetouch with <strong>the</strong> preparation of <strong>the</strong> 1882 Statutes. In <strong>the</strong>follow<strong>in</strong>g period his co-operation <strong>was</strong> <strong>in</strong>dispensable to allengaged <strong>in</strong> University reconstruction. And <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> seasonof reaction aga<strong>in</strong>st <strong>the</strong> still exist<strong>in</strong>g forces of <strong>the</strong> oldclerical dom<strong>in</strong>ation it <strong>was</strong> perhaps a good th<strong>in</strong>g thatproceed<strong>in</strong>gs were watched by so competent an adviser on<strong>the</strong> part of <strong>the</strong> Church. Look<strong>in</strong>g back, I am amazed torecall how little <strong>the</strong>re <strong>was</strong> of bitter conflict <strong>in</strong> those daysof constant new developments. The moral force of Sidgwickcould work <strong>in</strong> harmony with <strong>the</strong> Div<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> daysof Lightfoot, Westcott and Hort. The endless claims of<strong>the</strong> Natural Sciences, pushed with relentless vigour andundeniably overdue, still left room for those of Historyand cognate studies. It is fair to credit this happy resultpartly to what Leslie Stephen calls <strong>the</strong> Cambridge' system vigorous if narrow', <strong>the</strong> sound tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g of which<strong>was</strong> 'favourable to a mascul<strong>in</strong>e but limited type ofunderstand<strong>in</strong>g'. But <strong>the</strong> men who saw it through, asagents of a great change, without arous<strong>in</strong>g violent stormsof ' mascul<strong>in</strong>e' prejudice, surely deserve no little praise.Enough has been said to show that even after <strong>the</strong>abolition of Religious Tests <strong>in</strong>ternal opposition to seriouschanges rema<strong>in</strong>ed strong <strong>in</strong> Cambridge. Private <strong>in</strong>terestshonestly created, and prepossessions generally s<strong>in</strong>cere,were alarmed by <strong>the</strong> now unmistakable <strong>in</strong>tentions ofParliament. Sulky acquiescence ra<strong>the</strong>r than hearty cooperation<strong>was</strong> <strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> temper of a majority.Aga<strong>in</strong>st this <strong>the</strong> energy and self-sacrifice of <strong>the</strong> residentreformers carried on a long struggle, gradually ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g

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