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

Cambridge in the 'Seventies 253ground as vacancies in the course of nature or ecclesiasticalpreferment brought a younger generation on the stage.The spiritual light and leading of the reformers was incarnatedin Henry Sidgwick first and foremost. Otherssupported him ably, but it was in him that the heroicand saintly element needed for inspiring younger mennever, failed, an influence operating by example as wellas precept. His action in 1869—70 brought to a head theTests question, settled in 1871. This matter, till thenshelved by Parliament, was causing some excitementamong undergraduates in my time. I remember beingenticed to a meeting in a student's rooms and pressed tosign a form of protest against the repeal. I was told that,being a member of the Church of England and not preparedto secede from it, my plain duty was to sign. I didnot. This illustrates the sort of thing that was going onin the Colleges. The bigotry of some of our elders wasraising the cry of ' Sacrilege' at any attempt to ' pervert'the intentions of' Pious Founders', and quietly encouragingus youngsters to bleat in unison with their protestations.It must be remembered that Dissenters and Jewshad for years past been admitted as students, and someof them had won great distinction in examinations. Butthey could only take the M.A. as a titular degree, notgiving membership of the Senate; and they were shut outfrom Fellowships by the Test. It was notorious that the'religious' opposition to their claims simply amountedto a refusal to surrender the monopoly of emoluments andpower. In 1870 not a few undergraduates were beginningto think for themselves and to view such doings withcontempt.The narrow-minded attitude I have described was fullyin evidence all through the 'seventies, though less andless openly displayed as the inevitable drew near. Opportunepreferment now and then thinned the ranks of