October 3rd, 1847 (Sunday)

Messrs Bowyer and Grimaldi dined at the Vicarage, and came to the College in the evening. Mr Bowyer said that he was quite ‘ecstatic’ with the Chapel, so much being done with such simple materials. They came up to the Music School, where I superintended, in Monk’s absence, the chanting of the servitors. Afterwards Howard and I sang for them. They were highly gratified.

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October 5th, 1847 (Tuesday)

Poor Howard was summoned suddenly into Oxford to see his father, who was dead before he arrived. He was a very old man, the father of the Royal Academicians, and a painter of high merit. I was quite grieved at Howard’s distress. Still, his death was quite tranquil, and he had lived to see his youngest son happily settled, and to rejoice in his connection with the College.

It is curious that Sewell had been for some time at Bonchurch to see his mother, who was dangerously ill from an accident (fracture of the thigh) and when he returned on Sunday, Monk was gone home to attend his grandmother, who, it was feared, was on her death bed.

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October 6th, 1847 (Wednesday)

Commenced the Bell Tower, which is to be a simple building of brick, narrow but lofty, – 13 ft wide, and about 50 ft high, terminated by a roof with four valleys. The design is Howard’s, after the German style. I am sure it will look charming. At first it was to have been built joining on to the Venison Larder, for the sake of good grouping, and accordingly the foundation was sunk until a bed of gravel appeared. Mr Johnson, however, was much perplexed at a settle which he had observed in the Larder, and for which he could not account. The foundation appeared to have slightly given way. He therefore determined to sink lower, and thus lighted upon as fine a deposit of building sand as could be found anywhere. This happened most opportunely, for Davis had just told him that he must desist from drawing gravel and sand from the Park. What now came ready to hand is better than any he could get elsewhere, and the few loads drawn from a distance cost him five shillings a load: a load here stands us in about 3d. – After sinking a few feet, water appeared in abundance; – another great convenience. How very fortunate that we had not built on this spot; the tower would infallibly have come down.

We were of course obliged to choose another site, – which we fixed at a few yards distance, where we found stiff clay. The excavation is filled up with a great mass of concrete, and the brick work in the centre is grouted with hot liquid mortar. Above the plinth the walls will be 18 inches thick, and will be tied together with cross beams which bear several floors. Thus, he says, that the work will never stir, and that we are quite welcome to swing the great Bell; no ordinary comfort.

We feel rather a malicious satisfaction at the idea that the Archbishop of York will be compelled to hear its deep sound, swelling over the river into his Grace’s study. By the way, his ‘major-domo’ came to see Mr Johnson here, who is a friend of his. We gave liberty to go through the house, and he was amazed at the way everything had been done. His Grace heard all about it the same evening, – I have little doubt. Yet we must not be angry with him. His great age necessarily indisposes him to new schemes, and his intimacy with the Primate of Ireland still more to our’s. The Bishop of Ripon, however, has written kindly.

When Sewell was at the Island,¹ he met Dr Jelf, who renewed his expressions of admiration, – saying that this was the place of all others where he would like to be. It is quite curious how many persons of station have looked upon a Fellowship here as quite a thing to be sought for. Every one is struck, and all seem entirely to understand the reasons for doing things in the style we have done them. On matters of taste people are very apt to cavil, and certain to differ; but they seem quite taken by surprise, and to have no thought of objections. If it were possible to be surer of what we are abundantly sure of already, each day would add to my conviction, that, claiming some margin of allowance for minor errors, the thing has been done in the only way it could be done. This may seem like commending ourselves, but I wish to place our conviction on record.

Sewell has been to Marlborough, which is a fair example of a school of the same age; and though much better than he expected, it is sadly deficient in tone. The masters don’t take their meals with the boys, but they have a late dinner, and a Common Room meeting afterwards. They are building a nice Chapel, but are going to curtail the services. The masters’ rooms are like vulgar bed-rooms; the boys are not clean-looking in their persons. The dormitory is clean, but there is scarcely room to pass between the beds, so that there must be close air, and want of decency. Yet in many respects it is better than any large school in England. The error seems to be, (if one can speak without having seen it,) their not setting out upon the principle, as a fundamental one, that man is to be educated for the world to come primarily. To make a boy a scholar with the positive view of making him a Christian is the secret of education; – and a secret it unhappily is: – but matters are plainly on the mending hand.

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1: ie, the Isle of Wight

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October 7th, 1847 (Thursday)

Messrs Bowyer & Grimaldi called again. The former mentioned that he had seen Mr Hope, to whom Sewell had written but had never received any reply. He is much interested in the College, but wishes to know more about it. Sewell having been on Round’s Committee operates against us, as people imagine, most absurdly, that he is trimming to the Puritans. We think that we shall yet be supported by that class of Churchmen, who were inclined to extremes, but have now become more moderate from seeing the lengths to which some have gone, and they were tending.

Sewell came into my room in the evening with Monk, & talked of the expediency of inquiring whether Mr Bowles of Milton Hill, near Abingdon, would do for a fellow. He was a 2nd class man of Queen’s, (I think) & had been a musical pupil of Monk’s, while the latter was in Oxford. Sewell had heard a good character of him, & at his suggestion Monk, who likes him much, asked him & his brother (a Demy of Magdalen) to dine & sleep on Michaelmas Day. They came, & we thought the elder quiet & gentlemanlike, but not striking. He is a great admirer of this place, and being musical, & a gentleman, & a Scholar, – we agreed that it is desirable to inquire further. Accordingly, Sewell is to invite him here to stay Saturday and Sunday. Mr Bowyer knows him intimately, & said so on Sunday, in a way that Sewell & I thought very marked, as if he guessed at the object of our inquiries. We imagine, too, that the gentleman would like to come himself. However, we shall see. One thing is clear, – that there will be great competition for our fellowships.

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October 8th, 1847 (Friday)

The Vicar gave out last Sunday that the Bishop would hold a confirmation in Abingdon on the 25th, and as Reynolds has never been confirmed, & has told me that he would wish to be, I wrote yesterday to the Vicar, who lives in Oxford, – the following letter: – “Dear Sir, – There is one of our students, a boy of 16 years of age, who has never been confirmed, and would like to avail himself of the coming opportunity to receive the sacred rite. Shall I send him to you to be prepared for the Bishop? Or shall I prepare him myself, & present him to you hereafter for examination and approval, if you consider him fit? If you will kindly inform me of your wishes, they shall be attended to by, Dear Sir, very faithfully your’s, R.C. Singleton.” I wonder what he will think of this: it is at all events respectful.

The number of failures among commercial men in London & elsewhere is so great that Sewell thinks we shall have more difficulty about money than we had expected. The crisis is deplorable; the money market in an extraordinary state. However, He, whose is “the cattle upon a thousand hills,” can support us, if He will it.

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October 9th, 1847 (Saturday)

This is my 37th birthday; so, remembering the uncertainty of life, I executed my will in presence of the Sub-Warden & Monk.

Mr Lowe came over to dine, along with a Mr Harper, a clerical friend of his somewhere in these parts. He told me that this gentleman would give any thing to come here in any capacity, & even for nothing. Such is the attraction of the place.

Also Mr Dennison rode over from Oxford, where he happened to be for a short time. He is a Fellow of Oriel, & is brother to the Bishop of Salisbury, & domestic chaplain to the Bishop of Bath & Wells, – a clever man, and a sound churchman. He is most deeply interested in our success, & was so struck with the design, and the way in which it is to be, & is, carried out, that he expressed great admiration, & said that, “Though he was a poor man, he must send us something, & become an annual subscriber”. He was anxious to know the real state of things about Stackallan, which Sewell entirely laid before him; telling every thing, down to the Trustees refusing to tell me officially that Dr Elrington’s letter, announcing their determination & the Primate’s to cancel the obligation to fast, was not official. He wholly approved of our conduct, and said, “You were in a cruel position, but most right to maintain silence,” – feeling what a terrible exposure of the Primate the defence of ourselves would have involved. Said that he thought the Bishop of Oxford would never have consented to our Statutes, and that his giving in could only have arisen from Sewell saying that “no earthly consideration should ever induce him to found a College upon any other principles”. This shows two things, – 1st, that the Bishop of Oxford had consulted the other Bishops; and 2nd, that his becoming a Visitor was, under God, owing to the boldness of commencing our proceedings, & carrying them on so far, before we had secured his approval. This very step we had taken with the utmost deliberation, & with this exact view. What a blessing that the point was carried! It is impossible to estimate its consequence to the English Church. Had we been beaten we should have been almost in despair of her righting herself. And so Mr Dennison seemed to think, for he said, “what a comfort that we are not falling back into indifferentism”. Sewell begged on him to convey our gratitude to the Bishop of Bath & Wells for his kind letter, and to say that amid not a little timidity & coldness we felt it a real support to be warmly backed by a Bishop. Mr Dennison is a man of weight, so we made a point today.

Spirits lowered by the terrible crash in the commercial world, but revived by today’s visitors.

Made my first step in the new capacity of gardener, by putting down 150 cabbage plants. We shall get on very well with James, who is only a labourer, but has worked in the garden for 27 years.

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October 10th, 1847 (Sunday)

After Mattins the Vicar stopped me and said that, in answer to my note, he shold be quite contented with my preparing Reynolds for confirmation, but wished him to be sent to be examined on the 24th, before he gave him a ticket. He made no offer to shake hands, but I ungloved and forced him to be civil so far: however, we all remarked that he looked pleasant. It is rather hard to be treated with such marked coldness by our Clergyman, in spite of every due effort to please him. From Sewell’s first visit he has been rude. He has never been inside our doors, though he occasionally passes them, and on one occasion was invited in by the Sub-Warden. We cannot make any farther advances to him, for he would in all probability repudiate them, and look upon civility as cowardice.

Mr Bowyer says that he (Mr Bowyer) is quite assured of our anxiety to be every thing that we ought to him, – but that we ‘can do nothing; – for that he is an old man, and cannot bear to be put out of his way; that he has always been Master here, unfettered by anyone, – apprehends interruption’; – and so on. We must therefore go on quietly, forgiving the prejudices that we cannot remove, and showing all kindliness that we can; – and perhaps he may be softened and come round, and, if not, it fortunately does not much matter for he carries no influence with any one.

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October 12th, 1847 (Tuesday)

Sewell received £100 from a lady, who would not allow him to disclose her name. This is a subject of thankfulness; thus our spirits are kept up. We are not taught to pray for wealth or independence, but for ‘daily bread’. Port Royal flourished on precarious supplies, and perished at last, not from want of funds, but from the hostility of the Jesuits.¹

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1 The Jansenist school at Chevreuse, near Paris, which introduced a revolutionary approach to education in the late seventeenth century. Its pupils included Racine and Pascal. [Article in the Catholic Encyclopedia]

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October 13th, 1847 (Wednesday)

Nine stalls arrived, which had been given to Mr Bowyer. They originally came from Cologne, and formed part of the parcel, out of which Mr Bowyer supplied the twelve in the chancel of Radley Church. They are handsome and good, being apparently of the date of James 1st. I daresay we shall put tem into the chapel first of all, until we can complete the beautiful Gothic stalls, a few of which are now in Margett’s hands. Afterwards the Ante-Chapel may receive them.

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October 15th, 1847 (Friday)