"MY DEAR SIR,

"13 HYDE PARK GATE SOUTH, S.W.,
"3rd January, 1883.

"I have just read with very great interest your article in Mind; and am exceedingly glad to have so much approval from so great an authority. I can learn from your criticisms the better as we do not differ too radically for profitable communication.

"There is only one specific matter upon which I feel a wish to trouble you at present. Your statement about malevolence certainly implies some real difference of opinion. I do not think, however, that the difference is quite so great as you suppose. I certainly meant to take a ground similar at least to yours; viz., that as a fact there is such a thing as pure malevolence; though the sooner we get rid of it the better: and therefore, I meant to guard myself against saying that benevolence was a necessary element of feeling in that malevolence implied a contradiction. In trying to point out that malevolence is really of less prevalence than is sometimes asserted; and that a great part of the pleasures due at first sight to it are really due to other causes, I very probably expressed myself too strongly and laid myself open to your criticism. But I think that the difference between us is not one of principle but of our estimate of the actual proportion of cases to which the principle applies.

"As for the critic's malevolence, I think from my own experience that it is due in great part to the much greater ease of saying smart things in attack than in praise. Why that should be is no doubt another problem; and so is the curious question about humour to which you refer, and which I wish very much that you would discuss at greater length.

"Of one thing I am quite certain that in criticising me, you could not have enjoyed any of the pleasure of malevolence. I wish you as much as possible of all others

MR. LESLIE STEPHEN'S "ETHICS".

367

(perhaps as a good utilitarian I should allow you a little of that too) for the coming year.

"Yours very truly,

"LESLIE STEPHEN."

Mr. James Ward, of Cambridge, being at this time one of the examiners in the University of London, had suggested to the Senate a modification of the prescription for the philosophy degree, which had remained as arranged when Baynes and I were examiners, in 1858. Ward submitted a draft on the model of what had been introduced into Cambridge, giving more detailed particulars than in the existing scheme. The Senate referred the suggestion to all the former examiners for their views. Some (and Baynes was one) expressed simple acquiescence. My own opinion was adverse; and, accordingly, I gave a statement of sundry objections to the plan, which was printed in the minutes of the Senate along with the other answers; the effect of the whole being to induce the Senate to abide by the status quo.

The incidents of the year were completed by the Rectorial address, on the 15th of November, and the presentation of my portrait on the 27th of December.

I was, of course, too familiar with the reception given to Rectorial Addresses, to expect a patient hearing, or indeed any hearing at all. On reaching

the platform, I could see at a glance that the forces of disturbance were organized and omnipotent. The meeting was wholly at their mercy; and the only question was, whether the interruption was to be partial or total. I proceeded to read for a few minutes, deliberating with myself what my duty and policy should be in the situation. The Provost came to my aid by the timely suggestion that the address should be held as read, and given to the reporters. The Principal (Pirie) acquiesced; and this was done, accordingly. In less than a quarter of an hour, I obtained a release. A further good consequence of the mode of action pursued was that, on my second election, it was not proposed or expected that I should compose a second address.

In the July number of Mind for the year 1883, Mr. Malcolm Guthrie's work on Spencer was noticed with especial reference to some critical strictures upon Mind and Body.

The important part of the article consisted in revising the attempt to calculate our mental possessions and to compare their amount with the number and minuteness of the nervous elements as known to us,-viz., nerve fibres and nerve cells. The figures assigned to our mental acquisitions were, for certain reasons given, declared to be far below the reality, and the difficulty of finding nerve accompaniments in sufficient amounts rendered all the greater.

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As Mr. Guthrie had fully admitted the thorough-going concomitance of mind and body, the issues that he raised concerned chiefly the modes of expressing the concomitance, which were vindicated anew.

The main project now in hand was the contemplated revision and enlargement of the Rhetoric, for which an extensive series of readings was commenced. Symonds's books on the Greek Poets were examined for critical hints and illustrations, but perhaps did not yield a great deal.

The London excursion for the summer included a visit to Salisbury and Stonehenge.

Session 1883-84, and Recess following.

On the first of October, we left for London on the way to Aix-la-Chapelle, where we stayed a month and took the waters. William Hunter was staying there at the same time. We then made a tour in Holland; going first to Antwerp, thence to the Hague, and from that to the four University towns. At Amsterdam, I saw the professor of philosophy, Spruyt,-who took me to the house of Spinoza, in the Jews' quarter, and to the Jewish synagogue there, supposed to be the same building in which Spinoza had been excommunicated. This, however, was discovered to be a mistake, the present building being of a later date. Going next to Leyden, we dined with Pro

fessor Kuenen. From thence we went to Utrecht, and saw Professor Donders, who was still teaching there, and also the professor of philosophy, Opzoomer, who had a bright young daughter already celebrated for a popular romance. From Utrecht, I made an excursion alone to Gröningen, to see Professor Van der Wijck. He took me to a monthly reunion of the professors, who all spoke and understood English; and I received from the professor of Greek, a Frisic vocabulary prepared by his father, but not finished. I then returned to Utrecht, and made the journey home by Belgium to Calais for London. Before leaving London, I visited Bournemouth, to see Robertson, now a pronounced invalid, and requiring to employ a substitute at University College.

In the University Court, this year, the chief business consisted in overhauling the draft of the Universities Bill; being the first of the series of Bills introduced by the Government. The greatest objection to the Bill on all hands was the financial insufficiency. How this provision would have been modified, irrespective of the Equivalent Grant which came in at a later stage, it is impossible and needless to say.

The only other incident of importance in the business of the Court was an appeal by the medical students on the subject of Pathology teaching.