genius, when so adequately presented and introduced to the notice of readers, is the grossest instance of general stupidity and torpor in literary taste and English scholarship that ever I witnessed.-Always sincerely yours, A. C. SWINBURNE.

CHAPTER IV

AS A LECTURER

E began his long connection with the University Extension Society in the Lent Term of 1880, opening his first course of lectures at Brixton. The University Extension Movement began in 1876. Though his lectures for that Society were few during his professorship at Birmingham, he yet maintained an uninterrupted sequence of twentyseven years, his last course being delivered at Kingston in the Michaelmas Term of 1907-the total number of lectures given by him for this Society being upwards of 3000.1

In the opening speech of one of these courses at Gresham College in 1892, Mr Asquith (then Home Secretary), who took the chair, said:

Ladies and Gentlemen,-It gives me very great gratification to have an opportunity of being present to-night at the opening of the new Session of work of the University Extension Society I think I may claim to have a special interest in its fortunes, for a good many years ago, when the Society first started its work in London,

1 Data supplied by Mr Percy Wallace.

I believe that I was actually its first Lecturer, before an audience composed mainly of the fair sex, my subject being what was then called the science of Political Economy. . . . I do not believe that the subject of English Literature could be handled by any more competent man than Mr Churton Collins in the whole of Great Britain. I well remember how, twenty years ago, when Mr Collins and I were at Balliol College together, I have often sat into the small hours of the morning while my friend poured forth out of the flood-gates of a most capacious memory treasures both new and old.

At Richmond his lectures were frequently honoured by the presence of the late Duchess of Teck, accompanied by Princess May, our present Queen. They would sometimes remain afterwards for a little chat about the lecture. On one occasion the Duchess was so struck with the beauty of some lines which he recited during the lecture, that afterwards she asked him to write them down for her, saying that she thought them among the most beautiful she had ever heard. The lines were:

'Sleepe after toyle, port after stormie seas,

Ease after warre, death after life does greatly please." 1

The Queen has not forgotten this trivial episode in her life. A letter, in which Her Majesty graciously consents to the publication of the above

1 Spenser's Faerie Queene, bk. iv. canto 9.

AS A LECTURER

63

paragraph, states that "The Queen well remembers the incident of the quotation."

Another distinguished member of his audience was Princess Alice of Albany, now the Princess Alexander of Teck. The Princess used to write essays on the subjects of the lectures, and he more than once remarked that he had a very high opinion of her literary ability.

A book in itself might be written on the subject of his lecturing. His popularity as a lecturer may perhaps be best judged by his continuous appearance at the same "Centre." At some

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Centres" he went on lecturing year after year, as at Regent Street, and it would seem as if his audiences never tired of him. As his memory was so good, he was able to dispense for the most part with the use of his note-books, and on this account the lecture was rendered more pleasing from its air of ease and spontaneity: he displayed, too, a genuine and never lacking enthusiasm in his subject and this usually became infectious. There was no looking at the clock to see if he could make the lecture "spin out" successfully; his fault was all the other way. It was not unusual for him to take out his watch, when the allotted hour had long since passed, and to bring the lecture to a close, with an apology for keeping his audience.

Though these lectures filled so much of his

life, it must be sufficient to give here two instances of that personal interest which he took in his students and which seems to have made him much appreciated. Mr Charles F. Newcombe is now Librarian of the North Camberwell Library. He was then attending the lectures at Toynbee Hall.

61 TORRINGTON SQUARE, W.C., July 15th, 1888.

DEAR MR NEWCOMBE,-I have read your letter with much interest and sympathy, and I hope it is scarcely necessary for me to assure you that if I can in any way be of assistance to you, I shall only be too happy to help you. I understand you to say that you wish to get work as a teacher of English Literature at Institutes and schools in London, and for that purpose, or for the purpose of preparing yourself for such work, you contemplate quitting your present post. Let me exhort you to think very seriously before you take this step. Remember that it is extremely difficult to obtain teaching work, for each place which may be open there will probably be a hundred applicants, the greater proportion being University men with the advantage perhaps of a high degree; it is a path of life in which the supply far exceeds the demand. If you took very elementary literary teaching, which is, of course, easier to obtain, I am afraid you would find it very irksome and depressing, for you are evidently-and I may add, very properly-aiming high. My advice to you is to stay where you are, unless you see your way to