16 JANUARY 1948, Page 4

How astonishingly well they order things in Westminster Abbey. The

memorial service to Lord Baldwin on Wednesday began exactly when it was meant to begin, at 12 noon, and ended exactly when it was meant to end, at 12.3o. It was in some ways unusual, with the Abbey clergy in their Charles II copes, Lord Baldwin's own words on " the binding together of all classes of our own people " read by the Dean, with Ellerton's not very familiar hymn " Praise to our God whose bounteous hand " and with the beautiful closing prayer by John Donne. Lord Baldwin had relinquished some time before his death most of the various offices he held. but Cambridge has in three weeks' time to elect a successor to him as Chancellor. Where the choice will fall I will not predict, contenting myself to a reference to one quarter where it will not fall. I have been struck by the number of people to whom the same thought has occurred—that if sonly the Master of Trinity were available there would be no problem to solve. But the offices of Chancellor and a Hetd of a House cannot be com- bined, and only two years ago the Fellows of Trinity prevailed on their Master to occupy the Lodge for five years longer. Dr. Trevelyan needs no fresh honours. To be Head of the greatest college in either university and a member of the Order of Merit is surely enough. But he may yet take some satisfaction in the desire of so many of his friends to place him where in fact they cannot place him.

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