BRASENOSE COLLEGE. [To TEL EDITOR Or TEE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your review
of Brasenose College in the Spectator of March 18th is favourable as regards Mr. Buchan's work, but disparaging as regards the College itself. What would you have? Is every foundation to be on the lines of Balliol or New College P If these be the model Colleges in all respects, you would narrow the type of an Oxford man to the reading men, and ignore that variety of undergraduate which is so charming. You would also limit the number of the youth of England who could obtain the distinctive advantage of the associations of Oxford. The Principal said to me, himself a Balliol man, that B.N.C. was essentially sui generis, and had a flavour and distinctiveness which is found nowhere else in Oxford. It is perhaps the most popular College in the University, and does what it aims at doing very success- fatly. It is quite trim that it had the first-class in Lit. hum. to itself on one occasion, though from the expression of the reviewer it might be doubted. It has had its shares of honour men, and those of a vigorous, practical type; in mathematics more than its share, for it is not a large College. There is much patriotic feeling in B.N.C. that every one should do something for the College, and loafers are dis- countenanced. My son was a scholar in 1890, and in my visits to him I found just the same tone as in 1860, with more men who read. Long may it continue !—I am, Sir, &c.,
B. N. C.
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