The Universities are getting anxious about Mr. Gladstone's delay of
the University Tests' Bill. It was promised in the Queen's :Speech, and the delay is very likely due solely to the came .assigned,—the pressure of other Government business,—for never -did any Government begin a Session with a better prepared load of heavy work. Still it is a little unfortunate that the delay should occur in a Bill about which Mr. Gladstone is suspected of 'feeling serious qualms, and his answer to a question put to him on .Thursday as to the course of the Public Schools' Commissioners -will not remove the uneasiness. The Commissioners in deciding upon the bodies which are to name the new governing bodies of -the great public schools, have limited their choice to members of the Church of England. Thus, the Senate of the University -of London is to name one of the new governing bodies of Rugby and Harrow, who is to be eligible, however, only in case he can -declare himself a member of the Church of England. Mr. Glad- stone stated that he believed this limitation was quite within the spirit of the Act under which the Public Schools' Commissioners have been working, though it was quite open to Parliament to -object to any such restriction. Mr. Gladstone himself did not say he approved of it, but he did not certainly seem to disapprove; be declared that these great schools were strictly Church schools before the Act ; and that the Act did not suggest any change in 4his respect, but, on the contrary, referred to a previous report of ;the Commissioners, which clearly contemplated that the governing bodies would continue to be composed of members of the Church of England. In short, the answer was one quite consistent with neutra- lity in the matter, but hardly that of a man anxious for governing bodies of the widest possible scope. Yet if the limitation should be persevered in, it will probably prevent the Senate of the University -of London from making any nominations at all. Mr. Gladstone's 4' historical conscience" is clearly a little sensitive in that region where Liberal and Church principles intersect.
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