Some friends of the late Dr. Sumner seem to fancy
that we did not intend, in our paragraph of last week, to accept Mr. Sumner's refutation of the old story of the Bishop's marriage. We accepted it implicitly, and quoted Sir J. Taylor Coleridge's evi- dence in support, and have nothing to regret, except we should have repeated what seems to be an entirely baseless account. At the same time, Dr. Sumner's family will do well to remember that, owing to the late Bishop's long life, statements which seem to them intrusions an private life seem to outsiders fragments of a long-past history ; and that this particular story was not only repeated in the Times, but stated as mere matter-of-fact by the organ of the ecclesiastical party to which the late Bishop was reputed to belong. We must add, too, that we have seen no hint, and certainly repeated none, that Madlle. Maunoir was aware in any way whatever of the selfish motive falsely attributed to Dr. Sumner for his proposal.
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