rettrs to tlhe e/fitur.
CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD.
Christ Church, Oxford, 2d ilteq 1854. Sm.—In your comment on my letter of last week, you do me an injustice, which I am sure you will be willing to repair, by admitting this short an- swer. I am by no means "perfectly contented" with the number of honours gained by Christ Church. I most earnestly wish to see them in- creased, and to see this College made in every way more useful and efficient than it is ; but I could not help protesting against the statement which at- tributed to it a degree of deficiency and uselessness to which it never has fallen, and, I trust, never will. From the peculiar character of. this foun- dation, we are especially liable to misrepresentations of this kind. We are called " a magnificent foundation," and expected, therefore, to do a great deal ; whereas, as I endeavoured to show, it is the Canonries only that are rich, and those funds are not available for the purposes of the College. If you had not thus confused the College with the Chapter, you would not have thought that my remark as to the annexation of Canonries to Professorships could possibly bear the construction which you suggest. With regard to honours, I must say one more word. First-class men can never be very numerous, and it is natural that men of the greatest ability should be at- tracted to Colleges which offer them the highest prizes. I fear, therefore, that our avowedly poor Studentships can never enter into a fair competition with other Colleges in this respect. In spite of this disadvantage, Christ Church has gained more honours in the time specified than any other Col- lege, with the single exception of Ralliol.
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