One hundred years ago
THE extraordinary delay in the appointment of a new Bishop of Durham is very naturally attracting attention. It is supposed by some to be due to Lord Salisbury's illness, and the consequent difficulty in his having that audience of the Queen which is deemed to be specially necessary before any selection of a Bishop; and by others to be due to the absence of the selected nominee on a journey not easily over- taken even by the telegraph. More probably it is due to the rarity of men of mark in the Church. Probably the new Bishop of Chester is the most disting- uished of the younger prelates endowed with energy and force enough for such a See as Durham, and as he has been only a year in his first See, it may be thought unadvisable to translate him so soon. Canon Liddon is always boycotted as far as Bishoprics are concerned, for some reason which the public cannot guess. Among the younger clergy who are not Bishops, there are many men of energy and enthusiasm, but very few of great promise or distinction. And after Canon Scott Holland, we should not find it easy to mention the name of one of great intellectual mark as well as great moral ardour. We rather depre- cate the choice of a head-master. Archbishop Tait made a great Primate. but, as a rule, schoolmaster-Bishops remain schoolmasters still.
The Spectator, 15 February 1890
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