TWO SAYINGS OF JOWETT.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—Two anecdotes about Jowett have recently been placed at my disposal by an eminent Oxonian, who was once co- examiner with him in the classical schools. One of the examinees on that occasion was a youth who was destined for Holy Orders, but who had already been, at least once, plucked for his degree. This time he had done somewhat better ; and the question was whether he could be suffered to serape through. My informant, being mercifully inclined, was for giving the good but stupid young man the benefit of the doubt. Jowett, however, was less easily satisfied. He spent a good hour in alternately sitting with the examination papers before him, and pacing up and down the room ; but, sitting or walking, he was alike unable to make up his mind. To bring him round, his more indulgent (or impatient) colleague drew his attention to one or two passages which showed that the candidate had done his little best to get up his subjects. At last Jowett yielded, drily exclaiming : "Well, I think I can sign his testamur ; but I hope I shall never hear him preach !" The sudden transition from hesitation to confidence, as Jowett passed from the former to the latter of these clauses, was well indicated, I am told, in his voice and manner. I wish I had seen and heard him ; for, indeed, none but those who were so familiar with his peculiar look and chirp as to be able to construct what I am fain to call a mental photo-phonograph of him, can at all realise how characteristic was the mode of his halting assent.
Of the other and more impressive incident my informant was not himself a witness ; but he says that it reached him on good authority. A young lady who could, and sometimes did, take liberties with Jowett had the effrontery to say to him : "I want to know, Master, what you think of God." "I am more concerned to know what God thinks of me," was the felicitous reply. This courteous extinguisher, so to term it, had been reported to me before ; but it hardly seemed to me credible that any girl would have ventured on such un- womanly Troppwrice in addreesing the resourceful, and at times formidable, Master. I therefore forbore to give currency to what I suspected of being a forgery; but assuredly the draft on our credulity should be honoured and accepted now that it has been endorsed by my highly accomplished friend.
Hotel Sonnenberg, Engelberg, August 12t1.
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