MR. GLADSTONE AND THE RECTORY OF EWELM.E.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—The presentation of Ewelme Rectory to the Rev. W. Wigan Harvey was an instance among many when Mr. Gladstone did what he liked without caring what other people might think of him. And your correspondent "W. W." in the Spectator of October 5th has not thrown much light upon the case. Ewelme was a living specially belonging to the University of Oxford, and there were other clergymen besides Mr. Jelf who had a claim to it on that ground. But Mr. Harvey, who had been a Fellow of Kings College, Cambridge, and who held the College living of Buckland, appears to have set his heart on getting it. For this purpose he took not ad eundem M.A. degree at Oxford, but such a degree as incorporated him with' that University. This required some residence there, and, consequently, some experience. Is it likely that the Rector of Buckland, who was not a rich man, would have acted in that way if he had not received some promise that the preferment would be his? What were his qnalifications ? He was a contemporary of Mr. Gladstone at Eton, and had compiled a book consisting of • It is Neptune who predicts this.
extracts from those fathers whom our reformers recognised as authorities. This was called " Ecclesiae Anglicanae Vindes
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