We have noticed elsewhere the style of the Bishop of
Oxford's frothy speech at Buckingham this day week, against Mr. Cole- ridge's Bill abolishing the testa for Dissenters in Oxford and Cambridge. Of its substance we need only say that it turned on one point,—the folly of subjecting young men when learning theology to the clamour of violent and various controversial in- fluences. We admit that this is not the most desirable course, but absolutely deny that the danger will be in any additional degree incurred by opening Oxford and Cambridge fellowships to Dis- senters. In point of fact, the differences between men within the National Church,—the differences between such men as Mr. Jowett and Dr. Pusey for example,—are fully as great as any that will arise when a few Nonconformists, perhaps a Scotch Calvinist here, an Irish Catholic there, are included even in the number of College tutors,—and, of course, the mass of the fellowships are not held by resident tutors at all. And even as to the dangers of controversy,—Univer- sity students scarcely ever gain any real faith without going through a very great deal either by book or by word of mouth, and we do not see the greater danger of the latter. The Bishop's argument was really a mere statement of violent prejudice—made in a speech overladen with vulgar ornament.
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