The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-17 00:00:00

OXFORD PROFESSORSHIP OF POETRY

The interest which has attached for some time to the ap-
proaching contest for the vacant chair of the professor of
poetry, at Oxford, continues to increase. The following is
the London committee for conducting the election of the Rev.
James Garbett, M.A. :
_

Loid Ashley, M.P., chairman, Lord Sandon, M.P., Hon.
and Rev. H. M. Villiers, Hon. James Stuart, Q.C., J.
W. Farrer, Esq., Master in Chancery, Rev. G. F. W.
Mortimer, D.D., J. W. Middleton Herry, Esq., Edward
Cardwell, Esq., Rev. W. W. Chaumeys, William Greg-
son, Esq., Rev. John Harding, Rev. W. Harrison, Gilbert
Henderson, Esq., Rev. W. Stone, T. Denman Whatley,
Esq. _ _

Our readers will be familiar with most of these names.
The secretary has been requested to issue the following cir-
cular :

" am directed by the committee to solicit your sup-
port for the Rev. James Garbett, in the approaching election
for the professorship of poetry at Oxford. Mr. Garbett's
name was placed in the first class at the public examination
in Michealmas term, 1822. He was fellow and tutor of
Brasenose, has filled the office of public examiner, and is
Bampton lecturer elect for the ensuing year.
" Mr. Garbett was originally brought forward by the prin-
cipal and fellows of Brasenose, who rested his claim upon his
high character in the university, his varied and extensive ac-
quaintance with poetical literature, and his critical acumen
and taste.

" But the London committee cannot conceal from them-
selves the fact, that other and more important considera-
tions have since been introduced into this contest, and have
exercised an influence in many quarters. They disclaim for
themselves the responsibility of having been in any way con-
nected with the introduction of those considerations. If
there be blame attached to such a procedure, the blame rests
not with them. At the same time they cannot shut their
eyes to the importance of the principles that are at stake, and
they therefore rejoice that they are enabled to express a con-
fident belief that Mr. Garbett's sentiments are those of an
attached member of the church, without any extreme or
party bias ; that the soundness of his theological opinions is
unquestionable ; and that on these grounds, as well as on
every other, they can strongly recommend him to the sup-
port of convocation.

" Requesting the favour of a reply,
" I have the honour to be, sir,
"Your most obedient humble servant,
" WM. GREGSON, Hon. Sec.
" 2, Tanfield-court, Temple."
Lord Ashley has written to the committee of Mr. Williams,
(Mr. Garbett's opponent,) stating his reasons for declining
to vote for that gentleman ; and as his lordship's sentiments
on any subject where the great interests of revealed religion
and the welfare of our established church are concerned are
peculiarly valuable, we subjoin his lordship's reply.
lc St. Giles's House, December 11.
" the letter which I have had the honour of re-
ceiving from you, ' to solicit my vote and interest in Mr.
Williams' behalf,' you desire also, on the part of the com-
mittee, a reply to their communication.

" I hasten to furnish that reply.
"The Rev. Isaac Williams has presented himself for the
vacant chair of the professor of poetry. I have no doubt
whatever that he possesses all those amiable qualities and
high attainments which his supporters put forward as the
ground of his election. Nor should I hesitate, as I replied
to my friend Dr. Pusey, to render him any private service
that might lie within my power ; but the reverend gentleman
claims a public post, and seeks to be invested with public
authority, and it has become, therefore, the duty of every
one who has a voice in the decision, to consider the conse-
quences of raising him to such an office.
" The Rev. Mr. Williams aspires to be a moral teacher;
the professor of poetry in .a Christian university must im-
part to his writings and his lectures, frequently on secular,
always on sacred, subjects, those sentiments and principles
which he believes to be essential to the propagation of the
truth. This we should expect of a layman—we should de-
mand it of a. minister. The late accomplished and amiable
professor was animated by this spirit, and published, with
the attraction of his respected name and the authority of his
official station, sundry poems of admitted talent and disputed
theology.

" I am now summoned to consider whether a similar ap.
pointment would not confer a similar authority.

"The venerable members of Trinity College have issued a
disclaimer ' for Mr. Williams himself, and have deprecated
on the part of others any attempt whatever to introduce upon
the occasion questions of theological controversy
" With all deference that is due from a layman', I cannot
believe myself at liberty to set aside these important con-
siderations. I acknowledge the latitude of speculatiou that
must be permttted to all the members of a common church ;
but there are limits, I maintain, which must not be over.
passed, at least without a solemn and indignant protest on
the part of those who have both an opportunity and a right
to give an opinion.

" I have endeavoured, then, to ascertain the principles of
Mr. Williams, and I have found that he is the author of the
tract entitled Reserve in Communicating Religious Know-
ledge.'
"There is no power on earth that shall induce me to assist
in elevating the writer of that paper to the station of a public
teacher. 1 see very little difference between a man who pro-
mulgates false doctrines and him who suppresses the true.
I cannot concur in the approval of a candidate whose writings
are in contravention of the inspired apostle, and reverse his
holy exultation that he had ' not shunned to declare to his
hearers the whole counsel of Gon.' I will not consent to
give my support, however humble, towards the recognition
of exoteric and esoteric doctrines in the church of England,
to obscure the perspicuity of the Gospel by the philosophy of
Paganism, and make the places set apart for the ministrations
of the preacher, whose duties must mainly be among the
poor, the wayfaring, and the simple, as mystic and incompre-
hensible as the grove of Eleusis.

"These, sir,-are my reasons for refusing my vote to Mr.
Williams ; and I hope I have given my answer as candidly
as you have required it.—l am, sir, your very obedient
servant, " ASHLEY.
" Roundel' Palmer, Esq."