BC RF/103/1/43: Letter from The Shrubbery, Liverpool, [1856]
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Title
BC RF/103/1/43: Letter from The Shrubbery, Liverpool, [1856]
Description
Letter from The Shrubbery, [Uncle Richard Yates's house?] to Mrs Reid in Lynton, discussing Bedford College matters: Dr [John] Drew's resignation, 'most unfortunate at the present crisis of our affairs'. EAB suggests candidates for various vacancies including mathematics, and suggests combining mathematics and natural philosophy. She argues strongly against anti-slavery lectures being held at the College: 'The College is on the brink of ruin…the whole question of having female Colleges at all is a most precarious state', and the College should confine itself to keeping 'quietly at work in [its] own proper sphere'.
Transcribed by Emma Ward
The Shrubbery -
Sunday morning.
Dearest Mrs: Reid,
I received your letter of the 24th yesterday, & while pondering what to say in reply,- having considerable doubts as to the desirability of the course you propose - have received a note from Miss Emily Taylor enclosing this from Dr: Drew. It seems he had sent a letter before to Miss Jane Martineau, which has been forwarded to her, by Mr: R. Kinder. [?The] reason of his resigning is that his health has quite given way I am very sorry about it. it is most unfortunate at the present crisis of our affairs. Jane Martineau will be in [crossed out - England] London on the 11th. Meanwhile [page 2] what steps can be taken about filling up the vacancies? Do you think Mr: Richard Hutton would do for Mathematics? There is no telling where anyone is at this time of the year. Dr: [?Heimann] mentioned a master at the school attached to University College; but where is Dr Heimann now? I suppose it is better for the same person to take both Mathematics and Natural Philosophy - and the choice must not be made in a hurry. So we should get someone to take the Mathematics [^ - pro tem] when the classes begin, perhaps Mr. Hoblyn would undertake this. With regard to the anti-slavery lectures, I fear you will be vexed with me for not entering into [^ - your] views. I should be very glad to have lectures on anything else to help on the abolitionist cause but [page 3] what has it to do with education? & therefore why should the lecture be given at College.The College is on the brink of ruin. Harley St: College after opening at a disadvantage owing to their quarrels - [crossed out - ?] the whole question [^ - of] having female Colleges at all in a most precarious state. Why add to the risk by introducing an unexpected novelty? The only [?] [mark on page] of the Colleges answering, and always doing some of the good they might do for the great woman’s cause, is to keep them quietly at work in their own proper sphere, not challenging notice, and thereby opposition, by doing anything good, bad or indifferent [crossed out - by] but of the usual routine. I assure you, that [crossed out - the] all the members of the board would regret your bringing forward such a motion, except perhaps Mr. Wedgwood & Mr. Darwin who know little about the working of the College. The professors [page 4] dislike all extra courses of lectures; and it will never do to go against their wishes. I think we should do harm to ourselves, & not do good to the other causes at all in proportion to the injury to ourselves. If Mrs: Stowe were to come one day in a quiet unpretending way, and talk to the pupils about slavery that would be a different thing. Slavery is as you say a woman’s question. but girls of the age of our pupils cannot & ought not to know half the bearings of the case, half the things that make it such a degradation to humanity. Whatever you may have thought of doing before, I am sure this fresh trouble of Dr: Drew’s resignation will make you postpone taking any steps. I am very glad you are enjoying Lynton. I did not think you were remaining there more than a week, so directed a letter to York [?Terrace] to be forwarded to you; In it I told you how my time had been taken up, in a manner entirely uncongenial. I do not think the Liverpool people are behind [?] artistically, but the leading ones [page 5] [crossed out - live] live a good way out in the country - hardly anybody in the town - so it is not easy to get an audience together for an evening entertainment - & of course the mornings are for business. A great many object to anything theatrical. The [?Croppers] for instance, who would otherwise have been [?] for Mrs. Webb, who [?take] no part about these readings. [?Mamma] & I wish to get to London the middle of September, and then I shall have some weeks of work about settling in the home. When will Mrs: Webb come to Liverpool. My Aunts would I am sure send their love, but I am not with them now - but at Uncle Richard’s. Tomorrow I am going for a four day’s visit to Mrs: Bawdon. Letters addressed to Farmfield always reach me.
Your affectionate E A Bostock
I have written a line to Dr. Drew to say how sorry we shall all be to lose him. I asked him if he cld. suggest a successor.
Transcribed by Emma Ward
The Shrubbery -
Sunday morning.
Dearest Mrs: Reid,
I received your letter of the 24th yesterday, & while pondering what to say in reply,- having considerable doubts as to the desirability of the course you propose - have received a note from Miss Emily Taylor enclosing this from Dr: Drew. It seems he had sent a letter before to Miss Jane Martineau, which has been forwarded to her, by Mr: R. Kinder. [?The] reason of his resigning is that his health has quite given way I am very sorry about it. it is most unfortunate at the present crisis of our affairs. Jane Martineau will be in [crossed out - England] London on the 11th. Meanwhile [page 2] what steps can be taken about filling up the vacancies? Do you think Mr: Richard Hutton would do for Mathematics? There is no telling where anyone is at this time of the year. Dr: [?Heimann] mentioned a master at the school attached to University College; but where is Dr Heimann now? I suppose it is better for the same person to take both Mathematics and Natural Philosophy - and the choice must not be made in a hurry. So we should get someone to take the Mathematics [^ - pro tem] when the classes begin, perhaps Mr. Hoblyn would undertake this. With regard to the anti-slavery lectures, I fear you will be vexed with me for not entering into [^ - your] views. I should be very glad to have lectures on anything else to help on the abolitionist cause but [page 3] what has it to do with education? & therefore why should the lecture be given at College.The College is on the brink of ruin. Harley St: College after opening at a disadvantage owing to their quarrels - [crossed out - ?] the whole question [^ - of] having female Colleges at all in a most precarious state. Why add to the risk by introducing an unexpected novelty? The only [?] [mark on page] of the Colleges answering, and always doing some of the good they might do for the great woman’s cause, is to keep them quietly at work in their own proper sphere, not challenging notice, and thereby opposition, by doing anything good, bad or indifferent [crossed out - by] but of the usual routine. I assure you, that [crossed out - the] all the members of the board would regret your bringing forward such a motion, except perhaps Mr. Wedgwood & Mr. Darwin who know little about the working of the College. The professors [page 4] dislike all extra courses of lectures; and it will never do to go against their wishes. I think we should do harm to ourselves, & not do good to the other causes at all in proportion to the injury to ourselves. If Mrs: Stowe were to come one day in a quiet unpretending way, and talk to the pupils about slavery that would be a different thing. Slavery is as you say a woman’s question. but girls of the age of our pupils cannot & ought not to know half the bearings of the case, half the things that make it such a degradation to humanity. Whatever you may have thought of doing before, I am sure this fresh trouble of Dr: Drew’s resignation will make you postpone taking any steps. I am very glad you are enjoying Lynton. I did not think you were remaining there more than a week, so directed a letter to York [?Terrace] to be forwarded to you; In it I told you how my time had been taken up, in a manner entirely uncongenial. I do not think the Liverpool people are behind [?] artistically, but the leading ones [page 5] [crossed out - live] live a good way out in the country - hardly anybody in the town - so it is not easy to get an audience together for an evening entertainment - & of course the mornings are for business. A great many object to anything theatrical. The [?Croppers] for instance, who would otherwise have been [?] for Mrs. Webb, who [?take] no part about these readings. [?Mamma] & I wish to get to London the middle of September, and then I shall have some weeks of work about settling in the home. When will Mrs: Webb come to Liverpool. My Aunts would I am sure send their love, but I am not with them now - but at Uncle Richard’s. Tomorrow I am going for a four day’s visit to Mrs: Bawdon. Letters addressed to Farmfield always reach me.
Your affectionate E A Bostock
I have written a line to Dr. Drew to say how sorry we shall all be to lose him. I asked him if he cld. suggest a successor.
Creator
Elizabeth Anne [Eliza] Bostock
Source
The Elizabeth Jesser Reid Papers are part of the Bedford College archive held at Royal Holloway, University of London Archives
Publisher
Royal Holloway, University of London
Date
[1856]
Rights
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Format
1 letter
Language
English
Identifier
BC RF/103/1/43
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Elizabeth Anne [Eliza] Bostock, “BC RF/103/1/43: Letter from The Shrubbery, Liverpool, [1856],” Elizabeth Jesser Reid's Correspondence Networks: A Digital Archive, accessed May 4, 2024, https://ejrletters.omeka.net/items/show/91.