RECOLLECTIONS AND REFLECTIONS
Oxford and Cambridge in a few cases, that this may leave behind embers of bitterness which may destroy the harmony of the College. This, in 1886, was the first vacancy at Trinity since the new statutes came into force, which permitted the election of a layman. At this time there were only two laymen who were heads of Colleges ; now there are only two clerical heads. There was naturally a good deal of speculation in the College about who would be the new Master. I think that perhaps the majority of the resident Fellows hoped it would be a layman, and the names of Lord Rayleigh and Henry Sidgwick were mentioned.
It was, however, offered to and accepted by Henry Montagu Butler, the Dean of Gloucester, who had had an exceptionally brilliant career. When he was at Cambridge he was regarded as the most brilliant undergraduate in residence. He was Senior Classic, had won a University Scholarship for Classics, had been one of the " Apostles " and was elected to a Fellowship at his first try. In 1859, when he was only twenty-six, he was elected Head Master of Harrow in succession to his father, and filled this post with brilliant success for twenty-six years. He was made Dean of Gloucester by Mr Gladstone in 1885, and Master of Trinity by Lord Salisbury in 1886, and was admitted as Master on December 3, 1886. After dinner that evening his health was proposed by the Vice-Master, Coutts Trotter, an old Harrovian. The Master's reply made a very favourable impression. It showed warm affection for the College, paid tribute to the merits of the late Master and of Dr. Whewell, spoke very modestly about himself and said that the College must not look to him for originality or research. Any gifts he had were of a lighter kind, but such as they were they were 274