on I speak of has been taken with reference to myself
alone, and has been contemplated quite independent of the
co-operation of any other human being, and without reference to
success or failure other than personal, and without regard to the
blame or approbation of man. And being a resolution of years, and one
to which I feel God has called me, and in which I am violating no
rule of the Church any more than if I married, I should have to
answer for it, if I did not pursue it, as a good Providence made
openings for it. In pursuing it then I am thinking of myself alone,
not aiming at any ecclesiastical or external effects. At the same
time of course it would be a great comfort to me to know that God had
put it into the hearts of others to pursue their personal edification
in the same way, and unnatural not to wish to have the benefit of
their presence and encouragement, or not to think it a great
infringement on the rights of conscience if such personal and private
resolutions were interfered with. Your Lordship will allow me to add
my firm conviction that such religious resolutions are most necessary
for keeping a certain class of minds firm in their allegiance to our
Church; but still I can as truly say that my own reason for anything
I have done has been a personal one, without which I should not have
entered upon it, and which I hope to pursue whether with or without
the sympathies of others pursuing a similar course." ...

"As to my intentions, I purpose to live there myself a good deal, as
I have a resident curate in Oxford. In doing this, I believe I am
consulting for the good of my parish, as my population at Littlemore
is at least equal to that of St. Mary's in Oxford, and the _whole_ of
Littlemore is double of it. It has been very much neglected; and in
providing a parsonage-house at Littlemore, as this will be, and will
be called, I conceive I am doing a very great benefit to my people.
At the same time it has appeared to me that a partial or temporary
retirement from St. Mary's Church might be expedient under the
prevailing excitement.

"As to the quotation from the [newspaper] which I have not seen, your
Lordship will perceive from what I have said, that no 'monastery is
in process of erection;' there is no 'chapel;' no 'refectory,' hardly
a dining-room or parlour. The 'cloisters' are my shed connecting the
cottages. I do not understand what 'cells of dormitories' means. Of
course I can repeat your Lordship