The name first on the list was that of the Rev. Harvey Goodwin; and a
faint buzz in the assembly was interpreted by the Vice-Chancellor,
skilled in such sounds, as an expression of approval. Thereupon he
passed on to name number two, which, with some agitation, but with
clear, resonant voice, he read out as "Arthurus Penrhyn Stanley."
Immediately there ensued a scene of the wildest confusion. On the
_Placet_ side, cheers and waving of trencher-caps; on the _Non-Placet_
side feeble hisses; and from all sides, undergraduate as well as
graduate, mingled shouts of _Placet_ and _Non_, with an accompaniment of
cheers and hisses; until the ringing voice of Dean Liddell pronounced
the magic words _Fiat scrutinium_. Thereupon the two Proctors proceeded
first of all to take the votes of the Doctors on their benches; and,
when this was done, they took their station at the doors labelled
_Placet_ and _Non-placet_. During the process of polling we had an
opportunity of criticizing the constituents of that truly exceptional
gathering. It was certainly not true to say, as some said, that only the
younger Masters voted for Dean Stanley. There was quite a fair
proportion of white and bald heads on the _Placet_ side. "The country
contingent was not so numerous as one had expected, and I do not believe
that all of these went out at the _Non-placet_ door. Evidently, parties
were pretty evenly balanced; and, when the _Non-placets_ had all
recorded their votes there were about twenty-five left on Dean Stanley's
side, which probably would have nearly represented the actual majority,
but, at the last moment, some stragglers, who had only arrived in Oxford
by 2.25 train hurried in, and so swelled the numbers. One late-comer
arrived without his academicals, and some zealous supporter of the Dean
had to denude himself, and pass his cap and gown outside to enable this
gentleman to vote." Soon it was over. The Proctors presented their lists
to the Vice-Chancellor, who, amid breathless silence, pronounced the
fateful words--"_Majori parti placet._" Then there was indeed a cheer,
which rang through the building from basement to upper gallery, and was
taken up outside in a way that reminded one of the trial of the Seven
Bishops. The hisses, if there were any, were fairly drowned. Oxford had
given its approval to Dean Stanley, the numbers being--_Placet_, 349;
_Non-placet_, 287.

When the fuss was over, Liddon wrote thus to a friend:--"It was a
dis