He had a
strong admiration for the virile and masterful character of Henry VIII.,
and was wont to conceal the blots on his hero's career by this pathetic
paraphrase--"The later years of this excellent monarch's reign were
clouded by _much domestic unhappiness_."

Jowett has been mentioned more than once, and there is no need for me to
describe him. Lord Beaconsfield, in _Endymion_, gave a snapshot of "a
certain Dr. Comeley, an Oxford Don of the new school, who were
initiating Lord Montfort in all the mysteries of Neology. This
celebrated divine, who, in a sweet silky voice, quoted Socrates instead
of St. Paul, was opposed to all symbols and formulas as essentially
unphilosophical." Mr. Mallock, in the _New Republic_, supplied us with
a more finished portrait of "Dr. Jenkinson," and parodied his style of
preaching with a perfection which irritated the Master of Balliol out of
his habitual calm. My own intercourse with Jowett was not intimate, but
I once dined with him on an occasion which made an equally deep
impression on two of the guests--Lord Milner and myself. When the ladies
had left the dining-room, an eminent diplomatist began an extremely
full-flavoured conversation, which would have been unpleasant anywhere,
and, in the presence of the diplomatist's son, a lad of sixteen, was
disgusting. For a few minutes the Master endured it, though with visible
annoyance; and then, suddenly addressing the offender at the other end
of the table, said, in a birdlike chirp, "Sir ----." "Yes, Master."
"Shall we continue this conversation in the drawing-room?" No rebuke was
ever more neatly administered.

Jowett's name reminds me, rather obliquely, of the Rev. H. O. Coxe, who
in my time was Bodleian Librarian. He was clergyman, sportsman, scholar,
all in one, with an infectious enthusiasm for the treasures in his
charge, and the most unfailing kindness and patience in exhibiting them.
"Those who have enjoyed the real privilege of hearing Mr. Coxe discuss
points of historical detail, or have been introduced by him to some of
the rarer treasures of the Bodleian, will bear witness to the living
interest which such subjects acquired in his hands. How he would kindle
while he recited Lord Clarendon's written resignation of the
Chancellorship of the University! With what dramatic zest he read out
the scraps of paper (carefully preserved by Clarendon) which used to
pass between himself and his Royal Master across the Council-table!"