Diocesan organization, of which systematic inspection, and the establishment of a large system of middle-schools, were to form a part. Mathison laid his plans before the then Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Howley), through Mr. Joshua Watson (who was sometimes called the Lay Archbishop of Canterbury, so great was his unseen influence in the Church societies). Mr. Mathison's health gave way, however, for above a twelvemonth in consequence of his great exertions. It was at this juncture that seven gentlemen met together at Sir Thomas' lodging, resolved to carry forward Mathison's plans. These were Lord Harrowby (then Viscount Sandon), Lord Shaftesbury (then Lord Ashley), Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Samuel Francis Wood, (brother of the present Lord Halifax), Mr. Henry Nelson Coleridge, Mr. Mackworth Praed, both distinguished in literature, and Mr. Lutwidge (Lunacy Commissioner), Sir Thomas, of course, being amongst the number. All these contributed in various ways to the work which was done in the establishment of Diocesan Boards and Training Colleges. Diocesan Inspection was set on foot, but was, after a time, superseded by the Inspectors of the Privy Council Committee on Education. Middle-schools on Church principles were in many cases established, but have been generally merged in larger plans more suited to the present requirements of English life; though how much remains to be done for middle classculture may be left to Mr. Matthew Arnold to explain. As a matter of fact the late Samuel Francis Wood and Sir Thomas Dyke Acland travelled all over England (besides visiting Scotland and Ireland), to gain information anent Normal Schools and to organize Diocesan Boards. Mathison had now recovered his health, and feeling the importance of strengthening the heart to feed the extremities raised in a few months £30,000 to establish St. Mark's College, and Whitelands, at Chelsea, of which the Rev. Charles Kingsley (a fine old English gentleman, father of the authors, Charles and Henry), was then Rector. Mathison also raised the income of the National Society from £1,200, to £7,000 a year. The Rev. Derwent Coleridge, son of the poet and philosopher, was the first Principal of St. Mark's. What the Church owes to his liberal culture, far-seeing insight, and generous sympathies, is known only to a few. Especially did he show wisdom beyond that of narrower Churchmen in his cordial appreciation of the work of Sir J. Kay Shuttleworth and Mr. Tuffnell at Battersea.

Mr.

The working of St. Mark's and other colleges was a great part of the occupation of Sir Thomas Acland for several years. It seemed a labour of love to him, and only for the fiction of custom that one may not speak of those who are happily with us in the same unmeasured terms as of those who have gone before, we might here say a great deal more about the vigorous work of Sir Thomas. Mr. Mathison, about the year 1843, made another great effort for Education in the Factory districts, which led to the adoption of Battersea College by the National Society. He raised about £100,000 in conjunction with the late Archdeacon Sinclair, Secretary of the National Society.

We have seen that Sir Thomas Acland was returned as a Conservative for West Somerset. His was not a nature to remain without enquiry, however; and we can almost see the mental process which culminated in his political conversion. When Sir Robert Peel, after the General Election, in 1841, commenced his great reform of our Tariffs, Sir Thomas became much interested in the question of Free Trade and Protection. Following Mr. Gladstone as he did, he saw clearly the hollowness of the movements of the Protectionist Party; and (though under great pressure), he steadily refused to join the Protectionist organization. When the crisis, therefore, of 1846 arrived, Sir Thomas, in conjunction with his colleague, Mr. Dickinson, had no hesitation in supporting the Repeal of the Corn Laws. We need not here dwell-nor will space allow of our so doing -upon the details of the conscientious action of Sir Thomas with regard to his constituents, suffice it to remark that in 1847, although some of Sir Thomas' principal supporters (especially the late Colonel Fownes Luttrell, father of the present Mr. Luttrell, of Dunster Castle, a strong supporter of Mr. Gladstone) were staunch in their approval of Sir Robert Peel's policy, and of their Member's support of that policy, he yet deemed it his duty to retire from the representation of West Somerset. A year prior to his resigning his seat, Sir Thomas Acland had joined with Mr. Pusey in the introduction of the first Tenant Right Bill. Mr. Pusey's efforts on that subject, however, were subsequently rendered abortive by the ill-concealed opposition and discouragement of the so-called Farmers' friends. Sir Thomas has, notwithstanding, never ceased to promote the settlement of this question on fair grounds. By Mr. Pusey's advice Sir Thomas now applied

himself diligently to the study of Agriculture, as the former said "it was our duty to help to work out the problem of competition with free imports of food which we had helped to bring about." The initial step taken by Sir Thomas was to work in the Chemical Laboratory, at King's College, under Professor Miller and Mr. Bowman, both of them excellent teachers. By Mr. Pusey's advice the subject of our sketch also competed for the Prize of the Royal Agricultural Society for a Report on the Farming of Somersetshire-a laborious but most interesting undertaking. In this Sir Thomas was successful, and afterwards gracefully joined with his competitor, Mr. W. Sturge (President of the Surveyor's Institute in 1879) in publishing their two Reports in one volume.

Shortly after the Meeting at Exeter of the Royal Agricultural Society, Sir Thomas Acland, with the assistance of Lord Portman and Sir William Miles, M.P., set on foot the expansion of the Bath and West of England Society by causing it to be locomotive. Sir Thomas also established and conducted the Journal for seven years. His object was not simply to improve the practice of Agriculture; but to do something for the wider culture, general and scientific, of all classes connected with the tillage of the soil, and the development of animal and vegetable productions; in other words, to diffuse in a more popular form the results of scientific investigations recorded in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society, and to collect from various sources any observations bearing on the peculiarities of farming in the Western counties. These were papers which aimed at making intelligible for the practical farmer the results of the investigations of Liebig, James and Gilbert, and Voelcker. The last named, Professor Voelcker, and Professor Brown, were connected officially with the Bath and West of England Society, and contributed to its Journal long before they occupied the higher positions in which they are now so well-known and fill so worthily.

The foundation by the late Earl Fortescue of the West Buckland School in North Devon, originally intended for farmers; the prizes offered by the present Earl Fortescuethen Viscount Ebrington-for educated farmers' sons; and the efforts of Prebendary Brereton for Middle Class Education, paved the way for an experiment of Local Examinations in the West of England, which were successful in the year 1857. Dr. Temple (now Bishop of Exeter),

Mr. John Bowstead, Professor Max Müller, Mr. George Richmond, the eminent artist, Mr. Ruskin, and Mr. Hullah took a leading part in this scheme of Sir Thomas, which led to the establishment of the Local Examinations at Oxford. Mr. Bellairs, School Inspector, Dr. Scott, Master of Balliol (now Dean of Rochester), and Mr. Harvey Goodwin (afterwards Dean of Ely, now Bishop of Carlisle), were the principal supporters of the action of the two Universities. There is no doubt that it was in consequence of the active part which Sir Thomas had taken in the establishment of these examinations that he was invited by the Moderate Liberals (or Whig Party) of Birmingham to stand against Mr. Bright in 1859. It was little more than a protest, however, and was unsuccessful in point of numbers. Some have said that it was useful as affording evidence that efforts for the improvement of the people were not necessarily on one side; at any rate some links between the efforts of agriculturists and of workers in arts and manufactures were established about that time and through that episode.

The Bath and West of England Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, acting on the suggestion of Sir Thomas Acland, decided to justify its title, and connected an exhibition of fine art and decorative art with its annual meetings. This has been productive of the most useful results. The meetings of the Society are well-known for the interest they awaken in all ranks and among all kinds of people by their various attractions-æsthetic, musical and botanical. They are conducted by a number of country gentlemen, professional men, and practical farmers, who work together like brothers, with no personal object beyond the satisfaction derived from honest labour well performed.

The Royal Commission, called the Schools Inquiry Commission, of which Lord Taunton was the Chairman, was appointed in 1864 to enquire into the whole question of intermediate Education. Sir Thomas Acland was a diligent member of this Commission, and took an active part in the legislation on Grammar Schools and endowed schools generally which followed the Report of the Commission. Unfortunately, one main part of the recommendation of the Commission, namely the construction of provincial machinery for the grading, co-ordinating, and examining schools for intermediate education, has not yet been carried

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into effect by Parliament. This was owing to no want of zeal on the part of the Government, but rather to the jealousy of local interests impeding the action of Parlia

ment.

With regard to the Volunteer movement, Sir Thomas Acland has also worked well and manfully. In 1859, he suggested to Lord Herbert the establishment of Rural Corps of Mounted Infantry, or Mounted Rifles. (Farmers who could ride and shoot, not wishing for the glitter and show of the Yeomanry, but willing to serve their country in a practical form). The matter was referred to Colonelnow Sir Daniel-Lysons, with whom Sir Thomas (then Mr.) Acland worked the matter out. A new drill of the

simplest kind was prepared, and five such corps were enrolled in Devonshire. The active part taken by Colonel Bower of the Hants Light Horse on this subject is wellknown. We have not space to tell the whole of the interesting story, but the consequent organization of Rural Volunteers absorbed nearly the whole time of Sir Thomas for some years. As is well known, much good has resulted in the improvement of the Regular Cavalry, and Lord Elcho and Colonel Loyd-Lindsay, V.C., are now taking up the subject again.

Referring again, in conclusion, to the political life of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, we may state that he entered Parliament for the second time (as Member for North Devon) in 1865, as a decided Liberal, a follower as before of Mr. Gladstone. As in old times, however, he never belonged to the Carlton, so now he does not belong to Brooks's, the Reform, nor any political club. He does not, however, evade the responsibility of the Party with which he acts, and often gives votes which (if unpopular at the time) are recorded in a belief that the leaders of the Party are doing the best they can under the circumstances. All subjects connected with Agriculture, Education, Local Government, sanitary matters, military and volunteer organisations, have had the best attention of Sir Thomas Acland, and he has ever supported honest and well-considered plans of reform. He joined Mr. Pusey in his Tenant Right Bill, as we have seen, and he also kept the subject alive in the Bath and West of England Society, in connection with which an elaborate Report was prepared on the basis of resolutions unanimously agreed to by a Committee consisting of eight landowners or their repre