The Life of Mrs. Humphry Ward

My warmest thanks are due to the many friends who have helped me, directly or indirectly, in the writing of this book, but especially to all those who have sent me the letters they possessed from Mrs. Ward, or who have given me leave to publish their own. Mr. Henry Gladstone kindly looked out for me the letters written by Mrs. Ward to Mr. Gladstone during the Robert Elsmere period; Mrs. Creighton did the same for the long period covered by Mrs. Ward's correspondence with the Bishop and with herself; Miss Arnold of Fox How sent me many valuable letters belonging to the later years. So with Mrs. A. H. Johnson, Mrs. Conybeare, Mrs. R. Vere O'Brien, Sir Robert Blair, Mr. Leonard Huxley, Mrs. Reginald Smith, Lord Buxton, M. Chevrillon, Miss McKee, Mrs. Turner, Miss Gertrude Wood, and many others, and although the letters may not in all cases have been suitable for publication, they have given me many valuable side-lights on Mrs. Ward's life and work.

To Mrs. A. H. Johnson my special thanks are due for permission to reproduce her water-colour portrait of Mrs. Ward, and to Mrs. T. H. Green for much help in connexion with the Oxford portion of the book.

No book at all, however, could have been produced, even from the material so generously placed at my disposal, had it not been for the constant collaboration of my father and sister, whose help in sifting great masses of papers and in advising me in all difficulties has been my greatest support throughout this task.

J. P. T.

BERKHAMSTEAD, July, 1923.

CONTENTS

PAGES

CHAPTER I

CHILDHOOD

Mary Arnold's Parentage--The Sorells--Thomas Arnold the Younger--Marriage in Tasmania with Julia Sorell--Conversion to Roman Catholicism--Return to England--The Arnold Family--Mary Arnold's Childhood--Schools--Her Father's Re-conversion--Removal to Oxford 1-16

CHAPTER II

LIFE AT OXFORD, 1867-1881

Oxford in the 'Sixties--Mark Pattison and Canon Liddon--Mary Arnold and the Bodleian--First Attempts at Writing--Marriage with Mr. T. Humphry Ward--Thomas Arnold's Second Conversion--Oxford Friends--The Education of Women--Foundation of Somerville Hall--The Dictionary of Christian Biography--Pamphlet on "Unbelief and Sin" 17-34

CHAPTER III

EARLY YEARS IN LONDON--THE WRITING OF ROBERT ELSMERE, 1881-1888

Mr. Ward takes work on The Times--Removal to London--The House in Russell Square--London Life and Friends--Work for John Morley--Letters--Writer's Cramp--Miss Bretherton--Borough Farm--Amiel's Journal Intime--Beginnings of Robert Elsmere--Long Struggle with the Writing--Its Appearance, February 24, 1888--Death of Mrs. Arnold 35-54

CHAPTER IV

ROBERT ELSMERE AND AFTER, 1888-1889

Reviews--Mr. Gladstone's Interest--His Interview with Mrs. Ward at Oxford--Their Correspondence--Article in the Nineteenth Century--Circulation of Robert Elsmere--Letters--Visit to Hawarden--Quarterly Article--The Book in America--"Pirate" Publishers--Letters--Mrs. Ward at Hampden House--Schemes for a New Brotherhood 55-80

CHAPTER V

UNIVERSITY HALL, DAVID GRIEVE AND "STOCKS," 1889-1892

Foundation of University Hall--Mr. Wicksteed as Warden--The Opening--Lectures--Social Work at Marchmont Hall--Growing Importance of the Latter--Mr. Passmore Edwards Promises Help--Our House on Grayswood Hill--Sunday Readings--The Writing of David Grieve--Visit to Italy--Reception of the Book--Letters--Removal to "Stocks" 81-103

CHAPTER VI