PREFACE BY THE EDITOR As my name alone appears as Editor on the titlepage of this Memoir, I wish to state at the outset that the first two chapters have been written by the late Bishop's sons, Mr. Richard and Mr. Walter Durnford. In connexion with these two chapters I have only exercised an Editor's privilege of offering a few suggestions and revising the proof-sheets. My own acquaintance with the Bishop began with his episcopate, and I thought that the earlier portions of his life could be more satisfactorily dealt with by two members of his family whose ability was unquestionable, and who could draw partly on their own recollections, as well as upon old family records and traditions. For the remaining chapters, covering the period of the episcopate, I am solely responsible. The materials for the work throughout have been far from copious. Owing to the Bishop having outlived most of his contemporaries and many of his juniors, it was difficult to recover much of his correspondence, or to collect many personal reminiscences relating to the earlier periods of his life. Nor did the invitation to lend letters or furnish other information relating to his episcopate produce a very plentiful supply; but fortunately the Bishop was in the habit of making copies of his correspondence on all questions of much importance, and it is upon these that I have largely depended for the purpose of the present work. My aim in the selection of letters has been to give specimens illustrative of the sagacity, sound judgment, spirit of comprehensiveness, and fairness towards all parties in the Church which rendered the Bishop's administration so eminently happy and successful. Many of the letters and extracts from his visitation and ordination charges deal with questions which have recently been subjects of much vexatious controversy; and they may be read, I venture to think, with much profit by the disputants, and partisans of opposing views. They prove, at any rate, how constantly he was engaged in restraining excesses and correcting defects in ritual and teaching in the Church, a duty which bishops have been, of late, so freely accused, in some quarters, of neglecting. That his episcopate, although full of active. work, was not marked by exciting incidents is perhaps the highest praise that could be bestowed upon it; for there were at times abundant materials for serious discord and strife in the diocese, which were only composed or kept in check by the wise counsel and firm action of the spiritual ruler. Readers of the following pages will be interested to see how this wise administration was carried on with unfaltering firmness and unabated energy into extreme old age, long past the ordinary limits of human life. I trust, also, that the Memoir, however imperfect, may be found an instructive study of a rarely gifted mind, singularly rich in variety of interests and stores of knowledge; a personality delightful to contemplate from its wonderful completeness, and the even balance of all the elements composing it-physical, moral, and intellectual. I have been much indebted throughout the work to Miss DURNFORD, the Bishop's daughter, for information, and for valuable assistance in collecting and sifting the materials, and correcting the proof-sheets. I am also indebted for help to my dear friends the Venerable F. J. MOUNT, Archdeacon of Chichester, and the Rev. Prebendary COWLEY POWLES, who were for many years my colleagues as examining chaplains to the Bishop; also to the Rev. A. M. Deane, Canon Residentiary of Chichester; the Rev. J. WAKEFORD, formerly Diocesan Missioner in Sussex, a now Vicar of St. Margaret's, Anfield, Liverpool; and Sir R. G. RAPER, the Bishop's acting registrar and secretary. And, lastly, I must acknowledge very special obligations to the President of Magdalen College, Oxford, T. HERBERT WARREN, Esq., D.C. L., for his kindness and trouble in obtaining some information concerning the Bishop's life as an undergraduate, and for his own very interesting reminiscences of him in his latter years. THE DEANERY, WINCHESTER : W. R. W. STEPHENS. Erratum. Page 316, line 17, for because of read license at. CONTENTS Private Tutorship-Travels on the Continent-Extracts from Journal-Presented to Rectory of Middleton-Description of the Parish-His Influence with the People-Description of the Church-Parish Work-Schools-Visiting-His Mar- riage-Relations with First Bishop of Manchester-Made Archdeacon of Manchester-Interest in Municipal Affairs- First Seven Years of Bishop Durnford's Episcopate, 1870-1877 -Nature of the Diocese-Special Difficulties of the Time- Speech in Convocation on Confession-Church Congress at Brighton-Bishop Otter's College-The Theological Col- lege The Diocesan Association-Dr. Hannah, Vicar of |