MAGDALENE

The subject of the present letter, Thomas Paley, was certainly related to William Paley, but they were not brothers, as Paley had none. The reason for the lack of information about Thomas Paley is his disgrace. In 1806, five years after the present letter was written, Thomas Paley, a senior fellow and tutor at Magdalene, was forbidden to reside at the college (while still retaining his stipend), being guilty of 'highly offensive and injurious conduct providing a dangerous example to juniors' in ways 'which from delicacy cannot be specified' (see Cunich, 'History of Magdalene College').

On 17 x 12 cm leaf of thickish paper, removed from 'The Meredith Birthday Book'. In good condition, lightly aged and worn. Scratchy signature, underlined. In one of three printed boxes of red rules on one side of the leaf, the other side bearing quotations from George Meredith for the days 25 to 27 April.

ONE: Letter. 1 November 1901. On letterhead of 56 Wimpole Street, London. 3pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition. With blank reverse of second leaf laid down onto a flyleaf of the book. Benson is not named, but is without doubt the recipient.

2pp., folio. On single leaf, with the reverse paginated 2. In double column. The article begins: 'No sign of the times appears to us fraught with more emphatic warning than the proposal of Dr. Pusey, that the Universities should abandon subscription to the Thirty-nine Articles, as the practical qualifications for orthodox Church of England Protestant teaching.' A footnote cites a work by Macbride.

12mo, 2 pp.Twenty-six lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with strip of paper mount still adhering at head of second page (not affecting text). Presumably addressed to one of the contributors to 'Cambridge Essays on Education' (1917), which Benson edited, although none of the contributors corresponds to 'Sir John'. Benson is grateful for the essay, which will make 'a most useful & interesting contribution to our book'.