“Why should not Agnes write to Mr. Froude herself? Mrs. Arnold’s soirée enabled me to speak to several people—notably to Mrs. Pennington, who is doing her best to persuade her husband to give us a thousand pounds.
“I did not tell you that on Thursday morning I called on Mr. Jowett at Cowper Street. He was occupied in taking over the schools an American and the Warden of the Fishmongers. My card was taken to his room, where was standing a tall, gentlemanly clergyman, whom I at once recognized as Mr. Rogers.
“At first the mere mention of my name did not strike him, but presently he took up the card, peered curiously at it, and then turned round to me. We had some talk. I told him about the land. He said, ‘Nothing venture, nothing get. You must take the land. Secure it by putting your £1500 down; then go boldly to the public with a clear, definite scheme. People will not listen to vague plans.’ He said, ‘Don’t amateur your plans. Get a surveyor’ (he mentioned one), ‘pay him to get up the information, etc.’
“I am quite sure we have been amateuring too long. We ought to carry in Mr. Robins. I have sent his testimonials to Dr. Storrar, and Mr. Robins’ application will come on Monday. In three days Mr. Robins can put us into a position to say we want so much.
“We must do and do and do.
“But Mr. Rogers says, ‘We shall get no help for the Upper School.’ I could have said, ‘You are a University man. How did you get your education? From old endowments? or from your father’s pockets ENTIRELY?’ But that would have been rude; so I was silent.
“I am resolved not to let the Lower School be put down on the new land FIRST. Both must be done together, or the Upper first. You see why it would be dangerous to risk the Upper School. If we can only get help for the Lower—so be it. We will then borrow for the Higher, and do the two together.”
CHAPTER V.
TRIUMPH.
“There is now no such thing as a ‘Woman’s Education Question’ apart from that of education generally; and the real question which has still to be fought for many a long year, I fear, is one as old as education itself: how is the child of either sex to be trained to the measure of the stature of the perfect human being?”—Letter from Mrs. Grey to Miss Buss, Dec., 1881.