Mr. James Rye, of Balliol College, Oxford, placed at my disposal,
with singular generosity, the results of his careful examination
into the charges made against Mr. Froude by Mr. Freeman.

The Rector of Exeter was good enough to show me the entries in the
college books bearing upon Mr. Froude's resignation of his
Fellowship, and to tell me everything he knew on the subject.

My indebtedness to the late Sir John Skelton's delightful book,
The Table Talk of Shirley, will be obvious to my readers.

I have, in conclusion, to thank my old friend Mr. Birrell, for
lending me his very rare copy of the funeral sermon preached by
Mr. Froude at Torquay.

October 30, 1905.


CHAPTER I

CHILDHOOD

IN reading biographies I always skip the genealogical details. To
be born obscure and to die famous has been described as the acme of
human felicity. However that may be, whether fame has anything to do
with happiness or no, it is a man himself, and not his ancestors,
whose life deserves, if it does deserve, to be written. Such was
Froude's own opinion, and it is the opinion of most sensible people.
Few, indeed, are the families which contain more than one remarkable