Supporters and newspapers Boden Professor of Sanskrit election, 1860

according beckerlegge, there view held many of involved in keenly fought struggle between williams , müller more depended on result 1 man s career – missionary success or failure in india, , future stability of british rule in region (in light of events in india few years previously) might depend on abilities of boden professor. victory depend on each side s ability persuade non-resident members of convocation return oxford cast votes. each candidate had supporters: müller backed scholars of international merit, whereas williams able call upon oxford-based academics , had served in india administrators or missionaries. both candidates claimed support wilson – if principle of apostolic succession involved in appointment , says chaudhuri. times reported on 23 may friends of williams placed considerable weight upon private letter him wilson, indicating mr. williams probable successor. in return, wilson revealed have said 2 months before death mr. max müller first sanskrit scholar in europe . source of information w. s. w. vaux, of british museum, described conversation wilson in letter müller in may 1860. in reply vaux s comment , others wanted wilson s successor finest man procure , vaux quoted wilson saying quite right if choice should fall on max müller.

the times published list of leading supporters each candidate on 27 june 1860, noting many people not declaring support either since wish see whether person of real eminence announces himself india . müller backed francis leighton, henry liddell , william thomson (the heads of colleges of souls, christ church, , queen s), edward pusey, william jacobson , henry acland (the regius professors of hebrew, of divinity, , of medicine) , others. williams had declared support of heads of university , balliol colleges (frederick charles plumptre , robert scott), , fellows ten different colleges.

müller s supporters included samuel wilberforce, bishop of oxford in 1860 , later bishop of winchester.

on 5 december 1860, 2 days before election, friends of müller took out advertisement in times list supporters, in response similar record circulated on behalf of williams. then, müller s list included heads of 11 colleges or halls of university, 27 professors, on 40 college fellows , tutors, , many non-resident members of university including samuel wilberforce (the bishop of oxford) , sir charles wood (the secretary of state india). list published on following day added name of charles longley, archbishop of york, müller s supporters. overall, public supporters each candidate same in number, while müller backed noted orientalists of europe of age , williams s supporters not distinguished , according chaudhuri.

newspapers , journals joined debate, in strong terms. 1 evangelical publication, record, contrasted 2 candidates: müller s writings familiar persons interested in literature, while have destroyed confidence in religious opinions ; williams described man of sincere piety, , 1 likely, blessing of god on labours, promote ultimate object founder of professorship had in view. other newspapers highlighted nationalities of candidates; beckerlegge has put it, voting boden chair increasingly taking on appearance of being test of patriotism. homeward mail (a london-based newspaper concentrated on news from, , relating to, india) asked readers whether wanted stranger , foreigner win, or 1 of own body . writer in morning post said voters should keep great prizes of english universities english students . morning herald said question of national interest , since affect education of civil servants , missionaries , therefore progress of christianity in india , maintenance of british authority in empire . anticipated britain ridiculed if had appoint german leading academic sanskrit position.

müller not without support in press. editorial in times on 29 october 1860 called him nothing more nor less best sanscrit scholar in world. compared situation 1832 election, when there had been choice between best scholar (wilson) , scholar held have made christian use of gift (william hodge mill). williams, said, appeared university man ... , man sufficiently qualified post, and, above all, man in hands, whispered, interests of christianity safe. proposal not teach history, philosophy, mythology or comparative philology seems strip subject bare , would, thought, leave post empty chair. stated müller best answers terms of colonel boden s foundation. field of study – oldest period of sanskrit literature – must key of whole position , whereas williams familiar later, less authentic, , less sacred writings. editorial ended saying oxford not choose less learned candidate; @ events, not accept him true principle of sound christian election.

pusey, influential high church anglican theologian associated oxford movement, wrote letter of support müller, reproduced in times. in view, boden s intentions best advanced electing müller. missionaries not win converts without knowing details of religion of whom dealing, wrote, , müller s publications greatest gifts have yet been bestowed on in such work. added oxford gain electing him position müller spend time on work of such primary , lasting importance conversion of india. beckerlegge finds pusey s support noteworthy, since pusey not have agreed müller s particular broad approach christianity, , providing judgment on academic abilities of candidate best placed advance missionary work in india. 1 anonymous writer of letter press in support of müller, shortly before election, expressed thus: man s personal character must stand high, , theological opinions can afford little ground animadversion on either hand, when unites unhesitating supporters dr. pusey , dr. macbride  – reference john macbride, described in oxford dictionary of national biography profoundly religious layman of old evangelical school . however, dowling describes müller impercipient of subtle twists of theological argument, fine shadings , compunctions of victorian religious feeling  – weakness held against him.

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