August 27th, 1848 (Sunday)

The Sub-Warden came to me and said that there was not room for 6 or 7 of the boys in our pew, – begging to know what was to be done. On consulting the Fellows, it was agreed that it was impossible to take the whole number to church, as all the available spaces in the aisles and elsewhere was already occupied. Also, – that it was highly undesirable to break the body into 2 parts, – some going to church, and some to chapel, and that, as there was no doubt that the Bishop’s answer to yesterday’s letter would be favourable, we might safely risk the service for the whole College at home: – and if the Bishop disapproved, – we could only ay we were sorry, and would do so no more. So we had the full cathedral service, to the infinite delight of the boys, who had told the Sub-Warden in the morning, in high satisfaction, that it ‘was now quite impossible to go to the church.’ Poor fellows, – they had suffered a good deal in the summer, owing to their being cooped up in a sort of little transept on the south, into which the sun poured its fiery rays, so as to half-bake them. Besides, the aisle leading to their seat was lined with Sunday school boys and girls, whose odour was most offensive. Their delight scarcely exceeded ours, – for what with Mr Ratcliffe’s irreverence, the scandalous singing, the uncertainty of hours, – the women, both inside and outside staring at the boys, and so on, we were heartily rejoiced to be delivered from the obligation. Our Sunday was sadly broken in upon, and cut up, – so that we did not enjoy the day as we ought and would wish.

The private form of family prayer at 8 o’clock and in evening, will now be discontinued. This we have used, as the interval between 6 o’clock and 11, and between 4 and night, seemed too long to be without Common Prayer of some kind. We have long and patiently endured the inconveniences which going to church involved, – I dare say a discipline as necessary to us as wholesome.