Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/434

 ence Lampeter was selected as the home of the divinity school since known as St. David's College, the foundation-stone of which was laid in 1822, but, owing to some subsequent difference of views with the bishop, Williams was not appointed its principal.

Presumably at the suggestion of Lockhart, who was one of Williams's closest friends both at college and in after life, Charles, the second son of Sir Walter Scott, was in the autumn of 1820 sent to Lampeter as a private pupil; and so inspired was Sir Walter with confidence in the Welsh tutor that he induced several of his Scotch friends to follow his example, and young Scott was shortly joined in Wales by Villiers Surtees and William Forbes Mackenzie [q. v.] In 1824 Mackenzie's father and Sir Walter invited Williams to become headmaster of a proprietary day school, to be called the Academy, which they were then promoting at Edinburgh, with the view of raising the standard of classical education and especially of Greek learning. The school was opened, with Williams as rector, on 1 Oct. 1824. His success at Edinburgh was in many respects even more remarkable than that of Arnold at Rugby, for apart from the difficulties incidental to a day-school, he had to overcome the native Scottish bias in favour of purely utilitarian education as against the more liberal training of the classics and other higher branches of learning. The high standard of scholarship for which the academy became famous ‘extinguished whatever necessity there ever was for sending Scotch boys beyond Scotland’ to school. Speaking in 1857, his old pupil, Dr. Tait (afterwards archbishop of Canterbury), unhesitatingly ascribed to Williams ‘more than to any man living the present movement in Scotland indicating a wish for a higher standard in the classical department of the universities.’ Among the more distinguished of his pupils, in addition to Tait, who was the first dux of the school, may be mentioned Principal Shairp, Professor Sellar, James Clerk Maxwell, W. E. Aytoun, Frederick Robertson of Brighton, Dr. Forbes (bishop of Brechin), and Charles Frederick Mackenzie (the African bishop).

In August 1827 Williams rashly accepted the post of Latin professor at the London University, then in course of being organised, but with equal precipitation resigned it some nine months later, before entering on its duties, because of the opposition which its secular policy had aroused among the high-church party. After a twelvemonth's break in his connection with the academy, during which he devoted himself to literary work, he was re-elected rector in July 1829, and continued to hold the post until his retirement in July 1847.

Besides profound scholarship and wide general culture, Williams had exceptional capacity for communicating to his pupils his own enthusiasm for learning. An interesting account of his method of teaching is given by Sir Walter Scott (Journal, ii. 4), who eulogises him as ‘a heaven-born teacher’ (ib. ii. 27) and ‘the best schoolmaster in Europe’ (ib. ii. 205), while for his social qualities he describes him as a man ‘whose extensive information, learning, and lively talent made him always pleasant company’ (ib. i. 413). It was their conversations on Welsh history that prompted the writing of ‘The Betrothed,’ Scott's only Welsh romance, while Squire Meredith in ‘Redgauntlet’ may perhaps have been also due to the same influence. On Scott's death it was Williams who read the burial service over his remains at Dryburgh Abbey.

During his long sojourn in Scotland Williams's connection with Wales had never been wholly severed. He continued to be the non-resident vicar of Lampeter till October 1833, when he was instituted archdeacon of Cardigan, but owing to some informality his institution had to be repeated in August 1835 (, Old Times). He, however, longed for some suitable opening for undertaking educational work in Wales. Within a few weeks after his retirement from the rectorship Williams was appointed the first warden of a new school at Llandovery, just endowed by Thomas Phillips (1760–1851) [q. v.] The school was opened in very incommodious premises on 1 March 1848, pending the erection of permanent buildings, which were completed by May 1851, the prestige of Williams's name being largely instrumental in raising the necessary funds. The warden desired to develop the school into a collegiate institution which might perhaps in time supersede the theological college at Lampeter. He and Sir Benjamin Hall openly attacked Lampeter College for the inefficiency of its training and its systematic neglect of Welsh studies (Life of Rowland Williams, i. 160–209). Ill-health, however, compelled Williams to close his scholastic career by retiring from the wardenship at Easter 1853, but not before he had raised Llandovery to a foremost position among the schools of Wales. The remaining years of his life he devoted chiefly to literary work, though, while residing for his health at Brighton, in 1853 he took for three months the duties of his old pupil, Frederick Robertson [q. v.] at Trinity Chapel, and on his death preached his funeral sermon.