Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Minister, Monckton Milnes, afterwards Lord Houghton, and others whose names he never knew, subscribed a considerable sum of money for maintaining the unpopular writer at a German university while he made a serious study of theological science.

But he had had enough of theology, and the munificent offer was declined, though Bunsen harangued him enthusiastically for five hours in Carlton Gardens on the exquisite adaptation of Evangelical doctrines to the human soul, until Froude began to suspect that they must have originated in the soul itself.
At this time a greater change than the loss of his Fellowship came upon Froude.

While staying with the Kingsleys at Ilfracombe, he met Mrs.Kingsley's sister, Charlotte Grenfell, the Argemone of Yeast, a lady of somewhat wilful, yet most brilliant spirit, with a small fortune of her own.

Miss Grenfell had joined the Church of Rome two years before, and at that time thought of entering a convent.

This idea was extremely distasteful to her sister and her sister's husband.