"witty knight," the thing were problematical; and yet there is much good humouryea, sparkling humour, here displayed-but then, if I am not mistaken, in my time, it generally came from the lean kine. Now-a-days the wits are thin enough themselves, God knows-it is their friends and patrons who "laugh and grow fat." At least, so it is by those who "live by their wits." By this time most of us had placed a comfortable and plenary substitute for the emptyness we had just been enjoying, and as a sequitur had somewhat augmented our rotundities. For my part I had played a good knife and fork into a defunct cod's head, and limb of a bullock, and had somewhat diminished the pies, puddings, jellies, bluemange, (as the squint-eyed waitress behind me for years pronounced it,) and trifle. This last was no trifle with me, for I ever regarded it as a matter of great importance, so excellently well was it whipped up at Trinity. The conversation on this occasion, at the upper ends of the tables, where sat the seniors of the several species of flat-caps, was doubtless very superior; for it seemed to excite great merriment amongst all who heard it-and it may also be reasonably inferred, that these elder brothers should also strive to lord it over the youngsters. At the head of my table sat Whewall and Cape, who certainly did their utmost to astonish us, and argued upon topics many-kind with much volubility—to say the least of it. Much was neither required nor received from the freshmen. For myself, I never opened my lips, save to put something between them-but had just leisure enough to hear Pope, flattering himself, I suppose, that he was now in a fair way to evite so hard a fate, utter

"Full many a gem of purest ray serene,

The deep unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness in the desert air."

and Fll, who was evincing a most shark-like appetite on that particular day, as he also did on every day of the year,

"Man wants but little here below,

Nor wants that little long."

But how these learned quotes were introduced, whether by "hook or by crook," I cannot call to mind; I recollect, however, the impression they made upon the heads--a smile betokening great self-elevation in the smiler over the smilee.

This is followed by a repetition of several anecdotes of Sir Isaac Newton, which have been told of almost every other philosopher, and are as well known as the letters of the alphabet. This is manifestly bolstering matter, made to fill the volume. A description of Trinity Chapel is little better; and the reflections with which it, as well as all the rest of the work, is interlarded, enable us to form an idea of the extent of Mr. Wright's obligations to his Alma Mater.

There were busts of great men in every direction, and a full-1. ngth sleeping beauty of a warrior lying in as great state as the kings in Westminster Abbey; but the former wakened no such high thoughts even as the prism Newton holds in his hand; and as to the latter, why I thought about as much of him as I ever did of generals in general, their being great or little is all "the chance of war." One frisk of fortune elevates them to the peerage, another "offs with their heads."

Mr. Wright has given us a view of Trinity Chapel when filled by the students, which is not deficient in truth; his remarks on the compulsory attendance are more rational than usual, and we can vouch for the fact of the irreverent conversations that are constantly maintained during service.

Winter and summer to matins we are summoned at seven in the morning, and unless we arrive in time for the Markers to get a glimpse at, and run their pins through us, we may as well be hugging the pillow. In my novitiate we had but two Markers, and one of them, whose Christian name was Anthony (surname he never had I believe, his mother residing in the Rookery at Barnwell; and his partiality for the gownsmen,

Three or four Markers, with lists of the names in their hands, walk up and down chapel during a considerable part of the service, running a pin through the names of those present.

clearly evincing an alliance by blood thereunto), used to see many a one there, who, kuowing he had a friend in Mark Antony, was loud snoring at home. These oblations at the shrine of Morpheus were gratefully received by that deity, who, in return, used to load the devotee with the rich gifts of Plutus and Bacchus. It was a common practice with some of these sluggards whom I could name, to make the boy" Bacchi plenus." Although I never had recourse myself to such evasions, so irksome and borish did I ever find this early rising, spite of the health it promised, that I was constantly in the black-book of the Dean, its presiding deity-one week being "put out of Sizings and Commons," another getting an "Imposition," in the shape of having to get by heart a satire of Juvenal, a book of Homer, to give an analysis of Butler's Analogy, to write a declamation criminating myself (by the way, this is not constitutional), and, in short, to do so many disagreeables, that the very recollection of them makes my pen drop. There is no compulsion" in this Chapel-going, "only you -or abide the above consequences. Times many, on surplice mornings, my duty to his deanship has been so somnolent, that, having slumbered to the last tingle of the bell, sans inexpressibles, sans almost every thing, I have whipped on the full-flowing surplice, and just saved my bacon.

must"

Were I to turn reformer, I should propose making a muster-room (on ordinary week days, the avowed use of chapel is to see that all men are in college), not of a place consecrated to religion, but should assemble them, at a reasonable hour of the day, in the Lecture Room or Hall. If this measure were adopted, the chapel then being kept holy, in being used but for solemn occasions, such as Sundays and Surplice-days, it is more than probable, that, instead of prayers being conducted as they now are, there would be somewhat more of reverence and devotion in them. As things now go, there is not one man who goes to pray-not even amongst the saints or Simeonites*. In the morning they muster, with all the reluctance of a man going to be hanged; and in the evening, although now awake, and enlivened by the convivialities of the bottle, there is much the same feeling. They contrive, however, when once assembled, not only to lose sight of the ostensible object for which they are called together, but also of the disagreeable necessity of thus congregating. Table-talk is much more abundant here than "at table," there being no other occupation, and the wine having by this time sufficiently (in many cases overmuch) warmed the imagination, it also smells more of the champagne. So effervescent is it, indeed, that the Dean, with all his eyes about him, cannot keep the cork in. Out it sparkles, spite of him, in sallies like these:

Enter two Reading Fresh-Men, W. and M., fof the same standing (men of the same year sit together, the Freshmen together, Junior Sophs, Senior Sophis, Scholars, Bachelors of Arts and M.A., &c.)

W. [Speaks in a low whisper.] How did you like Brown's lecture?

M. O tol lol. I thought he proved that a to the power of nothing equals one, very prettily.

W. By the bye, Pope showed me to-day how to prove two equal to one.
M. The devil he did: as how, pray?

W. [Pencils it in the prayer-book whilst kneeling.] Thus, look

Because 12x2x (xx), and also =(1+x) (x − x).
Therefore x. ( x ) = (x + x) (x − x) — 2. x. (x — x.)

M.

Well, that's odd.

Therefore 12.

Q. E. D.

W. Yes, it's odd enough that odd should be even, and singular enough that singular should be plural. I've done with grammar after this.

M.

Ha, ha, ha, "thank you, good sir, I owe you one."

H'. If you owe me any, you owe me two. But be quiet, I know it," Newby's coming with his long-pole.

M.

That's the first time I've heard of his long-head, ha, ha.

W. Be quiet, or I'll shave yours for you-I don't relish, for my part, being "hauled over the coals" by either the Dean or his deputy-so have done with your gigglingif you please, sir. What! at it again!" Never mind me, sir!" Lord, you would titter at your own tail, if you only had one.

M. Hoh, hoh, hoh.

When up comes Newby, who, with M.'s quickly-subsiding laugh, says, "The Dean will be happy to see you this evening, sir, immediately after chapel." Poor M., who, being as risible as irascible (his sensibilities of every kind were easily put in action),

* Every body knows that at Trinity Church, Cambridge, there has been, evangelizing the gownsmen for the last half century, a great saint called Simeon.

was in frequent scrapes of this kind. I used to take a wicked pleasure in thus setting in motion the muscles of his very funny face, which, when once off, he could never stop, but at every quaint expression or thought, would receive a fresh impulse, until at length he fell into a hoh, hoh, hoh (into a hoho, a Johnian jogs me), and an imposition from the Dean.

An important feature in a gownsman's life is "lectures." Mr. Wright's description of Mr. Brown's first mathematical lecture is tolerably just, and may prove amusing. The portrait of the lecturer is certainly done with some skill.

After chapel I had scarcely time to breakfast before St. Mary's struck nine-the hour for the Mathematical Lecture. Palpitating at all points, 1" wended my way" to the Lecture-room, which presently received about a hundred of us, Sizars, Pensioners, Fellow-commoners, and Noblemen, seating themselves indiscriminately at the several desks, which were amply supplied with all the implements of scribbling pens, ink, and foolscap. The Lecturer was elevated upon a sort of rostrum, to produce, no doubt, an impression upon the youthful group, as to the dignity and importance of his duties. All was silent as the grave, each and every one of us, marvelling in breathless suspense, and eyeing each other with most funking physiognomy, when Mr. Brown very learnedly inquired of us, one by one, if we knew our own names. The first gentleman addressed, seeing that the portentous question was about to be popped to him, turned as pale as ashes, and with some difficulty pronounced the word most familiar to him. The rest grew gradually more courageous, insomuch that the last one did positively not once quake nor quiver.

Mr. B. having thus formed a nomenclature of the assembly, and glanced his eyes around him for some minutes, to associate the name with the person, he proceeded to inquire if we had furnished ourselves with a case of mathematical instruments. Out flew, with something like the precision of soldiery, a case before each man, with scarcely a defaulter; when the learned Lecturer, with a nondescript smile playing about his countenance, said, " I am glad, gentlemen, to see you come to lecture thus prepared, because it augurs well you will not be wanting in other respects; but I must inform you, these implements are here superfluous, inasmuch as in the theory we are about to expound, there are none other than straight lines and circles. Now all of you can draw a straight line I should hope, and as to the circle it is thus described" -placing his little finger of the right hand firmly on the paper, and at the same time moving the paper round it so as to come in contact with the pen during the entire revolution. “Thus, you see, gentlemen, you may omit bringing your instruments hither in future, and those gentlemen, also, who have slates before them, will be pleased to bring them no more, paper being the only thing scribbled upon, in order to prepare for the use of it at the Examinations. Very good. This being the first day, I shall dismiss you thus early, and hope to see every one of you at the same hour to-morrow, so prepared in Euclid, as to demonstrate viva voce, when called upon promiscuously, any proposition in the first book I may think proper to fix upon. Very good. Good morning, gentlemen."

In the second lecture Mr. Brown proceeds to business.

The hour of nine having now arrived, we again assembled at the Mathematical Lecture-room. Being seated, Mr. B. again went over the names, and praised our punctuality, there being not one absentee. After which, he asked, first one and then another, the several definitions of a point, a straight line, a curved line, a triangle, a square, a parallelogram, a pentagon, a circle, &c. &c. &c. and these questions being answered, with not more than fifty blunders, he came upon your humble servant with, "Mr. W., what is meant by an axiom ?"

"An axiom, Sir" (quoth I), " is a truth so self-evident, that its terms need only be expressed in language, to be universally understood and admitted."

Very good, Sir, though not precisely in the language of Euclid. But what is the first axiom of Euclid, or of Geometry, as I may say, the terms being synony

mous ?"

Things which are equal to the same, are equal to one another."

"Very good, Sir. What the second, and what the third?"

"If equals be added to equals, the sums are equal. If equals be taken from equals, the remainders are equal."

Very good."

Mr. B. next interrogated one and then another, until having got through the twelve axioms, or self-evident propositions, not one of which could we contradict, be gave a brief recapitulation of them, the definitions, and postulates, and concluded (or at least might have done) by the following eulogium :

"These Definitions, Axioms, and Postulates, constitute, gentlemen, simple and self-evident as they are, the foundations of all Mathematical and Philosophical science. Upon them, as upon an imperishable, and immoveable substratum, rests that towering fabric of science, which reaches the remotest penetralia of the heavens. Step by step, gentlemen, we hence shall climb successively, as by a tower of Babel, the several rounds of Geometry, of Algebra, of the Analytics generally, of Mechanics and Optics, winding our way to the topmost pinnacle-Astronomy." As I have already said, Mr. Brown, little as he was given to heroics, either did, or did not deliver this speech. Certain it is, no London-lecturer, none of those self-dubbed Professors, would have let slip such a glorious opportunity.

After Mr. Brown had passed us over the Asses' Bridge,' ," without any serious accident, and conducted us a few steps further into the first book, he dismissed us with many compliments, and a few Deductions,† the latter of which we were to “prove,” by the next day, and bring back with us.

We add the account of the first classical lecture, for the sake of the information it contains concerning the species of knowledge which is in request in the university. Immediately after the mathematical lecture, the students proceed to an upper room, where Professor Monk, at that time classical tutor, now Dean of Peterborough, awaits their presence.

The first Lecture in Mathematics being thus abruptly terminated, we had just time to trudge home with the slates and instruments, and take a turn or two in the walks to stretch our understandings, when the two-tongued bell of Trinity gave us a duplicate of the hour of ten-the summons for attending the Greek Lecture, in the room immediately over the former. Here we found Professor Monk, now Dean of Peterboro', prepared to give us a reception something similar to that of Mr. Brown.

After having ascertained our names with great precision, and taken care to inform us he shall hope to find us the next day at the same hour, prepared to construe any part of the opening of the Seven against Thebes," to give the geography of the scenes in it, and the history of the dramatis persona, events and allusions, Professor Monk broke up the assembly by, "I hope, gentlemen, your attendance will be regular throughout the term. Good morning to you, gentlemen."

The Lectures for the day being over, we dispersed in all directions, something like a regiment after a review in the Park. Having no more sights to see, and, from the expectations expressed by both the Lecturers, much to prepare for the next day's Lectures, I went as straight homewards as the irregular streets and lanes of the ancient town of Cambridge would permit, and soon found myself surrounded by such books as I had procured from the Public Library (this is done, as I have already intimated, under the rose, by the connivance of some M. A.), from Trinity Library, and from Maps' excellent Circulating Library. Those recommended by the Tutor, Mr. Hudson, for the Greek play, were Porson's Hecuba, the preface containing the most valuable Treatise ever written on the Greek Metres, Barlow Seale's and Herman's more lengthy discussions of the same subject-Burney's Tentamen de Metris (being nothing worth) having no place in my collection. Scapula's Lexicon, Dawe's Miscellanea Critica, Bentley's Phalaris, the Travels of Anacharsis, Hoogeveen's Particularum Doctrina, Boss's Ellipses, Franklin's Translation of Sophocles (for its prefatory matter relating to the Grecian Stage), Cumberland's Observer (for the same use as the work last named), Brumoy's Greek Theatre, Tyrwhit's Aristotle, Horace's Ars Poetica, Gillie's History of Greece (Mitford's, I wished to have, but it was so expensive to purchase, and so much in request at the libraries, that I was compelled at first to put up with Gillies), D'Anville's Ancient Atlas, Butler's Eschylus (a more stupid chaos of confusion than which does not exist-a real Maya Bißiov μéya kakòv”), and finally, the luminous and erudite comment upon the 'Errà inì Onẞag) itself, by Dr. Blomfield, formed, as far as I can recollect, the remainder of the catalogue.

The fifth Proposition is so called, or rather "Pons Asinorum," from the difficulty with which many get over it.

† Are propositions not given by the "Book work," but derivable from it.

The contrast between these two lecturers is drawn with some deli

cacy, and perfect justice.

It was now ten o'clock, and up-stairs we therefore flew to gobble Greek with the Professor. Enthroned he sat, with "head erect and all-important brow," more vastly great, I ween, than ever looked Æschylus himself, or even those ancient schoolmasters who spoke this" language of the Gods"-Aristotle, Socrates, or Plato. In his manner and person, the Professor was a striking contrast to the mathematical lecturer. Stiff and formal to a degree, he could never relax into a smile, much less could he endure any thing bordering upon jocularity, however pleasant might be the subject of his lectures, or admit the slightest familiarity with these grown-up young gentlemen. Equally solicitous was he to elevate his diction, and succeeded, so as to deliver himself in a style to say the least of it-semi-bombastic. Like all other pickers of choice words and expressions, his voice, naturally harsh, although sonorous, would ever and anon dwell, not in the style of a sostenuto, but closely resembling the drone of a bagpipe, thus stealing time for the selection, and making his speech continuous. Mr. Brown, on the other hand, was as distinguished for the affability of his demeanour, as for the ease and chasteness of his language. With the exception of his favourite phrase of kind encouragement, very good," which from habit, I suppose, he often complimented even himself withal, his sentences, although on a less wordy subject, from being less forced and excogitated, greatly exceeded the Professor's in every natural grace, and consequently, were much more agreeable to the audience.

Mr. Wright is always apprehensive that his materials will fall below. the measure in his bond-the account of these lectures is followed by a dissertation on the ancient drama, which he puts into the mouth of Professor Monk. It is probably with the same view that Mr. Wright introduces the following illiberal tirade against the design of a London University. It is very plain to be seen, that a man may pass through Cambridge without acquiring either the feelings or the language of a gentleman. Of this we are very sure, that the men whom Alma Mater does not blush to own, would not entertain such opinions as are to be found in this extract.

Such being the extent of the usefulness of a Scotch education, what advantages are we to expect from an establishment in London, originating and progressing under the auspices of a handful of individuals thus initiated? It need scarcely be observed I allude to the projected London University, inasmuch as all must have noticed the striking circumstance, that the thing has been fathered by Campbell (without being the true progenitor, perhaps; for, according to some, Orator Henley has the first claim to that honour), fostered by Brougham and Dr. Birkbeck the physician-Scottish all. Now, I should like to be informed, what just pretensions can this Poet, this Lawyer, or this Doctor, maintain as to the direction of the education of London? By dint of uncommon perseverance, and good natural talents, for aught I know, each of the triumvirate has attained considerable pre-eminence in his proper profession; but surely, because one can jingle rhymes, another cross the bumpkins, and the third sign a man's doom in dog-latin, they are not to "rule the roast" over the intellects of this huge metropolis. Permit it, ye people of London, and ye reduce this magnificent, this glorious city, as to intellectual worth, to the level of "Modern Athens." Scottish are the originators of the scheme, and their immediate disciples, nine out of ten, are Scottish. Who, then, are to fill the situations of Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, Professors, &c. (great names, forsooth, for an establishment, the entire capital of which will fall far short of the annual income of either University, properly so called) I would ask? Why Scotchmen. No, I stand corrected-it being an equal chance that a few dissenters at the instance of the great Mr. C-x, whom his friends of the London University address by the hackneyed M. A. little as he is intitled to letters; of the unparalleled seceder from the Caledonian church, Mr. F- &c. &c. &c. may have an

opportunity of proselytizing; and a dead certainty, that the radicals will have permanent stalls to Jesuitize in, inasmuch as the abettors or patrons consist, almost without an exception, of these three classes of his majesty's subjects. Scotticism, Dissenterism, and Radicalism were never so closely united. But the two former classes will prove the dupes of the last-or the course things usually take will strangely alter.

This disposition of the few situations being effected, after due jostling and scram