Read Ebook: Oxford Days; or How Ross Got His Degree by Weatherly F E Frederic Edward

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Ebook has 456 lines and 40842 words, and 10 pages

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GONE TO OXFORD 1

AN OXFORD SUNDAY 23

THE FRESHMAN'S TERM 39

THE EIGHTS 51

THE LONG VACATION 68

"THE FLYING TERMS" 77

A READING PARTY 88

IN THE THICK OF IT 120

THE CLOSE 139

GOWN AT LAST 149

OXFORD DAYS; OR, HOW ROSS GOT HIS DEGREE.

GONE TO OXFORD.

There was a long discussion between the Vicar of Porchester and Mr. Ross, the lawyer, as they walked together after evening service to the vicarage. Frank Ross was just eighteen, the eldest of six brothers. He was still at school, but it was time for him to go to the University. Oxford had been chosen--not from any notion of superiority to Cambridge, but simply because of school and home associations. The difficulty was the choice of a college. The vicar--a well-to-do bachelor--an old Eton and Christ-Church man, advised his own college. But Mr. Ross was frightened. "Christ-Church" to him had ever been a terror, and meant waste of time and money, in the shape of cards, drink, and horse-flesh; and all the vicar's eloquence could not shake his unfounded prejudice. The result of the discussion was that Mr. Ross decided to write to a friend at Oxford, settled there as a "coach;" and also to Mr. Rickards, a country doctor, with a family larger even than his own. The doctor's answer was as follows:--

"DEAR ROSS,--My boy is going to Brasenose: at least, he goes up in May to try for a close scholarship. I can give you no advice, as I know nothing about the place. I sent him to the Hereford Cathedral School by a fluke some years ago; and as there are scholarships and exhibitions from the school to Brasenose, I am saved the difficulty of choosing a college.

"Yours truly,

"W. RICKARDS."

"DEAR MR. ROSS,--So much depends on your son's abilities, your own means and wishes, that I cannot answer your question as to the best college, off-hand. I think I may assume that you do not want him to spend more money than is absolutely necessary; and possibly that you would wish him to 'go in for honours' instead of taking a Pass Degree, that is, offering the smallest possible number of subjects for examination. I need hardly say that a high degree in honours opens the way to a Fellowship, or at any rate to good masterships in schools; and is, in fact, a distinct help, directly and indirectly, not only in educational, but in all professions.

"If your son's college life will be a pinch to you , send him as an Unattached Student. But here, again, you and he should clearly understand that the life of an unattached student is isolated, and quite unlike the life of the college undergraduate. The only exception to this statement is when an undergraduate migrates, as for various reasons sometimes he is obliged, from his college to the body of the Unattached. His society, being already formed, remains unbroken. I should fancy your choice will lie between New College, Corpus, Paul's, and Balliol. A scholarship at either means that the scholar is capable, with industry, of gaining the highest honours in his future University examinations. On the whole, I think, I incline to Paul's. Unfortunately, you have just missed the examination for scholarships. There is, however, an ordinary matriculation examination for commoners in about three weeks' time. If your son holds a good position in his school, he ought to have no difficulty in passing even at this short notice, for the subjects are those which are read in forms lower than the highest at all schools. I shall be happy to do anything further in the matter for you that I can. He should come prepared for residence, in the event of his passing. The examination begins on the Wednesday after Easter, and will be over in time for successful candidates to 'come into residence' with the other men on the following Saturday. You should send an application to the Master of Paul's at once. I enclose a list of subjects and fees, and am

"Yours truly,

"PHILIP WODEHOUSE."

"SUBJECTS FOR MATRICULATION AT PAUL'S.

"1. Translation from English into Latin prose.

"2. Translation into English of an unprepared passage of Attic Greek.

"3. Translation of some portion of a Greek and Latin author , with parsing and general grammar questions.

"4. Arithmetic, including Vulgar and Decimal Fractions and Interest.

"FEES.

So Paul's was chosen, and a letter of application forwarded to the Master; and Frank, who was then at home for the Easter vacation, commenced polishing up his work in view of the approaching examination. On Easter Tuesday he left home by an early train, with a note to Mr. Wodehouse in his pocket. That gentleman entertained him at dinner with a long list of examination stories, and about nine o'clock marched him off to the Clarendon Hotel, where, with a word to the landlady, he left him, nervous at the thought of the morrow, but conscious of his own dignity and the near approach of the manhood which is supposed to date from matriculation.

It was with some difficulty that Frank preserved his self-composure in the presence of the waiters, as he sat at breakfast in the "Clarendon" coffee-room. He did not particularly enjoy his meal, and, in obedience to Mr. Wodehouse's injunctions, left at half-past nine to make his way to Paul's. After one or two mistakes, he succeeded in finding the college gates. His anxiety as to his next step was set at rest by the sight that met him. About a dozen boys were hanging about the Lodge, in various typical conditions of mind and body--some completely at their ease, chatting unconcernedly; others standing nervously alone. Most wore black coats and chimney-pot hats--the costume that only a few years ago was rigorously insisted on. A few through ignorance, or in obedience to the spirit of the day, wore defiantly light suits and bowler hats. Frank, to his great delight, found a school-fellow whose coming up had, like his own, been hurriedly decided in the vacation. The two friends had not much time for conversation, for in a few minutes a respectable middle-aged man, whom they knew afterwards to be the Porter, said, "You are to walk this way, gentlemen, please," and conducted them to the College-Hall. It is a fine old place, with dark oak panels, coloured windows, portraits, and coats-of-arms; and to the boy up in Oxford for his first visit, and that visit so solemn a one as matriculation, there is an unspeakable charm, and a novelty sobered into grandeur, about everything. How the grave faces of the college founders and celebrities looked down upon the wondering eyes! Bishop and knight, king and duchess--there they stared! How the light streamed through the coloured windows! Who could tell? Perhaps one day, Frank thought, when he was a rich man, he might have that one vacant window filled, or some of his descendants might present to the college a portrait of Sir Francis Ross, attired in wig and gown, one of Her Majesty's--or rather, perhaps, His Majesty's--judges, if not Lord Chancellor.

He started abruptly from his dreams, and came back to the first rung on the ladder that was leading to such prospective fame. There before him stretched three lines of tables and benches down the length of the hall. Across the end, on a slightly-raised da?s, ran another table, where the handsome chairs indicated beings superior to undergraduates. It was, in fact, the High table, where the Master and Fellows dined, and any resident Masters of Arts who cared to do so.

This morning it was devoted to the more serious purposes of examination. Ten ink-bottles, fifteen blotting-pads, fifteen sheets of white paper printed, with a few sheets of blue paper and two or three quill pens lying by each: that was the fare this morning--"the feast of reason" that was in such strong contrast to the "flow of soul" that would grace the table at six o'clock that evening.

"You will have till half-past twelve. Write your names clearly; and please bear in mind that we expect answers from both books of Euclid."

Then he resumed his newspaper and adopted a more dignified attitude.

Frank looked at his questions. Eleven in all; some definitions, six propositions from the first book, and four from the second. He wrote his name at the head of his paper, and made a great blot in doing so. His hand grew hot. He dashed at the first definition,--

Frank went out with his friend, discussing the Euclid paper.

They lunched together at the "Clarendon," wisely confining themselves to a little cold meat and sherry, and at two o'clock were again hard at work at Latin prose. It was a piece from "Pilgrim's Progress"--something about Giant Despair, his wife, and her bed. And judging from the various unhappy faces, an observer might have thought that the choice of the giant was somewhat prophetical. Frank, however, had done, not the identical piece, but several pieces in the same style before, and accordingly did not find so much difficulty.

Out at four o'clock, they strolled down Oriel Street, past Corpus, by Merton Church, and into Christ-Church Broad Walk; and meeting three friends, also up for matriculation at some other college, took a boat from Salter's and rowed to Iffley, Frank steering.

Luckily the river was not crowded, as in full term, or the erratic course which Frank steered would have brought down upon him the shrill abuse of some eight-oar's coxswain, even if not a quiet spill into the water.

Thursday passed much in the same way: Frank, on the whole, satisfied with his work; Monkton, his friend, somewhat desponding. The hours after work would have been dull had there not been so much to see. The friends mooned about till half-past six, and then had meat-tea at Monkton's lodgings in Ship Street; and with "Verdant Green" and the "Mysteries of the Isis" beguiled the evening till they turned into bed. What a relief it was when Friday morning came, and with it the last paper! At two that afternoon they were met in the Lodge by the Porter, who had an important-looking paper in his hands.

Reaching the hall, the chosen six found the Master and six of the Fellows, all attired in cap, gown, and dignity, seated at the High table. They were told to sit down at one side of the hall, and then, one by one, were summoned to that awful table and examined. Monkton's ordeal came first, and it was a trying one. He was first questioned on some of his papers, and then given some written questions and sent to a side table. Frank was not aware, then, that this process--familiarly known as "second paper"--meant that Monkton's success hung by a thread on the result of his work this afternoon. His own turn came next. The Fellow who examined him saw he was nervous, and, as usual with almost every examiner, spoke pleasantly and reassuringly to him.

"Take your Greek Testament, Mr. Ross," he said, "and turn to the fifth chapter of St. Matthew, and translate the first six verses."

Frank turned to the passage indicated. He knew it at a glance, and that reassured him; and when he was next told to open a "Cicero" that was lying on the table he felt comparatively at his ease. He got through about six lines of the Second Philippic, and was then asked a few disconnected questions.

"Do you know what circumstances led to the delivery of this speech?"

He did know, but words failed him, and he bungled.

"Never mind," answered the examiner. "Who was Hannibal? and what battles did he fight?"

Frank answered, naming them.

"What is the construction after verbs of commanding in Latin?"

"Can you mention any of our Lord's parables which teach the duty of watchfulness?" and so forth.

Then came the pleasant dismissal,--

"That will do, thank you. You need not wait."

Frank departed, and, making friends with the Porter, told him all that had passed.

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