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placency. An imaginative youth would have been inspired by the genius loci and the picturesque surroundings; a studious youth would have welcomed the ease and leisure in which he found himself; and assuredly Gibbon might have been well content with his "set of three beautiful rooms in that stately pile, the New Buildings of Magdalen," and, with the Bodleian close at hand, might have pursued his studies with as much ease and comfort as in his villa at Lausanne. But he made no pretence of study, and did not even attend the few lectures available to him, preferring instead "to elope" (as he calls it) to London and elsewhere. And it might be added that when he speaks of "the dull and deep potations" of the Magdalen Fellows, there was probably more decorum and less drunkenness in the society of the Common Room than at the Mess of the Hampshire Militia, where he afterwards caroused with John Wilkes and other boon companions. After being in residence for little more than a year, Gibbon suddenly became a Roman Catholic, and was promptly removed from Oxford by his father. Probably little regret was felt by the College authorities at his premature departure.

To the long list of the College benefactors must be added the name of William Freman-a gentleman-commoner in 1719 -who presented a new peal of bells, as well as the beautiful painting by Ribalta, which forms the altar-piece in the

chapel, and who bequeathed to the College some valuable property in the city, then known as Freman's Court.

There is little else of interest to record of Magdalen during the eighteenth century, but towards the close of it a singular and characteristic figure became associated with the College, who deserves special mention. This was Martin Joseph Routh, who matriculated, at the age of fourteen, in 1768, was elected President in 1791, and held that office till 1854, when he died in his hundredth year. He was a man of "prodigious erudition," especially in patristic theology; a great book - collector, and a perfect mine of interesting recollections and traditions. He had passed over the old wooden bridge at Magdalen, even then tottering to its fall, and through the East Gate, demolished in the following year. He had seen the prison of Bocardo and Friar Bacon's study, as well as the old Turl Gate and the conduit at Carfax, now in Nuneham Park. He had seen Dr Johnson himself, in his tradesman's wig and brown stockings, stumbling up the steps of University College, and had even seen-so it was saidtwo undergraduates hung for highway robbery on the gallows which then stood at the corner near Holywell Church. To the last Dr Routh preserved the deliberate speech, the dignified manner, and the punctilious courtesy of a bygone day, and he also affected the oldfashioned dress of a divine in the days of Queen Caroline

a bishop's wig, a cassock and full gown, knee-breeches, and buckled shoes. He kept all his faculties to the last, and was excellent company when the subject interested him. On one occasion, quite late in his life, he kept his friend, Dr Jacobson, for two hours walking up and down in his old-fashioned garden, giving him a graphic account of "the 88," often quoting the very words of the speeches, painting Sunderland's character in the blackest colours, and being especially severe on Macaulay, who (he declared) had suppressed some facts and misstated others, and in fact was as little to be depended upon as Burnet.1

Another characteristic figure, though of a widely different type, was John Wilson, better known as "Christopher North," who entered Magdalen in 1803. His exuberant spirits, his powers of conversation, as well as his immense feats of strength and prowess in athletics, made him a favourite among all classes, from the learned President down to the grooms and servants of the College. Nothing delighted him more than to preside at a midnight supper at the Angel, when the London coaches came in, and he was the life and soul of other symposia in his own College-a fitting prelude to the Noctes Ambrosiana—when the party wore large tie wigs, said to have descended from the days of Addison, and intended to preserve the hair from the fumes

of tobacco smoke. But amidst all this dissipation, Wilson found time to read steadily. His knowledge of Aristotle and the Greek tragedians amazed and delighted his College tutor; and his examination for a degree-then conducted viva voce -was a crowning triumph, for he enjoyed the rare distinction of being publicly thanked by the examiners.

Many other notable names occur in the lists of the Demies and Fellows during Dr Routh's long term of office. Among them may be mentioned Henry Philpotts, the famous Bishop of Exeter; Robert Lowe and Roundell Palmer (afterwards Lord Selborne); James Mozley and Charles Reade; John Conington and Goldwin Smith.

Routh was succeeded in 1854 by Frederic Bulley, a man of dignified presence and courtly manners. It was mainly due to his tact and good sense, as well as to his intimate knowledge of the collegiate system, that the drastic-if inevitable

reforms, introduced by the two Commissions of 1856 and 1877, were carried into effect at Magdalen without undue friction and opposition. These reforms practically transformed the College from a close and privileged foundation to a free society, untrammelled by the conditions and restrictions of the past. The old statutes, many of which had long since become obsolete, were now abolished altogether. The election

1 Dr Routh had a large collection of documents illustrating the reign of James II., and had himself edited Burnet's History of his Own Times.'

to demyships and fellowships his office. He is not only an was thrown open to all the accomplished scholar and man world; the restrictions as to of letters, as well as the Promarriage and Holy Orders were fessor of Poetry, but has shown withdrawn; some fellowships a remarkable capacity for busiwere suppressed and professor- ness, both as President of his ships founded out of the surplus College and Vice-Chancellor of revenue; the number of demy- the University. Under his rule ships was increased and an the College has flourished exceed"Exhibition Fund" was cre- ingly; it has largely increased ated for the benefit of poor and in numbers; it has taken a deserving scholars. good position in the class-lists, and has become the favourite resort of public school men and athletes. In all respects, Magdalen does more than maintain its great traditions of the past, and the solemn aspiration of the Founder that "by divine favour the benefits conferred on that age might be continued down to future generations for ever" has been amply realised.1 The generations come and go; the "flying terms follow one another all too rapidly; in every few years the undergraduate element has completely changed; but the good old stock never seems to fail:

The increased number of commoners made new buildings necessary, and in 1884 a new quadrangle (St Swithuns) was completed, reverting to an older style with tall chimneys and massive buttresses, and not offering such a glaring contrast to Waynflete's incomparable work as the Palladian pile of building erected in the previous century.

The reforms mentioned above owe much of their practical success to Dr Herbert Warren (the present president), who succeeded Dr Bulley in 1885, and who had previously done excellent work as a College tutor. It would be impertinent to do more than allude to his high qualifications for

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"Sed
immortale manet, mul-
genus
Stat fortuna domûs, et avi numer-
tosque per annos
antur avorum."

1 Chandler's 'Life of Waynflete,' p. 94.

HOCKEN AND HUNKEN.

A TALE OF TROY.

BY "Q."

BOOK III.

CHAPTER XVIII.-THE PLOUGHING.

IT is possible-though not, perhaps, likely-that had Cai obeyed his first impulse and pursued 'Bias down the valley, to overtake him, the two friends might after a few hot words have found reconciliation, or at least have patched up an honourable truce. As it was, 'Bias carried home a bitter sense of betrayal, supposing that he had left Cai master of the field. He informed Mrs Bowldler that he would dine and sup alone.

"Which the joint to-day is a goose," protested that lady; "and one more difficult to halve at short notice I don't know, for my part."

"You must do the best you can." He vouchsafed no other reply.

Mrs Bowldler considered this problem all the rest of the morning. "Palmerston," she asked, as she opened the oven door to baste the bird, "supposin' you were asked to halve a roast goose, how would you begin?"

"I'd say I wouldn't," answered Palmerston on brief reflection.

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Dinner time arrived, but Captain Hocken did not. She served the goose whole and carried it in to Captain Hunken.

"Eh?" said 'Bias, as she removed the cover. "What about-about Cap'n Hocken?" "He have not arrove."

'Bias ground his teeth. "Havin' dinner with her!" he told himself, and fell to work savagely to carve his solitary portion.

Having satisfied his appetite, he lit a pipe and smoked. But tobacco brought no solace, no charitable thoughts. While, as a matter of fact, Cai tramped the highroads, mile after mile, striving to deaden the pain at his heart, 'Bias sat puffing and let his wrath harden

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down into a fixed mould of time, broke down and fairly resentment. blubbered.

Dusk was falling when Cai returned. Mrs Bowldler, aware that something was amiss, heard his footsteps in the passage and presented herself. "Which, having been detained, we might make an 'igh tea of it," she suggested, "and venture on the wing of a goose. Stuffing at this hour I would 'ardly 'int at, being onion and apt to recur." But Captain Hocken desired no more than tea and toast.

Mrs Bowldler was intelligently sympathetic, because Fancy had called early in the afternoon and brought some enlightenment.

"There's a row," said Fancy, and told about the sale of the parrot. "That Mrs Bosenna's at the bottom of it, as I've said all along," she concluded.

"Do you reelly think the bird has been talking?"

"I don't think: I know." Mrs Bowldler pondered a moment. "Ho! well — she's a widow."

"I reckon," said Fancy, "if these two sillies are goin' to fall out over her and live apart, you'll be wantin' extra help. Two meals for every one I hope they counted that before they started to quarrel."

"I'll not have another woman in the house," declared Mrs Bowldler, and repeated it for emphasis after the style of the great Hebrew writers. "Another woman in the house have I will not! What do you say, Palmerston ?"

Palmerston, who had been on the edge of tears for some

"There's a boy!" exclaimed the elder woman. "Mention a little hard work and he begins to cry."

"I don't believe he's cryin' for that at all," spoke up Fancy. "Are you, Pammy dear?”

"Nun - nun - No-o!" sobbed Palmerston.

"He can't abide quarrellin'that's what's the matter. . Ah, well!" sighed Fancy, and fell back on her favourite formula of resignation. "It'll be all the same a hundred years hence; when we mee-eet," she chanted, "when we mee- eet, when we mee-eet on that Beyewtiful Shore! And in the meantime we three have got to sit tight an' watch for an openin' to teach 'em that their little hands were never made. No talkin' outside, mind!"

"As if I should!" protested Mrs Bowldler, and added thoughtfully, "I often wonder what happens to widows." "They marry again, mostly." "I mean up there. on the Beautiful Shore, so to speak. They don't marry again, because the Bible says so: but how some contry tomps is to be avoided I don't see.'

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Chiefly through the loyalty of these three, some weeks elapsed before the breach of friendship between Captain Caius Hocken and Captain Tobias Hunken became 8 matter of common talk. Mr Rogers must have had an inkling; for the pair consulted him on all their business affairs and investments, and in two or

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