es-Lyne's coffee-house and the billet-doux-Tick-Liquor capac

ted. For the first few weeks they meet in one another's rooms and discuss their impressions freely and without any reserve. Then suddenly, after the manner of mushrooms which spring up in a single night, it is found that one of them has got into the racing set which despises everybody who does not ride a horse; another into the working set, which lives, eats, and sleeps with its books; a t

in the eighteenth century. I have shown the way in which some of these freshmen came to feel ashamed of their clothes and crept into the back entrances of

tinguished when he sauntered along, languidly twirling his clouded amber cane and smelling philosophically of essence. His main objects in life were apparently to avoid the accusation of being ill-mannered, to consume daily as much liquor

ight criticise, or better, satirise, that "large body of fine gentlemen call'd Smarts." Under the name of Valentine Frippery he answered his own att

er I

the Fir

taken cum grano salts, nevertheless the picture he draws of the Bucks of the first head is a v

rrae F

urch Colle

ell, sing as well, dance as well, and behave in every respect as well, though I say it, as any man under the sun. You are the first audacious Wit-wou'd that ever call'd Oxford a boorish, uncivilised place: And demme, Sir, you ought to be hors'd out of all good company for an impudent praggish Jackanapes. Oxford a boorish place! poor wretch! I am sorry for thy ignor

hen strolled in the Park or under Merton wall. Those who made no pretensions to "Smartness" were meanwhile dining in Hall-a thing far beneath the dignity of a Buck of the first head who ate in solitary dignity in his own chamber, his meal consisting, for example, of "boil'd chicken and pettitoes." After resting awhile, he spent an hour or so in overcoming the difficulties of dressing. That satisfactorily concluded, it was his bounden duty to make an afternoon appearance at Lyne's. About five o'clock he dropped in at

of his ruffles with a spot of ink, which put the gentleman in so great a disorder, that he threw the standish through the window, stamped about the room for half an hour together, and was often heard to say, I wonder that gentlemen cannot find some cleaner method of conve

e statutes, and differs from them; or (as my correspondent expresses it in the proper dialect of the place) that does not cut as bold a dash as they do. They have singly, for the most part, very good assurances; but when they walk together in bodies (as they often do), how impregnable are their foreheads? They point at every foul they mee

use. They were for the most part sons of country farmers with practically no money who got into the Smart set immediately after coming up, and who remained Smarts just so long as the "mercers, taylors, shoe makers, and perriwig-makers will tick with them." Trade

ee years afterwards "in gowns and cassocks, walking with demure looks and an holy leer; so

art of the country as Graves, rescued him from the ill-bred hands of such low company-so considered chiefly on account of the liquor they drank. In his own words "they good-naturedly invited me to their party: they treated me with port wine and arrack-punch; and then, when they had d

e spirit-merchants, but left some of the drinkers soddened and

from drinking ale and brandy. There were three companions with him, but they were merely asleep under the table. Professor Pryme, who was up at the end of the eighteenth century, afterwards wrote that when Hall was over it was the fashion to collect a large party together to drink wine with a little dessert. "The host," he said, "named a Vice-Preside

they stood in loco parentis. The whole world of Dons, from the humblest and most juvenile Fellow to the king of kings, the Head of a college or Hall, cultivated the vice of drink as assiduously as if it were a virtue. Oxford was not so far away from London as not to reflect the

man prefers to look upon the fetching features-and limbs, of footlight favourites in papers provided free of charge in the Junior Common Room. Consequently the rash starter of a "'varsity rag" is compelled to retire from the lists after the first two or three issues. In the old days, however, even the blasé Smart had some initiative left to him in matters of literature. He supported the ne

ffee-hou

t amazed us, I must own. Consider, Mr Student, you write for the publick of which three fourths are ignoramuses, and therefor, tho' we may allow you now and then in compliment to your taylor and mercer and other learned folks, to insert a Latin ode or epigram, yet I must needs tell you, that we don't relish your metaphysics. For which reason I am directed by all the Smarts at --'s, to acquaint you, that we expect (especially if it be English), at least to understand what we read. We consider your book as a monthly feast or entertainment; and if we pay our ordinary, 'tis but reasonable the dishes you set before us

Dida

"monthly feast of entertainment!" For all their soaking and "wenching" and slacking they

sity career as much pleasure, excitement, and amusement as was possible. The eighteenth century lent itself whole-heartedly to this programme. The Dons, who should have been intent on governing Oxford, had other game afoot. The Undergraduates were thus left to their own devices, and the Smarts were the first to take advantage of such Arcadian conditions. They delayed the hour of rising until the sun grew weary of calling them out. There was no stern shepherd to round them into chapel at the ungodly hour of eight o'clock. Like butterflies they

mask of blasé scorn the traditions and the unforgettable charm of Alma mater. They carried their love and reverence for her to the grav