Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 440: Volume 17, New Series, June 5, 1852Various
History
Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 440: Volume 17, New Series, June 5, 1852
Various
Periodicals
The master, or 'head of the house,' is the supreme ruler within the
college walls, and moves about like an undergraduate's deity. The
fellows, who form the general body from which the other
college-officers are chosen, are the aggregate of those four or five
bachelor scholars per annum, who pass the best examination in
classics, mathematics, and metaphysics. The eight oldest fellows at
any time in residence, together with the master, have the government
of the college vested in them. The _dean_ is the presiding officer in
chapel: his business is to pull up the absentees--no sinecure, it is
said. Even the scholars, who are literally paid for going, every
chapel being directly worth two shillings sterling to them, give the
dean a good deal of trouble. Other officers are the _vice-master_,
the _bursar_ or treasurer, lecturers, assistant-lecturers,
assistant-tutors, four chaplains, and the librarian. Prayers last half
an hour; after which the student walks in the college grounds, and by
8, he is seated by his comfortable fire over his hot rolls and tea. At
9, lectures begin, and continue till 12, some ten or eleven going on
at once, and each occupying an hour. A little before 1, the student
resorts to his private tutor, or _coach_, as the cantabs call him. He
generally takes five or six pupils a day, giving an hour to each. The
coach is indispensable to a student; and 'a good coach' is always in
great requisition. His intercourse with his pupils is of the most
familiar character; nevertheless, he must drive his team well, or
he would lose his reputation. From 2 till 4 is the traditional
time of exercise, the most usual modes of which are walking
(constitutionalising is the cantab for it) and rowing. Cricketing, and
all games of ball, are much practised in their respective seasons.
Towards 4 P.M., they begin to flock in for dinner. A Latin grace is
read by two of the dons, and forthwith the demolition of eatables
proceeds. Though there is a common hall, there is no common table. On
the contrary, there is no end to the variety, both as respects rank,
provision, and privilege. Hall lasts about three-quarters of an hour.
Two scholars conclude the business by reading a long Latin grace--the
dons, it is said, being too full after dinner for such duty. After
hall is emphatically lounging-time. Some stroll in the grounds; many
betake themselves to the reading-room; and many assemble at
wine-parties, to exchange the gossip of the day. At 6 P.M., the
chapel-bell rings again, when the muster is better than in the
morning. After chapel, the evening reading begins in earnest. Most of
the cantabs are late readers, always endeavouring to secure several
hours' consecutive work, their only intermission being to take a cup
or two of tea by way of stimulus. One solid meal a day is the rule:
even when they go out to sup, as a reading-man does perhaps once a
term, and a rowing-man twice a week, they eat very moderately, though
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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