Nuts to crack; or Quips, quirks, anecdote and facete of Oxford and Cambridge ScholarsGooch, Richard
History
Nuts to crack; or Quips, quirks, anecdote and facete of Oxford and Cambridge Scholars
Gooch, Richard
University of Cambridge -- Anecdotes; University of Oxford -- Anecdotes
Is contained in Antony Wood's "angry account" of the alterations made
in Merton College, of which he was a fellow, during the wardenship of
Sir Thomas Clayton, whose lady, says Wood, "did put the college to
unnecessary charges and very frivolous expenses, among which were a
very large looking-glass, for her to see her ugly face, and body to
the middle, * * * * * which was brought in Hilary terme, 1674, and
cost, as the bursar told me, above 10_£._; a bedstead and bedding,
worth 40_£._, must also be bought, because the former bedstead and
bedding was too short for him (he being a tall man,) so perhaps when a
_short_ warden comes, a short bed must be bought." There were also
other
EXTRAORDINARY DOINGS AT MERTON.
When the Vandals of Parliamentary visiters, in Cromwell's time,
perpetrated their spoliations at Oxford, one of them, Sir Nathaniel
Brent, says Wood, actually "took down the rich hangings at the altar
of the chapel, and ornamented his bedchamber with them."
* * * * *
DIGGING YOUR GRAVES WITH YOUR TEETH.
The late vice-master of Trinity College, Cambridge, the Rev. William
Hodson, B.D., and the late Regius Professor of Hebrew, the Rev.
William Collier, B.D., who had also been tutor of Trinity College,
were both skilled in the science of music, and constant visiters at
the quartett parties of Mr. Sharp, of Green Street, Cambridge,
organist of St. John's College. The former happened one evening to
enter Mr. Sharp's _sanctum sanctorum_, rather later than usual, and
found the two latter just in the act of discussing a brace of roast
ducks, with a bowl of punch in the background. He was pressed to join
them. "No, no, gentlemen," was his reply, "give me a _glass of water
and a crust_. You know not what you are doing. You are _digging your
graves with your teeth_." Both gentlemen, however, out-lived him.
* * * * *
DR. TORKINGTON'S GRATITUDE TO HIS HORSE.
The late master of Clare Hall, Cambridge, Dr. Torkington, was one
evening stopped by a footpad or pads, in the neighbourhood of
Cambridge, when riding at an humble pace on his old Rosinante, which
had borne him through many a long year. Both horse and master were
startled by the awful tones in which the words, "Stand, and deliver!"
were uttered, to say nothing of the flourish of a shillelah, or
something worse, and an unsuccessful attempt to _grab_ the rein. The
horse, declining acquiescence, set off at a good round pace, and thus
saved his master; an act for which the old doctor was so grateful,
that he never suffered it to be rode again, but had it placed in a
paddock, facing his lodge, on the banks of the Cam, where, with a
plentiful supply of food, and his own daily attentions, it lingered
out the remnant of life, and "liv'd at home at ease."
* * * * *
SAY JOHN SHARP IS A ROGUE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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