of it in the greatest veneration, as will appear from the following quotation from _Arnobius_, in a fragment preserved by _Lipsius_:--'Quo die (says he, speaking of the annual _celebrity_) congregati sacerdotes, et eorum ministri, totum Capitolinum collem circumibant, cantilenam quandam sacram de _Toli_ cujusdam capite, dum molirentur fundamenta invento, recitantes deinde ad coenam verè pontificiam se recipientes,' &c. Part of this _merry old song_ (as Mr. P. would call it) is preserved by _Vossius_, in his book _De Sacris Cantilenis Veterum Romanorum_. The chorus of it shows so much the simplicity of the _ancient Roman poetry_ that I cannot forbear transcribing it for the benefit of my reader, as the book is too scarce to be in every one's hand. It runs thus: TOLI _caput venerandum_! Magnum caput et mirandum! TOLI _caput resonamus_. I make no doubt but that every _true critic_ will be highly pleased with it. For my own part, it gives me a particular pleasure to reflect on the resemblance there is between this _precious relique_ of antiquity, and the chorus of the _Mallard_. _Oh, by the blood of King_ Edward, _It was a swapping, swapping_ Mallard! The _greatness_ of the subject, you see, is the Thing celebrated in both, and the manner of doing it is as nearly equal as the different geniuses of the two languages will permit. Let me hope, therefore, that Mr. P. when he exercises his thoughts again on this subject, will learn to think more highly of the _mallard_, than of a _common gaudy_, or _merry making_. For it will not be just to suppose that the gentlemen of _All-Souls_ can have less regard for the memory of so noble a bird, found _all alive_, than the Romans had for the _dead skull_ of the _Lord knows whom_." * * * * * ANOTHER OXFORD DREAM PRECEDED THE FOUNDATION OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.