Oxford (England) -- History; University of Oxford -- History
Bucks and Bloods were succeeded by the Smarts, whose beautiful
existences Terræ Filius has described for us. Called by the servitor at
six, they tumbled out of bed, their heads reeling with the last night's
debauch, to attend a chapel service. For the habit of early rising was
still in vogue, and though a Smart might rise late, his lateness seems
early to us. For it was held disgraceful to be in bed after seven,
though carried there over-night drunk but not disgraced. But the Smart's
breakfast was scarce over by ten; a few notes on the flute, a glance at
the last French comedy, and in academic undress he is strolling to
Lyne's coffee-house. There he indites a stanza or a billet-doux to the
reigning Sylvia of the town; then saunters for a turn in the park or
under Merton wall, while the dull regulars, as Amherst has it, are at
dinner in hall according to statute. Dinner in his rooms and an hour
devoted to the elaborate business of dress, and the Smart is ready to
sally forth in silk-lined coat with laced ruffles at breast and wrist,
red stockings and red-topped Spanish leather shoes, and laced hat or
square cap most rakishly cocked. So emerging from his rooms, with
tripping gait and jaunty dangle of his clouded amber-headed cane, he is
about to pay a visit to the coffee-house or parade before the windows of
a Toast when he stops to jeer at some ragged servitor of Pembroke, a
Samuel Johnson perhaps, going round shamefacedly in worn-out shoes to
obtain second-hand the lectures of a famous Christ Church tutor, or a
George Whitefield, wrestling with the devil in Christ Church walks, or
hesitating to join the little band of Methodists who, with Charles and
John Wesley of Christ Church and Lincoln at their head, are making their
way through a mocking crowd to receive the Sacrament at S. Aldate's, S.
George's in the Castle or S. Mary's.
But the Smart cares for none of these things. Sublimely confident in his
own superiority he passes on; drinks a dram of citron at Hamilton's, and
saunters off at last to chapel to show how genteelly he dresses and how
well he can chaunt. Next he takes a dish of tea with some fair charmer,
with whom he discusses, with an infinite nicety of phrase, whether any
wears finer lace or handsomer tie-wigs than Jack Flutter, cuts a bolder
bosh than Tom Paroquet, or plays ombre better than Valentine Frippery.
Thereafter he escorts her to Magdalen walks, to Merton or Paradise
gardens; sups and ends the night, loud in song, deep in puns, put or
cards, at the Mitre. Whence, having toasted his mistress in the spiced
cup with the brown toast bobbing in it, he staggers home to his college,
"a toper all night as he trifles all day."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account