Rowlandson's OxfordGibbs, A. Hamilton (Arthur Hamilton)
History
Rowlandson's Oxford
Gibbs, A. Hamilton (Arthur Hamilton)
University of Oxford
“_Thursday._--Breakfasted at the Cross, and walked all the morning
about Oxford with my Lions--terrible flat work--Lions very
troublesome--asked an hundred and fifty silly questions about every
thing they saw. Wanted me to explain the Latin inscriptions on the
monuments in Christ Church Chapel!--Wanted to know how we spent our
time!--forced to give answers as well as I could. Four, forced to give
them a dinner and, what was worse, to sit with them till six, when I
told them I was engaged for the rest of the evening, and sent them
about their business--seven, dropped in at Careless’s rooms, found him
with a large party, all pretty much _cut_--thought it was a good time
to sell him Sedley’s mare, but he was not quite drunk enough--made a
bet with him that I trotted my poney from Benson to Oxford within the
hour--sure of winning, for I did it the other day in fifty minutes.
“_Friday._--Got up early and rode the poney a foot pace over to Benson
to breakfast--Old Shrub breaks fast--told him of the bet and showed
him the poney--shook his head and looked cunning when he heard of
it--good sign--after breakfast rode the race, and won easy, but could
not get any money; forced to take Careless’s draught; daresay its not
worth two pence; great fool to bet with him. Twelve till three,
lounged at the stable, and cut my horse’s tail--eat soup at
Sadler’s--walked down the High Street--met Rackett, who wanted me to
dine with him, but could not because I was engaged to Sagely--three,
dinner at Sagely’s--very bad--dined, in a cold hall, and could get
nothing to eat--wine new--a bad fire--tea-kettle put on at five
o’clock--played at Whist for sixpences, and no bets--thought I should
have gone to sleep--terrible work dining with a studious man--eleven,
went to bed out of spirits.
“_Saturday._--Ten, breakfast--attempted to read _The Loiterer_; but it
was too stupid; flung it down and took up ‘Bartlett’s Farriery’--had
not read two pages before a dun came, told him I should have some
money soon--would not be gone--offered him brandy--was sulky, and
would not have any--saw he was going to be _savage_, so kicked him
downstairs to prevent his being impertinent. Thought perhaps I might
have more of them, so went to lounge at the stables--poney got a bad
cough--and the black horse thrown out two splints--went back to my
room in an ill-humour--found a letter from my father, no money and a
great deal of advice--wants to know how my last quarter’s allowance
went--how the devil should I know?--he knows I keep no accounts--do
think fathers are the greatest _Bores_ in nature. Very low-spirited
and flat all the morning--some thought of reforming, but luckily
Careless came in to beg me to meet our party at his rooms, so altered
my mind, dined with him, and by nine in the evening was very happy.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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