strong ale.) The gospel was read by the Bible Clerk for the week after the first course, and at the conclusion the beautiful grace was sung by the boys, with the help of the cathedral choristers and singing men. On Friday the boys had no dinner in hall, where the Dons had it all to themselves, and afterwards adjourned for wine and dessert to the Warden’s Gallery, where they complimented each other in the usual after-dinner style. All through the week the Fags revelled in cricket on their own account, and strawberries and cream and ices were supplied in a continual stream by the Oxford men and old Wykehamists, who resorted to Meads in considerable numbers. One can get too much of a good thing; for on one of these days I came up melting with heat from Meads, and going into chambers washed my hands and face, and consumed a quantity of ice. The next morning when I awoke I found my pillow saturated with blood, which had flowed from my nose during my sleep,—this was the only time in my life that I have ever had a _spontaneous_ effusion from that organ. The morning following, when I awoke, I felt a strange irritation over my face and hands, with some symptoms of eruption. I sent for a doctor, who informed me I had the smallpox. I denied the soft impeachment, as I felt perfectly well. I was sent home, and my face and hands soon became one mass of pimples, and, after about a fortnight, all the skin peeled off, and I recovered with the loss of my complexion, which exchanged its former peculiar delicate hue for that of boiled veal, which it has ever since retained. When a boy was going to leave the School for good, he had to send in his resignation to the Warden, written on a slip of paper. It ran as follows:— “_Ego Robertus Jones omne jus quod habeo aut unquam habui in hoc Collegio Beatæ Mariæ Winton prope Winton, ætate cogente (_or_ parentibus volentibus) libenter resigno._” The last Friday evening of the half year there was a grand celebration of “Domum” in school, which was adorned with branches and banners. A military band was engaged, and “Domum” was sung by all the company till they were hoarse. It was an exceedingly gay and animated affair. Numbers of ladies graced the school with their presence, and crowds of old Wykehamists, fancying themselves boys once more, wandered about among the old familiar scenes. From school the company adjourned to Meads, and then to the Chamber quadrangle, at each place singing “Domum” louder than before, till at last the power failed, and the ladies, visitors, and Superannuates went to recruit their energies for a brief period before going to the “Domum ball” at St John’s rooms, of which the Superannuates were stewards, and which was generally kept up with tremendous energy far into the small hours. The boys’ last breakfast at the George or White Hart formed an appropriate supper for the most enthusiastic dancers.