The mention above of a “vulgus” requires some explanation. Every “inferior,” _i.e._ non-prefect, in the school was required every night to produce a copy of verses of from two to six lines on a given theme; four or six lines for the upper classes, two for the lowest. This was independent of a weekly “verse task” of greater length, and was called a “vulgus,” I suppose, because everybody--the _vulgus_--had to do it. The prefects were exercised in the same manner but with a difference. Immediately before going out from morning or from evening school, at the conclusion of the day’s lesson, the “informator” would give a theme, and each boy was expected then and there without the assistance of pen, paper, or any book, to compose a couple, or two couple, of lines, and give them _vivâ voce_. He got up, and scraped with his foot to call the master’s attention when he was ready; and as not above five or ten minutes were available for the business, a considerable degree of promptitude was requisite. The theory was that these compositions--“varying” was the term in the case of the prefects, as “vulgus” in that of the inferiors--should be epigrammatic in their nature, and that Martial rather than Ovid should be the model. Of course but little of an epigrammatic nature was for the most part achieved; but great readiness was made habitual by the practice. And sometimes the result was creditable to something more than readiness. I am tempted to give one instance of such a “varying.” It belonged to an earlier time than mine--the time when _Decus et tutamen_ was adopted as the motto cut on the rim of the five-shilling pieces. The author of the “varying” in question had been ill with fever, and his head had been shaved, causing him to wear a wig. _Decus et tutamen_ was the theme given. In a minute or two he was ready, stood up, and taking off his wig, said, “_Aspicite hos crines! duplicem servantur in usum! Hi mihi tutamen nocte_”--putting the wig on wrong side outwards; “_Dieque decus_,” reversing it as he spoke the words. The memory of this “varying” lives--or lived!--at Winchester. But I do not think it has ever been published, and really it deserves preservation. I wish I could give the author’s name.