Rowlandson's Oxford

orlorn animal-Terrae Filius's advice-Much prayers-"Hell has no

." The train journey may have seemed long, but at this first breathless moment when the porter receives our goods and chattels into his arms from the top of the moribund hansom, we could al

tering of hoofs, yelling of ostlers and merry tooting on the horn, the coach dashed out of the yard and wound merrily along throughout the day by field, village, and town. If the journey were a lucky one, the travellers arrived at Oxford without le

f footpads and highwayman, who infested the district on the look-out for a fat and likely college bursar laden with fat and likely money-bags. At the first hint of the approach of one of these gentlemen of the road, blunderbusses were whipped out and fired in all directions, while the horses were lashed and the coach

s entrance on a sedate horse, in the fashion of the gentlem

age to pla

glee I lef

Hox

ted on a

my mother

Oxo

ion when his mother and dad kissed him and slowly disappeared down the street again on their e

forth to

s of Tuft

nel

uipt, it w

d 'scape, and

hess

ght, my scu

ithout and

aste

morphos'd

a parson t

d dres

leave with

man, and p

ssed me

f age to play the fool-left, lachrymose and solitary, to fight his ow

old stager in life to be thrown into a large company of strangers, to make his way among them, as he can-but to the poor freshman everything is strange-not only College society, but any society at all-and he is solitary in the midst of a crowd. If, indeed, he should happen to come to the University (particularly to Christ Church) from one of the great

th in rounded periods what is termed sound advice. When it is over they shake hands with us, both of us swallowing absurdly, and we go forth better friends than ever. In the first number of any one of the 'varsity "rags" for the new academic year it is safe to conclude that the "leader" will

ay, May

's dominions, who are design'd for the Univer

say you, take, if I was a young fellow myself. But being a very public-spirited person, and a great well wisher to my fellow subjects (whatever you may think of me) I am resolved, whether you mind what I am going to say, or not, to lay you down some rules and precautions fo

ou strut about town for a week or two before you go to College, giving your selves airs in coffee-houses and booksellers' shops, and intruding your selves into the company of us men; from all which, I suppose you think your selves your own master, no more subject to controul o

t you how you are to demean yourselves in the station you are entered into, and what s

you think right, and to desclaim what you think wrong, that this is the only way to thrive in the world, and to be happy in the next, just as your silly mothers and superstitious old nurses have taug

termine your opinions, what infinite odds is it, whether you happen to hit upon that single, individual opinion, which is, at that particular crisis of time, in vogue, and which is therefore your interest to espouse? But if with all your diligence and sincerity, you should miss th

t may alter, and then will prove fatal to you; for as much as they talk of steadiness and immutability of principles at Oxford, every body knows that Popery was for many ages the orthodox religion there; that protestantism (with much difficulty, and sorely against their wills) s

er I

ge Se

anding all your non-inquisitiveness), the strong beams of truth will break upon your minds, let them shine inwardly; disturb not the publick peace with your private

utlaw'd; you will be discouraged and brow beaten in your own college and disqualified for preferment in any other; your company will be

selves into the favour of the Head, and se

ut above all be very constant at chapel; never think that you lose too much time at prayers, or that you neglect your studies too much, whilst you are showing your respect to the church. I have heard indeed that a former president of St John's College (a whimsical, irreligious old fellow) would frequently jobe his students for going constantly three or four times a day to chapel, and lingering away their time, and robbing their parents, under a pretence of serving God. But as this is the only inst

n prodigious numbers, in summer-time, call'd toasts; take care how you reflect on their pa

fury like a w

de and old lecherous bully-backs to revenge their cause

f running upon tick, as it is called.... How many hopeful young men have been ruin'd in this manner, cut short in the midst of their philos

ce, in a few w

advice, you will spend your days there not only in peace and plenty, but with applause and reputation; if you have any secret good qualities they will be pointed out in the most glaring light, and aggravated in the most exquisite manner; if you have ever so many ugly ones, they will be either palliated or jesuitically interpreted into good ones. Whereas, on the contrary, if you despice and reject these wholesome admonitions, violence, disrest, and an ill name will be the rewards of your folly and obstinacy; it will avail you nothin

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