SENIOR WRANGLER 9 



Steele seems to have been generally ahead of Tait in the College examina- 

 tions, so that Tail's winning of the Senior Wranglership came somewhat as 

 a surprise to those who deemed they knew. The story of this day, famous 

 in the annals of Peterhouse, is well told by J. D. Hamilton Dickson in the 

 Magazine of the Peterhouse Sexcentenary Club for the Michaelmas Term, 

 1902. 



" How the old gyp's face used to light up as he told the story of that January 

 morning when the Tripos list was read. One gyp was in the Senate House to 

 hear the list, and as soon as Steele's name came out as Senior Wrangler he was to 

 rush out and make a signal by stretching out his arms like a big T; another gyp 

 near the ' Bull ' was to repeat the signal ; and a third at the College gate was to 

 rush in with the news. When that list was read and Tait's name came first the 

 gyp nearly collapsed, but hearing Steele's name next he recovered, and noting only 

 that Peterhouse was first, rushed out, made the signal, and fled with all speed to 

 College to correct the pardonable error he had telegraphed." 



Tait telegraphed home " Tait Senior, Steele second, tell Gloag." How 

 Gloag received the news is told in a footnote in the Chronicles of the Gumming 

 Club. 



"When intelligence reached the Academy of the great event, Gloag was 'raised' 

 and out of himself with excitement. ' Have ye hard the news aboot Tait ? ' he 

 asked of everybody he met, M among others. ' No,' answered M , ' he's got 

 a Bishopric, I suppose, or something of that sort.' ' No, Sir, it's not Archibald 

 Cam'ell Tait it's Peter Guthrie Tait, a vara different parson 1 Senior Wrangler, Sir,' 

 and off he went to spread the news." 



Through the kindness of Sir Doyle Money Shaw, at that time president 

 of the Gumming Club, Mr Beatson Bell, for many years Secretary of the 

 Club, was able to show me the brief note in which Tait told of his success. 



COLL : Div : PET : CANT. 

 Jany. y.st 1852. 

 My dear Doyle, 



I'm all in a flutter 

 I scarcely can utter, &c., as 

 the song has it: 



I AM SENIOR WRANGLER! 



Tell it to the Gumming Club &c. 

 &c. and believe me 



yours very sincerely 



PETER GUTHRIE TAIT, B.A. 



1 So Gloag pronounced "person." 

 T. 2 



