288 AUDUBON 



Eating was not precisely my object, it seldom is; I 

 looked first at the convives. A hundred students sat apart 

 from our table, and the "Fellows," twelve in number, 

 with twenty guests constituted our "mess." The din- 

 ner, as I said, was excellent, and I thought these learned 

 "Fellows" must have read, among other studies, Dr. 

 Kitchener on the "Art of Cookery." The students grad- 

 ually left in parcels, as vultures leave a carcass; we 

 remained. A fine gilt or gold tankard, containing a very 

 strong sort of nectar, was handed to me; I handed it, 

 after tasting, to the next, and so it went round. Now a 

 young man came, and as we rose, he read a short prayer 

 from a small board (such as butchers use to kill flies 

 with). We then went to the room where we had assem- 

 bled, and conversation at once began ; perhaps the wines 

 went the rounds for an hour, then tea and coffee, after 

 which the table was cleared, and I was requested to open 

 my portfolio. I am proud now to show them, and I saw 

 with pleasure these gentlemen admired them. I turned 

 over twenty-five, but before I had finished received the 

 subscription of the Librarian for the University, and the 

 assurance of the Secretary of the Philosophical Society 

 that they would take it. It was late before I was allowed 

 to come away. 



Thursday, March 6. A cold snowy day ; I went to the 

 library of the University and the Philosophical Society 

 rooms, and dined again in "Hall," with Professor Sedg- 

 wick. There were four hundred students, and forty " Fel- 

 lows;" quite a different scene from Corpus College. 

 Each one devoured his meal in a hurry; in less than half 

 an hour grace was read again by two students, and Pro- 

 fessor Whewell took me to his own rooms with some 

 eight or ten others. My book was inspected as a matter 

 of courtesy. Professor Sedgwick was gay, full of wit 

 and cleverness ; the conversation was very animated, and 

 I enjoyed it much. Oh ! my Lucy, that I also had re- 



