AN ECCENTRIC. 19 



in front of a butcher's shop, gesticulating 

 and loudly haranguing, as I thought, the 

 motley group. 



I stopped for a minute to scan this 

 eccentric personage, who it seemed was a 

 familiar object to all but myself. I won- 

 dered why the authorities did not prevent 

 the collecting of such an assemblage in 

 the streets, particularly as it comprised 

 many gownsmen, young and old. I, how- 

 ever, supposed that it must be an exhi- 

 bition peculiar to this University. 



The man had on a blue dress-coat with 

 gilt buttons, which were not altogether dis- 

 posed in regular order, nor was the gar- 

 ment itself free from those gaps which 

 time and use had created. The colour 

 of his waistcoat, from the accumulation 

 of snuff and other impurities, it would 

 have been a difficult matter to define. No- 

 thing in the shape of linen was visible 

 about his person ; his head was surmounted 

 by a large cocked hat, which he wore 

 V c2 



