1807.] . 
houfe are opened. The & worrx rufh out 
‘tumultuoufly, the others give in their, pa- 
pers to the examiners, and then join their 
companions; the Progtors and Fathers re- 
tire toa neighbouring tavern to breakfaft. 
At half patt nine, all return again to the 
Senate-houfe, where frefh papers on the 
pillars allot the employment of the clafes, 
and the examination proceeds in the fame 
manner till eleven, when the Senate-houle 
is again cleared. It opens again at one 
‘o'clock, the examinations continue till 
three, a refpite is then allowed for half an 
hour, during which time, teaand coffee are 
brought into the Senate-houfe for the ex- 
aminers, and the young men go out for re- 
frefhments, which are amply previded for 
them by their friends in the neighbouring 
colleges. At halfan hour pafl three, the 
examinations are recommenced, and con- 
tinue till five, when they clofe for that 
day. At eight o’clock in the next morn- 
ing, the examinations begin again, and in 
the fame manner as on the preceding day; 
and for three days Monday, Tuefday, 
Wednefday, the fame order is pur- 
fued. 
Thus, on thefe days, the higher men are 
either writing out their anfwers, or are 
under examination for fix hours each day: 
the lower men have lefs fatigue. But the 
fatigue of the moft employed is not to'be 
compared with that of each of the four 
public examiners. At night, they have a 
multitude of papers to look over, which 
employs them till midnight, and by thefe 
each pair of examiners determines the me- 
rit of thofe he has examined. On Wed- 
nefday-night, they meet all four together, 
and confer on the refult of their examina- 
tions, make a new claffification of the 
higher men, and where they differ in opi- 
~ nion, agree to call in the affiftance of the 
Matters of Arts, by whofe determination 
alfo their judgmerst has already, in fome 
cafes, been corrected. ‘The firft part of 
the Thurday morning is, comparatively 
fpeaking, a time of .Jeifure; the Matters 
of Arts are examining in different places; 
the four public examiners conferring 
farther on their claffification. At nine, 
all retire as ufual; the higher ones with 
no {mall degree of anxiety on their future 
deftiny. At half paft nine, they return 
again: the new claffification is placed on 
the pillars: joy and forrow are to be feen 
in the countenances of the examined. If 
one is eminently diftinguifhed above the 
reft, his name is feparated bya line, and he 
has no farther trouble; but the place of 
frit or fenior wrangler may not be fo clear~ 
Cambridge Examinations continued, 
In the lift, to kneel down before the Vice- 
293 
ras ‘ ‘ i / 
ly afcertained, and then two, fometimes 
three, and even four, nantes are feenin the 
fame bracket. The latter cate rarely 
‘takes place, and there are feldom more 
than. two in the firtt bracket, three in the 
fecond, and fo on. “Ehey who are content- 
ed with any place in the bracket, in which 
they are, would willingly remain quiet in 
their feats; but their partners may not be 
fo well pleafed, and hence arifes a new 
contention, in which the Fathers take often 
a very active part, and the public exami- 
ners aflign different brackets to different 
mafters of arts for their determination. 
On this day the public examiners them- 
felves generally give their time to the 
lower ciaffes. 
At five o’clock, all quit the Senate- 
houfe, the examinations are over. The 
Proétors, Public Examiners, and Fathers 
dine together; and after dinner, the Proc- 
torsand Public Examiners retire toa pri- 
vate room to prepare the lift of honours. 
This is fometimes fettled without much 
difiiculty, that is, in three or four hours: 
we have known it not determined at three 
in the morning. During this time, the 
Fathers foend apleafant evening together, 
and the fummoning of the one of them by 
‘the Pro&tors informs the company what 
college has the honour of giving the {e- 
nior wrangler to the year. The Father, 
thus fummoned into the prefence of the 
divan, is complimented on his honcurs, 
and, during the writing out of the lift of 
honours belonging to his college, drinks a 
glafs of wine with the Examiners, and then 
retires to communicate the joyful news to 
his college. In the fame manner, each Fa- 
ther is fummoned in his turn, and thus. 
every college is made acquainted with the 
refult of the examination. 
On the next day, the Friday, all appear 
at nine o’clock in the Senate-houfe ; the 
Vice-chancellor in full form, the young 
men with their new academical dreffes : 
the lift of honours is fixed on the pillars, 
Latin {peeches are made, and, aiter cer- 
tain academical ceremonies, each young 
man is called, according tohis precedency 
chancellor, pay homage to him, and receive 
from him admiffion into the academical 
knighthood. 
nate houfe on the Monday have not al- 
ways this honour, One or two perhaps 
are found deficient. They are turned 
over to Afh Wednefday, and, if they can- 
not anfwer the queftions then propofed to 
them, muf wait till they have qualified ; | 
themfelyes for their degree. It is icarcely 
But all who entered the Se-' || 
necenary |i 
| 
: 
Bie 
I 
