You tell me to lay my account
with being dull
at first, and
to condole with Robert, whereas there is continual
merriment
(stop it!), and Robert is not settled yet. As for secrets of nature,
they
are not for Freshmen even to think of. Now for
personal
journal, with observations on the manners and customs, etc. . . .
We spent the night at Peterborough,
and saw the
Cathedral in the morning.
Very grand outside. West end a fine subject for
calotype
seen right perpendicular, and the point P for a picture made by hand,
fine
weeping willows etc.
Proceeded to Ely with some Gloucester
people we met in
the Cathedral,
and inspected Ely Cathedral like regular Archbishops. Went
up the steeple to see land like sea. Heard all the people talking of
the
enclosure of the Wash to be called Victoria county, and to
be worth 30s. per acre. Got to Cambridge, and called on Mr. Fuller(2),
after getting room for my father (as the Bull was full) in
a lodgement, Got rooms in College, sitting and bed, six paces
from
Chapel. and good light. Had Tait to tea. Next day breakfast with Tait
and
Steele (of Glasgow and Ireland, and a future wrangler), and so on
in detail.
M’Kenzie came up to-day. He took us to
most of the
colleges. Saw Newton
and Bacon in Trin. Chapel. At Hall there was a proclamation
to this effect nearly:—Whereas (on the — day of —, 1850), application
was
made to the Syndicate (or Senate or something),
by Williams Cooke, for leave to erect his equestrian establishment:
and
whereas, the immoral nature of said establishment, it was unanimously
resolved
to refuse leave. And whereas, notwithstanding said refusal,
said W. C. did publicly notify his intention of putting up said estab.:
Be it known, etc., that it is resolved and enacted, that if
any undergraduate or graduate in statu pupillari, or tutor, or
fellow, or master, etc., be caught at said establishment, he will be
punished with expulsion, rustication, Castigation, or such
other punishment as the case may require.
So there is to be a quarrel between
the Town and
University about this,
and also about whether they are to pay poor rate, as the
University
is supposed to be extraparochial.
Prelim. exam. to-morrow at 9.
Peter can't afford
to pluck at it.
C. H. Robertson has past his at Trin. He is in Ling's
lodgings.
He wants to keep quiet and to read by himself, and have only old
acquaintances.
