Tom Brown at Oxford

sity? So far as external circumstances are concerned, it seems hard to know what a man could find to ask for at

d as freshmen; and all men will be sure to come to our first parties to see how we do the thing; it will be our own faults if we do not keep them in future. We have not had time to injure our characters to any material extent with the authorities of our own college, or of the University. Our spirits are never likely to be higher, or our digestions better. These and many other comforts and advantages environ the fortunate youth returning to Oxford after his first vacation; thrice fortunate, however, if, as happened in our hero's case, it is Easter term to which he is returning; for that Easter term, with the four days' vacation, and the little Trinity term at the end of it, is surely the cream of the Oxford year. Then, even in this our stern northern climate, the sun is beginning to have power, the days have lengthened out, great-coats are unnecessary at morning chapel, and the miseries of numbed hands and shivering skins no longer accompany every pull on the river and canter on Bullingdon. In Christ Church meadows and the college gardens the birds are making sweet music in the tall elms. You may almost hear the thick grass growing, and the buds on tree and shrub are changing from brown, red, or purple, to emerald green under your eyes; the glorious old city is putting on h

ntitled to take things easily on his return. He had brought back with him two large hampers of good sound wine, a gift from his father, who had a horror of letting his son set before his friends the fire-water which is generally sold to the undergraduate. Tom found that his father's notions of the rate of consumption prevalent in the university were wild in the extreme. "In his time," the squire said, "eleven men came to his first wine party, and he had opened nineteen bottles of port for them. He was very glad to hear that the habits of the place had changed

se for whoever wants to come to him, and setting the best of everything before all comers. He has no notion of giving you anything but the best he can command if it be only fresh porter from the nearest mews. He asks himself not, "Ought I to invite A or B? do I owe him anything?" but, "Would A or B like to come here?" Give me these men's houses for real enjoyment, though you never get anything very choice there,-(how can a man produce old wine who gives his oldest every day?)-seldom much elbow room or orderly arrangement. The high arts of gastronomy and scientific drinking so much valued in our highly civilized community, are wholly unheeded by him, are altogether above him, are cultivated in fact by qui

, was to call at Hardy's rooms, where he found his friend deep as usual in his books, the hard-worked atlases and dictionaries

p, old fellow?" he began;

ek. Well, what have you be

g much going on; so,

loored my lit

f it now. I hardly thought you wo

all never manage a horrid perpetual grind like yours. B

. In the line of sight, from about the height of four to six feet, there was scarcely an inch of the original paper visible, and round each

rooms next term, and it will be a hint to the College that the rooms want papering. You're no judge

o examine the decorations. "And what in the world are all these queer pins for?" he went

ng up and hastening to the corner. "Why, you irreverent beggar, th

such august company;" saying which, Tom proceed

Naupactus, where he was watching the eleven Athenian galleys anchored under the temple of Apollo, and struck him down right in the middle of the Pnyx, where he will be instantly torn in pieces by a ruthless and

t Naupactus again. Here, which is Cleon? The scoundrel

you, or all will be hopeless confusion when Grey comes f

bout Tories sacrific

hands in his pockets

ecious democracy,

rat

boy!-this pin with t

s, you see. I pride

nd the long walls, a

s good as

ut you're not going to slip out so easily. I want to know

ut I declare they seem to me to have a great deal of character, considering the material. You'll guess t

answered Tom

better than that? There's Alcibiades, that little purple-headed, foppish pin, by

biades nearly the smallest

whom I should have liked to buy at my price, and sell at his own. He must have

id Tom, "It must be a capital plan

Grecian corner. Over there is the Roman. You'll find Livy and Tacitus worked out there, just as Herodotus and Thucydides are here; and the pins are stuck for the Second Punic War, where we ar

t that school st

ation, and I really believe it was because the curat

nk he's a great fool not to knock it o

there than he can ever get in the schools

ct, I am going to give my first wine next Thursday; and here's the first

y, taking the card which he put on

promise to

d at work; I

some famous wine from the governor's cellar; and I wan

rdy; "I had no notion it was so late. I must be off, to put

ll come to me

you'll find me working Grey in the Punic wars, and y

fe. He found Drysdale lolling on his sofa, as usual, and fondling Jack. He had just arrived, and his servant

this vacation?" said

out a bottle of Schiedam. Have a taste of bitters?

the glass which Henry proffered him;

said Drysdale. "Ah,

better

re have

untry at this time of year. I just went up to Limmer's,

re than a week," said Tom. "

Coal-hole and Cider-cellars, and a little play in St. James's Street now and then, one wasn't up to

dy. You'd much better h

t; and if I haven't luck at Van John, I'll be hanged if I know how I'm to get through term. But, look here, here's a bundle of th

l regularly, I hope,

p amusement, and I want a l

s all

our gipsy business, by the way. I

m; "but we shan't have

ays oughtn't to be too long. I'm all f

striking. Are you go

to the Mitre,

see,-will you come

rsd

nd us a card,

eeling dissatisfied and uncomfortable about hi

nder Hardy's guidance; and the two were working the pins on the maps and lists in the Roman corner when Tom arrived. He begged them not to stop, and very soon was as much interested in what they were doing as if he also were going into the schools in May; for Hardy had a way of throwing life into what he was talking about, and, like many men with strong opinions, and passionate natures, either carried his hearers off their legs and a

e while the te

ardy, and now to-night you are crowing over the success of the heaviest a

ze!" said Hardy, smil

hrashed the Carthagin

hat they being aris

oligarchs they were

ians to the Athenians; and yet all your sympathies are with the Romans to-n

grant you, like that of Hannibal; but, on the whole, a dirty, bargain-driving, buy-cheap-and-sell-dear aristocracy-of

haginians through the reports of their destroyers.

out their Homer if they ever had one?" said Har

s never so nea

e was the mother of all huxters, compa

or a nation. At least Engl

e rule of trade. Selling any amount of Brummagem wares nev

fate of Tyre or Carthage, the great trading nations of the old world; and then, swallowing his tea, and looking as

d shy," said Tom; "I should

ink he has heard from some of the set that you are a furious Pr

d Carthage," said Tom

ies; "you don't reall

hear you translatin

m wares

ranslated from one people to another,' said the wise man. Think of that opium war the other day. I don't believe we can get over many more such businesses as that. Grey falls back on the Church, you see, to save the nation; but the Church he dreams

nd doubtfully, and p

s op

of England. But come, now; the putting down the slave-trade and compensating

there are plenty of signs that we are

thers which he ought to be best informed on, and thinking most about. So, being of an impetuous turn of mind, he went straight to his rooms to commence his new study, where, after diligent hunting, the only food of the kind he required which turned up was the last number of Bell's Life from the pocket of his great coat. Upon this he fell to work, in default of anything better, and was soon deep in the P. R. column, which was full of interesting speculations as to the

his entrance; so Tom looked anywhere except straight before him as he was greeting Blake. He really felt very sorry for him at the moment. However, in another five minutes, he was in fits of laughter over Blake's description of the conversation between himself and the coachman who had driven the Glo'ster day-mail

said Drysdale, "how a

rading this term

make the most of such time as I have left,

everything. I ought to be going up for smalls myself next term, and I haven't opened a book yet, and do

on, and give me a shade of odds. Why,

were no better than they should be; and what good it can do to lumber one's head with who their grandmothers were, an

, Drysdale? But you're not examiner yet; and, on the whole, I

on a coach?"

history is my weak

in Roman history, and one that won't be so easy to forget as most;" an

m had finished. "In whose r

works at them ever

ig servitor, his pa

e's no accounti

rted Tom; "and the less yo

highlows and shor

averting the strong language which was rising to Tom's lips. "I think they seem

ng. I will ask him to-morrow whether he will let you come, an

too, Brown," said Drysdale; "yo

hanged if I d

d Drysdale; "see if I don't sit next

fire, read the notes by the light of one of the candles which were burning on the mantle-piece. Blake was watching him eagerly, and Tom saw this, and made some awkward efforts to go on talking about the advantages of Hardy's plan for learning history. But he was talking to deaf ea

ying?" he began. "Oh, about

nodded, and was beginning to speak again to Tom when B

ind, what do

en, I must and w

and so took up his cap, wished them goo

tting there for about

ale e

to some one, and Blake has gone off raging. I don't know w

id Tom; "he looked ve

do any

was tearing him to pieces, telling it to me even. However, I soon set him at ease as far as I was concerned; but, as the devil will have it, I can't lend him the money, though 60L. would get him over the examination, and then he can make terms. My guardian advanced me 200L. beyond my allowance just before Easter, and I haven't 20L. left, and the bank here has given me notice not to overdraw any more. However, I thought to settle it easy enough; so I told him to meet me at the Mitre in half an hour for dinner, and when he was gone I sat down and wrote two notes-the first to St. Cloud. That fellow was with us off and on in town, and one night he and I went partners at roulette, I finding ready-money for the time, gains and losses to be equally shared in the end. I left the table to go and eat some supper, and he lost 80L., and paid it out of my money.

proffered not

table, and went off to supper, leaving me (not by my own desire) to play for you with your money. I did so, and had abominable luck, as you will remember, for I handed you back a sadly dwindled

T. C

tle joint operation for Blake

ond ans

r, and you cannot give security until you are of age, so if you were to die the money would be lost. Mr. Blake has always carried h

yours s

CHAN

o notes," he said, "and 'twas I brought them on him. However, he shall have the money somehow to-morrow, if I pawn my watch. I'll be even

ble were pens and ink, some cases of Eau-de-Cologne and jewelry, and behind it a fat man of forbidding aspect who spent a day or t

draw for a hun

fat man's name was Benjamin), "you infernal shark, we've been wrangl

oods. I wish to do all I can for gents as comes we

ne, ring or cigar, will we have. So now, no

ake this young spark sing a different tune before very long. He then filled up the piece of paper, muttering that the interest was nothing considering the risk, and he hoped they would help him to some

must say; one never does so well for oneself as for anyone else. If I had been on my own hook, that fello

ll do," s

65L; there'll be some

anded him

we divide the balan

ch they walked in silence to the gate of St. Ambrose. The most reckless youngster doesn't begin this sort of thing without reflections which are apt to keep him si