said, of putting the Walrus into his native element, and seeing him half seas over when he got there. Shortly after, every one seemed to be seized with a violent desire to drink wine with him; and, the effect probably of his health being drunk so often, his benevolent face began gradually to assume an aspect of the most roseate and salubrious hue. Meanwhile Mr. Duffil, who was seated next Eden, began to compliment him on the manner in which he had steered the boat.

"Oh, I'm used to the water," said Eden; "I live near the sea." "This is your first term in Trinity," said Mr. Duffil, who was also of that college. "I wish we had some more Freshmen like you." "Why?" asked Eden.

"You look very strong," remarked Mr. Duffil, answering his question somewhat indirectly.

"I am, pretty well," said Eden, "thank you."

"I know you must be," was the rejoinder. "I saw you move the college-roller in the garden yesterday."

Eden smiled. This was the identical college-roller for the loan of which Mr. John Tomes had petitioned the Dean.

"Noble exercise, boating," said Mr. Duffil.

"Some champagne."

"With pleasure," said Eden. "It is a fine exercise."

"The honour of Trinity," said Mr. Duffil, who was getting rather excited," the honour of Trinity must be maintained."

"Oh! of course," said Eden, not exactly seeing how.

"Thews and sinews are the things," said Mr. Duffil, who resembled

a Hercules in white trousers, minus his club.

“They are,” said Eden, rather wondering what they were the things for.

"Take another glass of champagne," said Mr. Duffil. "Would -would you like to belong to our racing-boat?"

"Oh!" said Eden, beginning at last to understand.

"I don't know.

I know nothing about your rules,-your system of racing here,

"Very simple," said Mr. Duffil. "You subscribe five pounds." "Yes," said Eden. "Very simple that."

"You get up at five o'clock every morning, and practise down to Iffley in a two-oar."

"Hem!" said Eden, who, if the truth must be known, was rather too fond of his bed for a hero.

"Then, in the evening, you go down to Sandford in the regular racing-boat, play skittles, and come up again best pace," said his informant.

"Ah!" said Eden, "I see."

"The diet is the principal thing," said Mr. Duffil. "You are fined a shilling every time you touch ice, or pastry, or drink more than two glasses of wine."

"Oh!" said Eden, eyeing his friend's glass, and a large vase of ice which had just been placed before him, alternately.

"And a guinea every time you speak to a pretty girl," said Mr. Duffil.

"What's that for?" asked Eden.

"I don't know exactly," said Mr. Duffil. "They say it tends to— to make one effeminate, I believe."

"Ah!" said Eden. "I really-I don't think I should like it much. I say, what's going to be done?" The cloth had been removed, and the jolly mercer had been called upon for a song, not in vain.

"I will give you, gentlemen," said Mr. Ravelall, "if you will allow me, one I had the honour of composing myself for the gentlemen of a certain college, which shall be nameless, on the occasion of their com mons being somewhat unmercifully curtailed by their head. It is called

"THE STARVED STUDENTS' STAVE.

"Oh! feel you no shame, Mr. Dean,

For your pitiful Rules of Reduction?'

Fire and famine! it soon will be seen

That we can't live, like snipes, upon suction.

"Who can doubt but you like 'quantum suff. ?'
And you have it, or else I'm mistaken;
Then, surely, you should not speak gruff
Because gentlemen fry their own bacon;

"Because noblemen gridirons keep,

A steak or a kidney to put on ;
Or, now and then ride over sheep,

Being compelled, sir, to kill their own mutton.

"Are we sent here apprenticed to cooks,

To learn to dress larks, or pluck pigeons?
How can we attend to our books

While dangling our woodcocks or widgeons?

"As gentlemen, gentlemen treat;

And you'll never have reason to rue it :

But, in Heaven's name! sir, give us more meat-
Or we'll-yes, sir, you'd better look to it.

"We'll pull down old Wolsey, and stew him;
Vi et armis the larder we'll storm;

We'll appeal to some Rad-nor cease through him
To clamour for 'Victualling Reform.'

"And, although we should fail in this measure,
Still no longer we'll bow to your rod;
For, we'll e'en come it Nebuchadnezzar,
And eat all the grass in Tom Quad.'"

Tumultuous cheers from the whole family of Brothers crowned the conclusion of the merry mercer's endeavour to promote the hilarity of the meeting; in the midst of which the thin, shrill treble of the, by this time, uproarious Walrus was distinctly heard above the universal din. I say," screamed he, "I tell you what it is, Ravelall. If you'll

just write me a bang-up puff about the Hierokosmion, to sing at pub

you

lic meetings, eh! I wouldn't-no, that I wouldn't-grudge finding in the Irish labourer's dress, a stock, and a pair of gaiters, gratis for nothing all the year round ;-eh? come, that's fair: or, I wouldn't mind, if it couldn't be done without, flinging you a flash cut-away coat in, with fly-away flaps, and buttons-Lord bless you!-as bang these here Brummagem concerns of the Brothers, or whatever they call themselves, all to bits-eh ?”

"Silence!" shouted Ravelall, cramming both fists into the open mouth of the obstreperous Walrus, who had long ago forgotten all that he ever knew about playing it gentlemanly; and "Silence!" shouted the whole chorus of Brothers. The vice-president was on his legs. He was proposing the health of their inestimable but exiled president, John Raffleton, Esq., and his speedy return.

Enthusiastically was that toast drunk, and majestically did the subject thereof glance round the festive board, as, after a glance expressive of supreme satisfaction at the rapid progress which the Walrus was evidently making under the joint auspices of the jovial mercer and his coadjutor from Brazen-Nose, he slowly and solemnly rose to return thanks for the honour just done him. He commenced by observing that hitherto, in addressing them, his feelings had ever been, like the champagne before them, unadulterated and sparkling. But, upon the present occasion, the chalk of pain was mingled with the cream of pleasure-so much so that his sensations rather resembled the half-and-half in which his friend, Mr. Walrus, had indulged at the villages, where they had halted on their voyage. (Several "Hear, hears!" and a particularly drunken one from Mr. Walrus.) And how had that chalk been inserted? By whom had that half-and-half been compounded? By one whose very name would cast a cloud over their present happiness; by one whom he would leave to the cries of his own conscience, and those of that innocent babe, to whom, he trusted, he had by this time rendered the justice which was its due. That individual-he might be permitted to say, that miscreant had doomed him to a temporary exile from the Brothers whom he had loved so long and so well. (Loud groans and hisses.) It was not his intention to expiate upon the origin or merits of that festive and fraternal society, which he now saw around him, he feared, for the last time. Everybody knew, who knew anything at all, that, while there were Political Clubs, Professional Clubs, Boating Clubs, Boxing Clubs, Singing Clubs, Archery Clubs, Military Clubs, and Naval Clubs, to be met with in all directions, there was but one club which had for its express aim and object, its sole and common bond of union, it's very essence of fraternity, the promotion of FUN! (Tremendous cheering.) He called upon them all, as men and brethren, to state whether, during the presidency of the unworthy ("No! no!") individual who now addressed them, the cause of

"Fun" had, or had not, been promoted to the best of his ability. It would be egotism on his part to recount the various funny exploits which he had, as a member of the brotherhood, instigated, participated in, or performed. He would not pay so poor a compliment to the memory of any individual present as to suppose that he could by any possibility have forgotten the celebrated cracker case, ("Hear, hear!") when squibs were inserted in the box intended for the reception of the Prize Poems; and the Registrar of the University was thrown into fits, which lasted ten days, in consequence. Neither could he imagine that that night-that memorable night-would ever fade from their memories, when a chosen band of Brothers sallied forth with carvingknives from a late supper, scaled the school-railings, and brought away the noses and whiskers of three out of the thirteen illustrious stone busts which surmounted them. The abduction of the sign-board from the "Three Goats," and its subsequent elevation over the Vice-Chancellor's door, was that a thing to be forgotten? It was not neither was the similar case of the optician's sign; the gigantic spectacles taken forcibly from over the shop-door, and adapted, he might say, by his particular request, to the large metal proboscis which looked down from the gates of Brazen-Nose College. In all these feats, trifling as they might be, he might without vanity be permitted to remind them that he, as their president, as their elder brother, had played a pro. minent part. (Here the applause became perfectly frightful.) He trusted that, ere he that night left them, he should be enabled to show them yet more fun. The painful part of his duty now remained for him to discharge. He must resign that post, which would ever be cherished by him in memory as a sign-post which pointed back to the blissful days which he had spent among them.

The orator concluded by proposing Mr. Richardson Lane, of Trini. ty, as their future president, and Mr. Fluke, of Christ Church, as vice-president; and, the motion being carried unanimously and univo. cally, sat down, covered with applause and perspiration.

Here a somewhat inebriated Brother rose to propose the rather curious toast of "The health of that sporting gentleman, the Archbishop of York, who kindly permits his grounds to be devoted to such jolly meetings as the present." This being drunk, another, and still more inebriated Brother, suggested the propriety of the admission of the statues of Cain and Abel in the Brazen-nose quadrangle as honorary members of the Brothers' Club. This was, however, overruled by the new President, whose health followed, backed by a long and somewhat inarticulate speech; after which the Brothers got rather noisy, and gradually deserted their seats to join in the classical games of leapfrog and foot-racing. And a truly edifying spectacle it was to see the mild, the philanthropic Walrus knuckling down for everybody, knocked down by everybody, and picked up by Ravelall on purpose to be

knocked down as soon as any body was ready at the former of those noble pastimes.

At last, to Eden's unspeakable delight, Raffleton proposed that they should mount the two jaded wretches of quadrupeds who had dragged the house-boat, and revive the tilts and tournaments of bygone days. This device was, it is needless to say, specially designed for the further torture of the unsuspecting Walrus; who, accordingly, being a great deal too far gone to make any resistance, was speedily equipped in a table-cloth for a mantle, a boat-hook for a lance, and a dish-cover tied on his head with a handkerchief for a helmet. He was then placed, forthwith, upon the worst horse, and ridden at by Raffleton with another boat-hook on the other animal, for the space of a quarter of an hour, at the rate of two severe pokes with the boat-hook and one tumble per minute, to the excessive gratification of the Brothers assembled,-particularly those who owed him anything.

"Bill at three months, eh?" said Raffleton, as he helped to pick him up for the last time.

Evening closed in upon the frolicsome festivities of the Brothers; the hour for parting arrived; the house-boat was, after considerable difficulty in collecting straggling members of the fraternity, once more manned; the four-oar fastened astern; the three musicians installed upon the roof, and a merry tune struck up for the more lively of the Brothers to dance to; while Messrs. Raffleton, Richardson Lane, and Duffil sat down to play whist with a "Dummy" below. This amuse. ment, however, they were shortly compelled to abandon, in consequence of Mr. Lane's manifesting a strange disposition to kick the aforesaid “Dummy" under the table for not playing right, as he said; and, failing in discovering the exact pair of legs belonging to that much calumniated gentleman, kicking all those that he could find instead.

Night came on before they reached Oxford; but there was a moon for those on deck, and a lamp, which shone dimly down upon the cabintable, shone also down upon three figures. One of these was passive, being extended at full length upon the table with his eyes closed and his mouth open. The other two were anxiously inspecting him.

"He's sound asleep at last," whispered one of them. It was the jovial mercer.

"I see," was the answer.

"Hush! I think it will do now."

And Raffleton, for he it was, went cautiously towards a little cupboard. When he returned to the table, one hand held a large iron pot, full of something which smelt uncommonly like tar, and the other a small canvass-bag.

"Now then," whispered Raffleton. "Gently!"

So soundly did their victim slumber,-so well had the champagne done its work, that not a quiver of the limbs, not a murmur of the lips escaped from the lifeless-looking mass of humanity, till a layer of