n members of the same College. Certain
general orders for the discipline of the undergraduates, which gave rise
to much controversy about 1750, forbade cricket between the hours of
nine and twelve in the morning. In 1763 the Vice-Chancellor required
that no scholar, of whatever rank, should be present at bull-baiting. We
read in the eighteenth century of "schemes" or water-parties on the
river, but these appear to have been more of the nature of picnics than
exercises of skill. Riding was probably very common, the student
arriving on his nag, perhaps selling it and using the proceeds as a
start in his new life. The phrase "Hobson's choice" took its rise from
the rule in the livery stables of Hobson the carrier that a man who
hired a hack had to take the one that stood nearest to the stable door.
In later days stage-coaches supplied a more regular means of
conveyance. Students leaving Cambridge for the North betook themselves
to Huntingdon, and were housed at the George Inn there till places could
be found for them in the coaches. The landlord of the George sending
over to Cambridge to let it be known that one batch were gone and that
another might come over.

Traditions linger in parishes round Cambridge that the University
"gentlemen" used certain fields or commons for the purpose of riding
races; the Cottenham steeplechases are presumably a survival of this
practice. Shooting and coursing, with a little hunting, came into vogue
at the end of the eighteenth century.

The rise and organisation of athletic sports as an essential element of
College life would require a bulky history in itself. The first to take
definite form was rowing. The historic boat club of the college is the
Lady Margaret Boat Club; this was founded in the October term of 1825.
The actual founder of the club seems to have been the Hon. Richard John
Le Poer Trench, a son of the second Earl of Clancarty. Trench afterwards
became a captain in the 52nd Regiment, and died 12th August 1841. The
club was the first to start an eight-oared boat on the Cam, though some
Trinity men had a four-oar on the river a short time before the Lady
Margaret was started. Among the first members of the club were William
Snow and Charles Merivale, afterwards Dean of Ely. Trench acted as
stroke of the original first boat crew in the Lent Term of 1826. There
were at first no regular races, but impromptu trials of speed with other
crews frequently took place. In 1827 the Univ