ed by excess.

[Illustration: page244]

~245~~

[Illustration: page245]

TOWN AND GOWN, AN OXFORD ROW.

Battle of the Togati and the Town-Raff--A Night-Scene in the
High-Street, Oxford--Description of the Combatants--Attack
of the Gunsmen upon the Mitre--Evolutions of the
Assailants--Manoeuvres of the Proctors and Bull Dogs--
Perilous Condition of Blackmantle and his associates,
Eglantine, Echo, and Transit--Snug Retreat of Lionise--The
High-Street after the Battle--Origin of the Argotiers, and
Invention of Cant-phrases--History of the Intestine Wars and
Civil Broils of Oxford, from the Time of Alfred--Origin of
the late Strife--Ancient Ballad--Retreat of the Togati--
Reflections of a Freshman--Black Matins, or the Effect of
late Drinking upon early Risers--Visit to Golgotha, or the
Place of Sculls--Lecture from the Big-Wigs--Tom Echo
receives Sentence of Rustication.

[Illustration: page247]

The clocks of Oxford were echoing each other in proclaiming the hour
of midnight, when Eglantine led the way by opening the door of his
_hospitium_ to descend into the quadrangle of Brazen-nose. "Steady,
steady, old fellows," said Horace; "remember the don on the
first-floor--hush, all be silent as the grave till you pass his oak."
"Let us _row_ him--let us fumigate the old fellow," said Echo; "this
is the night of purification, lads--bring some pipes, and a little
frankincense, Mark." And in this laudable ~247~~enterprise of blowing
asafoetida smoke through the don's key-hole the whole party were about
to be instantly engaged, when an accidental slip of Eglantine's spoiled
the joke. While in the act of remonstrating with his jovial companions
on the dangerous consequences attending detection, the scholar sustained
a fall which left him suddenly deposited against the oak of the
crabbed old Master of Arts, who inhabited rooms on the top of the lower
staircase; fortunately, the dignitary had on that evening carried home
more _liquor_ than _learning_ from the common room, and was at the time
of the accident almost as sound asleep as the original founder. "There
lies the domini of the feast," said Echo, "knocked down in true orthodox
style by the bishop--follow your leader, boys; and take care of your
craniums, or you may chance to get a few phreno-lo-lo-logi-cal
bu-lps--I begin to feel that hard study has somewhat impaired
my artic-tic-u-u-la-tion,