and enlivened by the sparkling
juice of the grape, loses its wonted nerve and elasticity; a sombre
gloominess pervades the system, the pulse becomes nervous and languid,
the spirits flagging and depressed, and the mind full of chimerical
apprehensions and _ennui_. It was in this mood that Eglantine found me
ruminating on the noble works before me, while resting against a part of
the pile of Radcliffe library, contemplating ~249~~the elegant crocketed
pinnacles of All Souls, the delicately taper spire of St. Mary's, and
the clustered enrichments and imperial canopies of masonry, and splendid
traceries which every where strike the eye: all of which objects were
rendered trebly impressive from the stillness of the night, and the
flittering light by which they were illumined. I had enough of wine and
frolic, and had hoped to have _shirked_ the party and stolen quietly
to my lodgings, there to indulge in my lucubrations on the scene I had
witnessed, and note in my journal, according to my usual practice, the
more prominent events of the day, when Horace commenced with--

"Where the devil, old fellow, have you been hiding yourself? I've been
hunting you some time. A little _cut_, I suppose: never mind, my boy,
you'll be better presently. Here's glorious sport on foot; don't you
hear the war-cry?" At this moment a buzz of distant voices broke upon
the ear like the mingled shouts of an election tumult. "There they
are, old fellow: come, buckle on your armour--we must try your mettle
to-night. All the university are out--a glorious row--come along, no
shirking---the _togati_ against the town raff--remember the sacred
cause, my boy." And in this way, spite of all remonstrance, was I
dragged through the lane and enlisted with the rest of my companions
into a corps of university men who were just forming themselves in the
High-street to repel the daring attack of the very scum of the city,
who had ill-treated and beaten some gownsmen in the neighbourhood of
St. Thomas's, and had the temerity to follow and assail them in their
retreat to the High-street with every description of villanous epithet,
and still more offensive and destructive missiles. "Stand fast there,
old fellows," said Echo; who, although _devilishly cut_, seemed to be
the leader of the division. "Where's old Mark Supple?" "Here I am sir,
_take notice_" said the old scout, who appeared as active as ~250~~an
American rifleman. "Will Peake send us the bludgeons?" "He w