by Elias Ashmole, of whom we had heard when passing through Lichfield.  In the eighteenth century there was a tutor named Scott who delivered a series of lectures on Ancient History, which were considered to be the finest ever known, but he could never be induced to publish them.  In one of his lectures he wished to explain that the Greeks had no chimneys to their houses, and created much amusement by explaining it in his scholarly and roundabout fashion:  “The Greeks had no convenience by which the volatile parts of fire could be conveyed into the open air.”  This tutor was a friend of the great Dr. Johnson, and seemed to have been quite an original character, for when his brother, John Scott, who was one of his own pupils, came up for examination for his degree in Hebrew and History, the only questions he put to him were, “What is the Hebrew for skull?” to which John promptly replied “Golgotha,” and “Who founded University College?” to which his reply was “King Alfred!” Both the brothers were very clever men, and the tutor developed into Lord Stowell, while the pupil was created Lord Eldon.

[Illustration:  THE QUADRANGLE, JESUS COLLEGE.]

Jesus, the Welsh College, possessed an enormous silver punch-bowl, 5 feet 2 inches in girth, which was presented in 1732 by the great Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, who was known as the King in Wales.  Over his great kitchen mantelpiece there he had the words “Waste not, want not,” a motto which did not appear to apply to the punchbowl, for the conditions attached to it were that it was to become the property of him who could span it with his arms and then drain the bowl empty after it had been filled with strong punch.  The first condition had been complied with, and the second no doubt had been often attempted, but no one had yet appeared who had a head strong enough to drain the bowl without assistance, so it still remained the property of the College!

[Illustration:  “MAY MORNING”:  THE CHOIR ON THE TOWER.]

Magdalen College—­or Maudlen, as they pronounced it at Oxford—­as easily distinguished from the others by its fine tower, rising to the height of 145 feet, the building of which dates from the end of the fifteenth century.  We took a greater interest in that college because the rector of Grappenhall in Cheshire, where we were born, had been educated there.  An ancient May-day custom is still observed by the college, called the “Magdalen Grace” or the “May Morning Hymn,” this very old custom having been retained at Magdalen long after others disappeared.  On May-day morning the choristers ascend to the top of the great tower and enter the portion railed off for them and other men who join in the singing, while the remainder of the space is reserved for members of the University, and other privileged persons admitted by ticket.  They wait until the bell has sounded the last stroke of five o’clock, and then sing in Latin that fine old hymn to the Trinity, beginning with the words: