Page:Literary Landmarks of Oxford.djvu/250

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
212

Aristotles. And most of our students find themselves bored by Aristotle himself.

"While we are on the subject of Old Customs," added Mr. Wade, "we are also reminded of another, also peculiar to this College. On the morning of every New Year's Day, the Bursar presents to each member of the Society a needle and thread, accompanying his gift with the injunction, 'Take this, and be thrifty.'"

There are things to be learned from Queen's, in Oxford. Threads and needles are almost as unfamiliar in some colleges to-day as are Aristotles.

Mr. Wood is responsible for the statement that "The Dramatist of the Restoration," William Wycherly, became a Fellow Commoner of Queen's a short time before the return of the Second Charles to his kingdom. "He wore not a gown," says the chronicler, "only lived in the Provost's lodgings, was entered in the Public Library as a Student of Philosophy, in 1660, being then about twenty; and departed without being matriculated, or a degree conferred upon him."

Addison went from the Charterhouse to Queen's in 1687, when he was fifteen years of age; and there he remained two years, when, as we have seen, certain Latin verses of his led to the offer of what is called a "Demieship" at Magdalen.

Thomas Tickell entered Queen's in 1701, and