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file down High Street；sometimes； I say； you may see
Hugby coming out of the Church of St。 Giles…in…the…
Fields； with a stout gentlewoman leaning on his arm；
whose old face bears an expression of supreme pride and
happiness as she glances round at all the neighbours； and
who faces the curate himself and marches into Holborn；
where she pulls the bell of a house over which is
inscribed； 'Hugby； Haberdasher。' It is the mother of the
Rev。 F。 Hugby； as proud of her son in his white choker as
Cornelia of her jewels at Rome。 That is old Hugby
bringing up the rear with the Prayer…books； and Betsy
Hugby the old maid； his daughter；old Hugby； Haberdasher
and Church…warden。
In the front room upstairs； where the dinner is laid out；
there is a picture of Muffborough Castle； of the Earl of
Muffborough； K。X。； Lord…Lieutenant for Diddlesex； an
engraving； from an almanac； of Saint Boniface College；
Oxon； and a sticking…plaster portrait of Hugby when
young； in a cap and gown。 A copy of his 'Sermons to a
Nobleman's Family' is on the bookshelf； by the 'Whole
Duty of Man；' the Reports of the Missionary Societies；
and the 'Oxford University Calendar。' Old Hugby knows
part of this by heart； every living belonging to Saint
Boniface； and the name of every tutor； fellow； nobleman；
and undergraduate。
He used to go to meeting and preach himself； until his
son took orders； but of late the old gentleman has been
accused of Puseyism； and is quite pitiless against the
Dissenters。
CHAPTER XV
ON UNIVERSITY SNOBS
I should like to fill several volumes with accounts of
various University Snobs； so fond are my reminiscences of
them； and so numerous are they。 I should like to speak；
above all； of the wives and daughters of some of the
Professor…Snobs； their amusements； habits； jealousies；
their innocent artifices to entrap young men； their
picnics； concerts； and evening…parties。 I wonder what
has become of Emily Blades； daughter of Blades； the
Professor of the Mandingo language？ I remember her
shoulders to this day； as she sat in the midst of a crowd
of about seventy young gentlemen； from Corpus and
Catherine Hall； entertaining them with ogles and French
songs on the guitar。 Are you married； fair Emily of the
shoulders？ What beautiful ringlets those were that used
to dribble over them！what a waist！what a killing sea…
green shot…silk gown！what a cameo； the size of a
muffin！ There were thirty…six young men of the
University in love at one time with Emily Blades： and no
words are sufficient to describe the pity； the sorrow；
the deep； deep commiserationthe rage； fury； and
uncharitableness； in other wordswith which the Miss
Trumps （daughter of Trumps； the Professor of Phlebotomy）
regarded her； because she DIDN'T squint； and because she
WASN'T marked with the small…pox。
As for the young University Snobs； I am getting too old；
now； to speak of such very familiarly。 My recollections
of them lie in the far； far pastalmost as far back as
Pelham's time。
We THEN used to consider Snobs raw…looking lads； who
never missed chapel； who wore highlows and no straps； who
walked two hours on the Trumpington road every day of
their lives； who carried off the college scholarships；
and who overrated themselves in hall。 We were premature
in pronouncing our verdict of youthful Snobbishness The
man without straps fulfilled his destiny and duty。 He
eased his old governor； the curate in Westmoreland； or
helped his sisters to set up the Ladies' School。 He
wrote a 'Dictionary；' or a 'Treatise on Conic Sections；'
as his nature and genius prompted。 He got a fellowship：
and then took to himself a wife； and a living。 He
presides over a parish now； and thinks it rather a
dashing thing to belong to the 'Oxford and Cambridge
Club；' and his parishioners love him； and snore under his
sermons。 No； no； HE is not a Snob。 It is not straps
that make the gentleman； or highlows that unmake him； be
they ever so thick。 My son； it is you who are the Snob
if you lightly despise a man for doing his duty； and
refuse to shake an honest man's hand because it wears a
Berlin glove。
We then used to consider it not the least vulgar for a
parcel of lads who had been whipped three months
previous； and were not allowed more than three glasses of
port at home； to sit down to pineapples and ices at each
other's rooms； and fuddle themselves with champagne and
claret。
One looks back to what was called a 'wine…party' with a
sort of wonder。 Thirty lads round a table covered with
bad sweetmeats； drinking bad wines； telling bad stories；
singing bad songs over and over again。 Milk punch
smokingghastly headache frightful spectacle of
dessert…table next morning； and smell of tobaccoyour
guardian； the clergyman； dropping in； in the midst of
thisexpecting to find you deep in Algebra； and
discovering the Gyp administering soda…water。
There were young men who despised the lads who indulged
in the coarse hospitalities of wine…parties； who prided
themselves in giving RECHERCHE little French dinners。
Both wine…party…givers and dinner…givers were Snobs。
There were what used to be called 'dressy' Snobs：… Jimmy；
who might be seen at five o'clock elaborately rigged out；
with a camellia in his button…hole； glazed boots； and
fresh kid…gloves twice a day；Jessamy； who was
conspicuous for his 'jewellery；'a young donkey；
glittering all over with chains； rings； and shirt…studs；…
…Jacky； who rode every day solemnly on the Blenheim Road；
in pumps and white silk stockings； with his hair curled；…
…all three of whom flattered themselves they gave laws to
the University about dressall three most odious
varieties of Snobs。
Sporting Snobs of course there were； and are always
those happy beings in whom Nature has implanted a love of
slang： who loitered about the horsekeeper's stables； and
drove the London coachesa stage in and outand might
be seen swaggering through the courts in pink of early
mornings； and indulged in dice and blind…hookey at
nights； and never missed a race or a boxing…match； and
rode flat…races； and kept bull…terriers。 Worse Snobs
even than these were poor miserable wretches who did not
like hunting at all； and could not afford it； and were in
mortal fear at a two…foot ditch； but who hunted because
Glenlivat and Cinqbars hunted。 The Billiard Snob and the
Boating Snob were varieties of these； and are to be found
elsewhere than in universities。
Then there were Philosophical Snobs； who used to ape
statesmen at the spouting…clubs； and who believed as a
fact that Government always had an eye on the University
for the selection of orators for the House of Commons。
There were audacious young free…thinkers； who adored
nobody or nothing； except perhaps Robespierre and the
Koran； and panted for the day when the pale name of
priest should shrink and dwindle away before the
indignation of