upon me—the only honour I ever received in my own country.[1]
I must now return to my pursuits during my residence at Cambridge, the account of which has been partially interrupted by the history of my appointment to the Chair of Newton.
Whilst I was an undergraduate, I lived probably in a greater variety of sets than any of my young companions. But my chief and choicest consisted of some ten or a dozen friends who usually breakfasted with me every Sunday after chapel; arriving at about nine, and remaining to between twelve and one o'clock. We discussed all knowable and many unknowable things.
At one time we resolved ourselves into a Ghost Club, and proceeded to collect evidence, and entered into a considerable correspondence upon the subject. Some of this was both interesting and instructive.
At another time we resolved ourselves into a Club which we called The Extractors. Its rules were as follows,—
1st. Every member shall communicate his address to the Secretary once in six months.
2nd. If this communication is delayed beyond twelve months, it shall be taken for granted that his relatives had shut him up as insane.
3rd. Every effort legal and illegal shall be made to get him out of the madhouse. Hence the name of the club—The Extractors.
- ↑ This professorship is not in the gift of the Government. The electors are the masters of the various colleges. It was founded in 1663 by Henry Lucas, M.P. for the University, and was endowed by him with a small estate in Bedfordshire. During my tenure of that office my net receipts were between 80l. and 90l. a year. I am glad to find that the estate is now improved, and that the University have added an annual salary to the Chair of Newton.
