thought that his son should be spared some of the personal
disagreeables that he himself had encountered; for Mr. Green
remembered to have heard that the great Newton was horsed during the
time that he was a Cambridge undergraduate, and he had a hazy idea
that the same indignities were still practised there.

But the circumstance that chiefly decided Mr. Green to choose Oxford
as the arena for Verdant's performances was, that he would have a
companion, and, as he hoped, a mentor, in the rector's son, Mr.
Charles Larkyns, who would not only be able to cheer him on his first
entrance, but also would introduce him to select and quiet friends,
put him in the way of lectures, and initiate him into all the
mysteries of the place; all which the rector professed his son would
be glad to do, and would be delighted to see his old friend and
playfellow within the classic walls of Alma Mater.

Oxford having been selected for the university, the next point to be
decided was the college.

"You cannot," said the rector, "find a much better college


[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 19]

than Brazenface, where my lad is. It always stands well in the
class-list, and keeps a good name with its tutors. There are a nice
gentlemanly set of men there; and I am proud to say, that my lad would
be able to introduce Verdant to some of the best. This will of
course be much to his advantage. And besides this, I am on very
intimate terms with Dr. Portman, the master of the college; and, if