producing the lines,” may require centuries or more; but such a period, though long in the life of an individual, is as nothing in the life of the University.

As Photography is now very much employed in recording human expressions, and might possibly be adapted to Algebraical Expressions, a small photographic room would be desirable, both for general use and for representing the various phenomena of Gravity, Disturbance of Equilibrium, Resolution, &c., which affect the features during severe mathematical operations.

    May I trust that you will give your immediate attention to
    this most important subject?

    Believe me,

    Sincerely yours,

    Mathematicus.

Next came “The New Belfry of Christ Church, Oxford; a Monograph by D.C.L.”  On the title-page was a neatly drawn square—­the figure of Euclid I. 46—­below which was written “East view of the New Belfry, Christ Church, as seen from the meadow.”  The new belfry is fortunately a thing of the past, and its insolent hideousness no longer defaces Christ Church, but while it lasted it was no doubt an excellent target for Lewis Carroll’s sarcasm.  His article on it is divided into thirteen chapters.  Three of them are perhaps worth quoting:—­

    Sec.1. On the etymological significance of the new Belfry, Ch.  Ch.

The word “Belfry” is derived from the French bel, “beautiful, becoming, meet,” and from the German frei, “free unfettered, secure, safe.”  Thus, the word is strictly equivalent to “meat-safe,” to which the new Belfry bears a resemblance so perfect as almost to amount to coincidence.

    Sec.4. On the chief architectural merit of the new Belfry, Ch.  Ch.

Its chief merit is its simplicity—­a simplicity so pure, so profound, in a word, so simple, that no other word will fitly describe it.  The meagre outline, and baldness of detail, of the present Chapter, are adopted in humble imitation of this great feature.

    Sec.5. On the other architectural merits of the new Belfry, Ch.  Ch.

    The Belfry has no other architectural merits.

“The Vision of the Three T’s” followed.  It also was an attack on architectural changes in Christ Church; the general style was a parody of the “Compleat Angler.”  Last of all came “The Blank Cheque, a Fable,” in reference to the building of the New Schools, for the expenses of which it was actually proposed (in 1874), to sign a blank cheque before any estimate had been made, or any plan laid before the University, and even before a committee had been elected to appoint an architect for the work.