“With regard to the Medical Faculty,” he writes, “I suppose that you are aware that its object was mere fun.  That object was pursued with great diligence during the earlier period of its history, and probably through its whole existence.  I do not remember that it ever had a constitution, or any stated meetings, except the annual one for the choice of officers.  Frequent meetings, however, were called by the President to carry out the object of the institution.  They were held always in some student’s room in the afternoon.  The room was made as dark as possible, and brilliantly lighted.  The Faculty sat round a long table, in some singular and antique costume, almost all in large wigs, and breeches with knee-buckles.  This practice was adopted to make a strong impression on students who were invited in for examination.  Members were always examined for admission.  The strangest questions were asked by the venerable board, and often strange answers elicited,—­no matter how remote from the purpose, provided there was wit or drollery.  Sometimes a singularly slow person would be invited, on purpose to puzzle and tease him with questions that he could make nothing of; and he would stand in helpless imbecility, without being able to cover his retreat with even the faintest suspicion of a joke.  He would then be gravely admonished of the necessity of diligent study, reminded of the anxiety of his parents on his account, and his duty to them, and at length a month or two would be allowed him to prepare himself for another examination, or he would be set aside altogether.  But if he appeared again for another trial, he was sure to fare no better.  He would be set aside at last.  I remember an instance in which a member was expelled for a reason purely fictitious,—­droll enough to be worth telling, if I could remember it,—­and the secretary directed ’to write to his father, and break the matter gently to him, that it might not bring down the gray hairs of the old man with sorrow to the grave.’

“I have a pleasant recollection of the mock gravity, the broad humor, and often exquisite wit of those meetings, but it is impossible to give you any adequate idea of them.  Burlesque lectures on all conceivable and inconceivable subjects were frequently read or improvised by members ad libitum.  I remember something of a remarkable one from Dr. Alden, upon part of a skeleton of a superannuated horse, which he made to do duty for the remains of a great German Professor with an unspeakable name.

“Degrees were conferred upon all the members,—­M.D. or D.M.[46] according to their rank, which is explained in the Catalogue.  Honorary degrees were liberally conferred upon conspicuous persons at home and abroad.  It is said that one gentleman, at the South, I believe, considered himself insulted by the honor, and complained of it to the College government, who forthwith broke up the Society.  But this was long after my time, and I cannot answer for the truth of the tradition.  Diplomas were given to the M.D.’s and D.M.’s in ludicrous Latin, with a great seal appended by a green ribbon.  I have one, somewhere.  My name is rendered Filius Steti.”