XII - LETTERS OF AN 18TH CENTURY STUDENT

Summary

The following letters I owe to the kindness of the late Mr. Albert Hartshorne, of Charlton, Shepton Mallet, who sent me transcripts from his own large collection of family papers. The letters were addressed to Mr. Hartshorne's maternal grandfather, Thomas Kerrich, well known in Cambridge as the University Librarian, and as a man of much artistic knowledge and skill. The writer was Framingham Willis, son of Thomas Willis, of Brancaster, Norfolk. He was admitted pensioner of Caius College, June 25, 1767. He was afterwards a Fellow of the College from 1772 to 1776, and was presumably by profession a barrister, as he entered at the Middle Temple. He changed his name to Thurston in after life.

The picture of College life thus presented is in several ways of much interest. The date corresponds with almost the lowest period of the fortunes of the University during the last 350 years. The total numbers had then shrunk sadly since the brilliant days before the Civil Wars; and, with the fall of numbers, discipline had relaxed, and teaching, both Collegiate and University, had almost disappeared. I have described the state of things in the Biographical History; but these letters give evidence of a fact to which I have also called attention, viz. that at this time of depression there were never wanting students who in their own quiet way,—with few examinations to help, or hinder, them, and no prizes to reward,—took a real interest in their work.