By him they were presented to the author of
this memoir, who now for the first time lays them before the public.
The first was to the Master himself, and ran as follows:-
Reverende Sir,
Possum bene blackere shoas, et locus shoe-blackissis vacuus est.
Makee me shoeblackum si hoc tibi placeat, precor te, quia desidero
hoc locum.
Your very humble servant,
THOMASUS BRIDGESSUS.
We subjoin Mr. Bridges' autograph. The reader will be astonished to
perceive its resemblance to that of Napoleon I, with whom he was
very intimate, and with anecdotes of whom he used very frequently to
amuse his masters. We add that of Napoleon.
THOMAS BRIDGES
NAPOLEON
The second letter was to the Senior Bursar, who had often before
proved himself a friend to Mr Bridges, and did not fail him in this
instance.
BURSARE SENIOR,
Ego humiliter begs pardonum te becausus quaereri dignitatum
shoeblacki and credo me getturum esse hoc locum.
Your humble servant,
THOMASUS BRIDGESSUS.
Shortly afterwards Mr. Bridges was called upon, with six other
competitors, to attend in the Combination Room, and the following
papers were submitted to him.
I
1. Derive the word "blacking." What does Paley say on this
subject? Do you, or do you not, approve of Paley's arguments, and
why? Do you think that Paley knew anything at all about it?
2.
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