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Mitchell, Maria, 1818-1889

"Maria Mitchell: Life, Letters, and Journals"


"Everything that you see speaks of the olden time. Even the images above
the arched entrance to the courts around which the buildings stand are
crumbling slowly, and the faces have an unearthly expression.
"If the visitor is fortunate enough to have an introduction to one of
the college professors, he will be taken around the buildings, to the
libraries, the 'Combination' room to which the fellows retire to chat
over their wine, and perhaps even to the kitchen.
"Our first knowledge of Cambridge was the entrance to Trinity College
and the Master's Lodge.
"We arrived in Cambridge just about at lunch time--one o'clock.
"Mrs. Airy said to me, 'Although we are invited to be guests of Dr.
Whewell, he is quite too mighty a man to come to meet us." Her sons,
however, met us, and we walked with them to Dr. Whewell's.
"The Master's Lodge, where Dr. Whewell lives, is one of the buildings
composing the great pile of Trinity College. One of the rooms in the
lodge still remains nearly as in the time of Henry VIII. It is immense
in size, and has two oriel windows hung with red velvet. In this room
the queen holds her court when she is in Cambridge; for the lodge then
becomes a palace, and the 'master' retires to some other apartments, and
comes to dinner only when asked.
"It is said that the present master does not much like to submit to this
position.
"In this great room hang full-length portraits of Henry and Elizabeth.


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