Dr. Whewell
wore, on this occasion, a long gown reaching nearly to his feet, of rich
scarlet, and adorned with flowing ribands. The ribands did not match the
robe, but were more of a crimson.
"I wondered that a strong-minded man like Dr. Whewell could tolerate
such trappings for a moment; but it is said that he is rather proud of
them, and loves all the etiquette of the olden time, as also, it is
said, does the queen.
"In these robes Dr. Whewell escorted me to church--and of course we were
a great sight!
"Before dinner, on this Scarlet Sunday, there was an interval when the
master was evidently tried to know what to do with me. At length he hit
upon an expedient. 'Boys,' he said to the young Airys, 'take Miss
Mitchell on a walk!'
"I was a little surprised to find myself on a walk, 'nolens volens;' so
as soon as we were out of sight of the master of Trinity, I said, 'Now,
young gentlemen, as I do not want to go to walk, we won't go!'
"It was hard for me to become accustomed to English ideas of caste. I
heard Professor Sedgwick say that Miss Herschel, the daughter of Sir
John and niece to Caroline, married a Gordon. 'Such a great match for
her!' he added; and when I asked what match could be great for a
daughter of the Herschels, I was told that she had married one of the
queen's household, and was asked to _sit_ in the presence of the queen!
"When I hear a missionary tell that the pariah caste sit on the ground,
the peasant caste lift themselves by the thickness of a leaf, and the
next rank by the thickness of a stalk, it seems to me that the heathen
has reached a high state of civilization--precisely that which Victoria
has reached when she permits a Herschel to sit in her presence!
"The University of Cambridge consists of sixteen colleges.
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