A Story of a Noble Oxonian
Then Mr. afterwards Lord Lyttleton, to whom the epithet of “Reprobus,” they say, might have been applied with more justice than it was to the famous Saxon Bishop, St. Wulstan, by the monks of his day. Humour was his lordship’s natural element, and whilst resident at Christ Church, Oxford, he dressed himself in a bright scarlet hunting coat, top-boots and spurs, buckskin breeches, &c., and putting his gown over all, presented himself to the head of his college, who was a strict disciplinarian. “Good God! Mr. Lyttleton,” exclaimed the Dean, “this is not a dress fit to be seen in a college.” “I beg your pardon,” said the wag, “I thought myself in perfect costume! Will you be pleased to tell me how I should dress, Mr. Dean?” The dean was at this time Vice-Chancellor, and happened to be in his robes of office. “You should dress like me, Sir,” said the Doctor, referring to his black coat, tights, knee-buckles, and silk stockings. Mr. Lyttleton thanked him and left, but to the Doctor’s astonishment, he the next day presented himself at the Deanery, drest in Vice-Chancellor’s robes, &c., an exact fac-simile of the dean himself, and when rebuked coolly observed, that he had followed the dean’s directions to the letter.