In his ride through the
desert (p. 169) Kinglake speaks of his "native bells--the innocent
bells of Marlen, that never before sent forth their music beyond
the Blaygon hills." Marlen bells is the local name for the fine
peal of St. Mary Magdalen, Taunton. The Blaygon, more commonly
called the Blagdon Hills, run parallel with the Quantocks, and
between them lies the fertile Vale of Taunton Deane. "Damascus,"
he says, on p. 245, "was safer than Oxford"; and adds a note on Mr.
Everett's degree which requires correction. It is true that an
attempt was made to non-placet Mr. Everett's honorary degree in the
Oxford Theatre in 1843 on the ground of his being a Unitarian; not
true that it succeeded. It was a conspiracy by the young lions of
the Newmania, who had organized a formidable opposition to the
degree, and would have created a painful scene even if defeated.
But the Proctor of that year, Jelf, happened to be the most-hated
official of the century; and the furious groans of undergraduate
displeasure at his presence, continuing unabated for three-quarters
of an hour, compelled Wynter, the Vice-Chancellor, to break up the
Assembly, without recitation of the prizes, but not without
conferring the degrees in dumb show: unconscious Mr.
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