The (almost really) Complete Works of Lewis Carroll

By “Rude Donatus”

Preface

As a Curatorial parting gift to friends who, during the past nine years, have so mercifully overlooked the many oversights that I, in my capacity of overseer, have so appropriately committed, I have put together, in a form convenient for reference, most of the Resolutions passed by C.R. during the last thirty years, as well as sundry interesting statistics.

Lest any Members of C.R. should feel unduly elated, on realising that they belong to so resolute a body, it may be well to point out that these Resolutions have not always been allowed to stand. Now and again, C.R. has lapsed into a mood entirely abrogatory and rescissory. In the matter of Wine-Committees, especially, it will be seen, by referring to Chap. I. § 19, (8) (10) (11), that its constant delight has been, Penelope-like, to undo all its own deeds and, whenever it got the chance (see Chap. I. § 19, (12) (13),) the deeds of its own Wine-Committee!

An enthusiastic computator of Averages will discover, from Chap. I. § 19, (1) (8), that the average time, spent by a C.R. Librarian in not completing a Book-Catalogue, is 29 years; also, from Chap. I. § 11, (5), that the average time, spent by a Picture-Committee in not commencing a Picture-Catalogue, is 2 years; also, from Chap. I. § 20, (1), that the average time, spent by a Smoking-Committee in drawing up a report, is 3 years; also, from Chap. I. § 17, (1), that the average time, spent by a Hot-Dishes-Committee in not Drawing up a report, is 6 years.

These, however, are only samples of the many pleasant surprises that lie hidden in the following pages, ready to reward the toil of the careful analyst.

Chapter I. C.R. Resolutions, &c.

1. Membership of C.R., Actual

(1) Dec. 17, 1859. Resolved, “that no Senior Student on the new footing, not being an M.A., be admitted a Member of C.R., until he have passed his year of Probation.”

(2) do. Resolved, “that Members of the Old Foundation be eligible as Members of C.R. in their 22nd Term.”

(3) Mar. 13, 1863. Resolved, “that new Senior Students be eligible as Members of C.R. after their year of Probation.”

(4) do. Resolved, “that Bachelor Students on the Old Foundation be eligible as Members of C.R. after their 22nd Term.” [see No. (2).]

(5) May 27, 1872. Resolved, “that the Curator do not ask a certain person whether he wishes to be a Member of C.R., but that, if he himself applies for admission, the Curator take the opinions of all Resident Members.”

(6) Nov. 30, 1874. Resolved, “that no one, who becomes a Member of C.R. after this date, shall continue to be a Member after taking his name off the Books of the House.”

(7) Feb. 28, 1884. Resolved, “(α) that when the Curator thinks it desirable to ascertain the wishes of C.R. with regard to the admission of any person as a Member, this shall be done, after the person has been duly proposed and seconded, by the Curator sending round the names of the person proposed, his proposer, and his seconder, to all Members in residence, with ballot-papers to be marked and returned to him within a stated time; (β) that the person, so voted on, shall not be admitted as a Member unless the proportion of “Ayes” to “Noes” be at least 4 to 1: (γ) that the Curator alone shall examine the ballot-papers, and shall act on the result, but shall not communicate to any one the number of the votes.”

(8) June 12, 1884. Resolved, “that Members of C.R., who entered before Nov. 30, 1874, and who have, by ceasing to be Members of the House, ceased to pay Quarterage, shall not be reckoned as being any longer Members of C.R.”

(9) do. Proposed, “that the Curator send notice, of the above decision, to those affected by it, offering re-enter them on the Roll, without a fresh Entrance-fee, at any time during the current year, if they are willing to compound for Quarterage.” [Carried, uno dissentiente.]

(10) do. Resolved, “that those Members of C.R. who, after this date, cease to be Members of the House, shall be retained as Members of C.R., if they notify their willingness to compound for Quarterage.”

(11) do. Resolved, “that the offer, named in No. (9), to re-enter names on the Roll, be extended to those who entered on and since Nov. 30, 1874, and who have ceased to be Members of the House.”

(12) do. Resolved, ”that any one who enters C.R. more than a year after taking his M.A. Degree be charged 2 guineas as Entrance-fee.”

(13) Feb. 19, 1885. Resolved, “that, in the preceding Resolution, for ‘a year’ be substituted ‘3 years.’”

(14) do. Resolved, “that the Dean and Canons be invited to become Actual Members of C.R.”

[N.B. All of them accepted the invitation.]

2. Membership of C.R., Honorary

(1) Jan. 19, 1863. Resolved, “that Senior Students under the Ordinance be eligible as Honorary Members of C.R. immediately on their Election.”

(2) do. Resolved, “that Students on the Old Foundation be eligible as Honorary Members of C.R. immediately on taking the Degree of B.A.”

(3) Ap. 26, 1864. Proposed, “that the Curator find out whether the Dean and Canons would like to be Honorary Members of C.R., and that so many of them as wish it shall become so.” [Carried by 8 to 2.]

[N.B. All of them accepted the invitation.]

(4) Nov. 5, 1874. Resolved, “that Mr. Joseph Prestwich, Professor of Geology, and Mr. Frederick York Powell, recently appointed Law Lecturer, be elected Honorary Members of C.R.”

3. Privileges of Honorary Members of C.R.

(1) Feb. 24, 1865. Resolved, “that the Curator, with Mr. Prout and Mr. Blore, consider and draw up regulations applying to Honorary Members of C.R.”

(2) Nov. 11, 1865. Resolved, “that the following Regulations, as to Honorary Members, drawn up by the Curator with Mr. Prout and Mr. Blore, be adopted:

1. They shall pay neither Entrance-fee nor Subscription.
2. They shall have the privilege of using either Common Room, on all ordinary occasions, on the same footing as Actual Members.
3. They may read the Newspapers, Periodicals, or Books in Common Room, and may write letters there.
4. They may not take Newspapers, Periodicals, or Books out of Common Room.
5. They may make use of the New Common Room for a private party.
6. They may not have wine from the Common Room Cellar, except for use in either Common Room.”

(3) June 12, 1884. Resolved, “that all Honorary Members of C.R. be allowed to attend Dessert.”

4. Payments to be made by Members of C.R.

(1) Feb. 9, 1864. Resolved, “that Resident Members of C.R. should settle their accounts at the end of each Term.”

(2) Feb. 24, 1865. Resolved, “that, looking forward to the time when the Curator shall collect the Subscriptions of Members of C.R., instead of their passing, as at present, through the hands of the Butler, who exacts $13\frac{1}{3}$ per cent, the Curator may inform any one, on his becoming a Member of C.R., that he may either make one payment, according to a fixed scale of Composition, for life, or pay 1/. a Quarter, and continue a Member of C.R. so long as he does so, even if he take his name off the Books of the House.”

(3) Feb. 13, 1866. Resolved, “that the Steward and the Curator examine the Scale of Subscriptions to C.R., paid by different classes of its Members, with a view to forming a fresh system.”

(4) Feb. 26, 1872. Resolved, “that every Member of C.R., who resides for 6 weeks in any Quarter of the year and makes use of the C.R., shall pay 10/6 a Quarter (or 9/6, if he shall have compounded).”

(5) do. Resolved, “that henceforward Chaplains, as well as Students, shall pay 10/6 a Quarter.”

(6) Feb. 25, 1873. Resolved, “that, in future, C.R. bills be paid through the Steward; that the items be sent in, weekly, to Residents, as now, and the bills quarterly.”

[N.B. The first clause of the above required an order of the G.B., which was made Mar. 8, 1873.]

(7) Mar. 7, 1889. Proposed, “that the Curator be authorised, in the case of any Member withdrawing his name from C.R. (when there is good ground for believing that such Member entered C.R. under the erroneous impression that it was necessary to do so in order to continue a Member of the House, and that, but for that impression, he would never have entered), to refund to such Member his Entrance-fee and the Quarterage he has paid to C.R.” [Rejected by 9 to 7.]

[N.B. The following statement had been circulated, by the Curator, before the Meeting:

“At present, there is given, to every Member of the House taking his M.A. degree, a printed paper (supplied to the Steward by the Curator) containing full information as to cost of containing on the books of the House, of entering Common Room, of containing a Member of it, &c., &c., so that no such erroneous impression can be formed. But, before these papers (introduced by the present Curator) were thus given, such mistakes might easily arise.

Just a year ago, the Curator accidentally learned what the previous system had been, and realised the possibility of there being a considerable number of Members, from whom Common Room is receiving an annual payment made under a false impression.

In consequence of this, he sent round a circular, to about 170 Members paying Quarterage, pointing out that the entrance-fee, and the annual Quarterage, are purely optional payments, and begging to be informed whather any false impression, as to their being necessary payments, had existed: and whether any one wished to withdraw from Membership.

From the replies which have, as yet, come to hand, it appears that some 14 had entered under false impressions, 8 of whom wished to withdraw from Membership—which of course was at once arranged for. To refund to these 8 Members—who have thus been paying to Common Room (some of them for many years) money they could probably ill afford, under an erroneous impression that it was necessary—would cost, roughly speaking, £50. The Curator does not say there is any legal claim on Common Room to refund this money: but he feels strongly, that there is a perfectly binding moral claim. And he earnestly hopes that Common Room will authorise him to refund it.”

(8) Feb. 20, 1890. Resolved, “that, when a non-resident Member, who is paying 1/. Quarterage, having come to Oxford, wishes to be placed, for the current Quarter, on the list of those who pay 10/6 Quarterage, the Curator be authorised to transfer his name accordingly.”

(9) do. Resolved, “that, when a non-resident Member, who is paying 10/6 Quarterage, wishes to be placed on the list of those who pay 1/. Quarterage, and is willing to resign all the special privileges enjoyed by those who pay the higher Quarterage, the Curator be authorised to transfer his name accordingly.”

5. Meetings, and Polls, of C.R.

(1) Feb. 24, 1887. Resolved, “that Meetings of C.R. shall be held only in Full Term; and that at least 7 days’ notice shall be given.”

(2) do. Resolved, “that, for an Audit-Meeting, 6 Members, with the Curator, shall be a quorum.”

(3) Feb. 20, 1890. Resolved, “that the Curator be authorised to take a Poll, of the Students and Resident Members of C.R., on any question which he deems of sufficient importance, instead of summoning a Special Meeting of the same.”

(4) do. Resolved, “that whenever, at a Meeting or on a Poll, the votes are equally divided, the Curator shall have a casting vote.”

6. The Curator

(1) Mar. 11, 1886. Resolved, “that the Curator be permitted to spend up to £5 a year in getting clerk’s assistance for ledgers.”

7. The Servants of C.R.

(1) Feb. 18, 1868. Resolved, “that one of the two C.R. Servants must be in attendance on Week-Days between 8 a. m. and 10 p. m. (except from 3 to 5 p. m.), unless the Curator give them leave of absence.”

8. Finance

(1) Feb. 9, 1864. Resolved, “that Mr. Prout and the Curator make enquiries concerning a safe investment for the £300, belonging to C.R., now in Exchequer Bills.”

(2) Feb. 13, 1866. Resolved, “that an additional £100 be invested in Exchequer Bills.”

(3) Feb. 2, 1867. Resolved, “that £100 be invested in Exchequer Bills.”

(4) Feb. 24, 1870. Resolved, “that the Curator and the Steward make enquiries, and, if it seems good to them, invest the C.R. money in a security bringing higher interest than Exchequer Bills.”

(5) June 20, 1870. Resolved, “to advance, out of C.R. money now in Exchequer Bills, £200 to the Steward of the Senior Masters’ Estate, at 4 p. c., to be paid off in sums of not less than £100 at a time.”

[N.B. In Nov., 1870, £100 more was advanced on the same terms.]

(6) Nov. 30, 1882. The Curator read, for the information of Members of C.R., the following statement:—

“In June, 1881, it was proposed in the G.B., (1) that the Curator of C.R. should no longer receive the Guinea paid by every Candidate for the M.A. Degree to the M.A. Table; (2) that this fee should no longer be required by Candidates for the M.A. Degree.

To this the Curator demurred, on behalf of C.R., and obtained thus much:—that the Guinea-fee should be retained as part of the College-fees, and paid over to the Curator by the Steward at the end of each Quarter.

The result of this plan is that the Curator does not see now every Candidate for the M.A. Degree.

Since that date an increasing number of M.A.’s do not become Members of C.R.: and so there will be loss under the heads of Entrance-fees, Annual Subscriptions, and Composition.”

(7) Feb. 16, 1888. The Curator having required authority to sell, or buy, Exchequer Bills whenever it should seem desirable to do so, it was resolved “to leave the matter to the discretion of the Curator.”

(8) Mar. 7, 1889. “That the Curator be authorised to borrow, up to £300, from any Member of C.R., at 4 p. c. interest, provided the principal be repaid at the end of 2 years.”

[N.B. On Feb. 12, 1891, the time of repayment was extended by an addition of 2 years.]

9. Books

(1) Feb. 12, 1861. Resolved, “that Mr. Bayne’s offer to undertake the office of C.R. Librarian be accepted.”

(2) Feb. 9, 1864. Proposed, “that, when the Second Edition appears of Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible, it be bought.” [Carried by 9 to 5.]

(3) Feb. 13, 1866. Proposed, “that a Dictionary or Dictionaries of French, German, and English, be bought for C.R.” [Carried by 5 to 3.]

(4) Feb. 9, 1869. Resolved, “that enquiry be made of Mudie or Cawthorn for what annual subscription they would supply a certain number (hereafter to be fixed) of new Books, excluding Novels, immediately after publication.”

(5) Feb. 28, 1884. Resolved, “that ‘Vanity Fair Album’ be taken in, in continuation of the set presented by the Curator, which contained the complete series from the commencement in 1869 to 1883 inclusive.”

(6) Feb. 24, 1887. Resolved, “that books of reference may not be removed from C.R.”

(7) Mar. 7, 1889. Proposed by Mr. Sampson, seconded by Mr. Harcourt, and resolved, nem. con., “that ‘Vanity Fair Album’ be no longer taken in.”

(8) Feb. 20, 1890. The Curator having stated, in answer to a question put by Mr. Harvey, that the Book-Catalogue is incomplete, it was proposed by Mr. Harvey, seconded by Mr. Hassall, and resolved, nem. con., “that the attention of the C.R. Librarian (Mr. Bayne) be drawn to this fact.”

(9) Feb. 12, 1891. Proposed by Mr. Powell (seconder not recorded) and carried, nem. con., “that the Resolution (No. 7) of Mar. 7, 1889, be rescinded, and that the series of ‘Vanity Fair Album’ be completed, by purchasing the volumes for 1889 and 1890, and be continued.”

[N.B. The Curator had the greatest difficulty in purchasing the two missing volumes, as they were quite out of print; but he did at last succeed in finding copies.]

10. Periodicals

(1) Feb. 9, 1864. Resolved, “that Quarterly Journals, after they have been in C.R. a fortnight, may be taken out from 6 p. m. to 9 a. m., upon informing the C.R. Servant.”

(2) Feb. 2, 1867. Resolved, “that two copies of The Times be taken in during Term, and that one of them be marked with the C.R. stamp, and be not taken out of C.R. on any pretence whatever.”

(3) Nov. 30, 1875. Resolved, “that Papers, now discontinued at the end of the Term of residence, except the second copy of The Times, be taken in during the University Term.”

(4) Nov. 30, 1876. Resolved, “that The Contemporary Review and The Fortnightly Review be sold by Auction at the end of the year.”

(5) Feb. 28, 1884. Resolved, “that Periodicals, taken during Term only, be continued into Vacation, at the discretion of the Curator, so long as may seem desirable.”

(6) do. The Curator having stated that he had bound, at his own cost, for giving away, several volumes of old Illustrated London News, which would otherwise have been sold as waste paper, it was resolved, “that C.R. pay for the binding of those volumes, and further like volumes, to be given away by the Curator at his discretion.”

(7) do. Resolved, “that Magazines, unless bought by Members of Common Room, may be given away by the Curator at his discretion.”

(8) Feb. 19, 1885. Resolved, “that Periodicals, at present sold as waste paper, may be sent by the Curator to Africa, for the Universities’ Mission, the Weeklies when 3 months old, and the Monthlies when 6.”

(9) May 7, 1889. Resolved, “that, in the preceding Resolution, the last words be altered to ‘the Weeklies when 2 months old, and the Monthlies when 4.’”

(10) do. Resolved, “that, at future Audits, the existing list of Periodicals shall be assumed to go on for the ensuing year, unless Motions, of which previous notice has been given, be made for alterations in it.”

(1) Feb. 12, 1891. The Curator having stated that the two Evening-Papers, delivered by Messrs. Slatter and Rose at about 6 p. m., are the editions published in London at 1.30; but that Messrs. Smith, who have a book-stall at the Railway-Station, would, if they could have orders to supply 6 Papers, all the year round, in the neighbourhood of Ch. Ch., send a special messenger direct to Ch. Ch. on the arrival of the train due here at 8.23, so that Papers, which had been published as late as 5.30, could be supplied by about 8.40, it was proposed, and carried by a majority (8 ‘ayes,’ ‘noes’ not recorded), “that the Curator be authorised to procure the ‘Pall Mall Gazette’ in the manner suggested.”

[N.B. The Curator made arrangements in accordance with the above Resolution: but the result was not satisfactory; the paper never arrived at the specified time; and in March he returned to the old arrangement.]

11. Pictures

(1) Feb. 12, 1861. Resolved, “that Lord Derby, Lord Canning, Sir Cornewall Lewis, Mr. Gladstone, and the Dean of Ch. Ch. be requested to present their portraits (prints) to C.R.” Also “that a portrait of Lord Wellesley be purchased by the Curator.”

(2) Feb. 13, 1866. Resolved, “that the Dean be requested to give his Portrait to the College and to use his influence to obtain a copy of Watts’ Portrait of Mr. Gladstone, and of Weigall’s Portrait of Sir Cornewall Lewis, for the Hall.”

(3) Feb. 24, 1887. The late W. Scoltock had bequeated to his niece, Miss S. A. Parker, three valuable oil-paintings (“A Portrait of Garrick” by Gainsborough, “A Cattle-Piece” by Cuyp, and “Study of a Female Head” by Frank Hals), for her life-time, and then to become the property of the Dean and Chapter of Ch. Ch., “to be placed in the Common Room of that House, or elsewhere, as the Members of such Common Room for the time being shall from time to time direct.” Miss Parker, however, had surrendered her life-interest in the pictures, and had presented them “to Ch. Ch.,” so that they had now become, to all intents and purposes, the property of Common Room. They had been forwarded to the Dean, and by him transmitted to the Curator, who, pending the decision of C.R. as to where they should permanently remain, had hung them, as a temporary arrangement, in the Old Common Room.

Proposed by Mr. Bayne, seconded by Mr. Prout, “that they remain in the Old Common Room.” [Carried by 10 to 3.]

Proposed by Mr. Sampson, seconded by Mr. Harcourt, “that they remain in the position they now occupy.” [Carried, nem. con.]

(4) Mar. 7, 1889. Resolved, “that a ‘Catalogue Raisonnée’ be made of the Prints, Drawings, and Pictures belonging to Common Room.”

(5) Feb. 20, 1890. The Curator having stated, in answer to a question put to him by Mr. Harvey, that he had not been able to find time to do any of the work entailed on him by the previous Resolution, it was resolved “that Mr. Harvey be associated with Mr. Bayne for the purpose of drawing up the said Catalogue.”

12. Premises of C.R.

(1) May 27, 1868. Proposed, “that it is desirable to add a third room to C.R.” [Carried by 7 to 3.]

(2) Feb. 26, 1872. Proposed, “that it is desirable to make a spiral staircase up to Hall from C.R. passage.” [Carried by 6 to 2.]

(3) Dec. 5, 1877. Resolved, “to ask the G.B. to assign to the C.R., rent-free, the rooms opposite” (to be used as a Drawing-Room).

[N.B. This was granted by the G.B.]

13. Lighting and ventilation of C.R.

(1) Feb. 12, 1881. Resolved, “that, in order to ventilate the Old Common Room, 4 blocks be used, 2 in the smaller window about 3½ inches deep, and 2 inthe larger window about 5 inches deep, so as to raise each sash to that height, and thereby let in fresh air to go up to the ceiling and so create no draught.”

[N.B. In thus raising the sashes of the larger window to a greater height than those of the smaller, C.R. seems to have acted on the theory that, the more the sashes overlapped each other, the greater would be the ventilation; the fact being that, the more they overlap, the larger is the area of friction, and therefore the less the ventilation.]

(2) Feb. 19, 1885. Resolved, “that a Committee be appointed to consider the whole question of lighting and ventilating.”

[The Committee was appointed, consisting of Mr. Harcourt, Mr. J. B. Thompson, and Mr. Stewart.

This Committee provided “Defries” lamps, with opal globes. These being complained of as not giving enough light, the Curator substituted ground-glass globes: and subsequently, as the lamps failed to give satisfaction, Duplex lamps with globes ground above and clear below.

They also provided additional ventilation by means of an oblique opening, à la Tobin, pierced through the eastern wall of Common Room, and furnished with a valve inside, which could be opened or shut at pleasure. This appears to give entire satisfaction, so long as it is kept shut.]

14. High Table Dinner when transferred to C.R.

(1) Mar. 7, 1889. Resolved, “that, in Vacations, the High Table Dinner shall be in the New, instead of the Old, Common Room; and that the Dessert shall also be in the New Common Room.”

(2) May 9, 1889. Proposed, “that the old custom, of having High Table Dinner, during Vacations, in the Old Common Room, be returned to.” [Rejected by 6 to 5, owing to its causing the newspapers to be inaccessible, during dinner, to any one not a Member of the High Table.]

(3) do. Resolved, “that the above proposal be adopted, and the newspapers placed, during Dinner, in another room.”

[See Chap. II. § 4.]

15. Dessert in C.R.

(1) Mar. 15, 1878. Resolved, “that the use of the C.R., for Dessert after Hall, shall be reserved for Members of the High Table, Actual and Honorary.”

(2) do. Resolved, “that the Chaplains shall, as heretofore, have the right of coming to C.R. for Dessert.”

(3) June 12, 1884. Resolved, “that the Resolution of Mar. 15, 1878 [see No. (1)] be abrogated, so as to allow all Actual Members of C.R. to attend Dessert.”

(4) do. Resolved, “that the privileges, at present enjoyed by the Chaplains, be extended to the Organist.”

(5) do. Resolved, “that all Honorary Members of C.R. be allowed to attend Dessert.”

(6) do. Resolved, “that the permission, hitherto accorded to non-resident M.A.’s, not being Members of C.R., who, on coming up for a few days only, are allowed to dine by implied invitation at the High Table, of attending Dessert, be no longer accorded.”

(7) Feb. 19, 1885. Proposed, “that any Member bringing friends to Dessert, be permitted to order Wine for himself and them only; such bottles to be marked with his name and not passed round.” [It was not seconded.]

(8) do. Proposed, “that the old practice, of allowing any Member, attending Dessert, who gives notice to the C.R. Servant that he takes only one glass of Wine, to be charged accordingly, be revived.” [Rejected, nem. con.]

(9) Feb. 24, 1887. Proposed, “that, if any Member, attending Dessert, informs the C.R. Servant, that he, or any friend introduced by him, takes one glass of Wine, he shall be charged 9d. only.” [Rejected by 6 to 2.]

(10) Feb. 16, 1888. The above proposal was again brought forward. An Amendment was proposed, and carried nem. con., “that the proposed privilege be granted to the present Curator (Mr. Dodgson).”

(11) Mar. 7, 1889. Resolved, “that, in Vacations, the High Table Dinner shall be in the New, instead of in the Old, Common Room; and that the Dessert shall also be in the New Common Room.”

(12) May 9, 1889. Resolved, “that the latter clause of the preceding Resolution be rescinded, and that Dessert always be in the Old Common Room.”

(13) Feb. 20, 1890. Proposed, “that any Member of C.R., taking only one glass of Wine at Dessert, and notifying the fact to the C.R. Servant the same evening, be charged for that one glass only.” To this an Amendment was proposed, and carried by 5 to 3, “that the matter be left to the Curator.”

16. Afternoon-Tea in C.R.

(1) Feb. 28, 1884. The Curator stated that he had tried, at the request of some Members, the experiment of having tea, cocoa, and bread and butter supplied in C.R. between 4.30 and 5.30 on all week-days. It was resolved “that it be continued.”

(2) Mar. 11, 1886. Resolved, “that Afternoon-Tea begin to be supplied on the Friday of Meeting, and be continued till the evening of the last day of Collections.”

(3) Feb. 12, 1891. Resolved, “that Afternoon-Tea be supplied till the end of the week after the close of Collections in the Lady Day and Michaelmas Terms, till the end of the second week after the close of Collections in the Midsummer Term, and begin to be supplied, every Term, on the Thursday of the week of Meeting.”

17. Dinner-Parties in New C.R.

(1) Mar. 11, 1886. Proposed by Mr. J. B. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Prout, and resolved, nem. con., “that a Committee be appointed to consider means (at an expenditure not exceeding £5) of keeping dishes hot for parties in the New C.R.”

[The Committee was appointed, consisting of Mr. J. B. Thompson and Mr. Baynes, the former of whom, as Senior Member of the Committee, undertook, at the request of the Curator, to conduct an informal enquiry, the Curator undertaking to summon a Meeting of the Committee, as soon as there was any proposal ready to be laid before it.]

18. Wine-Cellars

(1) Feb. 13, 1866. The Curator was requested to get an estimate from Mr. Bruton for fitting up with Binns one of the Cellars in No. 5, Meadow Buildings, which the Dean has placed at the disposal of C.R.

(2) Feb. 24, 1870. Resolved, “that two thermometers be placed, one in each Cellar.”

(3) June 18, 1886. Resolved, “that the Curator be authorised to construct a new Wine-Cellar, if the Steward should approve, under the New Common Room, at an outlay not exceeding £200.”

[N.B. The actual cost was £220 7s. 10d.]

(4) Feb. 16, 1888. Resolved, “that the Curator be authorised to spend a sum not exceeding £60 on having the Cellars ventilated, and the oil-lamps replaced by gas-jets, so as to warm the Cellars in the same way as the Cellar, lately constructed under the New Common Room, is warmed.”

[N.B. The actual cost was £43 12s. 7d.]

19. Wines, and the Wine-Committee

(1) Feb. 19, 1863. Resolved, “that the 1842 Port be charged 5/., and not go out of College.”

(2) Feb. 9, 1864. Resolved, “that the price of Nierstein be lowered from 6/. to 5/.”

(3) Feb. 24, 1870. Resolved, “that the privilege of taking Wine from the C.R. Cellars be limited to Oxford Residents paying 2 guineas a Quarter, except in the cases of the Chaplains, who may enjoy the same privilege with their Subscription of £1.”

(4) Dec. 3, 1873. Resolved, “that, when any Claret is left in C.R., the remnant be taken next day into Hall, and charged as ordinary Dinner Claret.”

(5) June 2, 1874. Resolved, “that a Committee be appointed to assist the Curator in the choice and purchase of Wines for the use of C.R.”

(6) do. Proposed, “that the number of the Committee be five, of whom the Curator shall be one.” [Carried by 6 to 5.]

(7) do. Resolved, “that the Members of the Committee be elected at the annual C.R. Audit: that the Curator state at the annual Audit the amount proposed to be laid out in Wine during the ensuing year: and that the duties of the Committee shall be as follows:—

(α) to decide upon the quality and kind of Wine to be bought;

(β) to obtain samples, and to make choice of such Wine and Wine-merchants as may seem good;

(γ) to decide upon the quality and kinds of Wines which shall be drunk in C.R., and those which may be allowed to go out;

(δ) to superintend generally the C.R. Cellars, and to decide all questions regarding Wines.”

It was further resolved “that no alterations shall be made in the quality of Wines used in College, nor shall any fresh purchases be made, without the consent of the majority of the Committee at a Meeting: that the Committee shall meet at least once a Term: that the Meeting of the Committee shall be called by the Curator: that, at the Meetings, the Curator, or in his absence the senior Member of the Committee present, shall act as Chairman and shall have a casting vote: that no business shall be transacted unless at least three Members of the Committee are present: and that all questions shall be decided by a majority of votes.”

(8) Nov. 30, 1874. Resolved, “that the Rules, adopted on June 2, 1874 [see No. (7)], be abrogated, and that the following be substituted:—

(α) A Committee of five, including the Curator, shall be appointed to assist the Curator in the choice and purchase of Wines.

(β) The Members of the Committee shall be elected at the annual Audit.

(γ) The Committee shall meet, at least once a Term, at a time fixed by the Curator; but that the Curator shall summon a special Meeting at the request of any three Members.

(δ) All questions, as to the quality and kinds of Wines to be bought, shall be decided by a majority of the Committee at a Meeting.”

(9) Nov. 30, 1877. Resolved, “that the Curator ask Messrs. Barret and Clay, whether they will take back 264 Pints of ‘S. Estephe’ Claret, or exchange it for other wine.”

(10) Dec. 8, 1882. Resolved, “that the Rules, adopted on Nov. 30, 1874 [see No. (8)], be abrogated, and that the following be substituted:—

(α) There shall be a Wine-Committee, consisting of five persons, including the Curator, whose duty shall be to assist the Curator in the management of the Cellar.

(β) The Members of the Committee, other than the Curator, shall be elected at the annual Audit.

(γ) A Meeting of the committee shall be held in the second week of each Term, on a day to be fixed by the Curator, who shall give notice of the Meeting in the preceding week. Other Meetings of the Committee may be summoned by the Curator, a week’s notice being given. The Curator shall summon a Meeting of the Committee when requested to do so by three Members thereof.

(δ) All questions relating to the selection, purchase, keeping, serving, and sending out of Wines shall be decided by a majority of the Committee at a Meeting.

(ε) No business shall be transacted unless at least three Members of the Committee shall be present, of whom the Curator shall be one.”

The following additional Rule was proposed, and carried by 14 to 10:—

(ζ) No expenditure of money shall be made by the Committee without the concurrence of the Curator.

(11) Fe. 28, 1884. Resolved, “that the Rules, adopted on Dec. 8, 1882 [see No. (10)], be abrogated, and the following be substituted:—

(α) There shall be a Wine-Committee, consisting of five persons, including the Curator, whose duty shall be to assist the Curator in the management of the Cellar.

(β) The Members of the Committee, other than the Curator, shall be elected at the annual Audit.

(γ) The Curator shall hold a Meeting of the Committee during the first fortnight of each Term, and at any time when requested to do so by three of the Members. He may also hold a Meeting at any other time, if he see reason to do so.

(δ) All questions, which involve an appreciable expenditure of money and which are not mere routine, shall be decided, at a Meeting of the Committee, by a majority of those present and voting; the Curator having a casting-vote when the numbers be equal. In all other details of the management of the Cellar, the Curator shall exercise his own discretion; and no orders shall be given except by the Curator or with his sanction.

(ε) The Curator shall report to the Committee, at each Meeting, all that he has done since the previous Meeting.

(ζ) No business shall be transacted unless the Curator, and two other Members of the Committee be present.”

(12) Mar. 11, 1886. Resolved, “that it be an instruction to the Wine-Committee, that, in sending out Wines, no distinction is to be made among Members paying the same Quarterage.”

(13) May 28, 1886. A Special Meeting of C.R. was held, to consider the Report of the Wine-Committee, who were unanimously of opinion that the distinction, hitherto made between Residents in College and Residents in Oxford as to taking out Wines, but abrogated on Mar. 11, 1886, was fair in principle. It was proposed “that the Resolution of Mar. 11, be rescinded.” [Proposal rejected by 8 to 4.]

20. Smoking

(1) Mar. 11, 1886. Proposed by Mr. Shute, seconded by Mr. Sampson, and resolved, nem. con., “that a Committee be appointed, to consider means of providing a Smoking-room, every night, by utilising one or other of the ‘tutorial’ rooms, the expense to be borne by C.R., when the room is used by Members after Dessert; but, if it be taken for a private party, the expenses to be borne by the giver of the party.”

[The Committee was appointed, consisting of Mr. Stewart, Mr. Shute, and Mr. Hassall, the first of whom, as Senior Member of the Committee, undertook, at the request of the Curator, to conduct an informal enquiry, the Curator undertaking to summon a Meeting of the Committee, as soon as there was any proposal ready to be laid before it.

Nothing further was done until Feb. 16, 1889, when the following Motion was sent to the Curator, to be placed on the “Agenda” for the Audit-Meeting of Mar. 7, 1889:—“that an Executive Committee be appointed to provide arrangements for persons desirous to smoke.” This was signed by Mr. Stewart, Mr. Onions, Mr. Hassall, and Mr. Skene. The Curator intimated, in reply, that a Committee, appointed to consider this matter, had been in existence for nearly 3 years, and that 2 of the proposers of this Motion were Members of it. This led to a Meeting of the Committee, who drew up a report.]

(2) Mar. 7, 1889. Proposed by Mr. Harvey, seconded by Mr. J. B. Thompson, “that smoking be permitted in the Old Common Room after 9 p. m. on week-days.” [Rejected by 15 to 2.]

(3) do. The Report of the above-named Committee was considered, and it was resolved “that the Drawing-Room be ready for smoking every evening during Term, and (with notice) in Vacation, unless required for a private party.”

(4) May 9, 1889. Resolved, “that an Executive Committee be appointed for the purpose of lighting the Smoking-Room.”

(5) do. Proposed, “that, in Resolution 2, the words ‘with notice’ apply to Term as well as to Vacation.” [Rejected, nem. con.]

(6) do. Proposed, “that the Curator be authorised to place an asbestos-fire in the Smoking-Room.” [Carried by 6 to 4.]

(7) May 17, 1889. The Curator, having asked permission, at the Meeting of May 9, to give to the C.R. Servants what he considered to be reasonable remuneration for the additional trouble entailed on them by the new Smoking-Room, and having been refused that permission, summoned this Meeting to receive his resignation. It was thereupon resolved, nem. con., to leave the whole matter in his hands. The Curator did not tender his resignation.

(8) Mar. 4, 1892. The Curator having stated that, when smoking takes place in the New Common Room (as sometimes occurs when a dinner-party is given there), the effect is to render the set of rooms, immediately over it, almost uninhabitable, it was proposed by him, and seconded by Mr. Prout, “that it be henceforward a rule of C.R., that smoking is not permitted on the premises, except in the room that has been specially provided for the purpose.” This was objected to, and the Motion, altered to the following form, was carried nem. con.:—“that a builder be consulted, and an attempt made to remedy the structural defects, which at present allow the smoke to penetrate the rooms over the New Common Room; that, in case of this attempt failing, it be henceforward a rule of C.R., that smoking is not permitted in any of its rooms, except in the one specially provided for the purpose; and that, meanwhile, it be understood that smoking is not permitted in the New Common Room.”

[N.B. It was of course understood, though not formally stated, that, in case of this attempt succeeding, smoking should henceforward be permitted in the New Common Room.]

21. Miscellaneous

(1) After the “Gaudy” of Nov. 1, 1862, the Senior and Junior M.A. Tables were transferred to the North and South ends of the Dais.

(2) Nov. 8, 1862. Proposed, “that it is expedient that the Senior and Junior M.A. Tables should be united as soon as possible.” [Carried by 6 to 5.]

(3) Nov. 7, 1864. Letter from the Dean to the Curator of C.R., concerning the opening of Canterbury Gate. “Dear Mr. Bayne, In answer to the Memorial which (as Curator of C.R.) you sent me last Term, I beg leave to inform you that I have ordered the Porter at Canterbury Gate to open the Gate for M.A.’s resident within walls between the hours of 7 a. m. and 11 p. m. Will you be so good as to furnish to the Porter a list of such resident M.A.’s, signed with your name, and make a note that a fresh list should be given by the Curator of the C.R. at the beginning of every Term. Yours very truly, Henry G. Liddell.”

[N.B. This privilege was afterwards extended to all Senior Students resident within the walls.]

(4) Feb. 13, 1866. Resolved, “that the Curator with the Steward and Mr. Sandford form a Committee to see whether arrangements could be made for supplying the Undergraduates with Coffee and Toast from the C.R.”

Chapter II. C.R. Finance, &c.

1. Curators of C.R.

The following are the names of the last nine Curators, with the dates of appointment.

2. Ancient and Modern Finance

The following Summaries, of C.R. Receipts and Expenditure for the years 1818 and 1891, are here given for comparison: but, as to the amounts of Wine bought, a fairer comparison may be made by taking averages of periods of (say) 5 years: this gives, for 1818, £268, and, for 1891, £588. Thus, while the amount consumed has only increased by one-half, the amount bought has more than doubled. The explanation is to be found, I believe, in the fact that we now have a much larger stock in hand than we used to have. The stock, in 1802, had cost about £1020; in 1886 it had cost about £4300.

The item “wine consumed,” in the Receipts for 1818 and 1891, needs explanation. The ancient system was to keep a “Wine and Tea Account” in a separate Ledger—the “Expenditure,” for wine, being of course the sum total of the wine-bills paid during the year, and the “Receipts,” for wine, being the value assigned to the wine recorded as having left the cellar. This latter sum was credited to C.R. by the Curator; and if all this wine was duly entered in Member’s Bills, it was duly paid to the Curator by the Steward, as part of the sum total of those Bills; otherwise, the loss apparently fell on the unfortunate Curator. This system was abandoned about 20 years ago, and since then the practice has been to credit C.R., not with the assigned value of the wine taken out, but simply with the money received on account of Members’ Bills; so that, if any of the wine taken out fails to be duly entered in those Bills, the loss falls on C.R., and not, as was previously the case, on the Curator.

Previously to 1882, no means existed, that I can discover, for ascertaining whether these entries had or had not been properly made; and one of the tasks I set myself, on taking the Curatorship, was to construct Ledgers which should furnish such means.

The Curator is now able, at the conclusion of a year, to ascertain the totals of the values, assigned by C.R. to the wines that have been taken out of the cellar, under the three headings of “Common Room,” “Hall,” and “Rooms”; and also the totals of the sums, charged in Members’ Bills, under the same three headings; as well as the total “loss” incurred, by sending into Hall the remnants of Claret opened for Dessert in Common Room, and charging it as Dinner-Wine.

3. Ancient method of dealing with Wine-Merchants

The Table furnishes some curious information as to the contented spirit in which C.R., at the beginning of this century, went on, from year to year, ordering more wines, though already heavily in debt to the Wine-Merchant—debt which in some cases remained unpaid for several years together, and must have entailed on the Merchant (unless interest was paid on it) a considerable annual loss. Thus, it appears that, during the whole period 1803 to 1807, C.R. owed “Hugh Powell” about £700. The acme of recklessness seems to have been reached in 1805, when, though owing “Hugh Powell” £667, and having only £261 cash at their command, C.R. actually ordered £531 worth of wine, and began the new year £937 in debt!

4. The High Table

For the convenience of readers, the following Regulations as to the High Table, adopted by the G.B. on May 4th, 1892, are here reprinted. At a subsequent Meeting of the G.B., it was agreed that Rule 4 should also apply to all who, in accordance with Rule 5, should “dine at the High Table by implied invitation.”

1. Members of the Governing Body alone are by right Members of the High Table.

2. All Students on the Old Foundation, and all Non-Official Students who are not Members of the Governing Body, are Honorary Members of the High Table.

3. All former Canons, Students and Senior Students whose names are on the Book of the House, together with all Honorary Students, are Honorary Members of the High Table.

4. Any Member of the High Table may introduce a guest, and as a general rule not more than one guest on any one day.

5. All Members of the House who have taken the degree of M.A., or any equivalent or superior degree, and have not been invited to become Honorary Members of the High Table by a resolution of the Governing Body, may dine at the High Table by implied invitation for three days in each Term; and also, if they be Members of the Common Room, for three days only in each Vacation.

6. The Caterer, or in his absence the Senior Canon or Student present, shall take the Chair on week-days at 7 p. m. and on Sundays at 6.15 p. m. by the Cathedral clock.

7. If any Member of the High Table, having given in his name for dinner, do not dine, a charge of 2/6 shall be made in his battels, unless he have sent notice to the kitchen before 3 p. m.

8. The list of those who intend to dine shall be made up at 2 p. m., and all names should be given in before that time.

9. The cost of dinner shall not as a rule exceed the amount of the statutory dinner allowance: if on any occasion it does so, the excess shall be divided among all Members of the High Table dining on that day. But this rule shall be applied only if the total outlay for a Term or for a Vacation exceed the aggregate of the allowances and the charges for the same period.