were sure they would.
At the close of my University career came, of course, the Great Go, which I had to do as I did the Little Go, all on paper; for I could not answer _viva voce_.

And this rule then, whatever may be the case now, prevented me from going in for honours, though I had read for a first, and hoped at least to get a second.

Neither of these, nor even a third class, was technically possible, if I could not stand a two days' ordeal of _viva voce_ examination, part of the whole week then exacted.
However, I did all at my best on paper, specially the translations from classic poets in verse: whereof I'll find a specimen anon.

The issue of all was that I was offered an honorary fourth class,--which I refused, as not willing to appear at the bottom of the list of all, alphabetically,--and so my tutor, Mr.Biscoe, not wishing to lose the honour for our college, managed to get it transferred to another of his pupils, Mr.Thistlethwaite, whose father wrote to thank me for this unexpected though not unmerited luck falling to his son.
One short presentable piece of verse-making in the schools is as below from Virgil: there were also three odes of Horace, a chorus from AEschylus, and more from other Greek and Latin poets.
"Sicilian Muses, sing we loftier strains! The humble tamarisk and woodland plains Delight not all; if woods and groves we try, Be the groves worthy of a consul's eye.
Told by the Sibyl's song, the 'latter time' Is come, and dispensations roll sublime In new and glorious order; spring again With Virgo comes, and Saturn's golden reign.
A heavenly band from heaven's bright realm descends, All evil ceases, and all discord ends.
Do thou with favouring eye, Lucina chaste, Regard the wondrous babe,--his coming haste,-- For under him the iron age shall cease, And the vast world rejoice in golden peace," &c.

&c.
I select this bit, famous for being one of the places in Virgil which goes to prove that the Sibylline books (to which the Augustan poets had easy access) quoted Isaiah's prophecies of Christ and the Millennium.