ordinary pencil?

But besides the regular lectures of Mr. Slowcoach, our hero had also
the privilege of attending those of the Rev. Richard Harmony. Much
learning, though it had not made Mr. Harmony mad, had, at least in
conjunction with his natural tendencies, contributed to make him
extremely eccentric; while to much perusal of Greek and Hebrew MSS.,
he probably owed his defective vision. These infirmities, instead of
being regarded with sympathy, as wounds received by Mr. Harmony in
the classical engagements in the various fields of literature, were,
to Mr. Verdant Green's surprise, much imposed upon;


[AN OXFORD FRESHMAN 85]

for it was a favourite pastime with the gentlemen who attended Mr.
Harmony's lectures, to gradually raise up the lecture-table by a
concerted action, and when Mr. Harmony's book had nearly reached to
the level of his nose, to then suddenly drop the table to its
original level; upon which Mr. Harmony, to the immense gratification
of all concerned, would rub his eyes, wipe his glasses, and murmur,
"Dear me! dear me! how my head swims this morning!" And then he
would perhaps ring for his servant, and order his usual
remedy, an orange, at which he would suck abstractedly, nor discover
any difference in the flavour even when a lemon was surreptitiously
substituted. And thus he would go on through the lecture, sucking
his orange (or lemon), explaining and expounding in the most skilful
and lucid manner, and yet, as far as the "table-movement" was
concerned, as unsuspecting and as witless as a little child.