"I am, indeed," said our hero, to whom a new world was opening.

They had now turned round by the west end of St. Mary's, and were
passing Brasenose; and Mr. Larkyns drew Verdant's attention to the
brazen nose that is such a conspicuous object over the
entrance-gate. "That," said he, "was modelled from a cast of the
Principal feature of the first Head of the college; and so the
college was named Brazen-nose.+ The nose was formerly used as a
place of punishment for any misbehaving Brazennosian, who had to sit
upon it for two hours, and was

---
* A name given to Worcester College, from its being the most distant
college.
+ Although we have a great respect for Mr. Larkyns, yet we strongly
sus-
[footnote continues next page]
-=-


[70 ADVENTURES OF MR. VERDANT GREEN]

not ~countenanced~ until he had done so. These punishments were so
frequent that they gradually wore down the nose to its present small
dimensions.

"This round building," continued Mr. Larkyns, pointing to the
Radcliffe, "is the Vice-Chancellor's house. He has to go each night
up to that balcony on the top, and look round to see if all's safe.
Those heads," he said, as they passed the Ashmolean, "are supposed to