On returning to Cambridge, near the end of July, I was fortunate enough to find a place in the team of a capital tutor, a Small-College man who had but six pupils, all going out this time, and live of them “low men.” My sojourn at Jersey had only brought me through Algebra once more, and now, beginning with Plane Trigonometry, I resolutely encountered that nightmare of most classical men, the preparation for the Mathematical Tripos.

When the Classical Tripos was instituted (which was so lately as 1824), it was thought fit to impose as a condition on the candidates for it, that they should previously “take Mathematical Honors,” a phrase somewhat facetiously applied in their case, as it meant for most of them obtaining a place among the Junior Optimes, or lowest class. The idea of this restriction was probably suggested by the previously existing one in reference to the Chancellor's Medals, the candidates for which were required to be Senior Optimes. Thus the Mathematical Tripos became, in fact, at the same time a test of merit for the Mathematicians and a pass examination for the Classical men, since none of the latter cared anything about being one place or twenty places higher or lower among the Junior Optimes; indeed, being a Senior Optime or not generally made very little difference to a Classic, unless he were a candidate for one of the Medals, it being so small a matter to him compared to his place in the other Tripos.