Genre:

Song, Drollery

Subjects:

Universities, Mathematics, Status

    Refers to the election of the parliamentary candidate for the University of Cambridge. Reflecting on the university's appointment of Prince Albert as chancellor, a move confirming the university's 'disregard of scholarship', observes that he 'ne'er had passed his little go'—a reference to the university's preliminary examination. Believes Cambridge would, 'For honours mathematical or classical renown'd, / Choose nobody, but choose a man with honours already crowned'.