CHAPTER X.

1853, DEGREE OF LL.D. CONFERRED-RE-UNION OF OLD PUPILS-CHOLERA IN NEWCASTLE-JOURNEY TO ROME, DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED— JOURNEY TO BAYEUX-LECTURES ON BAYEUX TAPESTRY-PUBLICATION OF BOOK ON BAYEUX TAPESTRY-1855, THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES RESOLVE, AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, TO COLLECT THE ANCIENT MELODIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND-COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE DUKE-1858, COMMITTEE RESOLVE TO PREPARE AIRS FOR PRINTING-1876, DR BRUCE LECTURES ON THE PIPES AND PIPE MUSIC OF NORTHUMBERLAND AT NEWCASTLE AND AT ALNWICK-1877, PIPE COMPETITION AT NEWCASTLE-1878, SECOND LECTURE ON PIPES AND PIPE MUSIC AT NEWCASTLE-1879, THIRD LECTURE AT NEWCASTLE-1882, A COLLECTION OF BALLADS, MELODIES, AND SMALL-PIPE TUNES OF NORTHUMBRIA PUBLISHED-1885, LECTURE AT THE INTERNATIONAL INVENTIONS EXHIBITION BY DR BRUCE ON THE NORTHUMBERLAND SMALL-PIPES.

In recognition of Dr Bruce's literary labours the Senate of his alma mater, the University of Glasgow, conferred upon him in April 1853 the Degree of Doctor of Laws.

The resolution of the Senate was made known to him by the following letter from Professor Sir William Thomson (now Lord Kelvin) :—

"GLASGOW, April 4, 1853.

"MY DEAR SIR,-I have much pleasure in informing you that the Senate of the University has this day resolved that the degree of LL.D. be conferred upon you.

"The motion, which was made by myself, was seconded by the Principal, and was unanimously agreed to, with strong expressions of approval on the parts of Professors Maconochie and Lushington, and several other members of Senate.-I remain, dear sir, yours very truly,

"The Rev. J. COLLINGWOOD BRUCE."

"WILLIAM THOMSON.

In the same year he was elected a corresponding member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, of the Imperial Society of Antiquaries of France, and of the Society of Antiquaries of Normandy; and in the year 1866 he was elected corresponding member of the Archæological Institute of Rome.

To celebrate the distinction conferred upon him. by his university, Dr Bruce held a re-union of the old pupils on the 6th of May 1853, and invited all those whose addresses were known, nearly 400 of whom attended. Many who had not met for years rejoiced to renew their old friendship, and pleasant memories of schoolboy days were recalled with delight.

In the autumn of 1853 a severe epidemic of cholera broke out in Newcastle. At the height of the visitation there were more than 100 deaths a-day in the town, and more than 1700 persons were carried off by the pestilence. The town presented a most depressing appearance. The weather was dark and overcast, and the air was filled with clouds of small flies. Funerals took possession of the streets, every other person was in mourning for some lost friend, and the newly-made graves in the churchyards were rendered conspicuous by being covered with quicklime. The

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medical practitioners of the town were worn out by constant attendance on the sick and dying. The people were panic-stricken. In such circumstances it was no light responsibility to have charge of a household, including ushers, pupils, and servants, close upon fifty persons, but it was thought best not to dismiss the school and thus add to the panic. Every attention was paid in the management of the household to the laws of health, and during this anxious time Mr Thomas Annandale, Dr Bruce's medical attendant, regularly paid a visit to the school every morning and saw that it had a clean bill of health. Fortunately no member of the household was attacked. One boy who was called home by his parents, and left the school apparently in perfect health, died from cholera within a week of his arrival at home.

In December 1853 Dr Bruce set out on his longwished-for visit to Rome. The journey proved to be dilatory, difficult, and disagreeable-a strange contrast to the speed and comfort of the present day. He kept a faithful record of the incidents of the journey, and as it is not uninteresting to mark how within recent years the facilities for travelling have increased, it will not be inopportune to give some extracts from his diary.

"I arrived at King's Cross at 4 A.M. on the 10th December 1853 and took train for Dover, leaving London Bridge at 8 A.M. On arrival at Dover the tide was too far down to allow of our embarking in the harbour, and the sea too rough to admit of the steamer lying along the pier. So there was nothing for us but to embark in small

boats. A pretty toss we had, and right glad we were when we found ourselves safely chucked on board. The wind blew from the east; the weather was bitterly cold. On arrival off Calais we were informed by a signal that the tide was too low to admit of our entering the harbour. The anchor was cast, and the vessel allowed to roll for three long hours.

The express train, which should have carried us from Calais to Paris, had taken its departure some hours before. At 6.30 P.M. I was on my way to Paris. Twelve hours were spent on this part of the journey, though, on my setting off from London, I expected to have completed the whole route in that time.

"At 5.30 P.M. I sat down to table d'hôte with about sixty others at Meurice's."

He happened to sit next to Mr Oswald, the African traveller, a friend and companion of Dr Livingstone. They had a very interesting conversation about the missions in South Africa.

"The railroad journey from Paris to Châlons was performed at night. The steamer was advertised to leave Châlons for Lyons at 4 A.M., but it was 6 before we started. As we approached Lyons we ascertained that the Rhone was not navigable between Lyons and Avignon in consequence of the dryness of the season. It was not until my passage through Lyons on my return home that I examined its antiquities and visited the cells in which Ponticus and Blandina were confined.

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"The afternoon which I spent in Lyons was chiefly occupied in devising plans for getting forward on my journey, and in inquiring after diligences and private conveyances. At the hotel I met a gentleman who was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford, and who was bent on the same errand as myself-a visit to Rome. Having in many points a similarity of view we resolved to cling together. Next morning, December 13th, after a hasty breakfast, I went to the diligence office at least an hour too soon. When the diligence arrived, there was one place in the banquette and another in the rotunde which I and my friend gladly accepted. We agreed to occupy them alternately.

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Right glad was I to be once more on my way to Italy, though I sadly grieved at the thought of spending twenty-four hours on the journey, which, if performed on the Rhone, would only occupy twelve. No provision was made for refreshments until we reached Valence.

"We were to reach Avignon at 8 A.M. Ten o'clock came, but no Avignon, but we stopped at a small inn for déjeuner. It was not until 2 o'clock in the afternoon that we reached Avignon. I was particularly wishful to see Avignon, but the police regulations obliged me to press on without loss of time.

"The railway has been open for some time between Avignon and Marseilles, and by it we of course proceeded. At 8 P.M. we found ourselves in the station at Marseilles, and we sought an inn as near the quay as possible. Our great object being to get forward on the following day,