College, Cambridge, as I have been told, where he was educated, and
lived and died a Fellow. After he became French Ambassador, and was
distinguished by his sovereign, he was urged to resign his fellowship.
His reply was (probably not having much faith in the longevity of
_princes' favours_,) "Should I need it, it will always insure me _a
bit of mutton and a clean shirt_!" But it ought also to be added, to
his honour, that the celebrated Thomas Baker, the antiquary, having
been ejected from his fellowship in the same college, for refusing to
take the oaths to William and Mary, Prior generously allowed him the
proceeds of his.
The same Cantab was once at the opera, where a conceited French
composer had taken his seat adjoining, and being anxious that the
audience should know he had written the music, he annoyed our poet by
humming every air so audibly as to spoil the effect of the person's
singing the part, one of the greatest _artistes_ of the day. Thus
annoyed, Prior ventured to _hiss_ the singer. Every body was
astonished at the daring, he being a great and deserved favourite. The
composer hummed again,--again Prior hissed the singer, who, enraged at
the circumstance, demanded "Why he was subject to such indignity?" "I
want that fellow to leave off humming," said Prior, pointing to the
composer, "that I may have the pleasure of hearing you sing, Signor."
* * * * *