Was one formed, in 1757, by the _Wranglers_ of that year, including
the late Professor Waring; the celebrated reformer Dr. Jebb the
munificent founder of the Cambridge Hebrew Scholarships; Mr. Tyrwhitt;
and other learned men. It was called _The Hyson Club_, the
entertainments being only tea and conversation. Paley, who joined it
after he became tutor of Christ College, is thus made to speak of it
by a writer in the New Monthly Magazine for 1825:--"We had a club at
Cambridge, of political reformers; it was called the Hyson Club, as we
met at tea time; and various schemes were discussed among us. Jebb's
plan was, that the people should meet and declare their will; and if
the House of Commons should pay due attention to the will of the
people, why, well and good; if not, the people were to convey their
will into effect. We had no idea that we were talking treason. I was
always an advocate for _braibery and corrooption_: they raised an
outcry against me, and affected to think I was not in earnest. 'Why,'
said I, 'who is so mad as to wish to be governed by force? or who is
such a fool as to expect to be governed by virtue? There remains,
then, nothing but _braibery and corrooption_.'" No particular subjects
were proposed for discussion at their meetings, but accident or the
taste of individuals naturally led to topics, such as literary and
scientific characters might freely discuss. At a meeting where the
debate was on the justice or expediency of making some alteration in
the ecclesiastical constitution of the country, for the relief of
tender consciences, Dr. Gordon, of Emmanuel College, late Precentor of
Lincoln, vehemently opposed the arguments of Dr. Jebb, then tutor of
Peter House, who supported the affirmative, by exclaiming, "You mean,
Sir, to impose upon us a new church government." "You are mistaken,"
said Paley, who was present, "Jebb only wants to ride his own horse,
not to force you to get up behind him."
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