Then Mr. afterwards Lord Lyttleton, to whom the epithet of
"_Reprobus_," they say, might have been applied with more justice than
it was to the famous Saxon Bishop, St. Wulstan, by the monks of his
day. Humour was his lordship's natural element, and whilst resident at
Christ Church, Oxford, he dressed himself in a bright scarlet hunting
coat, top-boots and spurs, buckskin breeches, &c., and putting his
gown over all, presented himself to the head of his college, who was a
strict disciplinarian. "Good God! Mr. Lyttleton," exclaimed the Dean,
"this is not a dress fit to be seen in a college." "I beg your
pardon," said the wag, "I thought myself in perfect costume! Will you
be pleased to tell me how I should dress, Mr. Dean?" The dean was at
this time Vice-Chancellor, and happened to be in his robes of office.
"You should dress like me, Sir," said the Doctor, referring to his
black coat, tights, knee-buckles, and silk stockings. Mr. Lyttleton
thanked him and left, but to the Doctor's astonishment, he the next
day presented himself at the Deanery, drest in Vice-Chancellor's
robes, &c., an exact fac-simile of the dean himself, and when rebuked
coolly observed, that he had followed the dean's directions to the
letter.