Page:Literary Landmarks of Oxford.djvu/201

167 it. It is opposite the great Gateway. Like other landlords, then and now, he was not always popular, but he says that "by music and rare books which he found in the Public Library his life, at this time and after, was a perfect Elysium."

There are eighteen Postmasters now at Merton. Mr. Moore tells us that "the Postmaster is an institution peculiar to this foundation, which originated in 1380, for the endowment of a certain number of exhibitioners or poor students, afterwards called Postmasters. They formerly resided in an old Hall nearly opposite, and the abode of Anthony Wood. In 1600 they were received into the College."

There is a curiously sombre and weird story, preserved by Hearne, to the effect that a certain Mr. Wylde, going into St. John's Church (Merton Chapel) one dark and bleak afternoon in November, 1695, found Master Wood "a grave-digging," and was told by the digger that the grave was for Wood himself. His distemper was such that he felt that he had not long to live (and he was quite right), and he wished to see that the hole which he was to occupy was properly excavated and in the right place; to wit, "close to the wall, next to the north door"; and there to this day lies what is left of Wood (if anything is left of him); as the slab still asserts.