A school of Athens dedicated to the illustrious inheritress of her fame in professors of arts & sciences, the University of Cambridge. O matre pulchra filia pulchrior! / [graphic]

"A satire on Cambridge. The interior of a large room showing two sash windows, through one of which (left) is seen part of the south side of the Senate House, through the other, the tower of St. Mary's Church, both drawn with topographical accuracy. Between the two windows is a niche in which is a statue of Athene holding her shield; in her outstretched left hand is held out a laurel wreath towards some men beneath her who have entered from a door on the right. Her owl sits beside her on the stump of a tree. Beneath the title is etched, "dedicated to the illustrious Inheritress of her fame in Professors of Arts & Sciences, the University of Cambridge O Matre pulchra Filia pulchrior!" Immediately below Athene, and concealing the lower part of her draperies a man stands on a high rostrum covered with a cloth. He wears a furred academic gown and bands, and holds out a rolled document in his right hand. Immediately below the rostrum a man, not in academic dress, is seated at a table writing. He is in profile to the right looking towards four men who have entered from the right through an open door, apparently 'professors of Arts and Sciences', whose names he is recording. The foremost of these is a dancing-master who stands holding a bow in his right hand, a kit or small fiddle in his left. Next is a rough-looking elderly man wearing a round hat and long coat. The other two are middle-aged, one holding his hat and a cane and accompanied by a dog. On the left, and behind the chair of the man writing, are two other 'professors'; a fencing-master, wearing a fencing-jacket, stands in back view, turning his head in profile to the right, his left arm raised, holding his foil horizontally. Behind him stands a thin man wearing a hat, one hand in his waistcoat pocket, the other thrust in his waistcoat."--British Museum catalogue