The College walks were crowded. Every doctor in the University wore his scarlet robes during the whole day. All the noblemen appeared in their splendid robes, not only at St Mary's and in the College Halls, but also in the public walks. Their robes (which are now [1785] uniformly purple) at that time were of various colours, according to the tastes of the wearers–purple, white, green, and rose-colour, were to be seen at the same time. The people from the neighbouring villages then never ventured to pass the rails which separate the walks from the high road. The evening of Commencement Tuesday, if not the most numerous, was always the most splendid assemblage at Pot Fair, when the merits of the steward and the events of the Ball formed the chief subjects of conversation.