" This poem described the agonies of a viva-voce examination, and it derived its title from two facts of evil omenthat the Vulture plucks its victim, and that the Husbandman makes his living by ploughing: "Two undergraduates came up, And slowly took a seat, They knit their brows, and bit their thumbs, As if they found them sweet; And this was odd, because, you know, Thumbs are not good to eat.

I passed my viva-voce examination at the hands of the young lady at the desk, paid my fees, got my testamur, and was shown into the torture-chamber, where the head executioner was busy adjusting his racks and screws.