Raymond by John Lang

In this manner, among a set of extravagant, non-reading men, Henry passed his freshman's year, the only orderly portion of which, was that spent at home in vacation time. Yet despite the constant round of gayety in which he indulged, he was far from feeling happy; and no wonder, for nothing can be more commonplace, or barren of satisfaction, than the course of dissipation pursued at Cambridge. Billiards--boating on the narrow, muddy Cam--tippling at parties, where the wine is generally as bad as the jokes, a row at night, with its customary accompaniment, a black eye--tandem-driving, where the odds are, that the shaft-horse falls lame after the first few miles, and the leader turns right round, and coolly stares you in the face every fourth or fifth yard, indulging the while in a sly horse-laugh at your expense--a trip to Newmarket, the dullest race-course in Christendom, where little more is to be seen than just a few horsemen scampering with blue noses across the chilly heath, a few carriages drawn up alongside the course, and a squad of individuals in shabby hats and old great-coats standing about the betting-post, looking, the majority, as keen and business-like as if they were on 'Change, and some as scampish as if they had just eloped from the tread-mill--such are the amusements of the non-reading men at Cambridge; and of these it is no wonder that Henry soon began to tire, the more especially as they had involved him in heavy pecuniary embarrassments.

Just at this critical juncture, when, pressed by the importunities of his creditors, he was meditating a return to a more regular and economical mode of life, a circumstance took place, which, unimportant as it at first appeared, had a decisive effect on his after destiny.