fouth, the Cloyster on the west, and the Common Room, with other handsome apartments, on the east, adorned with two beautiful Gothic Towers. This court is in length from north to fouth about 172 feet, and in breadth 155. The Chapel of this college is about 70 feet long, and 30 broad; the Ante-chapel of the fame dimenfions: The Altar-piece is of a beautiful clouded marble, and over it a fine Affumption-piece of the Founder, painted by Sir James Thornhill. Here are alfo two elegant vafes, one on cach fide of the Altar, by the fame hand; the basrelief of which represents the institution of the two Sacraments. The compartment over the communion-table is filled with a picture painted at Rome in the year 1771, by the celebrated Mr. Mengs. The fubject of this piece is our Saviour's firft appearance to Mary Magdalen after his refurrection; which is called, by the Painters, a Noli me tangere, in allufion to the first words of Chrift's speech to her, "Touch me not." The colouring is exquifite; efpecially in the body of our Saviour. There is fomething very amiable, mixed with dignity, in the countenance and character of this figure; while the mild compofure of it is finely contrafted by that ecftasy of joy and astonishment which appears on the face of Mary.

The roof of the chapel is divided into compartments, carved and gilded. The fcreen, which divides the chapel from the ante-chapel, was the defign of Sir Chriftopher Wren.

The new Library is a magnificent Gallery, 200 feet long, and 30 broad, and about 40 feet high, finished at a great expenfe. The outfide is Gothic, in conformity with the reft of the quadrangle. The infide confifts of two grand ranges of book-cafes, one above the other, fupported by pilafters of the Doric and. Ionic orders. Over the book-cases are placed

placed interchangeably Vafes and Buftoes of many eminent perfons, formerly Fellows of this Society, of which the following is a Lift, viz.

1. Sir Anthony Shirley, Knight, A. B. Count of the Empire, and Ambaflador from Schach Abbas, Emperor of Perfia, to the Christian Princes, in the Reign of James I. admitted Fellow 1582.

2. Sir William Petre, Knight, LL. D. Secretary of State to Henry VIII. and Edward VI. and Privy Counfellor to Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, 1523.

3. George Clarke, LL. D. Secretary of War, and afterwards, in the Reign of Queen Anne, one of the Lords of the Admiralty, Secretary to Prince George of Denmark, and in five Parliaments Burgess for the Univerfity, 1680.

4. Sir Daniel Dunn, Knight, LL. D. Dean of the Arches, and one of the first Burgeffes in Parliament for the University, 1567.

5. Henry Coventry, Efq. LL. B. Ambaffador at Paris, and Secretary of State in the Reign of Charles II. 1634. 6. Sir Robert Weflon, Knight, LL. D. Dean of the Arches, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, 1536.

7. Sir William Trumbull, Knight, LL. D. Ambaffador to the French and Turkish Courts in the Reign of James II. Secretary of State to King William III. and Burgefs for the University, 1657.

8. Charles Talbot, LL. D. Baron of Henfol, and Lord High Chancellor of England, 1704.

9. Sir Christopher Wren, Knight, the famous Architect, LL. D. and Savillian Profeffor of Aftronomy, 1653.

10. Richard Steward, LL. D. Dean of St. Paul's, Provoft of Eton, Clerk of the Closet to Charles I. and Commiffioner for Ecclefiaftical Affairs at the Treaty of Uxbridge, 1613.

11. Thomas Tanner, D. D. Bishop of St. Asaph, 1696. 12. James Goldwell, LL. D. Bishop of Norwich, and Secretary of State to Edward IV. 1441.

13. Gilbert Sheldon, D. D. Archbishop of Canterbury, and Chancellor of the Univerfity, 1672.

14. Brian

14. Brian Duppa, D. D. Bishop of Winchester, Preceptor to Charles 11. when Prince of Wales, and Lord Almoner, 1612.

15. David Pole, LL. D. Dean of the Arches, and Bishop of Peterborough, 1520.

16. Jeremy Taylor, D. D. Bishop of Down and Connor, 1635.

17. John Norris, A. M. Rector of Bewerten, Wilts, 1680. 18. Thomas Sydenham, M. D. 1648.

19. Thomas Lynaker, M. D. Founder of the College of Phyficians, London, 1484.

20. Sir Clement Edmonds, Knight, A. M. Secretary of the Council in the Reign of James I. and Burgefs for the Univerfity, 1590.

21. Sir William Byrde, Knight, LL. D. Dean of the Arches, and Burgefs for the University, 1578.

22. Sir Nathaniel Lloyd, Knight, LL. D. Judge-Advocate, and Master of Trinity Hall in Cambridge, 1689. 23. Robert Hovenden, D. D. Warden of All-Souls, 1565.

24. Sir John Mafon, Knight, M. B. Privy Counsellor to Henry VII. Edward VI. Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, and the firft Lay Chancellor of the University of Oxford, 1521.

Over the great door is a very fine Buft of the Founder, Archbishop Chichele, in white marble, done by Mr. Roubiliac. The elegance of the room, and the choicenefs of the collection, confifting greatly of fearce and foreign books, make this esteemed one of the beft Libraries in Oxford.

The Statue of that generous Benefactor Colonel Codrington, who was the Founder of the Library, is erected in the middle, on a pedestal of veined marble; this part of the building being twice the breadth of the reft. The Colonel died in 1710, and the Statue was erected in 1739.

The

The Hall is an elegant room, in which are the Portraits of Archbishop Chichele, Founder; Colonel Codrington, and Sir Nathaniel Lloyd. At the upper end of the room, under the Founder's Picture, is a Piece of Sir James Thornhill's, reprefenting the Finding of the Law, and Jofiah renting his clothes, from 2 Kings xxii. 11. Over the chimney-piece, which is a very neat one of dove-coloured marble, is a Buft of the Founder; on one fide of him Lynaker, and on the other John Leland, the famous Antiquary and Author of the Itinerary, both members of this Society. In the Hall is alfo a Statue of that ornament to this Society and the University, the late Mr. Juftice Blackstone, executed by Bacon. This room is ornamented with many other Bufts, which are chiefly copies from antique originals.

The College Buttery, which was built with the Hall, is divided by a paffage; it is of an oval form, with an arched ftone roof of very curious work. The Warden's lodgings, which front the Highftreet, and are contiguous to the reft of the college, form a handsome house.

The Founder of this college, Dr. Henry Chichele, was born at Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire; and having had his fchool learning in that Town, was, in the year 1387, made by William of Wykeham, one of his first fet of Fellows at New College in Oxford, where he took the degree of Doctor of Civil Law. He was Archdeacon of Sarum, and afterwards Chancellor of the fame Church; and becoming known to Henry IV. was fent on feveral embaffies by that Monarch, and advanced first to the Bishopric of St. David's, in which having continued five years, he was tranflated on July 29, 1414, to the See of Canterbury, of which he remained Archbishop twenty-nine

years.

He laid the foundation of All-Souls. College years. in 1437; the Charter of Incorporation is dated May 20, 16 Henry VI. in which it is called Collegium Animarum omnium Fidelium defunctorum de Oxon. that is, The College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased of Oxford.

By the ftatutes he gave this college, he appointed forty Fellows, whereof twenty-four were directed to ftudy Divinity and Philofophy, and the other fixteen the Civil and Canon Law. He procured from King Henry VI. a grant of the lands and revenues of feveral diffolved priories to endow his college, and in his life-time erected the chapel and all the rest of the original buildings, which coft him 45451. and at his death gave to the Society the fums of 1341. 6s. 8d. and 100 marks.

The most confiderable Benefactors have been, Colonel Chriftopher Codrington, Governor of the Leeward Iflands, and Fellow of All-Souls, already mentioned; George Clarke, LL. D; the late Duke of Wharton; Doddington Greville, Efq. Lieutenant General Stewart, and Sir Nathaniel Lloyd, who, at the time that he was Fellow of this college, was Head of a college in Cambridge. The Colonel bequeathed 6000l. for building the noble Library already described, his own valuable study of books, and 4000l. more to purchase new ones; and Dr. Clarke gave his beautiful houfe for the use of the Wardens fucceffively of the college. He alfo much augmented the Chaplainships.

In this college are a Warden, forty Fellows, two Chaplains, and fix Clerks and Chorifters.

A very peculiar custom is the celebrating the Mallard Night, every year on the 14th of January, in remembrance of an exceffive large Mallard or Drake, supposed to have long ranged in a drain or fewer,

where