the Cherwell; on the fouth and weft, by those of the Thames: all which meet, and join a little below the city, forming one beautiful river. The foil is dry, being on a fine gravel, which renders it not lefs healthful than pleasant. Before the Colleges were erected, the Students were inftructed in the houses of citizens, or in inns or halls, supported by benefactions from rich perfons, or their own patrimony. The town, including the fuburbs, is a mile in length from eaft to weft, and almost as much in breadth from north to fouth, being three miles in circumference; but it is of an irregular figure; and several airy spaces are comprehended within thefe limits, befides the many courts and gardens belonging to the refpective Colleges. The city, properly fo called, formerly furrounded by a wall, with baftions at about 150 feet diftance from each other, is of an oblong form, and about two miles in circumference. Magdalen College, with the eastern as well as the northern fuburbs, which contain the parishes of Holywell, Magdalen, and St. Giles, with Balliol, Trinity, St. John's, and Wadham Colleges, are without the old walls, of which fome part remains as a boundary to New College; beginning near the eaft end of the High-Street, and continuing almoft to the Clarendon Printing House, where there was a Portal and a Chapel; fome remains of which are ftill visible. The principal ftreet of the city runs from eaft to weft, the entire length of the town, but under different names; the High Street, beginning at Magdalen Bridge, includes at least two thirds of that length; the remainder is to the end of Caftle-Street. The High-Street is perhaps without a rival, being of a fpacious width and length, adorned with the fronts of three Colleges, St. Mary's and All-Saints Churches, terminated at the east end with a view of Magdalen College Tower, and a beautiful bridge. Every turn of this ftreet presents a new object, and a different view, each of which would make an agreeable picture in perspective; whereas, had it been straight, every object would have been seen at one and the fame inftant, but more forefhortened than at present.! The fecond street is that which runs from fouth to north, croffing the street already defcribed. The fouth fide is called Fish-Street, and the other the CornMarket; from whence we pafs into Magdalen parish, and St. Giles's, which form a very fpacious ftreet, and in fome refpects is preferable to either of the former, it having the pleasure and advantage of the country, though connected with the town. One end of this ftreet is terminated by St. Giles's Church, and adorned with the front of St. John's College. On the eaft fide of Fish-Street (commonly called St. Old's, by corruption from St. Aldate's) ftands Chrift-Church College, the magnificent front whereof is extended to 382 feet in length. On the fame fide is the TOWN HALL, where the Town and County Seffions, and the Affizes, are held; which was rebuilt at the expense of THOMAS ROWNEY, Efq. late reprefentative in Parliament, and High Steward of the City. The principal Bridges are, 1. Magdalen Bridge, over the Cherwell, being 526 feet in length, by which we enter the town from London. 2. High-Bridge, in the western fuburb, over the Ifis; confifting of three arches. 3. Folly-Bridge, as it is commonly called, in the fouthern fuburb, on the fame river, where formerly stood an arched entrance, over which was the celebrated Friar Bacon's Study; it confifts of three arches, and is, like the reft, entirely built 1 with ftone. This is the entrance from Abingdon and various parts of Berkshire. We must not here omit the many elegant and ufeful improvements that have taken place, in pursuance of an Act of Parliament obtained in the 11th year of his prefent Majefty. The narrow and incommodious paffage at Eaft Gate has been opened, which renders this part equal to the magnificence of the HighStreet; and in the year 1779 a new ftone Bridge, at this entrance of the Town, was erected at the expenfe of upwards of Eight Thoufand Pounds. In pursuance alfo of the fame Act of Parliament, on the north fide of the High-Street, between St. Martin's and All-Saints' Churches, was erected the New General Market, 347 feet long, and 112 wide, equal to any thing of the kind in the kingdom. The City of Oxford, with its fuburbs, and liberties, confifts of fourteen parishes. 1. St. Mary's. 2. All-Saints. 3. St. Martin's, or Carfax. 4. St. Aldate's, or St. Old's. 5. St. Ebb's. 6. St. Peter's in the Bailey. 7. St. Michael's. 8. St. Mary Magdalen's. 9. St. Peter's in the Eaft. 10. Holywell. 11. St. Giles's. 14. St. Clement's. Only three of the churches belonging to thefe parifhes are worthy obfervation, viz. St. Mary's, All. Saints, and St. Peter's in the Eaft. St. Mary's ftands on the north fide of the HighStreet, and is the Church ufed by the University on Sundays and Holydays. It is well proportioned and handfomely built in the Gothic ftile. The Porch is in a more modern tafte. The Church confifts of three ailes, and a large chancel, which is paved with black and white marble. The Vice-Chancellor fits at the weft end of the middle aile, on a throne elevated some A 3 few few steps a little below which fit the two Proctors; on either hand the Heads of Houfes and Doctors ; below these the young Noblemen; and in the area, on benches, the Mafters of Arts. At the weft end alfo, with a return to the north and south ailes, are galleries for the Bachelors and Under-Graduats; and under the middle ones are feats for the Ladies. The tower and fpire, which rifes to the perpendicular height of 180 feet, is a noble and beautiful structure, and contains a ring of fix large bells. The room on the north fide of the chancel, lately repaired in the ftyle of the rest of the Church, is now the Common Law School, where the Vinerian Profeffor reads his Lectures. The Church of All-Saints, fituated in the HighStreet, is an elegant modern ftructure, much in the style of many of the new churches in London. It is beautified, both within and without, with Corinthian pilafters, and finished with an attic ftory and baluftrade. There is no pillar in the church, though it is 72 feet long, 42 wide, and 50 high. The ceiling, altar, pulpit, &c. are finely execated. The fteeple is remarkable in the modern manner. Its architect was Dr. Aldrich, formerly Dean of Christ Church. The Church of St. Peter in the Eaft, ftanding near the High-Street, was partly built by St. Grymbald, 800 years ago; and is reported to be the firft Church of ftone that appeared in this part of England. It was formerly the Univerfity Church; and even at prefent, with a view of afcertaining their original claim, the University attend their fermons in it every Sunday in the afternoon during Lent. The tower and eaft end are curious pieces of antiquity. In the year 1760 this Church was beautified and new pewed at the expenfe of the Parish; and in 1768 by a liberal fubfcription from the Inhabitants and fuch Heads of of Houfes as live in the Parish, the Organ was rebuilt by Meffrs. Green and Byfield, of London. PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY. The PUBLIC SCHOOLS, with one fide of the Library on the weft, form a fquare of 105 feet: the principal front on the outfide is about 175 feet in length; in the middle of it is a gate with a magnificent tower. Three fides of the upper ftory of the Quadrangle are one entire room, called the PICTURE GALLERY, near the middle of which is a Statue in Brafs of PHILIP Earl of Pembroke, by the fame Artift who caft the equeftrian ftatue of Charles I. at Charing-Cross it is alfo furnished with the Portraits of most of the Founders of the Colleges, many learned and famous men, feveral large Cabinets of Medals, and fome Cafes of Books, being intended as a continuation of the Bodleian Library. Dr. Tanner, Bishop of St. Alaph, gave his valuable Collection of Manufcripts to the Univerfity, together with a fum of money to erect proper Cafes for them: they are depofited near the entrance into the Gallery; as are Mr. Willis's and Mr. Godwin's, together with other Collections of Books and Coins. Dr. Butler, formerly Prefident of Magdalen College, and the late Duke of Beaufort, were at the expenfe of new wainscotting the Gallery, fince which the Pictures have been cleaned and repaired, more advantageously difpofed, and their number greatly increased by late Benefactors. The UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, ufually called the Bodleian, from Sir Thomas Bodley, its principal Founder, is a large lofty ftructure, in the form of a Roman H, and is faid to contain the greateft number |