from Harts Foreft in Germany. The Piers or Butments of the Arches are adorned with Pilafters of the Ionic Order.

The Dome, which is 80 Feet high from the Pavement, is wrought in curious Compartments in Stucco. It is chiefly lighted by Windows in the Cylindric Part. thereof; between which are Treffes of Fruits and Flowers. In the circular Part, without the Piers, are the Book-cafes and Reading-tables: This Part is lighted by the small square Windows; which are thus proportioned and difpofed, to admit of a Gallery above, which would otherwise have been too high. This Gallery is appropriated to the fame Ufes as the circular Part beneath. Over the Door is a very good Statue of the Founder by Rybrack: The beft point to view it from, is, directly oppofite to it, in the Gallery. Over the Entrance of one of the Galleries is a Bust of Gibbs, the Architect. The first Stone of this fuperb Building. was laid May 17. A. D. 1737; and being compleatly finished, it was opened on Thursday, April 13, 1749;. when the Duke of Beaufort, one of the Trustees, delivered the Keys into the Hands of the then Vice-Chancellor, who, in the Name of the University, returned Thanks to the Trustees.

In this Library are a couple of fuperb Roman Candlesticks, of incomparable Workmanship, given to the University by Sir Roger Newdigate, Bart. Their want of fimilarity adds to their Worth, as by it we have the Benefit of more of the Ingenuity of the Roman Artists. They were found in the Ruins of the Emperor Adrian's Palace at Tivoli, in the Campania Romana.

THE Public are indebted to Dr. Radcliffe's Trustees for the building and compleatly furnishing the PUBLIC INFIRMARY at the North Side of the City, which is maintained and fupported by voluntary Contributions from every Part of the Kingdom, and is diftinguished

guished by the Stile of The Prefident and Governors of the Radcliffe Infirmary, for the Relief of the Sick and Lame Poor, from whatever County recommended. An inftitution which in this Place must be productive of very extenfive Benefits, as, while it relieves the Poor, it ferves for a School for the Students in Phyfic.

The fame munificent Trustees of Dr. Radcliffe's Will, to whom the Public in general, and this Place in particular, are fo greatly indebted, have built a magnificent

ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY, far exceeding any other Building for that learned and ufeful Purpose. It is erected in an open, elevated Place, a little North of the Infirmary, containing about ten Acres. The Ground was a Benefaction of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough. The Situation completely advantageous, and not incommoded by the Town. The Execution of the Obfervatory will be a lafting Honour to Mr. Wyat, the celebrated Architect.

After the Public Buildings, a Defcription of the PHYSIC GARDEN properly follows. It is fituated on the South of Magdalene College. This was the Donation of Henry D'Anvers, Earl of Danby, who purchased the Ground (containing five Acres) of Magdalene College, furrounded it with a lofty Wall, and erected, next to the Street, a parapet with Iron Palisades thereon.. The Piers which fupport these and the other Iron-work, being properly ornamented with Vafes of Fruits and Flowers of various Kinds, ferving as a Fence to the Green-Court, through which we pafs to the Gate-way.

This Gate-way is juftly esteemed an elegant Piece of Architecture. The Defign is afcribed to Inigo Jones ; nor is it unworthy of that Architect. The manner of it is thus: It is of the Doric Proportion, but without Triglyphs. The Columns and other Parts of the Building

are

are curioufly wrought with Ruftic. The Frontifpiece confifts of two fmall Pediments, and one of larger Dimenfion; which, at its Extremities, partly covers the other two. In the Center over the Arch is a Buft of the Founder, Lord Danby. On the Left-hand of the Entrance is a Statue of CHARLES I. and on the Righthand, one of CHARLES II. The Niches in which thefe ftand are finished by the two fmall Pediments abovementioned. On the Face of the Corona and the Frize is the following Infcription; viz. Gloria Dei optimi maximi Honori Caroli I. Regis in Ujum Academiæ & Reipublica Henricus Comes Danby, Anno 1632. This Infcription is likewife on the Garden Front.

The Garden is divided into four Quarters, with a broad Walk down the Middle, a cross Walk, and one all round. Near the Entrance, are two elegant and ufeful Green-Houses, one on the Right, the other on the Left, built by the Univerfity for Exotics; of which there is a confiderable Collection. In the Quarters, within the Yew Hedges, is the greatest Variety of such Plants as require no artificial Heat to nourish them, all ranged in the proper Claffes, and numbered.

Eastward of the Garden, without the Walls, is an excellent Hot-house; where tender Plants, fuch whose native Soil lies between the Tropics, are raised and brought to great Perfection; viz. the Anana or Pine Apple, the Plantain, the Coffee Shrub, the Caper Tree, the Cinnamon, the Creeping Cereus, and many others. Thefe Pine-Apples have nearly the fame Flavour as those raised in warmer Climates; the Caper and the Coffee Shrub alfo bear well.

This useful Foundation has been much improved by the late Dr. Sherard, who brought from Smyrna a valuable Collection of Plants. He built the Library adjoining to the Garden, and furnished it with a curious Collection of Botanical Books, and a valuable Hortus Siccus The East End of this Building is the Apartment for

D

the

the Profeffor, whofe Salary is paid out of the Interest of 3000l. given by Dr. Sherard for that Purpose. The Affiftant to the Profeffor is provided by the Univerfity.

We proceed next to defcribe and give fome Account of the feveral Colleges; and as Magdalen College is the nearest to the Place we laft mentioned, and the first we meet with in the Road from London, it may not be improper to begin with that,

TH

MAGDALEN COLLEGE.

HE College of St. Mary Magdalen is fituated upon the River Cherwell, near the Phyfic-Garden. The firft Thing worthy the Attention of a curious Ob. ferver, is the Weft Entrance into the Chapel; over which are five small historical Figures, of elegant Sculpture. That on the Right, in a kneeling Pofture, reprefents the Founder; the next William of Wickham, the Founder of the two St. Mary Winton Colleges; that in the Middle, St. Mary Magdalen, to whom the College is dedicated; the next, in a kneeling Pofture, King Henry III. who founded the Hofpital which was converted into this College; and that on the Left, St. John the Baptift, to whom the faid Hospital was dedicated.

The Building on the Left-hand is the President's Lodgings; adjoining to which is a magnificent Gothic Gate-way (formerly the Grand Entrance into the College) adorned with Statues as large as the Life, of four of the above Perfons, viz. the Founder, St Mary Magdalen, King Henry III. and St. John the Baptift.

Between the Chapel and the above Gate-way we enter the Cloyfter; near this Entrance is the Chapel, which is a well-proportioned Edifice in form of a Roman T inverted. The Ante-Chapel is remarkable for it's elegant Monuments; particularly one, on the Left-hand

of