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NEW

OLLEGE

FROM THE EAST.

lege is intended to be erected in the Form of a Quadrangle, to confift of four Angles, and four intermediate Buildings; each Angle to confift of three Stair-cafes and fifteen fingle Apartments; every Apartment to contain an outward Room, a Bed-place, and a Study. Of these the South Eaft Angle, and the Chapel in the South, the Principal's Lodgings in the Eaft, the Hall in the North, and the Gateway (with the Library over it) in the Weft, are already finifhed, agreeable to the Plan of the Oxford Almanack of the Year 1747.

Hertford or Hart Hall, an ancient House of Learning, was an Appendant to Exeter College. But having received an Endowment in Part, was, at the Request of Dr. Richard Newton, then Principal, who endowed the Senior Fellowships, incorporated, Sept. 8, 1740.

And, though it is now ftiled Hertford College, it may be called by the Name of any other Perfon who will complete the endowment of it, or become the Principal Benefactor to it.

This College confifts of a Principal, two fenior Fellows or Tutors, Junior Fellows or Affiftants, thirty Undergraduate-Students, and four Scholars.

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NEW College is fituated Eaft of the Schools and

Theatre, and North of Queen's, from which it is feparated only by a narrow Lane. It is dedicated to St. Mary Winton, and has been called New College from its first Foundation, being at that Time highly regarded for its Extent and Grandeur.

We enter this College by a Portal, leading into the firft Court, which is a Quadrangle of about 168 Feet

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long, and 129 broad, with a Statue of Minerva in the Middle of it. This Court, built at the Foundation of the College, was low, with narrow arch'd tranfom Windows, in the Fashion of the Times: But foon after the Restoration of King Charles II. another Story was added over the old Building, and all the Windows altered to their prefent Form. On the North Side is the Chapel and the Hall; on the East the Library; on the South the Fellows Apartments, and on the Weft the Warden's Lodgings, which are large and commodious, furnished with fome valuable Portraits.

In the North-west Corner of the Court is the Entrance into the Chapel; by much the grandeft in the Univerfity. The Form of it is like that at Magdalen College, but larger. The Ante-Chapel is fupported by two beautiful Staff-moulded Pillars. The large Western Window was lately painted by Mr. Pecket of York. This Part is upwards of 80 Feet long, and 36 broad. The inner Chapel 100 Feet long, 35 broad, and 65 high. As we enter the inner Chapel the most striking Object is the Altar-piece; the Painting whereof was done by our ingenious Countryman Mr. Henry Cook, who flourished about an hundred Years ago. It reprefents the Concave of a Semi-Rotunda in the Ionic Order, with a Cupola adorned with curious Mofaic Work; in which, the East End of the Chapel seems to terminate. The Altar, which is partly built of Wood and partly Painted, intercepting in fome Degree the View, greatly favours the Deceptio; particularly two large open Pannels in the lower Part thereof, which have a good Effect.

In the upper Part of the Altar-piece, which is painted in fuch a Manner as to feem the Finishing of the Wood-work that fupports it, is a Frame and Pannel, wherein is reprefented the Salutation of the Virgin Mary; and above the Entablature hangs hovering a moft beautiful Cloud with g great Numbers of Angels and Cherubs in various Attitudes, waiting the Return

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of the Angel Gabriel. The proper Place to view it from to Advantage, is the Entrance into the Choir; the Perspective being contrived on Purpofe, to answer that Height and Distance. Over the Communion Table is an Original Painting of the celebrated Annibal Caracei, prefented to this College by the Earl of Radnor. The Subject of this Piece is the Shepherds coming to Chrift immediately after his Nativity. The Virgin, Angels, and Shepherds, are reprefented as jointly celebrating the Nativity in the divine Hymn of "Glory to God in the Higheft, &c." The Compofition and Drawing is admirable. The Force and Spirit of the Shepherds is finely contrafted by the Elegance and Grace of the Virgin and attending Angels.

The Windows on the South Side are most attracting to Strangers: Each Window containing eight Figures as big as the Life, of Saints and Martyrs, done by Mr. Price of London in 1737, as thofe on the North were executed by Mr. Pecket of York in 1774.

On the North Side of the Chapel is preferved the Crofier of the Founder, which is ufually fhewn to Strangers; a well-preferved Piece of Antiquity, and almost the only one in the Kingdom. It is near seven Feet high, is of Silver gilt, finely embellished with Variety of rich Gothic Architecture. Though it is about 400 Years old, it has loft little of it's original Beauty.

Here is an admirable Organ, first built by Dolham, and fince improved by Mr. Green, who added to the Clarion Stop, and the Swelling Organ. Cathedral Service is performed here twice every Day, viz. at Eight and Five. This Chapel is efteemed one of the beft in England for Mufic: which probably is owing to its being very fpacious, and having no Breaks (fuch as Arches and Side lles) to divide the Sounds. Adjoining to the Chapel is a fpacious Cloifter, and Garden; on the North Side of which is a Tower with a Peal of Ten Bells.

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The Way up to the Hall is at the North-east Corner of the Quadrangle. It is handsomely wainscotted, and adorned with the Portraits of the Founder William of Wykeham, William of Wainfleet the Founder of Magdalen College, and Archbishop Chichele the Founder of All-Souls, both Fellows of this College in the Founder's Life-time.

The LIBRARY (fituated on the Eaft Side of the Quadrangle) confifts of two elegant Rooms, one over the other, 70 Feet long and 22 broad; both of them well furnished with Books, particularly some valuable Manuscripts.

From hence we pafs through the middle Gate into the GARDEN-COURT, which widens by Breaks as we approach the Garden. This Court is feparated from the Garden, by an Iron Gate and Pallifade which extend 130 Feet in Length, and admit of an agreeable Profpect of the Garden through them. In the Garden is a beautiful Mount well difpofed, behind which and on the North Side are fome curious and uncommon Shrubs and Trees. The whole is furrounded by a Terras. Great Part of the Garden, as well as fome Parts of the College, is encompaffed by the City Wall, which ferves as a Fence to the College, and is to be traced with its Battlements and Baftions along the North and South Boundaries of the College.

At the South-eaft Corner of the Garden we enter the BOWLING-GREEN; which is neat and commodious. Oppofite to the Entrance is a Pavilion; on the Right Flowering, Shrubs, and a Row of Elms to shade the Green, and on the Left a Row of Sycamores, which are a great Curiofity, nearly incorporated from one End of the Row to the other.

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Having conducted our Reader to the furtheft Part of the College, we would recommend a View of the Building from the Mount; whence the Garden Court, in particular, has a very grand Effect: For from thence

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