The prefent members of this Society are, the Warden, fifteen Fellows, two Chaplains, fifteen Scholars, two Clerks, and fixteen Exhibitioners; the whole number of Students being ufually about 100. Vifitor. The Bishop of Bath and Wells.

TH

TRINITY COLLEGE.

HE avenue to Trinity College, which has been. lately widened fo as to exhibit the whole front of the Chapel towards the street, and ornamented with a clock, is fenced by an iron palifade, with folding gates. The front of the college confifts of the Chapel' and Gateway, with its beautiful Tower.

In the first court are the Chapel, Hall, President's Lodgings, and Library.

The great elegance of the Chapel refults from an affemblage of high finifhed ornaments. The carvings of the fcreen and altar-piece, which are of cedar, are finished with exquifite tafte by the mafterly hand of that eminent artist Mr. Guibbons. In the midst of the ceiling, which is covered with a beautiful ftucco, is an Afcenfion, which is executed in a good ftyle by Peter Berchett, an eminent French Painter. On the north fide of the Altar, under an alcove, is a tomb, on which are the figures of the Founder and his Lady.

The Hall is fpacious and well-proportioned, and adorned with a portrait of the Founder. Over the chimney-piece are the Arms of Queen Mary and King Philip.

In the Library windows are feveral compartments of fine old painted glass, much injured in former times.

The fecond court, planned by Sir Chriftopher Wren, was one of the firft pieces of modern archi

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tecture

tecture which appeared in the University. It confifts of three fides, the north and weft of which are intended to be raised and finished in the manner with that on the fouth. The opening to the gardens, on the east, has an agreeable effect.

The Gardens are extenfive, and laid out in two divifions. The firft, or larger divifion, is thrown into open grass-plots. The north wall is covered with a yew-hedge. The centre walk is terminated by a well-wrought iron gate, with the Founder's. Arms at the top, fupported by two piers, The fouthern divifion is a pleafing folitude, confifting of fhady walks, with a wilderness of flowering fhrubs, and difpofed into ferpentine paths.

This college was founded March 8, 1594, by Sir Thomas Pope, Knight, of Tittenhanger, in Hertfordshire, Privy-Counsellor to Queen Mary, and a fingular friend to Sir Thomas More, for the main. tenance and education of a Prefident, twelve Fellows, and twelve Scholars. The Founder directs, that the Scholars, who fucceed to the Fellowships, fhall be chofen from his Manors: but if no candidates appear under fuch qualifications on the day of election, that they fhall be fupplied from any county in England. He alfo appoints that no more than two natives of the fame county fhall be Fellows of his college at the fame time, Oxfordshire excepted, from which county five are permitted.

The principal, and almoft only Benefactor, was Dr. Ralph Bathurst, formerly Prefident, who expended 1900l. in rebuilding the chapel.

This college confifts of a Prefident, twelve Fellows, and twelve Scholars. Thefe, with the other members, Gentlemen Commoners, Commoners, &e. amount to about go.

Vifitor. The Bishop of Winchester.

BALLIOL

BALLIOL COLLEGE.

Bnity, and confifts chiefly of one court, which

ALLIOL College is fituated to the weft of Tri

we enter by a Gothic gate. The buildings about this court are ancient, except the east end, which is finished in the manner in which the rest of that quadrangle may be built.

The Chapel ftands at the north-eaft angle of the great court. The great eaft window, which is well executed, reprefents the Paffion, Refurrection, and Afcenfion of Chrift. The Hall is at the weft end of the fame court. In the Mafter's Lodgings are fome good rooms, particularly a spacious Hall, having a well-preferved ancient window to the eaft. Their Library is well furnished with a very large collection of ufeful books, and many ancient manuscripts.

Over the gate of the College are the Arms of the Balliol Family

And on the outfide, over against the Mafter's Lodgings, was a ftone placed in memory of thofe learned and pious Prelates, Archbishop Cranmer, Bishop Ridley, and Bishop Latimer, who, were burnt at that place for their adherence to the Reformation; which has not been vifible fince the City has been paved in its present form.

Befides this court, there is an area to the northweft, confifting of feveral detached lodgings for the Students; and an elegant new building, rather refembling a modern dwelling-houfe, with a beautiful front to the ftreet, erected at the expenfe of Mr. Fisher, late Fellow of this Society, in which are feveral handsome apartments. This Infcription is on the north fide, by defire of the Founder: VERBUM NON AMPLIUS FISHER.

Sir John Balliol, of Bernard Caftle, in Yorkshire, father of John Balliol, King of Scotland, first defigned the foundation of this College for the education of Scholars, to whom he gave yearly Exhibitions; but dying before he purchafed land, he recommended the defign to his widow Devorguilla, daughter of Alexander III. King of Scotland, who firft fettled thefe Exhibitions; and in 1284 purchased a tenement for her Scholars of Balliol, and conveyed it to the Mafters and Scholars of this House for ever for their habitation, having obtained a royal charter for that purpose. She afterwards added several new buildings to it, and fettled lands for the maintenance of the Scholars, dedicating her Foundation to the honour of the Holy Trinity, the Bleffed Virgin, and St. Katherine the Martyr; which Benefactions were afterwards ratified by her fon John Balliol, King of Scotland, and Oliver Bifhop of Lincoln, in whofe diocefe Oxford then was. The value of the lands and revenues, belonging to this college, did not exceed 271. 9s. 4d. per ann. at that time; but their eftates were foon after greatly enlarged by the benefactions of others, particularly Sir Philip Somerville. Dr. John Warner, Bishop of Rochester, founded four Scottish Exhibitions, endowing them with a revenue, which has fince been augmented by John Snell, Efq. The members of this Society are at prefent a Mafter, twelve Fellows, fourteen Scholars, and eighteen Exhibitioners; the whole number of Students amounting to about 90.

The Mafters and Fellows elect their Vifitor, whe at prefent is the Archbishop of York.

ST.

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE

TS fituated north of Balliol and Trinity Colleges, having a terras, with a row of lofty elms before it. The buildings of this College chiefly confift of two large quadrangles. We enter the firft by a handfome old gateway with a tower over it. It is formed by the Hall and Chapel on the north, the Prefident's Lodgings on the eaft, and the Chambers of the Fellows, Scholars, and other Students, on the fouth and weft fides. The Hall is elegant, being wellproportioned, and handfomely wainscotted, with a beautiful arched roof, a fcreen of Portland Stone, and a grand variegated marble chimney-piece, containing a picture of St. John the Baptift, by Titian. It is likewise adorned with many other pictures; viz. at the upper end, by a whole-length portrait of the Founder; on his right-hand Archbishop Laud, and on his left Archbishop Juxon. On the north and fouth fides of the room are thofe of Bishop Mew, Bishop Buckridge, Sir William Paddy, and other eminent men, who have been members of, and benefactors to, this Society.

The Chapel, which is adjoining to the Hall, is in all refpects neat and commodious. It is divided from the Ante-chapel by a new and elegant Screen, over which has been erected a very complete new Organ. It has now an elegance which refults from several high-finished, yet fimple ornaments. In particular the Stand on which the Bible is placed is adorned with masterly carving. The Altar is of the Corinthian order, and very properly adapted. Over the Communion-Table is a fine piece of tapeftry reprefenting our Saviour with the two Difciples at Emmaus, copied from a painting of Titian. The Dog fnarling