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Turning on the right from the top of New College Lane, we pass Seale's Coffee House and the King's Arms Inn, and reach

WADHAM COLLEGE.

Porter's Lodge left hand of the gateway entering the quadrangle.

The front of this College has been lately laid open according to the original plan.'

The entrance to the spacious quadrangle, of 130 feet square, is through a gateway, with a tower rising above it. The Hall and Chapel are on the east-side, in the centre of which, and forming the entrance to the Hall, is a portico, enriched by the statue of King James I. in his robes, with the royal arms over it; that of Nicholas Wadham, in armour, holding in his right hand the model of the College, and on the left is the figure of Dorothy, his wife. In 1694, a building, which consists of three stories, was erected on the south-side of the front of the College, as an addition to the collegiate apartments.

The HALL is 75 feet in length, and 35 in breadth; it contains the portraits of Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham; Sir John Strangeways; John Goodridge; Lord Lovelace; Lord Camden; James Harris, Esq. author of Hermes, Philological Inquiries, &c.; Arthur Onslow, Esq. Speaker of the House of Commons; William III.; George I.; Dr. Bisse; Dr. Hody, Regius Professor of Greek, and Mrs. Hody;

Wright, Bishop of Bristol; Smith, Bishop of Chester; Blandford, Bishop of Worcester; Ironside, Bishop of Hereford; Dunster; Baker, Bishop of Norwich; Lisle, Bishop of Norwich; Dr. Wills, the late Warden, by Hoppner; and Dr. Lushington. In the great window, at the upper end, are two small portraits of Charles I. and his Queen.

In the COMMON ROOM, which is situated between the Chapel and the Hall, is a portrait of Dr. Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, who founded the Royal Society, the first meetings of which were held in this College; and another of Alice George, commonly called Mother George, whom Anthony Wood describes as "a very ancient dame, living in Black Boy-lane. The perfect use of all her faculties at the age of 120 years, occasioned a great resort of company to her house. It was her custom to thread a very fine needle without the help of spectacles, and to present it to her guests, who, in return, gave her some small gratuity, towards her support. In the latter end of her life, she removed into St. Peter's-le-Bailey, and died by an accidental fall which injured her back."

The LIBRARY is a spacious room, 55 feet by 30, with narrow Gothic windows, except the large one at the upper end, which contains two small portraits of the Founder and Foundress.

The CHAPEL is spacious and well-proportioned, with a noble ante-chapel, at right angles with the choir. The fine east window, which is

the work of Bernard Van Linge, was presented to the College by Sir John Strangeways. It represents, in the upper compartments, the principal types in the Old Testament relating to our Saviour; and in the lower ones, the most remarkable circumstances of his history as recorded in the New Testament. In the five windows on the north-side are representations of the Prophets, and in those of the south, of our Saviour and his Apostles. At the east-end of the Chapel is a painting by Isaac Fuller, on cloth of an ash colour, done with brown and white crayons. The principal subject is the Lord's Supper, with Abraham and Melchisedech on the north-side, and the Children of Israel gathering Manna on the south. This painting is very much decayed. In the chancel, on the north-side, is a handsome marble monument to the memory of Sir John Pórtman, Bart. who died in 1624. The reading desk is supported by a very well-executed large brass eagle, given by Sir Thomas Lear, Bart. of Lindridge, in Devonshire, in 1691. In the ante-chapel are monuments to the memory of Mr. Upton, Mr. Farmer, Mr. French, Mr. Harris, Mr. Bishop, and Mr. Drake, Members of this Society.

The GARDEN of this College is very tastefully disposed, and the north-side of the Chapel and the adjoining parts of the College, may be viewed from it with advantage.

This College was founded in 1613, by Nicholas Wadham, of Merifield, in Somersetshire, and Dorothy his wife, for a Warden, 15 Fellows, 15 Scholars, two Chaplains, and two Clerks. The Fellows are superannuated, and resign their Fellowships, on the completion of 18 years from the expiration of their regency. Dr. Wills, the late Warden, was a most munificent benefactor to this College.

The number of members on the books exceeds 150.

Beyond Wadham College are the fine, open, healthy Walks, called the PARKS, which are kept in repair at the expense of the University.

Not far from the King's Arms Inn, in Holywell-street, is the Music Rooм, a handsome, commodious edifice, where Concerts are often performed during Term. They are under the direction of Stewards from different Colleges. The principal support of the Concerts is from annual subscriptions of members of the University, and of Ladies and Gentlemen of Oxford and its vicinity. Non-subscribers are admitted by paying at the door, or by tickets, which may be had at all the Music Shops.

After viewing Wadham College, we return to Broad-street, pass by the Printing Office and the curious old heads of the Caesars, and arrive at

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THE ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM.

This was the first public institution for the reception of rarities in art or nature established in England, and in the infancy of the study of natural history in this country, possessed what was then considered a valuable and superior collection. The building, which is the work of Sir Christopher Wren, is admirable for its just architectural proportions. Its situation, indeed, is unfavourable, and its portico is almost obscured in the narrow passage made by the Theatre.

In 1677, Elias Ashmole made a proposal to the University to bestow on it the valuable collection formed by the Tradescants, father and son, two eminent gardeners and botanists at Lambeth, which he had enlarged by coins, medals, and manuscripts, collected by himself, if that body would engage to erect a building for their reception. The University willingly assented to his proposition, and in 1682 the requisite building was completed. After his death the Museum was enlarged by the addition of his valuable Antiquarian Library, and has been augmented by Martin Lister's collection of ores, fossils, &c.; the manuscripts of John Aubrey, Sir William Dugdale, and Antony Wood; the collections in natural history of Dr. Plott and Edward Llwyd, the two first keepers of the Museum, and of Mr. Borlase, the historian of Cornwall; to which may be

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