See! Oxford lifts her Head fublime, Nor wants there Gracia's better Part, 'Mid the proud Piles of ancient Art; Nor decent Doric to dispense New Charms 'mid old Magnificence; And here and there foft Corinth weaves Her dædal Coronet of Leaves; While, as with rival Pride, her Tow'rs invade the Sky. WARTON'S Ode. Blenheim Castle, the Seat of his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, near Woodstock Bodleian Library Chancellors, Vice-chancellors, &c. Lift of Chrift-Church, Cathedral and College Hall Clarendon Printing-House 6 36 9 22 55 93 8 23 41 88 74 76 Library, and Collection of Pictures 78 Corpus Chrifti College Ditchley, the Seat of the Right Honourable the Edmund Hall Exeter College 19 69 105 83 61 1 85 43 110 General Defcription of Oxford, and it's Environs Hertford College Heythrop the Seat of the Right Honourable the Jesus College Lifts of Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, Heads of THE NEW COMPANION FOR OXFORD. XFORD, as we read in our Chronicles, was even in the British Age, confecrated to the Mufes. It was called by the Romans Bellofuum. When the Place was first fortified does not appear; but the walls, of which fome parts are now remaining, were raised upon fome former foundation, about the time of the Conqueft, by Robert D'Oilie, who erected the Caftle at the command of the Conqueror in 1071; a work of great ftrength, and confiderable extent, as appears by the maffy ruins now extant. King Henry T. built a Royal Palace on a fpot called Beaumont, on the weft fide of the City, remains of which are ftill vifible. King Richard I, called Cœur de Lion, was born in this Palace. The origin of the Univerfity of Oxford has been perplexed with extravagant accounts of the number of Students. Archbishop Uher indeed fpeaks of 30,000 in King Henry the Third's time; and that feveral years afterwards, when the Civil Wars had fo much weakened the kingdom, and disturbed the peace of this Seat of Learning, there were remaining 15,000. In the City and its environs were feveral Monafteries, the principal of which were St. Fridefwyde's, and Ofeney Abbey. The Bishopric,, which was heretofore part of Lincoln Diocese, was erected by King Henry VIII, in 1542. The fituation is on an eminence, rifing gradually from its extremities to the center. It is encompaffed by meadows and corn-fields. The meadows, which are chiefly to the fouth and weft, are about a mile in extent; beyond which are hills of a moderate height, bounding the prospect. The eastern profpect is likewise bounded by hills at a little diftance; the valley growing confiderably narrower towards the fouth: but the north is open to cornfields and enclosures for many miles together, without any hill to intercept the free current of air. It is washed by a number of ftreams: on the east, by the different branches of the Cherwell; on the fouth and weft, by thofe 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 built, the Students were inftructed in the houfes of citizens, or in inns or halls, fupported by benefactions from rich perfons, or their own patrimony. Many fecular Scholars were educated in St. Fridef wyde's Priory, Ofeney, and other Abbies; which places were afterwards little ufed for education, as Colleges increased. But even the Colleges at firft were but small buildings, and were commonly called Halls, as Balliol Hall, Univerfity Hall, &c. Each College hath a Head or Superior to govern it, chofen for the most part from the Fellows of each Society. The Dean and Canons of Christ Church are nominated by the King. In all the Colleges, not only fuch as are provided for by their Founders and BenefacBors, but many others of all defcriptions, as Noblemen, Sons of Noblemen, Baronets, Gentlemen-Commoners, and |