There being three Ifles in the Church, the Vice-Chancellor fits at the Weft-end of the Middle Ifle, on a kind of Throne elevated fome few Steps, on each fide whereof is a Pew for the Wives and Daughters of the Heads of Colleges and Female Strangers of Diftinction: Below the Vice-chancellor fit the Heads of Colleges, Noblemen and Doctors; and below them in the Pit fit the Mafters of Art on Benches, all of them with their Faces to the Eaft; and cross the Middle of the Pit is a Rail, beyond which fit the Inhabitants of the Parish and other Townfmen; on each fide of the Pit are Pews for the Wives and Daughters of the Inhabitants: The Pulpit ftands towards the lower end of the Pit, in that part affign'd to the Townsmen; the Preacher standing with his Face. to the Weft, oppofite to the Vice-chancellor and the Univerfity: There is a Gallery alfo at the Weft-end for the Batchelors and Under-graduates: Thefe Galleries however make but an indifferent Appearance, and do not seem to be near large enough to contain all the Students.

There are in the Steeple of this Church fix heavy Bells, tuneable enough, which are rung on all State Holydays.

The times of the Day the University go to this Church, are at Ten in the Morning and Two in the Afternoon on Sundays and Holidays; the Sermon ufually lafting about

half

half an Hour, but when I happen'd to be at Oxford in 1742, Mr. Wesley the Methodist, of Chrift-Church, entertain'd his Audience two Hours, and having infulted and abus'd all Degrees, from the highest to the lowest, was in a manner hifs'd out of the Pulpit by the Lads.

The Church of All Saints ftands in the fame High Street, a little to the Weftward of St. Mary's; this is a very beautiful Fabrick, of white hewn Stone, but fo lofty that the Voice is loft in it; the lowder the Preacher speaks the lefs he is understood; but it is thought the building of a Gallery at the Weft-end will cure this Fault. This Church is 72 Feet long, 42 broad, and 50 Foot high, and not a fingle Pillar in it; it has a beautiful fretwork Cieling, a fine Altar-piece, Pulpit, and Marble Font.

The outside of the Roof is encompass'd with a Stone Balluftrade, and it has an admirable Spire Steeple, adorn'd with Pilasters and other proper Decorations,

The Church of St. Peter's in the Bayly, which stands ftill further Weftward in that part of this Street, called the Old Butchery, is built in like manner, of white hewn Stone and of a fquare Form, but neither fo lofty or fo beautiful as All Saints, but probably will be a much better Church to preach in when it is finish'd.

E 2

The

Bodleian

The laft Church which deferves our At tention is that of St. John's, which ferves as a Chapel to Merton College; this is a handfome Old Gothick Building, faid to be the beft proportioned Church in Town, and better adorn'd on the Infide than most of them; it has a very large Square Tower for its Steeple, but not lofty.

As to the other publick Buildings belonging to the Town, I did not obferve any that defervid a Defcription: The Town-Hall where the Mayor and Aldermen meet and the Seffions are kept, is a very mean Building; and the Conduit which stands in the middle of the Town, at Quater-vois, or the Meeting of the principal Streets, has nothing extraordinary in it's Structure. Their Bridges are built with Stone, and thofe on the Eaft and South of a confiderable Extent, but they have no great fhare of Beauty. There is little left of the Caftle but a high Mount which commands the Town, and a fmall part of the Building, now converted into a Prifon, and near it is a pleafant Garden, which goes by the Name of Paradife, in which are Camomile and Grafs Walks, planted with Ever-Greens and almoft all manner of Fruit Trees and Flowers.

The publick Buildings belonging to the Library Univerfity are the next Subject of Enquiry, among which I begin with the University Library, ufually called the Bodleian, from Sir

Thomas

Thomas Bodley its principal Founder, this is a large lofty Structure, built of Stone, in the Form of a Roman H, and is faid to contain the greatest number of Books of any Library in Europe, except that of the Vatican, and that of Paris, a Catalogue whereof is printed, being itself a Folio of no mean Size; but it is obferved that there are a great many Duplicates among these, which make the Library appear larger than it really is: Nor is the difpofal and ordering of their Books much approv'd, for the Books of the principal Benefactors having a particular Place affign'd to each of them, a Student muft, run from one end of the Room to the other to confult Authors which treat of the fame Subject; for the Books being chain'd down, there is no bringing them together, even in the Library, much lefs can the Student confult them in his Study: And as there is but a small part of the Day (viz.) three Hours in the Morning and three in the Afternoon allowed Gentlemen to refort to the Library, it gives them an inconcievable Trouble to collect any thing from hence, especially during the fhort Days in Winter, when he must be content to fit without a Fire in a large cold Room, if he would fatisfy his Enquiries.

But to give fome account of the Foundation of the publick Library from Cambden: The Ground on which the Divinity School was built was purchas'd by the University

in the Year 1427, and upon feveral Contributions that Structure was foon after begun, but intermitted, till, by the Piety of. Humphrey Duke of Glocefter, it was carried on and compleated: The fame Duke, over the Divinity School, erected this Library, which he furnish'd with 129 choice Volumes he procur'd from Italy, befides which he gave 126 Volumes more in the Year 1440, and in the Year 1443, a much greater Number, befides confiderable Additions at his Death three Years after: But these Books have been long fince imbezzled and converted to private Uses.

In the Year 1597, Sir Thomas Bodley, Knight, formerly a Member of this Univerfity, repair'd the Old Library of Humphrey Duke of Glocefter, and fitted it for the Reception of Books, Anno Dom. 1599. An additional Eastern Gallery was begun by him in the Year 1610, and another Gallery projected by him was erected afterwards.

Sir Thomas Bodley furnish'd the Library with the best Books he could procure from all Parts of the World, in memory of which Benefaction the Earl of Dorfet caus'd the Statue of Sir Thomas to be erected in the Library.

Sir Thomas Bodley died Jan. 28, 1612. leaving a confiderable Eftate in Land and Money for Salaries to the Officers and keeping the Library in repair: He also left Statutes

for