The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-19 00:00:00

THE VISIT OF THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS

OF WALES TO OXFORD.

(now on erscur. mown.)
OXFORD, TotrooDAY..

Although the Prince and Princess are still in
Oxford, and will remain here till half-past 3, the
city is steadily relapsing into its normal state of
quiet. The rattle of carriages, the roar of stu-
dents, and the confusion of crinolines have disap-
from the secluded squares of the University.
rhaereftheldonian, which for the past two days was
the scene of an academic saturnalia as well as of •
royal and academic ceremonial, is silent as the
grave ; the balls in which Christ Church, and All
Souls, and Exeter dispensed their splendid hospi-
tality are mute ; the learned professors, who, in de-
ference to the presence of royalty, "let Euclid rest
and Archimedes pause," have returned to their
meditations on the Aberlute, their theological theses,
and their Greek glosses, not the less inclined per-
haps after the splendid fetes in which they partici-
pated to agree with the sceptical poet, that "after all,
all things are but a show," or with the more scep-
tical novelist, that the beat thing for man to do is
"to look after his garden." Such, at all events, is
the conclusion of the uncloistered, practical man rt
the world ; far what piles of portmanteaus and loads
of higpge are carted down to the railway stations,
and what a hurrying to and fro of ladies and gen-'
demen panting to be off to " pastures new " of en-
joyment and laissez-s'oriblier! But, alas! for " Or_
ford of the Spires and the Sciences," the emigration
is all from the city, and there are no vestigia
retrornion. Even her own alumni are deserting the
Queen of the Isis, and leaving her to the dreary,
long, lonesome vacation, without casting as much I
as a "lingering look behind," as though the maxim
"to trifle is to live" bad penetrated into the soli-
tudes
where Contemplation was wont to dwell.
Now, however, that the public receptions, the com-
memoration, the feasts, the balls, and the boat- 1
races are over, the Princess of Wales has determined
on seeing in quiet and in privacy whatever is most
attractive in this world-renowned seat of learning.
Accordingly, accompanied by the Prince, and
attended by Lord Mount-Edgcumbe, Lord Harris,
General Knollys, and Dr. Liddell, Dean of Christ
Church, her royal highness, after visiting the
library of Christ Church, proceeded in an open
carriage, shortly after twelve o'clock, to visit
Frewen-hall, winch was the residence of the Prince
of Wales during his abode at the University. She
likewise visited the Bodleian Library, the Museum,
Exeter Chapel, Magdalen and New Colleges. At
these places she was received by the Principal, and
' shown the treasures which these ancient and
I noble foundatiobs possess. In passing through
the city, both going and returning, she was greeted
by the people with marks of loyalty and affection,
which both she and the Prince acknowledged. The
streets were decorated in the same manner as when
she arrived on Tuesday; and as her attention was
not taken away by an impatient and pressing crowd,
she had a better opportunity of seeing and appre-
ciating the efforts of the Oxonians to give her a
worthy reception. It would perhaps, however,
have been better if she were permitted to see the
city without the dap and banners, as she could
then form a more correct estimate of the examples
of beautiful architecture which it contains. Having
spent some hours in the survey of the town
and of the most remarkable treasures in
the various colleges, the royal party returned
to Christ Church. It was notified to the
authorities of the Great Western Railway Company
that the royal party would start from their Oxford
station about half-past 3 o'clock, and proceed thence
to Marlborough-house, though many persons, in
the expectation that they would proceed as they
came, by Cullum, were on the look-out for their
approach in that direction. The railway authori-
ties at the station accordingly made suitable prepa-
rations for their reception. The wooden supports
of that part of the station by which they were to
enter were covered with crimson cloth, and a car-
peting was also laid on to the royal train. When
it became known that the Prince and Princess were
to leave Oxford by this route a considerable number
of the inhabitants were assembled at the station.
prepared to give them a final and hearty cheer.
Accordirigly, about the time appointed their royal
highnesses, having expressed their satisfaction to
Dr. Liddell for the way they bad been received and
entertained both by the University and the city,
left Christ Church, and although there were not
the same crowds to give them so demonstrative a
reception on their departure as that which they
received on their entry into Oxford, it was, if
possible, more hearty and affectionate.