Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1852-09-01
From the Christian Observer.
oxford and its Colleges.

OXFORD Is sixty niles ny Taii-TOdu, wFS
by north, from London has about 20,e0(
inhabitants, is the seat of Bishop and o.
the Universities. 1t is in beautiful val
lev on the Cherwel and Isis streams, run
ming into the Thames, on which are the
most luxuriant meadows.
There is no other city in the world of an
equal number Of inhabitants, which has
buildings of equal magnifcence. The mag
nitude of these buildings, the elaborate ar
chitecture, the number of domes and tow
ers, and spires is very imposing. Oxford
is chiefly known as the seat of the greatest
and richest University IN the world. 1t con-
sists of 20 Colleges and five Halls, each OF
which forms an establishment within itself,
having its own set of buildings, government,
funds, teachers and students, and they are
all united in one University, as our States
have separate governments, yet are one
Union. The building of each of these cor
porations are several times more expensive
than any University building in this coun-
try. Their beginnings run back into the
uncertainties of history; certainly to Alfred,
$50, and probably three centuries earlier.
In these immense buildings, the architect
ure of different ages is readily distinguished,
the old Saxon, and Norman, and the age OF
the Tudors.
Each set of college buildings is placed a.
round square with an open court, often
two or three acres, IN the centre. Some Of
them have meadows and walks under lofty
elms, or orhamented with every variety Of
flowers and shrubbery, containing from five
10 fifty acres. i'll should ever so strongly
affirm that these buildings are massive and
expensive, yet even then none of your
minds will come up to one half the truth,
for there is nothing in our country that has
any likeness to Oxford.
A University was in operation long
time before the Colleges were established
both at Oxford and Cambridge. A Univer-
sity is place where men study their pro-
fessions and take their degrees and pay for
all, and may have boardIng-houses and Pro-
fessors. But these Colleges are separate
funded Institutions. Some rich man gives
fund from which the buildings are made,
and the professorships, fellowships and
scholarships are funded. A fellowship in
Oxford and Cambridge, is a fund which
supports one man after he has taken his
first degree. The incomes vary from $3.50
to $3.50. Each Fellow may retain his fel-
lowship for life, If he does not marry, nor
inherit aproperty of large income. Some
of these Colleges have many more fellow
ships than others, varying from twelve to
seventy-in all the Colleges are 4So fel-
lowships. These colleges also have schol-
arships, which yield support to students
out Of general fund. The present num-
Der of these in all is 270. Besides these,
the colleges support many undergraduates
by charity. There are about 5, 500 students
at Oxford and as many at Cambridge. one
third of which are supported by charity
The FIVE Halls are like the other colleges,
only they have no fellow or scholarships.
Some of these colleges have been and are
more popular than others. AT present one
has thousand scholars, and another has
nol one. OF thesc oolleges,ull but two were
founded between 1900 and 1920, chiefly in
the 18th, 18th, and 18th centuries. They
are proofs of the great wealth and love of
learning in England in those early times,
and greater proof of devotion to the Mon
astic orders. DR.. Humphry says that in
1900 there were only three colleges, and
about 300 halls or hoardlng-houses. Isup-
pose this is true, and that IN 1900 there
were only boarding houses, and not one in.
corporated or funded college. The Univer.
sity was there but no college.
1t is surprising that no dissehter from the
Church of England has ever been admitted
student either at Oxford or Cambridge
so that half the nation is now excluded from
these seats Of learning. On several occa-
sions, efforts have been made to overcome
these restrictions and gain the privilege, by
dissenters, but there is no present hope Of
doing this.
My time and patience fail me to describe
the rooms, and libraries, and paintings and
curiosities Of Oxford. | noticed an old hat
which Bradshaw had on his head when he
presided at the trial of Charles l., and the
lantern found ir the hand of Guy Fawkes
under the Parliament House, at the time
otthe gunpowder plot, 1904 and the orr
ginal letter which notified Monteagle of the
plot. | sat down IN brakes chair, ,slrroud-
ed by full length portraits of many of the
distinguished of his time. This is the char
in which Sir Francis sat when it was struck
by cannon ball Nov. 18th, 1895, off Por.
to Rico. | was very much entertained by
painting representing DuEs Scotlis. He
had made VOW I'd translate the whole b.
BILE before he ate CIR slept, under the belief
that God would help him to perform the
miracle. He died in the attempt, pen in
hand, his eye upon the Bible, and writing
for dear life. Such counlenance He
was professor In Merton College in 1901.
tits curious fact that even the names
of half the founders of these colleges and
fellowships are not known-every thing of
them is forgotten, eten their graves so
that the Professors and fellows who fatten,
some of them, for fifty years on these en-
dowments, know not whose corn they feed
on. The benefactors were not preserved
in records, while they were in memory
and before it was thought of to write their
history, it had passed out of the memory
of every living man. Their money is TAX
en- care of, but the names and characters
OF the donors are cast tway. Mr.. Warne,
in his article on the "Oxford Founders, y
says, "a half crown blight to pu. chase a
book giving the information of the Found
ers of these colleges to all the curious in
quirers. But neither the gtatultude nor
the learned leasure, nor the love of fame
of the thousands who have vegetated on fat
fellowships IN Oxford, has produced any to
provide such volume. This is strange
fact which supplies its own comment"
The founder Of Christ Church College,
Wolsey, becadse he Is known for many
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