The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-10-17
III istrllnnp. y .
An English University.
ny HENRY WARD DrECHER.
OXFORD.

zeal going up III the thermpmc r.; an
dusky shadows of olden histori aoear
to arise I mad distinct picture Of til
place in my mind, at least Of the Univer
sity | imagined il to be group .
buildings, say eight or ten in number
opening upon common court, not un
like the cottonfactory style of architec
ture which prevails in New England col
leges. ] had no very distinct idea o
their number or extent, but a clear i'm
preston that. moro or fewer. they wer
grouped together upon come one spot
Accordingly, inquired with innocent
simplicity of gentleman next to me. il
what part Of the town the University
buildings were and was answered prompt
ly, . In every part they oie scattered
all over the city"
Imagine, then. city of twenty five
thousand inhabitants, not with narrow
streets. and continuous stone houses and
shops, like commercial cities not yet
like rural city, full of yards and gar.
dons but something distinct from 9th.
cr, and pecuior--a city Of castles, of pal
aces
The University comprises twenty dis
tinct colleges and five halls. The col
leges are Incorporated possessing their
own rights, buildings, grounds, revenues,
laws and officers The halls are not in.
corporated or endowed with estates; but,
In other respects are not materially diff
ferent from the colleges, Here, then,
are twenty. five suits Of buildings dis
D tributp1 tlrourLout tLn cit,,
You must not for moment imagine
a straight.silcd, bald, rectangular. five
story building. Exercise all such brick
parallclograms from your thoughts; and
cali up instead images of castles, palaces,
ornate galleries and athcneums, and that
too of the most imposing dimensions
The buildings of Maglacn college cover
eleven acres and of gardens aud decor
atcd grounds, there are one hundred
acres more Christ Church college is
much more extensive than this. You
would suppose yourself under the battle
mcnts IF an old warlikc castle The
front line Of wall is four hundred feet,
with turrcts. bastion, and huge octag-
onal tower for gateway. The college
buildings are arranged in system Of qaad,
ransles. called familiarly quads.
Thus a central plat Of ground is en-
closed on every side By tie magnificent
and continuous college otructures, run.
nlng four hundred by about two hundred
and sixty feet and this forms the Great
Quadrangle. y huge gateway opens ont
OF thus into another such quadrangle.
named the Peckwater, but of less dimen-
sions: ANA the Canterbury Quadrangle.
again, opens out Of this The buildings
are of different styles Of architecture
/ Indeed. Christ Church COLLEGE represents
almost the architecture, from the times
of the Saxons to Sir Christopher Wren
/ And tho divcrsities and contrasts of
architecture Increase the impression of
vastncss and endless extent.
1t was vacation, and the buildings
were for the most part vacant The
J frank and gay face of my guide seemed
charm to open doors seldom open to
| visitors. Had come to Oxford to take
an honorary degree, should have failed
to see much that was shown to me now.
/ An inspection of the kitchens, butterics,
the dining.halls, and a rehearsal of the
habit of both Students and professors.
satisfied me that there was most excel
lent drill Of the animal man. whatever
beiel the moral and intellectual develop.
ment The plump, joyial, ruhicund pro-
lessons OF cHtSiHc were obligiuely com.
munieatlve, giving savory explanations
OF everything that seemed strange to me.
They courteously prolfercd me a com.
pimentary mutton chop and gave mo
knowing laugh when | declined beer and
wine as articles that never employed.
a thing more utterly iuconceivable than
a deliberate rejection of good wine and
beer, could not be told to an Oxford but.
Ter.
At Christ Church College kitchens
was shown an enormous gridiron, nearly
five feet square. formerly used before the
introduction of ranges / could not but
imagine fancy hereto, broiing upon it.
like shrunk Robin, They seemed hurt
at the suggestion, assured me that it
had never served such uses, and swung
1t aside by its chain which suspended it.
as II the assertions of such a relic had
been ungcnerously offended.
W hen we speak of diming-holls. pray
dismiss al! modern halls or hotel saloons
from your mind. Summon up rather
the noblest, cathcdral,like apartment. Of
the highest architectural embelIsh-
ments ! Impressive by its very space and
hung, often profuscly, with portraits aud
pictures. You would suppose upon en-
terlng that you saw a table stretched in
Gothic church, or in some vast library.
or IN some picture gallery.
The Hall Of Jesus College is thirty
by sixty feet in Dimensions, with an arch
ed ceiling, designed by Sir Christopher
Wren. That of New College is seventy
eight by thirty.fve feet. Wadham Col
loge hall is eigbty-two by thirty-fvc. aud
thirty-soveu feet high The Hall of
Christ Church College is one hundred
and fifty feet in length, forty feet wide
and fifty feet high, having about one
hundred and twenty pictures upon its
walls
These quite put to shame my ignoble
ideas of college dining halls, as the lard
ers and buttories did the fare of college
commons. These colleges resemble A.
merican institutions in the fact that they
are resorts Of students, that they have
corps Of tutors aud professors, rooms and
aOrmitories Ehroriee ard halle b,,.