Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-17
securing ve,y good impressions Of the brass

q
The walk over this land, dotted with gre It
oak. and elm.trees, ia more than three miles,
and FAR away the soft grasses dip down into
the gentle waters OF the Thames. At our
right the expansc OF fair, sweet fields
stretched far away; 20 the left the great
solemn pile Of buildings OF the college. and
lere and there beyond the trees we could
see the shoulder Of some other chapel or
college blocking the way. Oxford seemed
mass OF colleges, cluster OF grim aud
stately buildings gray rs an oyster-sbell.
Mncdaen College. or, rs they pronounce
II. " MaudIons' In the High street, is the
most beautiful Of all the colleges. Itsiands
nj the end OF the street on the banks Of the
river, with gentle reaches OF soft grass,
making o beautiful margin between it, mel
low buildings and the spic-and-spIn cob
b,e.payed great thorougbfare Of the town.
II preysnis an irregular face to the passer-
by; here soft, gray wall, with a lot OF
nrctty windows, here 4 battlemCnt, here
charming old tower feeding the ivy,
here PORTED gateway or door cut
ling tunnel.like entrance through
the building and giving glimpse OF
the duadrangles beyond. Mlgdalen's
stands on the site OF the ancient
II.
rest and rCfrcshment for pilgrims to the
shrine Of ST. Frideswde. You enter
through asmal Gothic door at the right Of
the huge gateway, and find yourself in
sunny court, with the old mellow stone col
ege claspiDg you in its three great gray
arms. On your lett Is the chapel, in front
and behind you the college and the ruins OF
some ancient building, q gate.hOuse, and IN
= tt,. hill Ia. l. mi
nit fixed like a cOwled balcony In the
second story. At one time, on 1t. John
the BaptiSt's day, this court would be
dressed out with bOughs and grasses 10 re-
presenta wilderness, and aSermon would ne
preached from this small pulpit, over whlch
hang two or three garg0yles whose hdeous
faces have been beaten away by the WINDS
and rains and storms Of centuries. From
fbis court YOU pass under a doorway into
the great quadrangle, where the beautiful
cloisters are draped with ivy. Each side
Of this hollow square is fully block long,
and the walk around it shows mnumerable
entrances by dina and steep little flights OF
worn stone steps TO the apartments above.
We went into the refectOry, where,lt being
cont OF term the long tables We're spread
for = grand feast for the servants OF the col
Iegc. one Of the cooks told me with an air
OF pride that this feast was OF annual oe-
currence, and that on such day the trades
men who supply the college "cOme in and
do sit down with us at table," The beauty
of Magdalen Refectory is its walls OF eX-
ouisiiely.panelled oak, its ceiling richly
PAINTED, and noble old fireplace. We gave
one OF the men siXpence, and he showed
lis over the great kitchen, with it, stone
floor. its enormous range filing one side,
and on the other an open fire banked up
behind iron bars, aud before which
meat for the forthcoming feast was
roasting. There were four iron rods
stretched across in front OF the fire, and
on these were speared legs OF NUT
ton. great rOasts of beef and veal. The
end of each bar rested in wheel, and by
means Of chains, weights, and pulleyS the
bars and the rOasts turned around and
around like articles on exhibition on re-
volvinp stand. Great brass pans stood
underneath To catch the "drppingS,' and
on shelf near were pans full OF cold
crease or drippings, which. as | have told
Won before. is used for cooking in place OF
lard and butter. The man said that during
the term there would often be five and six
rows OF rods OF "spits," one above the
other. all spearod full OF roasting meat for
the Grand dinner at o'clock.
We went out into the garden that slopes,
all fowpr-scented. down to the shallow
Cberwell, and passed under the shadow OF
the corner rooms once occupied by Addl-
son. and then past park where herds OF
spotted deer huddled under the big trees;
we crossed by a stone ioot-bridge over the
limpid Cherwell and found ourselves In the
long avenue called AddisOn's Walk. Pre-
sently we came 10 the old bench on which
he used TO sit to do his writing. Now and
than winding gently, "Addison's Walk"
all bound mt the edges by tangle OF glossy
leaved myrtle, all shady and cool under the
sweet. deep green branches OF the elmS that
have knitted together overhead, wanderS
on and on across the meadows. Away from
the shallow Cherwell and spotted deer,
from the moSs-covered stone foOt.bridgeS.
from the old mill dipping the brown lips
OF its lazy wheel to drink in the lazy
stream: away, as far rs we could see, until
il became one taugle Of delicious green,
misty, here shining greenish silver i'll the
sun. here cool and dark and dewy in the
shadow, until the broad, brown walk,
bound with tendrils OF myrtle, became
only tiny ribbon fading away out OF
sight in the tangle OF branch and vine and
bTambe.
asked about the colleges for ladies that
have been founded at Oxford by the ASso-
citation for Promoting the Higher Educa-
ton Of Women. They are only called
colleges by sometimes courtesy. The name
Of one is Someryille Hall, OF the other Lady
Margaret Hall, and these are situated in or
binary dwelling.hOuses. The course OF
studies is the same ~ that pursued at the
real colleges, and the expenses are about
$500 year for each pupil.
oxford was unlike the Oxford OF my I'M
aeination. In reality handsome, stylish
looking little city, full OF retail shops, ever
80 many paStry-cOOk shops, and with the
fine broad streets with their large brick
houses three and four stories high, crossed
bv quaint, crooked little streets lined with
crooked little houses presenting crook
cd little gables TO the street and dozens OF
| little mullioned windows. Andthen every
where are the colleges, old churches, and
| buildings devoted TO some purpose or
| other connected with the college pursuits.
| And there are many narrow alleyWays run
| ming under gloomy gates, heading off right,
| left, east, wes., from the main streets, and
YOU have but to follow these TO come upon
unexpected old buildings, the pOndcrous
ways mo more ColtSt>, the uIalcSlIc
! entrance to fine churches.
In one OF the beautiful old churches-St.
| Mary the Virgin, the University church in
| High ,treet-we came across the grave OF
Amy Robsart. wife Of Lord Robert Dud'
| ley, 1850" She lies By the readnS-des6 IN
| tie Chanccl, and we only discovered it by
turning Up foot.mat in our search for old
| bIassCs.
There are no trees in the stony streets,
! hut every few moments, go in what dlrec-
ton YOU will, from over the gray and moss
| bearded walls you see the deep waving
| branches OF elms and chestnutS and oaks,
and then YOU are sure to find an a'ley-way
! ortunncl.like entrance which youwill speed
through to find yourself in some sunny and
! grassy court, shut in by lis college, silent
| and quiet, with only SplrrOws hopping
! along the deserted cloisters, with no sign
Of goWned professors nor busy students
only the sparrows in these classic shades
and who shall ,ay that they, like the maids
and men at their feast in Magdalen refec.
tory. are not glad that ii is "out Of term
| ut Oxford!
1 M - /, IT :