Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-09-08
OUR LETTER.
Impressions of oxford UniversitY-The
1weuty oxford College.
n.-r,,n 10 1900

To tho Editor OF the Free Press;
find that | have passed through three
distinct phases Of feeling with reference to
Oxford during the two weeks Of my resi-
denco hero The first feeling was one OF
unbounded admiration. Very seldom in
my lifo have | had "A sense of such com
plete satisfaction with anything as DO Ia
mind and heart, both eye nnd soul, enjoyed
during my first few days in Oxford, 1t
seenod to me an ideally, beautiful and per-
feet university city. A large part Of this
feeling still remains and | am sure will al
ways remain. But gradually there Logan
to nsnunte itself the query whether all
this old world beauty, dependent partly at
least on antiquity and obsoleteness, whether
this quaint piCturesqueness and this mid
decay, is compatible with the spirit Of mod
crn scholarship. There seems certain in
congruity between medieval architecture
and science. ! could hardly fancy q lot Of
eager students in blouscs and paper caps
working with their professors in the same
costme at problems of the new chemistry,
or of biology, or electricity in these anti
quatod, and If the truth must be told often
musty and mouderlng edlticei. But then
The relieving thought came TO mo that, as n
matter Of TACT Oxford has been throughout
its history, leader OF new movements
that it was champion Of new learning in
the renaissance; that two OF tho greatest
rolig ,ous revolutions originated within its
clostors: and that to 60 40 further back,
here ain !, who have como hlthor from u
country which calls Itself the most progress
sive In the world, in order to study at its
source Unl its home in tie most progressive
AMI Democratic educational movement of
our times. so have settled down to the
feeling, which [ think win DO permanent,
that the antiquity of Oxford lends impes-
siveues5 TO its historic and abiding devotion
to learning, and that even the beauty of
decay tast.Ges 10 the fidelity with which in
20 many aces it has honorcd and adorned,
rs was most met, the lells in which knowl-
edge and piety had their sanctuary.
The city o. Oxfori, a city Of 30, 009 in
habit4nts, is a university and its Gepeulen-
cies--notuing more. From early times the
scholastic Oxford has dominated and mini
mized the civic Oxford. Ia vacation OK
ford has no moro reason for being than
has Saratoga in winter. Almost every shop
and trade and residence has some conncc-
ton with the university and gets from it its
life. The students, numbering some 5000
are lodged partly in The colleges, partly in
what we should call very costly. A sitting
and bod room, the usual college suite, costs
in private houses from 81 to IS or $40 per
week. Most Of the houses are old and the
rooms are small. The students quarter.
in colleges are of variable character, some
spacious and elegant, others small, dingy
aud iil-lighted, but al rented to students al
quite moderate n-.Ces. IL is not favor
able time to get information now in vaca-
tion, but infer that Oxford students are O
/ much less luxurious and more lndus;riou.
/ and frugal class than those of former
/ times. The relaxation OF old restrictions,
and the more open competition have
/ brought to the IN vorsity moro students
| from the great middle class which now
/ governs England and ILLS most OF its I'M
/ portant offices and positions. y remark
/ able case in point is furnished ~ The his
! tory of New College, one Of tie Oldest an
richest tou1Iau.l-. II to about rae mil.
die of this century the college enjoyed Ger
] tain privileges. ore Of the strongest @.
which was tIau its members 50 ;uslr de-
grees without examination. tas LaturH
consequence ut Wuicn was tat IT, was I'll,
resort Of idle and frivolous fellows. an.
that Tor centuries il produced a.u.- st Il.
great men. uder the present regime thes'
/ ,L.url and fatal ,.rt ,lf, -,s ro,.a i,-,p 81 h,'
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