New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-17
AN OXFORD DAY.
-Hr COLLEGE GARDENS IN EARLY JUNE
AMERICANS AT OXFORD.
Oxford. June /.

- caunuaiening IN London. with its midnight
.,.-uras and excursions TO Pail Mall and Fleet
s+-eet. I knew where the maximum Of pleasure
.,s rest could be had in the narrow range OF
-n.a-,fr-ro1Ir hours. Ii was in stored Oxford
WITH its quaint quadrangles and academic gar
ss-s--be 10y Of the earth for all reflective
-,,,5e Al least in the Anglo-Saxon world-the
,,osr restful spot in England and the most beau
.5fr1 often as I have been in oxford, it has
never seemed either 50 lovely or so impressive as
On this early June morning. when I have been
e-~ar.n- among the college gardens and catch
s-- cliupses % my favorite hooks and corners
---a s1rlug has been backward. and in sudden
,-1h9l-st # summer warmth all the gIories OF
fsafaee and bloom have come out together. The
rbestnuts hawJh0rns and laburnums are rival
ing one another in beauty and briliance and
every garden is Respondent in brightness Of hue
and freshness Of verdure. The finest turf in
-ae world is IN Oxford. where The broad sweeps
1f lawn have been levelled for centuries and
20 here moisture is never lacking; and the aca-
deullc groves and gardens are the loveliest pos
s56se scenic setting for the grim Tuonastic quad
rarsla5 and stately towers. I have known it
before aut this morning 7 have been convinced
4-ev- thar the most glorious June walk in Eng
land IS among the meadows and gardens OF
oxford
one may start at St Johns gardens. where
5avs-one Of the most beautiful architectural
effects among the coIIeges-and at every step
there VIII be excIamations Of delight over the
perfect sweeps Of lawn, the orderIness and sym
uetry Of the landscape, the variety Of trees and
sh-ubbery. and the richness Of coloring. It IS
the best kept and the most homelike Of the
gardens at oxford and perhaps the least AGA
dzmic. for il is a thing OF beauty by itself and
IS not dependent for interest upon the environ
waGham gardens less pretentious but even
more impressive. with the hoary, majestic yews
in The centre and the violets blooming under
meath the great twisted branches SPRAYING
over the turf. From Wadham there IS a short
circuit TO New College gardens. which Haw-
thorne loved for their stately retirement and
academic quietude. and these remain to this
day the favortre Longing place Of men with re
dneuelt Of sensibiliry.
There are sombre contrasts Of foliage here and
the grim tower and picturesque bastions Of the
ciry wall iu1part q feeling Of seclusion from the
uladdlng crowd. This is the ideal academic
grove which suggests
That content surprising wealth the sage in con-
-er1ulatiOn found.
And walked with inward glory crowned;
and It IS The quietest and stateIiest corner in
Oxford Not far away is Addison's Walk in
AIagdalen Grove, and beyond are the beautiful
daIen Bridge one may stroll between Christ
church meadow and Morton fields and still have
in reserve quiet half hour II the shady gardens
Of Worcester by the lake which De Quincy
loved
4 CITY OF GARDENS.
oxford is indeed city Of gardens, for in
addition 10 The meadows and pleasure grounds
q the colleges and University Park the resi-
dental quarter IS gradually expanding into
rural suburb. No home in the city Is complete
without garden where tea can be served out
OF doors and friends be received on Sunday al
tern0on. oxford has become q favorite haunt
OF literary men and scholars with leisure for
mounting hobbies and riding them al an easy
going pace and the demand for comfortable
houses with small gardens is steadily increas-
ing The new suburban architecture is disap-
pointing from its lack OF picturesque quality and
artistic effect L Is dun and commonplace
prose which III COMFORTS with the medieval
poetry OF the Quadrangles and towers; but the
parterres q flowers and sweeps of turf IN the
trim. well kept gardens III in with the scenic
environment Of the colleges II the architects
have missed an opportunity II failing TO provide
Oxford with picturesque suburban villas and
cottages. landscape art has deity managed the
color scheme The blackened facades and gray
towers OF tbs colleges and the mUrky white and
drab cottages OF the new residential quarter are
enlboWered in trees and lawns Architecture old
and new, quaint and prosaic. works in equally
vel with the tones Of dull or vivid green.
Sunday AZ oxford can hardly be a day Of
rest when there is the kindly touch OF sympa-
thetlc hospitality 10 welcome the stranger.
Ny Gay snatched from the wearisOme rumors OF
war and the confused din Of the closing scenes
In the Trausvaal was filed with Measurable
activity. There was q cordial greeting from my
genial host, followed by delightful talk on the
inner life Of this stronghold Of English conser-
vaIisnl. where progress IN educational methods
must always take the form Of hoary compro-
mise there was q charming luncheon with one
Of The most famous Of the university lecturers
followed ay q restfuI hour in the cool Of the
garden. there was an afternoon stroll along the
crowded Broad Walk 70 the river; there was tea
a . o'clock with one OF the most distinguished
masters Of English science; there was dinner IN
state al Corpus Christi with the dons, scholars
and students; there was a concert at Baliol,
with good music and q hearty greeting from the
Master. D.. Card: and aIack, there was not
tine for interesting paper by Air- Sidney
Ban on Current Sociology" at ST. Johns Col
lege- Il must needs be q full Sunday at oxford
when one falls among hospitable friends who
minister 70 his comfort and pleasure
DISNER At CORPUS CHRISTI.
OF The dinner II Corpus Christi can write a
ie" words without invasion Of privacy. II in
teresred NE because ii was the first glimpse
which have had Of what may be described as
The family life Of the oxford colleges. The dons
marched into the dining hall with the president,
III Fowler, al their head. and with as rigid
observance q the etiquette OF seniority and dig
MY as would be required at a Court function
managed by the Lord Chamberlain. The schol-