OXFORD

From Agepedia

OXFORD ; a city of England, capital of the county to which it gives name; 45 miles S. E. of Worcester, 58 W. by N. of London, 74 S. W. of Cambridge ; Ion.1° 1& W. ; lat. 51° 45' N.; population, ineluding the university, 16,364. It is an episcopal see, and seat of a university It is delightfully situated on a gentle eminence, in a valley at the confluence of the Isis and Cherwell, and near the Thames. Along these rivers, and between them and the city, lies a tract of beautiful and luxuriant meadows. For the beauty and magnificence of its buildings, Oxford is equalled by few cities in the world. From the neighboring heights it presents a grand and imposing spectacle, from the number and variety of its spires, towers, domes and other public edifices, while these structures, by their magnitude and splendid architecture, give it, on a nearer approach, an air of the most striking magnificence. The Highstreet is one of the most beautiful in the world. The houses inhabited by traders are indifferent. The city contains a cathedral, thirteen elegant parish churches, houses of worship for Catholics, Quakers, Methodists and Baptists, a town and county hall, a jail, a bridewell, an infirmary, market buildings and charity schools. Four members are sent to parliament, two for the city, and two for the university. Markets on Wednesday and Saturday. Oxford has no staple manufacture or branch of trade, but derives its chief support from the university. It is an ancient town, was the residence of Alfred, and has often been the seat of the English kings and parliaments. The university of Oxford, from the extent and number of its buildings and institutions, and the wealth of its endowments, is by far the greatest in the world. Its origin is involved in obscurity : some suppose that it was founded, and some that it was revived, by Alfred ; others fix its origin considerably later. It is, as is well known, distinguished for its attachment to tory principles, and has been the seat of classical learning in England, while in Cambridge mathematical science has been more assiduously cultivated. It consists of twenty colleges and five halls, each of which forms an establishment within itself, having its own students and teachers, revenues and regulations ; yet they are all united under the government of one university. The officers by whom the university is immediately governed, are the chancellor, high steward, vicechancellor, and two proctors. In addition to the private officers in each college and hall, who see that due order and discipline are preserved, and all the liberal sciences taught, there are twentythree public professors of the several arts and sciences. In 1829, m® members of convocation were 2365; members on the books, 5009. About one third of these are maintained by the revenues of the university; the rest live at their own expense. The students wear a peculiar dress. The buildings of the university are very magnificent, and excel those of Cambridge; yet the chapel of King's college at Cambridge is thought to surpass any single edifice at Oxford. The other edifices belonging to the university, besides the colleges and halls, are the public schools, the Bodleian library, the picture gallery, the theatre, capable of containing 4000 persons, the Clarendon printinghouse, the RadclifFe library, the Ashrnolean museum, the astronomical observatory, and the botanic garden. The Bodleian library is one of the largest and most valuable in Europe. (See Libraries.) There are four terms in the year at the two English universities. To obtain the degree of bachelor of arts, a residence of three years, or twelve terms, is necessary at Cambridge ; four years, or sixteen terms, at Oxford, except in case of sons of peers, and the eldest sons of baronets and knights, who may stand candidates after three years. For the degree of master of arts, three more years are required. A person of two years standing may be admitted a student of the civil law ; after being five years a student, he may receive the degree of bachelor of civil law; and in four years more, the degree of doctor. The degree of bachelor of divinity is conferred on masters of arts of four years standing, and the degree of doctor four years after. (See University.)Some of the eminent men educated at Oxford are WicklifTe, Wolsey, More, Raleigh, Chillingworth, Hampden, Harvey, Clarendon, Hale,Locke, Addison, Steele, Blackstone, Lowth, Johnson, Adam Smith, Jones, Gibbon and Fox. The colleges and halls (see College), with the date of their foundation, and number of fellowships and scholarships, are exhibited in the following table : Colleges. Foun. Fell. SchoL1. Merton .... 1264 . . 24 . . 42. University. . . . 1280 . . 12 . . 173. Baliol......1281 . . 12 . . 144. Exeter.....1314 . . 25 . . 15. Oriel......1326 . . 18 . . 136. Queen's.....1340 . . 24 . . 167. New College . . 1386 . . 708. Lincoln.....1427 . . 12 . . 89. AllSouls .... 1437 . . 4010. Magdalen. . . . 1456 . . 40 . . 3011. BrazenNose . . 1509 . . 20 . . 32 i2. CorpusChristi. 1516 . . 20 . . 2040* Colleges. Foun. Fell. Schol,13. Christ Church . 1525 . . 20 . . 2014. Trinity.....1554 . . 12 . . 1215. St. John's. . . . 1557 . . 50 . . 316. Jesus......1571 . . 19 . . 1817. Wadham .... 1613 . . 15 . . 1518. Pembroke . . . 1620 . . 14 . . 3019. Worcester . . . 1714 . . 21 . . 1320. Hertford .... 1740 . . 12 . . 4 Halls. Foun1. St. Alban's.....12002. St. Edmund's ... 13173. St. Mary's.....13254. New Inn......13915. Magdalen......1480 (See Wood's Histoiia Univ. Oxon., and Atliena Oxonienses; Ackerman's History of the University of Oxford; the articles in the first and third numbers of the Quarterly Journal of Education; and the University Calendar.)