Rous, were the next benefactors; and Dr. George Morley, bishop of Winchester, founded five scholarships for the natives of Guernsey and Jerfey. Queen Anne annexed a prebend of Gloucester to the mafterfhip; Lady Holford gave two exhibitions of 20 1. a-year each; Dr. Hall, mafter of this college, and bishop of Bristol, built the master's lodgings; Sir John Bennet, Lord Offulton, endowed two fellowships and scholarships; Mr. Townshend gave eight exhibitions to young scholars from Gloucefterfhire; and Sir John Philips, Bart. in 1749, founded one fellowship and one scholarship.

The name of the college was derived from the Earl of Pembroke, chancellor of the univerfity at the time it was founded; it is fituated near Saint Aldate's Church, in a direct line from the grand gate of Chrift Church, and confifts of two fmall The quadrangle is uniform, having the ball at the north-west angie, in which are pictures of the founders and fome benefactors. The chapel is a fmall elegant building, of the Ionic order, with a beautiful altar-piece. In the garden, which is weft of the chapel, is a pleasant common room and a

terrace walk.

The members are, a mafter, fourteen fellows, thirty scholars, and exhibitioners.

Viitor. The chancellor of the university.

WORCESTER COLLEGE. This houfe was formerly called Gloucester College, being a feminary for educating the novices of Gloucester monaftery. It was founded in 1283 by John Giffard, baron of Brimsfield. When fuppreffed at the reformation, it was converted into a palace for the bishop of Oxford, but was foon after erected into an academical hall, by Sir Thomas White, the founder of Saint John's college; in which ftate it continued till it received a charter of incorporation and endowment from Sir Thomas Cookes, who, in 1714, obtained a foundation for a provoft, fix fellows, and fix fcholars. Dr. Finney further endowed it with two fellowships and two fcholarships for students from Staffordshire. Dr. Clarke founded fix fellowships and three scholarships, with a preference to clergymen's fons; and Mrs. Eton, daughter to Dr. Eton, principal of Gloucefter hall, founded fix fellowships. Lady Holford guve two exhibitions of 20%. a-year each, for Chaxter-house scholars, to be enjoyed eight years.

Worcester college is pleafantly fituated on an eminence just above the river Ifis and the meadows, at the extremity of the western suburb. At entering the college are the chapel and hall one on each fide, both of which are twenty-nine feet in breadth, and fifty in length. The library, which is a magnificent Ionic edifice, on the weft of the chapel and hall, is 100 feet in length, fupported

D 4

fupported by a fpacious cloifter. It is furnished with a valuable collection of books, chiefly the library of Dr. Clarke, late fellow of All Souls' College; in which is Inigo Jones's Palladio, with his own manufcript notes.

The Members are, a provost, twenty fellows, and seventeen scholars.

Vifitor. The chancellor of the university.

HERTFORD COLLEGE. Hertford, or Hart Hall, an ancient houfe of learning, was an appendant to Exeter College; but, having received an endowment in part, was, at the request of Dr. Richard Newton, then principal, who endowed the fenior fellowships incorporated, September 8, 1740.

It is fituated oppofite to the gate of the public fchools, and confists of one court, but it is yet unfinished.

It contains a principal, two fenior fellows or tutors, junior fellows or affiftants, under-graduate students, and four scholars. Vifitor. The chancellor of the university.

HALLS. The halls are five in number, and belong to colleges; viz. Saint Edmund's hall to Queen's college; Magdalen hall to the college of the fame name; Saint Alban's hall to Merton college; Saint Mary's to Oriel; and New Inn to New College. They are under the government of their respective principals, whofe incomes arife from the rent of the chambers, The ftudents take an oath to obey the ftatutes and customs of the hall, which statutes are made and altered by the chancellor, who has the nomination of the principals, and is vifitor of all the halls, except that of Saint Edmund, which is dependent on Queen's college, and the principal appointed by that fociety.

OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS. Befide the colleges and halls, there are at Oxford several other establishments connected with the university, which demand attention. Thefe are, ift, The theatre, which was built at the expence of archbishop Shelden, chancellor of the university, 1668, who gave 2000 /. to purchase lands for its repairs. It is extremely magnificent, of the form of the Roman theatre, not circular, having one flat fide, and the roof, eighty feet by feventy, refts on the walls without pillars. 2d, Afhmole's museum, the lower part of which is an elaboratory, and the upper ftory a repofitory of natural and artificial rarities, principally given by Elias Afhmole, who lodged here the collection of MSS. made by his father-in-law, Sir William Dugdale, Anthony Wood, Sir Henry Savile, and himself. 3d, The printing-houfe, built in the year 1712, with the profits of the fale of Lord Clarendon's Hiftory of the Rebellion, the perpetual impreffion of which he gave to the university. Round the wall that formerly enclosed the theatre, stood the Arundelian marbles, now removed into the schools. Thefe valuable monu

ments,

ments, collected in Greece and Afia, by Thomas Earl of Arundel, and Sir William Petty, were given by the faid Earl; others by Mr. Selden, Sir George Wheler, Dr. Shaw, Meffrs. Dawkins and Wood, and Dr. Rawlinfon. To this collection, in the year 1755, were added, by the gift of the countess of Pomfret, above 100 ftatues, bufts, &c. purchased by her late husband's father lord Sempfter, out of the Arundelian collection. The whole collection now at Oxford confifts of 167 marbles, that is, ftatues, bufts, bas-reliefs, and fragments of fculpture; 100 infcriptions, Greek, Egyptian, Citiean, and Palmyrene; and 145 Roman and others. 4th, The public schools, which form a magnificent quadrangle, part of which is appropriated for the reception of the Bodleian library. 5th, The Radcliffe library, founded by the will of Dr. Radcliffe, and finished in the year 1769. 6th, A ftupendous aftronomical obfervatory, which has lately been erected at the north-weft corner of the city, at the expence nearly of 30,000 /., begun in the year 1771, by the trustees of Dr. Radcliffe's eftate. 7th, The phyfic garden, founded by Henry Danvers, earl of Danby, in 1632, and endowed with an annual revenue. Dr. Sherrard built the prefent library, furnished the garden with moft of its curious plants, and, at the expence of 3000/. endowed the profefforship. Laft may be mentioned the collection called the University, or Bodleian library, which, as already has been faid, is placed in the public schools. This vaft accumulation of literary treasure was begun in 1440 by Humphrey, commonly called the good, duke of Gloucester, who furnished it with many choice volumes procured from Italy, befides confiderable additions bequeathed at his death three years after. In 1597, Sir Thomas Bodley repaired the old library of Humphrey duke of Gloucefter, and in 1599 fitted it for the reception of books. An additional eaftern gallery was begun by him in the year 1610, and another gallery on the west, projected by him, was erected afterwards. He furnished the library with a numerous collection of books, procured with much care and expence, from all parts of the world. He died January 28, 1612, leaving an eftate for the maintenance of a librarian, &c. as well as for the neceffary repairs of the library; he added alfo a body of ftatutes for the regulation of his new inftitution, which were afterwards confirmed in convocation. Many large and valuable collections of Greek and oriental manufcripts, as well as choice and useful books, have been added to this library by later benefactors; particularly the earl of Pembroke, archbishop Laud, (to whom it is indebted for its ineftimable oriental manufcripts,) Sir Thomas Roe, Sir Kenelm Digby, General Fairfax, Dr. Marshall, Dr. Barlow, Dr. Rawlinson,

Mr. St. Amand, and Mr. Godwyn: confiderable purchases are likewife annually made at the expence of the university.

DEGREES. The degrees denote a quality conferred on the ftudents or members, as a teftimony of their proficiency in the arts or faculties, and entitling them to certain privileges and precedencies. The degrees are, bachelor, maler, and detor; inftead of which laft, in fome foreign univertities, they have li centiate In each faculty there are but two degrees, viz. bachelor and mafter.

BACHELORS. The degree of Bachelor was first introduced in the thirteenth century, by Pope Gregory IX., but remains ftill unknown in Italy. At Oxford, before a person can be entitled to the degree of bachelor of arts, he must have studied there four years three years more to become mafter of arts; and feven more to commence bachelor of divinity. This degree is only conferred in Lent.

DOCTORS. The title of Doctor was firft created towards the middle of the twelfth century, to fucceed to that of master, which was become too common and familiar. To país doctor in divinity at Oxford, it is neceflary for the candidate to have been four years bachelor of divinity. For doctor of laws, he must have been feven years in the univerfity to commence bachelor of law; five years after which he may be admitted doctor. Otherwife, in three years after taking the degree of master of arts, he may take the degree of bachelor in law, and in four years more, that of LL.D. which fame method and time are likewise required to pass the degree of doctor in phyfic. At Oxford, degrees of mafter and doctor are only conferred once a-year, viz. the Monday after the 7th of July; when a folemn act is held for the purpose.

ACTS. An act is a thefis maintained in public by a candidate for a degree; or, to fhew the capacity and proficiency of a student in the univerfity. The candidates for a degree of bachelor and master of arts, are to hold philofophy acts; thofe for bachelor of divinity, are to keep divinity acts, &c. At Oxford, the time when the mafters or doctors complete their degrees, is alfo called the Act; which is held with great folemnity: at Cambridge they call it the Commencement. A is alfo a collegiate appellation for the perfon who propofes questions that are the fubject of difputation in the exercifes of the univerfity fchools. The perfons with whom he contends in thefe queftions are called opponents: and the difcuffion is profecuted under the direction of the moderator. The diftinguished men of the year appear eight times in this manner in the schools; twice as acts, and fix times as opponents. One act and three opponents are kept before the fummer; and one act and three opponents in the term following the fummer vacation.

TERMS.

TERMS. The terms are periods of the year in which progrefs can be made toward the attainment of degrees; in con→ tradiftinction from which, the rest of the year is called vacation. In the university of Oxford, the terms are four; Hilary or Lent term, which begins January 14th, and ends the Saturday before Palm Sunday. Eafter-term, which begins the 10th day after Eafter, and ends the Thursday before Whitfunday. Trinity, or act term, which begins the Wednesday after Trinity Sunday, and ends after the act or 6th of July, fooner or later as the vice-chancellor and convocation please; and Michaelmas term, which begins October the 10th and ends December the 17th.

CAMBRIDGE. The original foundation of this feminary is involved in fabulous obfcurity, and the ftories which have been propagated on the fubject, confute themselves by their own abfurdity. Thefe exceffive statements have arisen from the rival claims of the two univerfities; partial antiquaries espousing the fide of each. Some have affirmed that this univerfity was first founded by Cantaber, aSpaniard, bred at Athens, 375 years before the commencement of the Christian era, from whom also it received its name. Others, certainly with a greater fhare of probability, afcribe its foundation to Sigebert, king of the Eaft Angles, about the year 630; but between the time of these two foun dations, many marvellous anecdotes are recorded; which, with fober antiquaries, are not entitled to the fmalleft credit. Caffivellaun, the British prince of the Trinobantes, is represented as its patron; Jofeph of Arimathea, as its apoftle; and Arthur, the early pride of Britain, as one who had endowed it with fu perior privileges.

That it was ruined in the Danish invafion, and lay long ne glected, is pretty clear; as well as that it did not thoroughly recover itself, till the Norman government was established.

The first charter of privileges to the univerfity, is faid to remain among the records in the Tower, dated 1231, the fifteenth year of Henry III.; and, perhaps, one great reafon why the notices of its earlieft history are fo few and indiftinct, is, that although houses of learning, and inns and halls for scholars, were founded, they were without endowments. Before the eftablishment of the prefent fixteen colleges and halls, Cambridge had upwards of thirty inns, or hostels, where ftudents lived and ftudied at their own charge, and under a principal. Pythagoras's fchool, in a garden adjoining St. John's-college-walks, is. falíely fuppofed to have been one of thefe, where the Croyland monks read lectures; but is really the infirmary of St. John's Hofpital. Edward IV. took it from King's College, Cambridge,

and