many Miles together, without an Hill to intercept the free Current of Air which purifies it from all noxious Vapours. It is washed by a great Number of plenteous Streams: On the East, by the different Branches of the Cherwell; on the South and Weft, by thofe of the Thames; all which meet and join a little below the City, forming one beautiful River. The Soil is dry, being on a fine Gravel, which renders it as healthful and pleasant a Spot as any in the Kingdom.

The Town, including the Suburbs, is a Mile in Length from Eaft to Weft, and almoft as much in Breadth from North to South; being three Miles in Circumference; but it is of an irregular Figure, and many void Spaces are comprehended within thefe Limits, befides the numerous Courts and Gardens belonging to the refpective Colleges.

The City, properly fo called, formerly furrounded by an embattled Wall, with Bastions at about 150 Feet Distance from each other, is of an oblong Form, and not much more than two Miles in Circumference. Magdalen College, with the Eaftern as well as Northern Suburbs, which contain the Parishes of Holy-well, Magdalen, and St. Giles's, with Balliol, Trinity, St. John's and Wadham Colleges, are without the old Walls, of which a confiderable Part remains as a Boundary to New College; beginning near Eaft-Gate, and continuing almost to the Clarendon Printing-houfe, where there was a Portal and a Chapel; fome Remains of which are ftill visible: Likewife from Eaft-Gate Southwards, almoft to Chrift-Church, making an entire boundary to the Eaft and South Sides of Merton and Corpus Chrifti Colleges. The Fortifications and Outworks, raifed by the Royalifts in the Time of the Civil Wars, included all the Suburbs; but they are now almost entirely demolished.

The principal Street of the City runs from East to Weft, almoft the Length of the Town, but under different Names; the High-Street, beginning at the Eaft-Gate, includes at least two Thirds of

B 2

that

that Length; the Remainder is called the Old Butcher-Row, and Caftle-Street. The High Street is perhaps without a Rival; being of a spacious Width and Length, clean and well paved, adorned with the Fronts of three well built Colleges; St. Mary's and All-Saints Churches; before the former an handsome new built Stone Wall and a broad Pavement, now called the Parade; the latter with a Parapet Wall and Iron Palifades, terminated at one End by the Conduit and Carfax Church, and at the other by Eaft-Gate, and a View of Magdalen, College Tower. Some object to its not being ftait; but others think that a Beauty: For every Turn of it presents a new Object, and a different View; each of which would make an agreeable Picture in Perspective: Whereas, had it been ftrait, every Object would have been feen at one and the fame Inftant, but more fore-fhortened and eclipsed than at prefent.

The fecond Street in Oxford is that which runs from South to North, croffing the Street already defcribed, from whence that Part of the Town has obtained the Name of Quater Fois, or the Four Ways, corruptly called Carfax; as the Corporation Church, which ftands near the Four Ways, likewife is.

The South End of this fecond Street is called Fish-Street, and the other End of it the Corn-Market; from whence we pass through Bocardo, or the North Gate, into Magdalen Parish, and St. Giles's, which form a very fpacious Street, and in fome refpects is preferable to either of the former, efpeci ally to fuch as love Retirement; it having the Pleafure and Advantage of the Country, tho' connected with the Town. It hath much the Appearance of a neat Country Village; being well planted with Elms, the Houfes (many of which are handfome ones) having for the moft part Grafs-plots before. them, and Gardens or Corn-Fields behind them. One End of this Street is handfomely terminated by St. Giles's Church; and the other by Magdalen Church:

Church: tho' fomewhat eclipfed by the middle Row of Houses. This Street is likewife adorned with the Front of St. John's College.

On the East Side of Fish-Street (commonly called St. Tole's, by Corruption from St. Aldate's, (which Parifh includes the greatest Part of this Street) ftands Chrift-Church College; the magnificent Front whereof extends 382 Feet. Alfo the TOWN-HALL where the Town and Country Seffions, and the Affizes are held; which is newly rebuilt in an elegant Tafte, with all Manner of Conveniences for the feparate Courts, viz. Rooms for the Grand and Petty Juries, &c. with an Arcade underneath, at the Expence of that worthy Patriot and Citizen THOMAS ROWNEY, Efq; one of the present Representatives in Parliament, and High Steward of this City.

The chief Bridges are, first, the Eaft, called Magdalen Bridge, over the Cherwell; this extends 678 Feet, and confifts of 20 Stone Arches. It was first built by Robert D'Oylie, who built the Castle as abovementioned; but it has been confiderably widened within thefe Forty Years. This is the Grand Entrance from London. The fecond, on the South Side of the Town, is over the Thames; where there is a Gate commonly called Friar Bacon's Study. This is the Entrance from Abingdon in Berks, and is itself alfo in that County. The third, on the Weft Side, is likewise over the Thames, and is called High-Bridge; from hence runs a Caufey of a Mile in Length, across the Meadows abovementioned, which confifts partly of Terra firma, and partly of Stone Bridges over the different Branches of the Thames: One in particular near the Middle thereof, viz. Bulftock Bridge, is over the navigable Stream which comes from Letchlade in Gloucefterfhire.

There are in the City of Oxford, and Liberties, teen Parishes, viz. 1. St. Mary's. 2. All-Saints. 3. St. Martin's, or Carfax. 4. St. Aldate's, or St. Tole's. 5. St. Ebb's. 6. St. Peter's in the Bayly.

B 3

7. St.

7. St. Michael's. 8. St. Mary Magdalen. 9. St. Peter in the East. 10. Holywell. 11, St. Giles's 12.

St. Thomas's, 13. St. John's. & 14. It Clement's

Of the Churches which give Names to the feveral Parishes already enumerated, there are but four which are remarkable, viz. St. Mary's, AllSaints, St. Peter's in the Eaft, and St. John's. St. Mary's ftands on the North Side of the High-Street, and is the Church to which the Univerfity refort on Sundays and Holidays to hear Sermons; It is a wellproportioned Church, and handfomely built, tho' Gothic. The Porch, indeed, is in a more modern Tafte; it was built at the Expence of Dr. Morgan Owen, Chaplain to Archbishop Laud, A.D. 1637. and coft 230. The Church confifts of three Ifles, and a large Chancel, which is paved with black and white Marble. The Vice-Chancellor fits at the Weft End of the middle Ifle, on a kind of Throne elevated fome few Steps; a little below fit the two Proctors; on either Hand, defcending, the Heads of Houfes and Doctors; below thefe, the young Noblemen; and in the Area, on Benches, the Mafters of Arts. At the Weft End, with a Return to the North and South Illes, are Galleries for Bachelors and Under-graduates; and under the middle one are Seats for the Ladies. Adjoining to the North Ifle, is Adam de Brome's Chapel; where the Vice-Chancellor, Heads of Houfes, Proctors and Preacher affemble before Sermon, and from thence go in Proceffion to their refpective Places. The Pulpit ftands in the Center of the middle Ifle. In the Arch between the Church and Chancel, is a good Organ, originally built by Father Smith, and fince improved by Mr. John Byfield. This is not the firft Organ erected in this Church, for W. Gray, Archdeacon of Berkshire, dying A. D. 1521. bequeathed four Pounds to buy a new Pair of Organs, to be played upon in it. The, Tower and Spire, which rifes from the Ground to the perpendicular Height of 180 Feet, is a very noble Structure, and contains a Ring of Six large Bells.

Bells. In Term Time, one or other of thefe is folled or rung out, to give Notice of a Convocation or Congregation, and the Performance of the Univerfity Exercises.

On the Left-fide of the Weft Window, next tỏ the High-Street, is a pretty Piece of Sculpture, reprefenting a Woman down to the Waift: It is well defigned, and properly executed; though Time or Accident hath fomewhat impaired the Face, which has been beautiful. The Hood is of modern Fafhion. It is remarkable that Foreigners compliment this Curiofity with their Notice, tho' little obferved by the Inhabitants.

All-Saints Church ftands in the fame Street, a little to the Weftward of St. Mary's; and is a very beautiful Fabric of white Stone. It is adorned, both within and without, with Pilafters of the Corinthian Order, an Attic Story and Balluftrade ele gantly finishing it without, a curious fretwork Ciel ing, a neat Altar-Piece, and well finifhed throughout. This Church is 72 Feet long, 42 wide, and 50 high, without a Pillar.

The Steeple is built after the Manner of fome of the new Churches in London. The Architect, the Rev. Dr. Aldrich, formerly Dean of Chrift Church,

St. Peter's in the Eaft, ftanding backwards from the above Street, near Queen's-College, is 800 Years old; and was the firft Church built of Stone in this Part of the Kingdom. It is in good Condition, and likely to ftand as many Years longer: It was formerly the University Church, and now the University go to it every Sunday in the Afternoon during Lent. This Parish has more to boast of, perhaps, (exclufive of what has been mentione ed) than any one in Europe befide: For it contains five Colleges; viz. University, Queens, New-Col lege, Magdalen, and Hertford Colleges; three Halls; viz. St. Edmund, Magdalen, and Alban Halls'; Two Peals of Ten Bells, and one of Six; and three Organs: Two of which belong to College Chapels,