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OXFORD.

double-barrelled gun shot the man who struck him.Some of our people then threw stones at him, which,being seen by his men, they fired on us. CaptainCook then endeavoured to stop his men from firing,but could not on account of the noise. He wasturning again to speak to us, when he was stabbed inthe hack with a pahoa, a spear was at the same timedriven through his body ; he fell into the water andspoke no more.

“ ‘ After he was dead we all wailed. His boneswere separated, the flesh was scraped off and burnt,as was the practice in regard to our own chiefs whenthey died. We thought it was the god Rouo, wor-shipped him as such, and, after his death, reverencedhis hones.’ ”

Oxford. The capital of the rich midland countyof Oxford, and one of the most ancient citiesEngland. The origin of its name and foundation isinvolved in much uncertainty, but it has for agesbeen celebrated for its university, which, in extent,number of colleges, wealth of endowments, and archi-tectural beauty, stands unrivalled by any similarinstitution in Europe. This seat of learning issituated on a gentle eminence in a rich valley,between the rivers Cherwell and Isis, and is sur-rounded by highly cultivated scenery, the prospectbeing bounded on the east, south, and west by anamphitheatre of hills. From the neighbouring heightsthe city presents a very imposing appearance fromthe number and variety of its spires, domes, andother public edifices; while these structures, fromtheir magnitude and splendid architecture, give it ona nearer approach an air of great magnificence. Thecity, properly so called, which was formerly sur-rounded by a wall, is of an oval form, and about twomiles in circumference. The wall had bastions 150 feetdistant from each other, though but few traces of themnow remain. The city has, however, expanded beyondits ancient limits, and now includes, with its suburbs,a circuit of three miles, extending in length a mileand a quarter from east to west, and nearly as muchfrom north to south. On entering the city fromthe east, south, and west, the respective rivers arecrossed by bridges. Magdalen-bridge is an elegantstone building over the Cherwell. The bridge overthe Isis on the west consists of three substantialarches. On the south is another bridge over thesame river, on which till lately stood a lofty tower,termed Friar Bacon’s Study.

SIMMS

The High-street, a view of which is given in theabove engraving, extends westward, under differentnames, the whole length of the city. From Carfaxchurch it is crossed at right angles by St. Giles, the

other principal street; and from the High-street andSt. Giles branch nearly every other street in thecity. The High-street of Oxford is justly consi-dered the finest in England, from its length andbreadth, for the number and elegance of its publicbuildings, and from its remarkable curvature, which,from continually presenting new combinations ofmagnificent objects to the eye, produces an uncom-monly striking effect. From Carfax church, theHigh-street loses its name and diminishes in width,and declines also in the splendour of its collegiateembellishments. St. Giles-street, in many parts, maybe said to equal the High-street both in width andarchitecture. The minor streets are less spacious,and in many of them the houses are crowded together.There are, however, many other handsome streets,especially among those of recent erection.

Of the public buildings and institutions, the uni-versity claims the first notice, and we will, therefore,proceed to give a brief view of the principal colleges,which are many of them edifices of great architecturalskill and beauty.

Queen's College is a splendid modern structure onthe right hand of the High-street, and opposite toUniversity College. The whole area on which it isbuilt forms an oblong square of three hundred feet inlength, and two hundred and twenty in breadth,which is divided by the chapel and hall into twospacious courts. The foundation stone of the southcourt or quadrangle was laid on the 6th of February,1710, the birth-day of queen Anne, by Dr. WilliamLancaster, provost. It is one hundred and forty feetin length, by one hundred and thirty in breadth,having a lofty cloister supported by square pillars onthe east, west, and south sides. Over the westcloister are two stories, containing the apartmentsof the fellows, the provost’s lodgings, and a gallerycommunicating with the hall and common room. Inthe east are also apartments for the different membersof the society; and on the north are the chapel andhall. The south part presents to the street the lateralfronts of the east and west sides, with their pedimentsand statues, which are connected by a decoratedwall, enriched with a central gateway, or grandentrance; above whose arch rises an open cupola,containing the statue of queen Caroline, the consortof Geoufe II. The north side is occupied by agrand Doric elevation. It consists of an enrichedcentral pediment, supported by four lofty columns,with their appropriate entablatures, flanked by thochapel and hall, with large windows finishing in acircle, and pilasters between them. Tho whole iscrowned with a balustrade and an elegant cupola ofthe Ionic order. This quadrangle possesses, whenviewed from the High-street, a general resemblanceto the palace of the Luxembourg in Paris. On thefront of this college are six figures; the two on pedi-ments are Jupiter and Apollo; the remaining fourare subjects emblematical of Mathematics, Geography,Medicine, and Religion.

Hawksmoor is the nominal architect of this col-lege ; but, from its superiority to his other works, thedesign has been referred to his great master, sirChristopher Wren. The interior court, or northquadrangle, is one hundred and thirty feet in length,and ninety in breadth. The north, east, and southsides contain apartments for the society; and thelibrary occupies the west. The entrance to it isthrough a passage between the hall and chapel.