in a small school that was formerly in the garden of Gonville and Caius College. Afterwards, in 1458, by a decree of Laurence, Bishop of Durham, with the consent of the University, in full congregation, it was provided, that the building, formerly called the school of Terence, should be converted into a school of civil law; and that the lower dialectic schools should be finished. The former was done at the expense of those who studied the law; the latter, by contributions raised in the University; and it was finished in the year 1474.

The small schools, as they were called, were built in 1470, by the subscriptions of members of the University. In one of these, every morning, from eight to nine, masters of arts read lectures, from which questions were formed, and afterwards discussed in utramq. partem, by respondencies and opponencies in the philosophical school; and in the school, in which these lectures were thus formerly given, the vice-chancellor afterwards held his court. This was under that part of the public library, founded by Archbishop Rotheram, and I have thought proper closely to follow the steps of Archbishop Parker, in the above account of the public schools.

Rotheram, Archbishop of York, just mentioned, and Tonstal, bishop of Durham, with various other benefactors, presented the library with many valuable MSS. and some of our most early printed books. It was not, however, of the genius of the times, about the period of the invention of printing, to have large collections, nor to be tenants in perpetuity of all they got. But in the pro

a Hist. Cantab. Acad.

b Caius, (Hist. Cantab. lib. ii. p. 82.) speaking of Archbishop Rotheram's library, says, "Quorum magna adhuc superest, magna periit șuf

gress of time, great additions were made. Till gradually enriched by other presents, more particularly by Dr. Moore's valuable library, purchased, and given to the University, by George I. as well as by purchases made out of their own funds, this library consists now, of more than ninety thousand volumes.

It appears, from the designs in Mr. Loggan's CANTABRIGIA ILLUSTRATA, that, formerly there was a splendid gateway and pedimenta at the entrance of the schools, together with the arms of the several benefactors to them; and, from Archbishop Parker's account, that in the windows of the schools, there were similar ornaments: these were removed when the public schools were repaired: the glass was taken away, but whither removed is unknown; I speak after Mr. Cole, who is very severe on persons who receive benefactions, but care not how soon their benefactors' names are obliterated.

With respect to the design and elevation of the public schools, Mr. Loggan well observes, they are rather neat than magnificent, and he has some appropriate observations in reference to the true philosophy of such taste for schools. Of the taste, I shall only add, after a writer

furantium vitio:" p. 85, he gives a list of those that remained in his time, 1574, and they amounted only to one hundred and fifty three, including MSS. and printed books. According to the Reliquiæ Bodleianæ, similar, or worse depredations, had been made in the library given about the same time to Oxford University, by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. As scarcity of provisions makes people turn thieves, so, from paucity of books, the monks became pilferers; more particularly, when there was nothing but MSS. Hence those frequent anathemas, prefixed to books in ancient monasteries: these were the Priapuses, to drive away the thievish birds.

a These, I understand, now form an ornament to the house of Sir John Cotton, at Madingley.

of much observation in architecture, that if the public schools and library, which now form this internal quadrangle, (to distinguish it from the grand square,) have not the lofty elevation and splendid display of the five orders, like the schools of Oxford, they have none of their faults".

a Observations on English Architecture, by Mr. Dallaway.

CHAP. IV.

BOTANIC GARDEN.

AMONG the English counties, Cambridgeshire had been long known as peculiarly favourable to botanic studies. Ray, our great English botanist, (who began his researches at Cambridge,) long since remarked this; but it was not till the year 1763, that any plan was formed for a botanic garden.

Ray, besides making inquiries in this county, had very early perambulated great part of England in search of plants. In 1660, he published his catalogue of plants that grow about Cambridgea, and three years after, an appendix. In 1685, Mr. Dent, an apothecary of Cambridge, added to Mr. Ray's catalogue, a great many more. He was succeeded in the same walk, by Mr. Martyn, Miller, and Israel Lyons. The fasciculus plantarum of the latter was printed in 1763, as a specimen of a larger work. But after Ray, there were only titular professors of botany. Nothing was seriously done till the time of Mr. Martyn, who read lectures, and perambulated the county and on his leaving Cambridge, Dr. Heberden gave lectures on Botany in reference to medicine, as already has been shewn.

▲ Fasciculus Plantarum circa Cantabrigiam nascentium, 1660.

*But in the year 1763, Dr. Walker, vice-master of Trinity College, with the assistance of Mr. Miller of Chelsea, formed a regular establishment. A mansion was bought, formerly a monastery of St. Augustine, of which there are still some remains, with a garden and five tenements in Pembroke lane, on the south-east side of the town, for 16001. These premises were given in trust to the University, for a public botanic garden, and Dr. W. left by will the chancellor trustee ; in his absence, the vice-chancellor, the master of Trinity College, the provost of King's College, the master of St. John's College, and the professor of physic, and their successors, for the time being, were appointed inspectors and governors, with full powers to regulate and arrange the new institution.

A botanical garden is a great ornament to a seat of learning; always useful, too, as a place of research and curiosity to students. With respect to this garden, it abounds, as may be expected, with a great variety of foreign, as well as aquatic and indigenous plants, with trees of our own country, as well forest trees, as aquatic and mountain; but, principally of beautiful, curious trees of foreign growth: those of peculiar distinction are of American origin, some derived from the East and West Indies, others from Botany Bay: the last introduced were brought from Greece and Egypt, and more northern climes, by Dr. Clarke and Mr. Cripps. This garden is understood, too, to be kept in excellent order, though there are at present, no regular lectures given in that science-for which solely it was instituted-botany. But the old house has been long since removed, new buildings have

This is said merely in a way of statement, not of censure. There may be reasons for the omission, with which I am not acquainted.