OX-EYE OXFORD. 



381 



by the honourable peace of Stolbova. He was subse- 

 quently appointed governor-general of all the con- 

 quests of the Swedish arms in Germany ; and when 

 Gustavus penetrated into the heart of that country, 

 Oxenstiern was invested with full powers in all affairs, 

 both civil and military, on the Rhine, and fixed his 

 headquarters at Mentz, while Gustavus advanced 

 into Bavaria and Franconia. On the fall of his mas- 

 ter at Lutzen (1632), he exerted himself in' every way 

 to protect Sweden and her allies, and visited Dres- 

 den and Berlin, to concert measures for continuing 

 the war. The Swedish government conferred on him 

 full powers to adopt any measures which he consider- 

 ed for the public good. He therefore assembled a 

 congress at Heilbronn, in which he was recognised as 

 the head of the Protestant league. This league was 

 held together and supported solely by his influence 

 and wisdom, and, in 1636, he returned to Sweden, 

 after an absence of ten years, laid down his extraor- 

 dinary powers, and took his seat in the senate, as 

 chancellor of the kingdom, and one of the five guar- 

 dians of the queen. His great aim was to bring the 

 German war to a successful conclusion ; and with 

 this design he sent his son John to Germany, in 

 the capacity of Swedish plenipotentiary. In 1645, 

 he assisted in the negotiations with Denmark at 

 Bromsebro, and, on his return, was created count, by 

 queen Christina, and at the same time was elected 

 chancellor of the university of Upsal. When the 

 queen declared her intention of naming her successor, 

 Oxenstiern opposed that measure with all his influ- 

 ence, and resisted, with still stronger urgency, her 

 determination to abdicate the crown ; finding her, 

 however, fixed in her resolution, he pretended sick- 

 ness, as an excuse for staying away, and taking no 

 part in a step which he foresaw would be the begin- 

 ning of evil. From that time, he took no pleasure in 

 public affairs, although he continued to serve his 

 country with zeal and ability until his death, in 1654. 

 Oxenstiern must be ranked among the greatest men 

 who have taken a distinguished part in the affairs of 

 the European world. Great and elevated views, a 

 wonderful political sagacity and foresight, firmness 

 and loftiness of purpose, wisdom in contriving and 

 prudence and energy in executing, a strict integrity, 

 and a constant devotion to the welfare of his country, 

 are among the characteristics ot this great statesman. 

 The constitution, which was prepared by him, and 

 accepted by the states of Sweden in 1 634, is esteemed 

 9 political master-piece. 



OX-EYE; a small cloud or meteor, seen at the 

 cape of Good Hope, which presages a dreadful storm. 

 It appears at first in the form or size of an ox's eye, 

 but descends with such celerity, that it seems sud- 

 denly to overspread the whole hemisphere, and at the 

 same time forces the air with such violence, that 

 ships are sometimes scattered several ways, some 

 directly contrary, and many sunk down right. 



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 16' W; lat. 51 45' N.; population, 

 in 1831, 20,649. 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 beauti- 

 ful and luxuriant meadows. For the beauty and 

 magnificence of its buildings, Oxford is equalled by few 

 cities in the world. From the neighbouring 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 near- 

 er approach, an air of the most striking magnificence. 



The High-street is one of the most beautiful in the 

 world. The houses inhabited by traders are indiffer- 

 ent. The city contains a cathedral, thirteen ele- 

 gant 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 con- 

 sists of twenty colleges and five halls, each of 

 which forms an establishment within itself, having 

 its own students and teachers, revenues and regula- 

 tions ; yet they are all united under the government 

 of one university. The officers by whom the uni- 

 versity is immediately governed, are the chancellor, 

 high steward, vice-chancellor, 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 twenty-three public professors of the several arts 

 and sciences. In 1829, the 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 col- 

 lege 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 gal- 

 lery, the theatre, capable of containing 4000 persons, 

 the Clarendon printing-house, the Radcliffe library, 

 the Ashmolean museum, the astronomical observa- 

 tory, 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 Wickliffe, Wolsey, More, 

 Raleigh, Chillingworth, Hampden, Harvey, Claren- 

 don, 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 : 



