SOUTH LONDON PARKS 175 



to the site of the once famous Wells. The Park itself, 

 which covers 72 acres, was the munificent gift of 

 Dulwich College. The gift was confirmed by an Act 

 of Parliament in 1885, and the Park opened to the 

 public in 1890. The College was founded by Edward 

 AUeyn in 16 14, who called it "The College of God's 

 Gift." Originally, there were besides the Master, 

 Warden, and four Fellows, six poor brethren and six 

 sisters, and thirty out-members. The value of the 

 property has so enormously increased that the number 

 of scholars has been very greatly added to, and now 

 hundreds of boys, some quite free, and some for a very 

 low fee, obtain a sound commercial education. The 

 founder was a friend of Shakespeare, and one of the 

 best actors of his plays in the poet's lifetime. His 

 early biographers go out of their way to refute the 

 alleged reason of his founding " God's Gift College," 

 namely, that when on one occasion he was personating 

 the devil, the original appeared, and so frightened him 

 that he gave up the stage to devote himself to good 

 works. Were this story true, the vision was certainly 

 well timed, and has produced unexpected and far-reach- 

 ing results. The educational work, the picture gallery, 

 and the well laid out estate of Dulwich Manor, including 

 the large public Park, are all the direct result ! 



There are a few fine old trees in the Park, particu- 

 larly a row of gnarled oaks near the lake. This is a 

 small sheet of water on the side nearest the College. The 

 carriage road, which encircles the Park, crosses by a 

 stone bridge the trickling stream, formed by the over- 

 flow from the lake. On the south-east side of the Park 

 there are but few trees, but large masses of rhododen- 

 drons and azaleas have been planted, which make a 



