Of OXFO^V^SHI^E. 19 



cold ; whence I chink it may not be illogkally concluded, That 

 the colder the Air, the nearer to purity , and confequentially 

 more healthy : Which is alfo very fuitable to the do&rine of Hip* 

 pocrates, who fpeaking concerning the healthy fituation of CI* 

 ties, fays, That fetch which are placed to cold winds, a ^am f^ to 



viLia. TO <TY.\Y\? r n *) \' V X&> ui '^ ^ "^"^a* yAwta^gratj ----- TO? j xg- 



<p*A*5 Cym&ts, Aij#i. i. e. that though their Waters are harfi and 

 cold, yet for the moftpart they arefweet, and the Inhabitants healthy 

 and brisk., found, and free from deflwxions. And fo indeed in the 

 main I find them here, of a very chearful humor, affable, and 

 courteous in their Deportment ; neither fparing, nor profufe in 

 their Entertainments, but of a generous temper, fuitable to the 

 fweet and healthful Air they live in : Whereas the Inhabitants of 

 fenny and boggy Countries, whofe Spirits are do gg? d with perpetual 

 Exhalations, are generally of a more fiupid, and unpleafant convex* 

 fation. 



3. That the qualities of Waters and Soyls, together with the 

 fituations of places to the refpe&ive Quarters of the World, 

 make them more or lefs healthy,according to the great b Hippocra- 

 tes, there is no doubt. But to thefe I muft beg the favor of ad- 

 ding, not only more fwafive but more irrefragable proof; I mean, 

 the great age and conftant health of perfons that have been lately, 

 and are now living here : Richard Clifford, not long fince of Bol- 

 fcot in this County, died at 114 yeafs of age : Brian Stephens, 

 born at C herlbury, but Inhabitant of Wcodftock, dyedlaft year at 

 103. Where alfo there now lives one George Green (but born at 

 Enjbam) in his hundredth year : at Kidlington one M ns Hill was 

 born, and lived there above an hundred years : and at Oxford 

 there is living, befide feveral near it, a Woman (commonly called 

 Mother George*) now in her hundredth year current. The pleafant 

 fituation of which City is fuch, and fo anfwerable to the great 

 Reputation it ever had in this refpeft, that it muft not by any 

 means be paft by in filence. 



4. Seated it is on a riling Ground, in the midft of a pleafant 

 and fruitful Valley of a large extent, at the confluence, and ex- 

 tended between the two Rivers of Ifis and Cherwell, with which 

 it is encompafs'd on the Eaft, Weft, and South \ as alfo, with a 

 ridge of Hills ata miles (or fom what more) diftance, in the form 



* Hifpocr. *&< ciifutf ihi-nt n-imt. <> Id, ibid. 



C 2 Of 



