148 
LIFE OF DEAN BUCKLAND. 
[CH. V. 
Prince Albert was taken to the Town Hall, where in the 
council chamber addresses were presented to him by the 
City of Oxford and by the County. Immediately after 
the address the Prince proceeded to St. John’s College, 
a sumptuous entertainment being served up in the hall. 
The hall doors were thrown open even during the luncheon, 
and strangers were permitted to view the whole proceedings. 
Every part of the College exhibited the most boundless 
hospitality. In fact open house was kept, and vast num¬ 
bers availed themselves of the opportunity of indulging 
in College fare. 
The present President of St. John’s, the Rev. Dr. Bellamy, 
relates a curious incident connected with the Prince’s entry 
into St. John’s quadrangle. In order to provide a better 
approach, the College authorities had caused an opening 
to be made from the street through the middle of the wall 
which bounds the bank opposite the central gate. The 
bank being higher than the footway in front of the 
College quadrangle, they caused planks to be placed 
between it and the College gateway, so as to make an 
inclined plane. Then they covered the plane, as indeed 
the whole space between the opening made in the wall 
of the bank and the President’s lodgings, with red cloth, 
intending that the Queen (whom they hoped to see) and 
Prince Albert should alight from their carriages at that 
opening and walk on the red cloth from it to the President’s 
door. When, however, the arrival took place, the Duke of 
Wellington’s carriage drove up first, and to their horror, 
for they feared the planks would give way, went straight 
through the opening and down the inclined plane over the 
