THE SCHOOLS

are on the west side of the square, the entrance to them being under the public library: they comprise a set of apartments, in which lectures are given by several of the professors, and disputations are held as exercises for degrees, &c. These exercises were originally kept in private houses, hired for the purpose every ten years. It appears from Fuller, that "the house of John Goldcorn, enclosed in the site of Caius College, and the Franciscan monastery, where Sidney College now stands," served the University a long time for the above purpose. But the inconvenience of this mode of engaging apartments increased so much with the number of students, as to render it highly desirable for the University to have rooms of its own, solely appropriated to their respective purposes: accordingly, in the year 1440, the Public Schools were begun upon their present site, partly at the expense of the University, and partly by the contributions of various individuals.

These buildings form a quadrangular court, of which the PHILOSOPHY SCHOOLS Occupy the west

side. They were built at the expense of the University, and contain the following curious paintings: A plan of the city of Jerusalem, as it appeared in 1674, done at Smyrna, by order of the French ambassador, the Lord Noenlet, then visiting the Holy Land; and a large painting, representing two processions of the University, in which are included seventy-four figures in the costume of 1590.

The DIVINITY SCHOOLS, on the north side, were built in 1440, at the expense of Sir William Thorpe, of Lincolnshire. In the registrar's office, at one of these schools, is deposited the rich canopy of cloth and gold which was carried over Queen Elizabeth when she visited the University.

The SCHOOLS FOR LAW AND PHYSIC, on the south side, were built by Lawrence Booth, Bishop of Durham, and Chancellor of the University he was assisted, however, by some private benefactions. An emblematical figure of Glory, executed by J. Baratta, of Florence, in 1715, has been recently placed at the east end of these schools; it was given to the University by Sir P. Burrell, and was originally placed in the Senate House, from

whence it was removed on the erection of Mr. Pitt's

statue.

The LECTURE ROOMS, on the east side, now used by the Norrisian, Plumian, and some other professors, were originally built by Rotherham, Archbishop of York, in 1475; and, in 1795, were fitted up for the purposes to which they are now applied. In other apartments of this building the professor of modern history delivers his lectures.

In the ANATOMICAL SCHOOLS, which are situated near the Botanic Gardens, lectures are usually given, and dissections occasionally performed, by the professor.

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

The University Library, which now occupies the whole quadrangle of apartments over the schools, was originally contained in those on the east side of this quadrangle; afterwards the north side was added, and was furnished with a valuable collection of books, about the year 1480, partly at the expense of Rotherham, Archbishop of York, and Tunstal, Bishop of Durham. In consequence of that neglect in its superintendance, to which even the best institutions

are liable, the books in this library were mostly lost or injured, so that very few remained which were worth preserving. At length, however, these losses were more than compensated by three successive archbishops, whom Fuller, with his usual quaintness, denominates, "Painful Parker, Pious Grindall, and Politick Bancroft; the library too was more conveniently and handsomely shelved, for the reception of the books, at the expense of Sir John Woollaston, an alderman of London. In the year

1748, the sum of 20007. was voted by Parliament for repairing the library at Cambridge.

That part

of the building which now constitutes the east front, and is denominated the New Library, was rebuilt by subscription in 1745, in a very handsome style, by Stephen Wright: it has lately been more conveniently fitted up with great taste.

The principal benefaction of books to the University Library was made in the early part of the last century, by George I. In the year 1714 died "Dr. John Moore, Bishop of Ely, a great collector of scarce and valuable books, both printed and MSS. The collection that he had made was indeed so considerable (amounting to upwards of 30,000 volumes),

as to be thought worthy of royal notice; and was purchased, after his decease, by his Majesty King George I., for six thousand guineas, and given as a token of his royal favour to the University of Cambridge." The king also contributed the sum of 2000l. towards fitting up rooms for their reception: the prince gave 10007., the Duke of Somerset, the Duke of Chandos, the Archbishop of York, and the Earl of Anglesea, 5007. each, for the same purpose. By means of these and several smaller benefactions, a list of which is suspended in the library, the north and west sides were fitted up and furnished.

The present collection of books is very large, and peculiarly valuable, as it contains, in addition to the most highly esteemed works in all languages and on all subjects, copies of many scarce and curious editions of celebrated authors. The number of volumes at present belonging to the library is not less than one hundred thousand. Among the curious books and valuable manuscripts to be found in this extensive library, we deem it proper to specify the following:-Copies of the first editions of the Greek and Latin Classics and Historians;