of paintings, and the aristocracy of its members, is Christ Church. Most of its graduates are sons of the nobility, and the higher classes; but yet it was in this college I was shown the room occupied by Dr. Johnson, who was certainly a plebeian, albeit an inveterate tory.

But I will not inflict on you a prosing account of this renowned University, or a catalogue of her sons; are they not all written in books?* I must say a word or two, howbeit, of the two great libraries; for, as friend HARPER says, that is somewhat in my line.' The Radcliffe library is in a circular building, with a huge dome, and an elegant interior. It contains, besides its one hundred and fifty thousand volumes, a fine collection of casts and busts, such as the Laocoon, Apollo Belvidere, Warwick Vase, etc. The Bodleian is still more extensive. It has three hundred thousand volumes, and a large picture-gallery, with many noble paintings, and models of ancient temples. These immense repositories of literary treasures, and gems of art, are alone well worth a visit to Oxford. But I could not help thinking, that the world would not be much the wiser for a greater part of these books. It strikes us

* See Ingram's Memorials of Oxford'-containing fine views of the buildings, &c. The graduates of the two great universities, Oxford and Cambridge, of course comprise most of the distinguished names in English literature. Among those of the former, beside the above mentioned were Canning, Bishop Heber, Steele, Dr. Young, Shenstone, Collins, Warton, Sir Wm. Jones, Southey, Prof. Wilson, Millman, etc.-Cambridge boasts of her famous 'classics,' Bentley, Parr, and Porson; and of Barrow, Horne, Milton, Dryden, Spenser, Sir Isaac Newton, Sterne, Prior, Gray, Horace Walpole, Mason, Horne Tooke, William Pitt, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Byron, Shelley.

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practical Yankees, that books were made for use, rather than to fill up long shelves, to be looked at only on the outside, and the mass of them never to be opened, even by the 'favored few.' Among the rarities which they show here, are an Ethiopic MS. version of the Book of Enoch, recently brought from Africa, and Queen Elizabeth's Latin exercise-book, in her own hand-writing. Connected with the Bodleian, is a hall of ancient sculpture, containing about eighty statues, which have been brought from Greece and Italy. Near by, are kept the celebrated Arundelian marbles; and here I saw the original Parian Chronicle, made two hundred and sixty-four years before Christ! and of course now somewhat illegible. This chronicle, you know, was an important authority in ancient chronology. I must not forget the Theatre,' an edifice not for dramatic performances, but the college anniversaries, which we call 'commencements.' This extensive hall is elegantly decorated, and well contrived for a large audience. It was here that the Emperors of Russia and Austria, etc., were pompously received, when they visited England, in 1815. The connoisseur in paintings will find ample entertainment in Oxford; and if you come here, especially do not omit seeing the altar-piece in All-Soul's chapel, a most exquisite Magdalen,' with an expression of countenance I can never forget. A few miles from Oxford, is the splendid palace and park of Blenheim, given by the nation to the great Duke of Marlborough, for his military services.

XII.

London Police--American Literature in England--English Authors-Intelligence amongst the' working classes'—Cockney Pronunciation-Prejudice against Americans.

THE police of London is, perhaps, more efficient, without being oppressive, than any other in the world. In Paris, the agents of the police are very numerous; but they act in secret service: they are spies on the people; and though I am not aware of having seen a policeman there, it is extremely probable that I met them daily at the cafés and dining-rooms. But in London, there is no disguise. They are distinguished by a uniform suit of blue and a cockade, and are to be seen at every turn and corner, day and night, always on the watch for the least show of disturbance. There must be, at least, two or three thousand of these men constantly employed for the seemingly idle purpose of walking the streets. Disorder is consequently rare, and is always checked in the bud; and drunken vagrants, if ever seen, are soon disposed of, for a policeman is always within call. There is, also, a night horse-patrol for the environs. Each of the public buildings is sentineled by one or more of the 'Life Guards,' who are richly dressed in scarlet, with tremendous black, bushy caps, à la grenadier Francaise. These valiant troops also attend the members of the royal family, when they visit public places. A part of them are mounted,

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and have their head-quarters at the Horse Guards,' in Whitehall and St. James's Park.

A knowledge of, and respect for, American Literature appear to be gaining ground in England; but still, very few of our writers can boast much foreign fame; and many a name, and many a book, familiar to us, have scarcely been heard of, in the land of Shakspeare. There are some bright exceptions, however. It is superfluous to say, that I often heard IRVING and his writings spoken of with enthusiasm; and the early novels, especially of COOPER, stand as high in popular favor throughout Europe, as they ever did at home. But the English are disposed, it would seem, to claim these two writers as their own; many, at least, never allude to them as American. The essays of Dr. CHANNING have attained a wide celebrity in Great Britain. I have seen no less than three rival editions. Add to these three names those of WASHINGTON and FRANKLIN, and you can scarcely mention another American name which enjoys a thorough European reputation. A number of our books have been re-published, it is true, and are known to some extent. I saw English editions of one or more of the works of Miss SEDGEWICK, PAUlding, SIMMS, FLINT, FAY, and Dr. BIRD. Our poets they are but little acquainted with. Mr. Irving, you know, endorsed a London edition of BRYANT, and Barry Cornwall conferred the same honor on WILLIS, whose prose sketches in the magazines, &c., have been highly praised here. He has ccrtainly written himself into considerable notoriety. PERCIVAL'S poems were printed in England several years

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since. Some of HALLECK's, and others, are well known through the various "specimens of American poets." The classical text-books on oriental and biblical literature, from Andover, Cambridge, etc., are re-printed, and considered high authority by English scholars and critics. Several American books, of a useful and practical character, such as ABBOTT'S 'Young Christian,' Mrs. CHILD's Frugal Housewife,' etc., have had an immense sale in England and Scotland. At least twenty thousand copies of each of the two mentioned have been sold in the kingdom. The sneering question of the Quarterly, Who reads an American book?' is no longer asked; but English prejudice is yet slow to admit that any good thing can come out of Nazareth.' I was told by a London publisher, that if an American book were re-printed, it would be bad policy to acknowledge its origin. I know several instances of our books having been published in London and Glasgow as original, and without a word of the source, or any alteration, except the omission of local names, by which they might have been detected! In one case, an English copy of a book thus re-printed, verbatim, except the title, was received by a New-York house, published as an English work, and one thousand copies were sold, before it was discovered that the copy-right belonged to the author and publisher in Philadelphia ! * * * * A few of our higher periodicals are favorably known here. Silliman's 'Journal of Science' is appreciated and praised by scientific men throughout Europe; and there are in London about one hundred fifty subscribers to the North American Re