Cambridge

It is confe ed that Oxford far exceeds it for sweetnes of situation, and yet it may be maintained that though there be better air in Oxford, yet there is more in the colleges of Cambridge, for Oxford is an university in a town, Cambridge a town in an university, where the colleges are not surrounded with the offensive embraces of streets, but generally situated on the outside, affording the better conveniency of private walks and gardens about them.” {Worthies 1. 224, ed. 1840.) Camden says: “This city, which is the second university, the second eye, and the second support of England, famous for being the magazine of religion and learning, is situated on the Cam, which after sporting among the islands it has formed on its west side, turns east and divides the town into two parts, united’ by a bridge, whence the modern name Cambridge arose. Beyond the bridge is a large old castle, which seems to have lasted its time, and the college of St. Mary Magdalen. On this (the eastern) side the bridge, where hes the largest part of the town, it makes an handsome appearance by the disposition of the streets, the number of the churches, and 16 beautiful residences of the Muses, or Colleges, in which many Nor is any requisite of a most learned men are supported. flourishing university wanting here except that the marshine (2. 123.) of the situation renders the air le wholesome.” The number of dwellings in Cambridge-was le in the time of Milton than in 1749, when there were, according to Profe or Maitland, 1636. He writes: “In the days of Elizabeth and her.,. two next succe ors there was a scare at Cambridge, as elsewhere, about overcrowding. Some minute statistics were collected at Cambridge. The outcome is summed up in a document... The general impre ions left upon my mind by these curious returns, are that the number of houses on a given area had been rapidly increasing during the past sixty years.” (Township and Borough, pp. 102-5.) Since Milton spent seven years at Cambridge, he must have been familiar with the town and the surrounding country. written in 1632..... 2. 84