When Hugo von Herkomer at a lecture in the Sheldonian Theater last spring announced as his subject "England Lovable and Paintable," his audience felt that however illuminating might be the famous artist's exposition of the second quality, the first, at least, needed no demonstration. To know the great Motherland is to love her. No other city of the world has the fascinations of London, so many and so varied: art, architecture, commerce, religion, history-all races and all professions find inspiration in her past or her present. More specific interests belong to certain other spots, such as Chester, Canterbury, Stratford, York, and, second only to London, Oxford. The most perfunctory slave of Cook that ever "did" the city between trains by way of "breaking the journey"—even he cannot fail to feel it a place apart. High Street "the noblest old street in England"-Tom Quad and the Broad Walk, both belonging to Gladstone's and Edward VII.'s college; Magdalen with her deer park. and river paths and the finest college choir in England; such memories are of the kind that cling.

But the resident even of a short period grows into a feeling for the place that the word lovable expresses only feebly and partially. After he has lived in it long enough to have breathed in its spirit and drunk from the fountains of its historic past, it becomes a hallowed spot and the name Oxford a symbol not so much of walls and pavements as of a life. History and literature and philosophy have new meanings on the ground where they were moulded. Here the Wesleys founded the Holy

Club; here Newman led the forces of the Tractarians; here Ruskin preached his twin gospels of art and labor. As you stand at Carfax facing down High Street, University College fronts you, the oldest college in the islands, founded by Alfred; opposite is St Mary-the-Virgin, the University church. If you turn to the right you look toward the most aristocratic college in England, Christ Church, where the visitor is shown, wrought on china and linen, the cardinal's hat of its founder, Wolsey.

Behind Carfax tower, Queen St. leads you out through such a country as Constable painted, a sheen of buttercups yellowing the fields that stretch along the Thames valley, eglantine and hawthorne bordering the roads; until you reach Cumnor with its antique church that Amy Robsart attended. North from Carfax runs the Woodstock Road to Blenheim, seven miles out, close by the village of Woodstock-a suggestion of the proximity of history and ro

mance.

But if you choose to limit your circuit within half a mile of Carfax, every step falls on historic ground. At the entrance to Broad St. stands Martyrs' Memorial, and at a little distance the spot is marked in the pavement where Cranmer and his two companions tested their faith in fire. A little further is the Clarendon Building, now used for offices, including that of the Women's Association; the Sheldonian, where the closing graduations of the year are held and the great men of the world receive and confer honor in accepting degrees. Behind is the Bodleian library, the second in the kingdom.

vision for lectures in modern literature, but the instruction was entirely given by one college, except the courses provided for women by the Association. The feeling is still powerful in that stronghold of the classics that English does not need to be taught. On the other hand the language work in the hands of world-famous men is thoroughly satisfying. Other branches of study are equally provided for.

The question naturally arises, how can the student of English literature find her work profitable under such circumstances? The answer lies in the Oxford system, which applies to both men and women. As the men's work is longer established we will take that for the example. Oxford University includes twenty-three colleges, and the greater part of the students belong in these. When a man comes up to Oxford, he enters his chosen college, which henceforward is his home. He probably "lives in;" he must take his dinner "in hall," must be inside gates at the proper hour, must attend college chapel. The college is responsible for his instruction and prepares him for the examinations which are the goal held before the student as the requisite for graduation. To this end he is put in charge of a tutor who supervises his work and tests it weekly by papers; and this tutorial supervision is the essence of the Oxford system. As the college year consists of three terms of eight weeks each, very evidently much of the reading must be done in vacation. For the first two years, that is, until "Moderations" is passed, the student probably has all his work in his own college; then if he specializes for "honours" in some "school" which is more fully handled in some other college, he may go there for work. When he is ready, he comes up for "finals.” These are conduct

ed by the University, which, if he passes, and has been in residence the required number of terms, grants him his degree. Strictly speaking, there is no graduate work, but the master's degree is conferred after the fixed number of terms has been completed, that is, the fees paid. But under such a system a student finds full opportunities for extending his work as long as he pleases. The great library, with its rare editions and priceless manuscripts, the laboratories, the museums full of treasures of art, archæology, ethnology and other sciences, place the materials in his hands and the professors give special care to such students. Besides the Oxford idea of concentration upon a single line of work often compels the American graduate to spend two years in the undergraduate school before he is ready for his first degree there.

Not all men attach themselves to a college, but instead they may join the body called "non-collegiate." In this case the university itself directs their work and provides tutors and lecture rooms. This method lessens expenses, but Oxford is not under any circumstances short of a scholarship, the poor man's university. Thus the students are of two classes, those in the colleges being by far the greater in number.

Most of these statements apply equally to the women students. They are not, however, members of the university, nor although they take the same examinations as the men, are they granted degrees. The body in charge of their interests is the Association for the Education of Women, which was founded in 1878, although as early as 1865 lectures for women were given, and in 1873 a tentative organization formed with Mrs. Max Müller as treasurer and Mrs. Humphry Ward secretary. At first the lectures to women were de