The most elegant buildings of this city belong to the university, consisting of twelve colleges and four halls, each of which contains apartments for the students and Fellows, and has a master's lodge, a chapel, a library, a hall, and a combination-room. Before, however, we pro ceed to give a description of these buildings, we may premise, that, previous to the erection of colleges, the students lodged in hotels or inns kept by the inhabitants, and defrayed out or their own pocket all charges for maintenance and education ; and it was on account of the exhorbitant demands to which they were exposed from the landlords of these inns, and to relieve them from such exactions, that colleges were founded for their accom modation and support. The most ancient of them is, St Peter's College, or Peter-house, which stands on the west side of Trumpington street, and consists of two courts, separated from each other by a cloister and gal lery. This college was originally formed of two hotels, which Hugh de Balsham, sub-prior of Ely, in 1257, purchased and appropriated to the use or the students, and afterwards endowed for the support of a master, fourteen fellows, and eight scholars. Since that time, however, its revenues have been considerably augment ed by numerous benefactions, and its fellowships and scholarships proportionally increased. It is reported, that when Lady Mary Ramsey offered a Very large pro perty to this college, upon condition that its name should be changed into 44 Peter and Mary's," Dr Soame, the master, replied, with rather sarcastic humour, " Peter has been too long a bachelor, to think of a female comrade in his old age ;"—" a dear-bought jest," says Fuller, for so good a benefactress ; for Lady Ramsey, disgusted at his refusal, turned the stream of her benevolence into a different cnannel." The chapel of this college is a handsome structure, with cmbrazttres and pinnacles ; and over the altar-piece is a beautiful window of painted glass, representing the Crucifixion. In some parts it is very richly coloured, and the figures, which are copied from the famous picture of itabons on the same subject at Antwerp, are nearly as large as life.
Clare Hall, when founded by Dr Richard Bade•, the chancellor, in I32G, was called University Hall ; but having been destroyed by fire about sixteen years after, it was rebuilt under its present name by Elizabeth dc Burgh, third daughter and heiress to the last Earl of Clare, who endowed it with lands for the maintenance of a master, ten fellows, and as many scholars. In 1638, however, the whole college was renewed by subscrip tion, and is now one of the neatest and most uniform buildings in Cambridge. It is delightfully situated on the eastern bank of the Cam, and consists of on6 spacious court, which is entered on the cast and west sides by. two lofty arched passages. Each of its fronts are elegant; hut that which looks towards the river is magnificent, being built of Ketton stone, and ornamented with two ranges of pilasters, of the Tuscan and Ionic orders. The middle tier of windows is adorned with pediments, and the other too with architraves , and th(, w hole is finished with a circular pediment, decorated with urn.,
an entablature, and handsome balustrade. The chapel, which was erected in 1703, from a classical design by Sir James Burroughs, and which cost above 70001., is allowed to surpass, in chasteness and elegance of deco ration, every building of the kind in the university. 0%er the altar is a beautiful alcove, in which is a fine painting of the Salutation, by Cipriani.
Pembroke Hall, which stands nearly opposite to Peter House, on the east side of Trunipington street, wry founded in 1343, by Mary, Countess of Pembroke. Her husband having been killed at a tilting-match on her wedding-day, this lady resolved to renounce the world, and to devote her immense possessions to acts of bene volence. flaying accordingly obtained a charter of in corporation front Edward III., she endowed this college for a master and six fellows ; but its establishment was greatly increased by succeeding benefactors, and parti cularly by Henry VI., who bestowed upon it the rich living of Soliam and other rectories. This building con tains two courts, which are separated by the hall, but they are both ancient, and make but a mean appearance. In a small detached brick building, which stands in the inner court, is contained a curious astronomical hollow sphere, presented to the college by Dr Roger Long, and invented and partly constructed by himself. It is about eighteen feet in diameter ; it can conveniently accommo date above thirty persons sitting within it, and the whole can be turned round by a small winch, with the greatest facility, though its weight is above one thousand pounds. This machine, however, though the Doctor left the in terest of 2001. bank annuities to keep the instrument and place in good repair, is now much damaged, and is fast falling into decay.' Corpus Christi, or Bene't College, was originally called 44 Corpus Christi and the blessed Virgin Mary," from the name of two religious societies, at whose joint ex pence it was at first established, and received the name of St Benedict or Bene't, merely from its vicinity to the church dedicated to that saint. It was begun in 1344, but was not finally endowed until 1356, wh it received a master, eight fellows, three bible-clerks, and six scho lars. This edifice is now much decayed, and it is in tended to rebuild it upon a new and elegant plan, which is already designed, and shewn for inspection. A legacy of 1000/. left by Dr Thomas Herring, archbishop of Canterbury, and a still larger one by Dr 'Mathias Maw son, mastex of the college, and bishop of Ely, are appro priated to that purpose. The library of this college con tains a collection of very rare and valuable manuscripts, chiefly relating to ecclesiastical affairs. It was left by Archbishop Parker, with this particular restriction, that if at any time twenty-five books are missing, and cannot be found in six months, the whole devolves by rotation upon Caius College and Trinity Hall, who, however, re tain them only upon the same condition. This library is consequently kept with great care, and is annually visited and examined by the masters of these col leges.