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sight; and that nothing more is necessary, in order to see an object, than to direct those important organs towards it. The fact is, however, and much experience proves it, that the eyes alone are insufficient for this

purpose; and that they may be as well shut, if not assisted with some small portion of understanding. And this, I am persuaded, will be found requisite in seeing all those sights of which it is worth while to boast, although, as to other objects and spectacles for which no less eagerness is often displayed, the use of the eyes, without any help from the understanding, may be quite sufficient.

I have been led into these remarks by a late visit to that celebrated seat of learning, Oxford; where I had frequent opportunities to observe in what manner visitors from London, and other places, enjoy the sights with which it abounds. The result, generally, seemed to be disappointment, or that frigid and indifferent species of satisfaction which can scarcely form a few civil words of thanks for the pains taken by the Cicerones of the place. Some, I am persuaded, left Oxford with no other re

flection than that they had seen what they had never seen before; and with no other knowledge than that Oxford differed in some respects from

the place whence they came. Libraries were shown to those who never read, and portraits of Philosophers to those who had never heard of their names. Buildings were described, which created no emotion but that of the moment; and antiquities were pointed out to those who were as indifferent to the past as to the future. Yet, I must confess, discoveries and remarks, of no common kind, were occasionally made. In the Picture-gallery some found out their familiar acquaintances among philosophers and poets; among the Arundelian marbles, some were reminded of the statues at Bagnigge Wells; and a judgment of the Libraries seemed, generally, to be formed from the dimensions of the room. In the Gardens the clipt yews were very much admired; the Bowling-green of New College lost nothing by a comparison with the most envied things of the kind at Islington; and the cedar screen of Lincoln was smelt with profound veneration. The chapels frequently excited a momentary gaze of surprize. I overheard a gentleman, in New College, calculating how much money had been sunk; while his lady laid hold with some avidity on a prayer-book which, she said, was open at the Epistle for the day.

Such reflections, and such discoveries, might

be important if they lasted; but I was told, they were generally forgotten in the progress of the next stage; and, before night, little more was remembered, than that the buildings were numerous, and the taverns extravagant. When imparting these remarks to a friend, in whose hospitable mansion I took up my abode, he assured me, that my experience in these matters would afford me ample scope for my lucubrations, if I chose to make a longer stay.

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But," added he, "Mr. PROJECTOR, this is not the worst. If those who come to see our sights would be content with them, as exhibited by the servants of the respective colleges, we, who feel a little pride in displaying them to those who can relish them properly, might save many a mortification. But the mischief is, that every week, parties of these visitors are consigned to the care of some resident gentleman, by a friend, or the second or third acquaintance of a friend, and he is expected to devote his time to a more particular display of what, nine times in ten, these visitors look at with either a foolish face of wonder, or, what is yet more provoking, a stupid indifference, the combination of want of knowledge and want of taste. Our distant friends make no scruple to give such letters of recommendation to their

acquaintances, and are very much offended if we do not waste two or three days in pointing out what they cannot see with pleasure, or relish with a zest. It is natural for us to have a degree of fondness for our sights; and when we display them to those who partake in the enthusiasm which local emotion produces, our task is, indeed, delightful. But to be obliged to make the tour of our colleges with persons so illiterate as not to understand what a college was built for, to introduce into libraries those who have never been even in a bookseller's shop, and to point out the monuments and portraits of the illustrious ornaments of Church and State to those who have never heard of their names, and are perpetually asking who they were, is a species of punishment which seems reserved for friendship only to inflict; and which seems to require more philosophy to bear than is expected from the victims of tyranny and torture."

In these sentiments I found that other gentlemen, as well as my friend, concurred; and. I was the more disposed to enter into their feelings, as I had, on some occasions, expe-. rienced similar disappointments in pointing out to country cousins the sights of the metropolis. But, as my friend concluded his complaints

with a request that I would take the matter into consideration, and contrive some PROJECT for the relief of gentlemen resident at such places as Oxford or Cambridge, I have lost no time in introducing the subject in this lucubration.

There are but two ways in which the evil may be remedied. The one is, by the appointment, at our Universities and in London, of proper persons to act as Cicerones, or, in the vulgar phrase, as Bear-leaders, to all visitors who shall not bring an attested character for some knowledge of the sights they wish to see. The persons to hold the office of bear-leaders, or exhibitors, ought to be intimately acquainted with the history of every antient edifice, church, cathedral, or other public buildings, or object of any kind they are to show; they ought to point out its original structure, the changes it has undergone, and its particular beauties or defects. But let not those who aspire to be candidates for this office think that this knowledge of the subject is all that is necessary. They must not expect to earn their salaries so easily. They must besides be men of the greatest meekness of disposition, and of patience approaching to insensibility. They must hear and answer questions of every mea

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