feventeen years a widow, in abfolute power and plenty.

She built three of the most elegant feats that were ever raised by one hand within the fame county, beyond example, Chatfworth, Hardwick, and Oldcotes, all tranfmitted entire to the firft duke of Devonshire. At Hardwick, fhe left the ancient feat of her family ftanding, and at a fmall diftance, ftill adjoining to her new fabric, as if fhe had a mind to preferve her cradle, and fet it by her bed of ftate. Which old houfe has one room in it, of fuch exact proportion, and fuch convenient lights, that it has been thought fit for a pattern of meafure and contrivance, of a room in the late duke of Marlborough's noble house at Blenheim. It must not be forgotten, that this lady had the honour to be keeper of Mary queen of Scots, committed prifoner to George earl of Shrewsbury, for feventeen years. Her chamber, and rooms of itate, with her arms, and other enfigns, are ftill remaining at Hardwick; her bed was taken away for plunder in the civil wars. At Chatfworth, the new lodgings, that anfwer the old, are called the queen of Scots apartment, and an ifland plat at the top of a fquare tower, built in a large pool, is ftill called, the queen of Scots garden; and fome of her own royal work is ftill preserved among the treafures of this family: a carpet embroidered with her needle, and particularly a fuit of hangings, now remaining in a chamber at Hardwick, wherein all the virtues are reprefented in fymbolical figures, and allufive mottoes; an ornament, and a lecture. The earl's own epitaph does betray that he was fufpected of familiarity with his royal prifoner, "quod licet a malevolis propter fufpectam cum captiva Regina familiaritatem fæpius male audivit," which is not to be imagined

true: however the rumour of it was, no doubt, an exercise of temper and virtue to the countess, who carried herself to the queen, and the earl her hufband, with all becoming refpect and duty.'

Yet it was reported of her, that coming to court, and queen Elifabeth demanding how the queen of Scots did, the faid, Madam, fhe cannot do ill, while fhe is with my husband, and begin to grow jealous, they are fo great together. Whereupon the queen was ordered.into the cuftody of fir Amlas Paulet, and others. It is probable it was this that induced Camden to tax her with ill conduct, in the character he gives of the earl of Shrewsbury.

She endowed a noble hofpital at Derby, for the fubfiftence of twelve poor people, who have each of them an allowance of near 10l. per annum ; and departing this life in the eightyseventh year of her age, on February 13, 1607, was buried in the fouth ifle. of All-Hallows church, in Derby, under a ftately monument, which the took care to erect in her own life-time. Her ftatue, in full proportion, curioufly cut in marble, lies at length, and above it, is a Latin infcription, fetting forth her marriages and iffue.

The conduct of this lady was, indeed, as interefting as any that can be recorded in the annals of the peerage. The prefent houfe of Devonfhire, together with that of Portland and Newcaftle, owe much to her. At the time of her death, the eftates of which the was poffeffed were fo confiderable that they would produce, at this day, 300,000l. per annum. They were divided among the various branches of his defcendants. The dukes of Devonshire, Portland, and Newcaftle, at this hour, enjoy the fruits of his parental attention.

SURRY, continued. Woods ard Woodlands.-In the first part of the furvey of this county, a full and particular account was given of every common, and piece of waste land, or barren heath, that is to be found in the whole district, marking diftinctly, as we proceeded, the quality of the foil, and its aptitude to the growth of oak and other timber; from whence it will be deduced, that there does exift in this county a large tract of land, uncultivated and unemployed, and which, without injury to any perfon, might, under a proper fyftem, be in part appropriated to the growth of timber, and ultimately tend to a lafting benefit to this kingdom.

It appears but too vifibly manifeft, that the profpect of a deficiency does not fo much arise from the want of a progreffive state of timber, but from the prefent unfortunate system of cutting it down, as soon as it attains that age and fize, which would make it fo defirable for this country that it should remain, as it is then past all danger; (the fize we mean is about eighteen inches diameter) as well as in the mode of cutting down the underwood in coppices, leaving and expofing the young and tender fapling to every wind, and to all weathers, thereby giving it a check, which, if it does not take from its height, certainly much injures the tree. Might it not be worth while for government to purchase fuch timber ftanding at a fair valuation; and by an agreement with the proprietor to fuffer it there to remain until wanted, paying a certain annual rent as might be deemed adequate for the use of the ground they Occupy? Every person having oak to fell, in a fituation to be conveyed to any of the dockyards, to be obliged to make a tender of it to government firft, and upon their refufal, to be at liberty to dispose of it as he pleased; and no man fhould be at liberty to cut

down one tree without directly planting three in its ftead, and which he fhould engage to protect effectually. This would be making a falutary provifion for a future day, of which meafure the good policy must be very obvious.

Having premifed thus much, and offered our ideas of what may be the caufe of the probable scarcity of timber, we next proceed to remedy the pretended defect; and this can only be done by inclofures: and if it were wanted to bring further proof of this neceffity, we need only refer the board to that well digested production, the eleventh report of the commiffioners of the land revenues of the crown, who have expressed, in direct terms, their strongest apprehenfions, That the time is not very distant when we. fhall have good caufe to repent our want of attention, to fo neceffary an article of our defence;' and they further prefs it as an act of indispensable public duty, that every poffible means fhould be adopted, without lofs of time, for raifing a fupply equal to our future wants.' If any thing could roufe the lethargic fpirit of our countrymen to a due fenfe of what they or their pofterity have to expect, by continuing to cut down without mercy that which fhould form the bulwark of this nation, it would be, that they were made thoroughly acquainted with this report, which was undertaken by gentlemen capable of being furnished, and with the strongest defire to be furnifhed, with the most authentic information that could be procured. Taking it for granted, then, that inclofures one day or other will take place, and muft take place, we shall fet out, by fubmitting a mode, the moft eligible, in our opinion, that can be adopted, for inclofing those waftes we have been fpeaking of, preparatory to their being planted. As a preliminary ftep, however, it will be