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LONDON, AUGUST 7, 1920.

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From Bromley the road soon became worse, with much chalky and flinty soil, and upon the whole rather a barren country. But the scene suddenly changed on coming to the wide vale in CONTENTS.- No. 121. which the Dart takes its rise, and nothing could NOTES:-John Aikin's Excursions: V. Aug. 27-Aug. 31, be richer than the whole extent each way, and 1807, 101-London Coffee-houses, Taverns, and Inns, 103the rise on the other side, crowned with the Proposed Museum of Arts, 1787 104 -Irish Family History: town of Sevenoaks and Knole-park. Chevening Reynolds of Castlefinn and Dromore, 105-Disraeli and -Ld. Stanhope's-lay just beneath us in the Delane, 106-"Sweet Lavender "-Jottings from an Old bottom. The descent is long and steep, and the Colonial Newspaper-Portrait of Abraham Cowley, 107ascent to Sevenoaks corresponding, so as to try The Northampton Mercury': its Bicentenary, 108. the powers of our feeble little horse. We passed QUERIES:- Gnaton - Phipps Waller - Grandfather through Sevenoaks, a neat town very agreeably Clock: Date Wanted"Le Tir Anglais " Col. John Lightfoot, 108-Zoffany's Cock Match-Grammar of situated, to the inn on the common beyond, on Stage Directions Price Family "Seevier"-" Every the edge of Knole-park. We had a long and Bullet has its Billet"-Sovereign of Naas: Sovereign of very agreeable stroll about the park, which is Dingle-Leonard Digges-German: Origin of the Name, finely wooded, and well varied on the surface. 109-Beadon Family-Pannier Market-Ancient History We came by a circuitous path in front of the of Assam-Wandsworth in 1790'-John Davidson: the old mansion, which is an edifice of great antiquity Vale at Long Ditton-Hamiltons at Holyrood-Family of Hagar of Bourn Hall, Cambridgeshire-Barr-Dorothy and vast extent, but of little magnificence; it is, Stanley-French Titles, 110-Author Wanted, 111. however, well suited to the idea of an ancient Solitude and silence pervaded REPLIES:-Mushroom Freemen : Mandamus Voters, 111- English noble. Latin as an International Language. 112 - Dinwiddie the whole park, which was animated only by the Family-Old Semaphore Towers, 113-Emerson's English herds of deer, winding along the glades or feeding Traits' Sailors' Chanties - Croydon Parish Church: on the eminences. We wandered so long that Archbishop Herring's Tomb-Prisoners who have Survived we were glad through the dark to find the way Hanging, 14-Lowestoft China, 115-A Literary Hoax-back to our inn. Some of the beeches in this Pussy foot-Coinage of Charles II.-'History of the Navy': park surpass by their mass. and spread of shade H.M.S. Coventry, 116-Spoonerisms-Jedediah Buxton. 117-Teachings from the Church's Year'-'Stalky & Co., those in Mr. Locke's. by Rudyard Kipling Funeral Parlour Diocesan Calendars and Gazettes-"To Trash for Overtopping Heraldry of Fishes, 118.

NOTES ON BOOKS :-' On the Art of Reading'-' English
Historical Review.'

OBITUARY:-Mabel Peacock.
Notices to Correspondents.

Notes.

JOHN AIKIN'S EXCURSIONS.

V. AUG. 27-AUG. 31, 1807.

WITH this journal John Aikin's excursions cease. There is no evidence that he made one in 1806, the manuscript for the present year being separate from that of the four others.

August 27th, 1807.-Left Stoke Newington soon after eight and proceeded through London to Bromley in Kent. Great bustle of carriages continued till the turning off to Lewisham, after which the road was pretty quiet. It is agreeably bordered with trees in some parts, but affords nothing striking to Bromlev. There we took coffee, and then walked to see the college, as it is called, being a set of almshouses for clergymen's widows. There are two quadrangles, with colonnades round them affording an agreeable walk. On each hand open the apartments of the widows, which appear very neat and decently furnished, suitable to the rank of the inhabitants. The whole has a very pleasing appearance, and we saw several good matronly figures, and some very young children, so that, if they are all widows, they must be admitted very soon after

August 28.-A squally morning, with driving misty showers, prevented us from repeating our walk to Knole Park. After breakfast we set out for Penshurst, and had a pleasant drive, though distant objects were mostly obscured by the haze. Our road was chiefly along a wide valley, rich, and with wooded sides. Penshurst is an old battlemented house, with towers and turrets, irregular, and rather singular than grand. We saw the inside, attended by an old porter, who seemed the only inhabitant. We past through several good rooms, in which were many pictures, but most of them much decayed. The most interesting were numerous portraits of the Sydneys and their allies, some good and striking, by Holbein, Vandyke, &c. One of the portraits of the patriot Algernon appeared to have been cut across the face, probably by some meansouled loyalist. There is a Sir Philip S. in stiff stays and ruff, a most formal figure-another as a handsome youth. Sacharissa more than once. A great family piece of a Mr. Perry who married the last heiress of the house, exhibits the formality of half a century ago, and certainly shows no progress in taste or the arts. Mr. Perry himself is a fat vulgar cit-like figure, strangely nestled among the heroic Sidneys. The furniture of the rooms is of very different ages also, from queen Elizabeth to Mr. Perry-chairs of every form of Cowper's delineation, &c. On the whole the

66

genius of Penshurst old" seems to have left the place, and neglect and desertion are strongly marked about it. The park has few beauties and is without deer.

After an early dinner we proceeded for Tunbridge Wells. The road for some way ran on the ridge above a fine wooded vale, but the driving showers obscured the prospect. The rain was however little more than mist except just at our journey's end. Tunbridge Wells displayed the bustle of a fashionable watering place-smart carriages,

chiefly built on a slope rising from the bottom in which the mineral water springs, and presenting different stages of red houses, mostly modern, for the use of visitors. The general air is lively. The Pantiles or Parade as now called is a long row of smart shops with a colonnade before them and an esplanade beyond; and seems a comfortable lounging-place. The waters are drunk in a handsome stone building. There are rooms, coffee-houses, billiards, and all the usual appurtenances of water drinking. A walk with trees called the Grove decorates the upper part of the town. Opposite the town is an open common with fine turf, affording good air and exercise to the walking parties.

After a dish of tea we took our way across the common above mentioned, to the Blackrocks about a mile beyond it. The way was along a perfectly sequestered valley with hop planatations. On proceeding we first saw some rocky scars peeping through the bushes, and began to be afraid that this would prove the whole of the sight; but at length we came suddenly upon a group of naked rock that, though much inferior in grandeur to what we had seen at Cheddar and Bristol, was well worth a walk. It resembled nothing so much as the huge sterns of ships ranged side by side, each single mass being rounded, overhanging its base, and separated by a deep cleft from the next. Mountain ash in full berry was pendent over the summit of some of them. The evening turned out fine and serene, and we returned after sunset well pleased with our excursion.

Augt. 29.-At an early hour some of the ladies were mounted upon their long-eared pads decked with green housings, and like Spenser's Una all in white, were pacing to drink the water. I luckily met on the pantiles with friend Sam Woods, who took us to breakfast with his family at a house near the Grove. By his advice we planned the day's journey, and a pleasant one it has proved. Taking leave of Tunbridge Wells-I hate watering places we proceeded first by a toilsome road to the village of Frant in Sussex. There we got upon an eminence affording a wide prospect, and turning westward rode through a tract more richly wooded than I almost ever saw. In some parts an extensive view scarcely exhibited a single cleared spot, for hop plantations occupied the intervals between woods and thickets. After a ride of some miles we came to our first object, Bayham abbey, to which we turned short down a steep declivity. It occupies a bottom of fine meadow, watered by a small stream, which is widened into a pool near it : a finer spot for monastic retirement cannot well be conceived. Everything is cleared round the ruins, so as to exhibit the whole mass at a view with great distinctness. The chief remains are of the conventual church, which must have been a magnificent edifice. Enough is left to make it highly picturesque some entire window arches, light and elegant; chapels in the side aisles, two of them still roofed; and portions of the great arch whence the tower was sprung. There are many other remains which would doubtless be very intelligible to an ecclesiastical antiquary. No ruins in the kingdom are probably viewed so commodiously; for the whole ground-plat is

quadrangles of a college; indeed almost as spruce as a London tea-garden; and though very pleasant to walk in, yet scarcely congruous with a scene of desolatior. It is to the credit of the owner, Lord Camden, who has an old mansion contiguous, that the whole is left open to visitors. without the intrusion of any fee-expecting servant. The grounds about are laid out in a park-like style and rise beautifully from the level meadow to the wooded slopes of the vale.

Hence we drove on to Lamberhurst, a small. town where we baited. In the afternoon we proceeded, still through a pleasant woody country, to Goudhurst, a village seated on a high eminence, affording a most extensive prospect of the surrounding country on all sides, Thence, through a well-cultivated tract with many hop-grounds, we proceeded to Cranbrook, a market town calling itself the capital of the Weald of Kent, but in fact possessing little to boast of, but a fine old parish church, which we took care to visit directly after our arrival with due devotion. A stroll through the streets engaged us after tea till sunset. This whole day's ride-about 18 miles-has been over a tract of sand, often very deep and heavy, notwithstanding numerous turnpikes.

August 30 (Sunday).—We left Cranbrook after breakfast and proceeded for Maidstone. The first part of the road was a heavy sand and the country not interesting. Both improved as we advanced, and at length we came into a rich vale watered by a stream which runs into the Medway. Afterwards, on crossing a ridge, beyond which is Coxheath, we entered a wider and more extensive vale, bounded in the north by a chalk ridge that runs from west to east through the centre of the county. The intermediate tract is very fine, and fuller of the hop culture than any part we had yet seen. The surface is seldom level but generally waving the road hard and good, seemingly made of ironstone. Many villages interspersed, and comfortable houses, but few great seats. About Maidstone the scenery is rich and lively, and the vicinity of a considerable town displays itself.

We arrived between twelve and one, and soon visited the best part of the town, which is tolerably handsome. The Medway is here of respectable breadth and bears an appearance of business, but it is muddy, and the banks not pleasing. There is a large old church with so low a steeple it makes no figure in the view. The remains of an old castle-I suppose-are near it. After dining and being kept in by a shower, we completed our walk through the town, and saw a handsome pile of barracks, now conspicuous buildings in most of our provincial capitals. The weather, which had threatened a wet afternoon cleared up about five, and we proceeded for Wrotham. The country continued pleasant, and we gradually approached the chalk ridge, which afforded some striking views. At the close of a fine evening we reached our quarters.

August 31st.-We left Wrotham in good time and soon crossed the chalk ridge, from the crest of which was a very extensive view of the country southward, comprising great part of the tract we had travelled through. The road beyond was through a rather bleak and steril tract, till we

without stopping, and then reached the vale of the Crays at Foots Cray, where we baited. After that the vicinity of London soon announced itself, and nothing further presented itself worth noting. We came home in good time and brought back our poor steed in at least as good spirits and condition as we took him out. For ourselves, we were well satisfied with our excursion, but not sorry to get home again.

* As an appendage to the five excursions now printed, it may be appropriate to quote the following from Lucy Aikin's Memoir of John Aikin, M.D.,' (1823):—

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himself with little tours through interesting parts of the country which were new to him. These were always performed in an open chaise, with my mother for his companion; and were repeated annually during a considerable period. His ardent love of the varied face of rural nature, and the talent for observation which distinguished him, rendered these little excursions, of which he always made copious journals, the source and his coninstruction as well as delight; tributions to the Magazine* varied by the were frequently description of objects which had thus fallen under his attention.'

PRONEPOS.

of

The Monthly Magazine, of which he became editor in 1796.

PRINCIPAL LONDON COFFEE-HOUSES, TAVERNS AND INNS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

(12 S. vi. 29, 59, 84, 105, 125, 143, 162; vii. 26, 67.)

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Hoop and Bunch of Grapes

Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn Gt. Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields

Hercules Passage, Thread

needle Street

1787

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Simpson's City Tavern's and Masonry."
Chancellor's Fleet Street.'

Simpson's 'Suburban Taverns.'

1723 Simpson's City Taverns and Masonry." 1746 Rocque's 'Survey.'

1748 1750

1777

Simpson's City Taverns and Masonry." Simpson's 'Suburban Taverns.' Simpson's' Suburban Taverns.'

Simpson's 'Suburban Taverns.'

1723 Simpson's 'City Taverns and Masonry."

1767 Simpson's City Taverns and Masonry' Simpson's City Taverns and Masonry' Chancellor's Fleet Street.'

1767

1740

1722

L. I. Black Books, iii., 264

Within the liberty of the 1734
Fleet

Simpson's London Taverns and Masonry

Simpson's City Taverns and Masonry'

Larwood, p. 252

chiefly built on a slope rising from the bottom in which the mineral water springs, and presenting different stages of red houses, mostly modern, for the use of visitors. The general air is lively. The Pantiles or Parade as now called is a long row of smart shops with a colonnade before them and an esplanade beyond; and seems a comfortable lounging-place. The waters are drunk in a handsome stone building. There are rooms, coffee-houses, billiards, and all the usual appurtenances of water drinking. A walk with trees called the Grove decorates the upper part of the town. Opposite the town is an open common with fine turf, affording good air and exercise to the walking parties.

After a dish of tea we took our way across the common above mentioned, to the Blackrocks about a mile beyond it. The way was along a perfectly sequestered valley with hop planatations. On proceeding we first saw some rocky scars peeping through the bushes, and began to be afraid that this would prove the whole of the sight; but at length we came suddenly upon a group of naked rock that, though much inferior in grandeur to what we had seen at Cheddar and Bristol, was well worth a walk. It resembled nothing so much as the huge sterns of ships ranged side by side, each single mass being rounded, overhanging its base, and separated by a deep cleft from the next. Mountain ash in full berry was pendent over the summit of some of them. The evening turned out fine and serene, and we returned after sunset well pleased with our excursion.

Augt. 29.-At an early hour some of the ladies were mounted upon their long-eared pads decked with green housings, and like Spenser's Una all in white, were pacing to drink the water. I luckily met on the pantiles with friend Sam Woods, who took us to breakfast with his family at a houso near the Grove. By his advice we planned the day's journey, and a pleasant one it has proved. Taking leave of Tunbridge Wells-I hate watering places we proceeded first by a toilsome road to the village of Frant in Sussex. There we got upon an eminence affording a wide prospect, and turning westward rode through a tract more richly wooded than I almost ever saw. In some parts an extensive view scarcely exhibited a single cleared spot, for hop plantations occupied the intervals between woods and thickets. After a ride of some miles we came to our first object, Bayham abbey, to which we turned short down a steep declivity. It occupies a bottom of fine meadow, watered by a small stream, which is widened into a pool near it: a finer spot for monastic retirement cannot well be conceived. Everything is cleared round the ruins, so as to exhibit the whole mass at a view with great distinctness. The chief remains are of the conventual church, which must have been a magnificent edifice. Enough is left to make it highly picturesque some entire window arches, light and elegant; chapels in the side aisles, two of them still roofed; and portions of the great arch whence the tower was sprung. There are many other remains which would doubtless be very intelligible to an ecclesiastical antiquary. No ruins in the kingdom are probably viewed so commodiously; for the whole ground-plat is

quadrangles of a college; indeed almost as spruce as a London tea-garden; and though very pleasant to walk in, yet scarcely congruous with a scene of desolatior. It is to the credit of the owner, Lord Camden, who has an old mansion contiguous, that the whole is left open to visitors. without the intrusion of any fee-expecting servant. The grounds about are laid out in a park-like style and rise beautifully from the level meadow to the wooded slopes of the vale. Hence we drove on to Lamberhurst, a small town where we baited. In the afternoon we proceeded, still through a pleasant woody country, to Goudhurst, a village seated on a high eminence, affording a most extensive prospect of the surrounding country on all sides, Thence, through a well-cultivated tract with many hop-grounds, we proceeded to Cranbrook, a market town calling itself the capital of the Weald of Kent, but in fact possessing little to boast of, but a fine old parish church, which we took care to visit directly after our arrival with due devotion. A stroll through the streets engaged us after tea till sunset. This whole day's ride-about 18 miles-has been over a tract of sand, often very deep and heavy, notwithstanding numerous turnpikes.

The

August 30 (Sunday).—We left Cranbrook after breakfast and proceeded for Maidstone. first part of the road was a heavy sand and the country not interesting. Both improved as we advanced, and at length we came into a rich vale watered by a stream which runs into the Medway. Afterwards, on crossing a ridge, beyond which is Coxheath, we entered a wider and more extensive vale, bounded in the north by a chalk ridge that runs from west to east through the centre of the county. The intermediate tract is very fine, and fuller of the hop culture than any part we had yet seen. The surface is seldom level but generally waving: the road hard and good, seemingly made of ironstone. Many villages interspersed, and comfortable houses, but few great seats. About Maidstone the scenery is rich and lively, and the vicinity of a considerable town displays itself.

We arrived between twelve and one, and soonvisited the best part of the town, which is tolerably handsome. The Medway is here of respectable breadth and bears an appearance of business, but it is muddy, and the banks not pleasing. There is a large old church with so low a steeple it makes no figure in the view. The remains of an old castle-I suppose-are near it. After dining and being kept in by a shower, we completed our walk through the town, and saw a handsome pile of barracks, now conspicuous buildings in most of our provincial capitals. The weather, which had threatened a wet afternoon cleared up about five, and we proceeded for Wrotham. The country continued pleasant, and we gradually approached the chalk ridge, which afforded some striking views. At the close of a fine evening we reached our quarters.

August 31st. We left Wrotham in good time and soon crossed the chalk ridge, from the crest of which was a very extensive view of the country southward, comprising great part of the tract we had travelled through. The road beyond was through a rather bleak and steril tract, till we

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