is conducted between two fine sheets of water, which give great beauty and variety to this part of the park. On the north bank of one of these is a Menagerie. Strangers are permitted to drive through the park, and to visit the house, any day, except Sunday, by applying at Messrs. Child and Co.'s, London, for a ticket for that purpose. The Earl of Jersey, in right of his lady, is the present occupier.

Twickenham, distinguished by the number of beautiful seats and villas which adorn it, is ten miles from Hyde Park Corner, and about two from Richmond.

In this village lived Pope, and here he lies buried in the church but his once admired house was pulled down, a few years ago, by a later occupant, the Baroness Howe. The grotto, however, is preserved. An interesting account of this seat, by Mr. Britton, with a fine print from Turner, were pubished in "The Fine Arts of the English school."

The chief ornament of Twickenham is Strawberry Hill, the seat of the late Horace Walpole, who bequeathed it to the Hon. and ingenious, Mrs. Damer. It belongs at present to the Earl of Waldegrave. It is built entirely in the Gothic style, and most of the windows are ornamented with stained glass. The house is not large, nor the rooms numerous; but the pictures, sculptures, reliques, antiques, books, and curiosities, are of very great value. The principal apartments are the refectory, or great parlour, the little parlour, the blue breakfasting-room, the library, the star-chamber, the Holbein chamber, the gal. lery, the round-room, the tribune or cabinet, the great bedchamber, and the small library. In the garden is a "Gothic chapel," containing a curious Mosaic shrine, brought from Rome.

Hampton Court Palace, thirteen miles from London, was built originally by Cardinal Wolsey, and afterwards rebuilt or enlarged, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren, for King William III. The grand façade next the gardens is 330

feet in length, and that next the Thames is 328 feet.

The palace consists of three grand quadrangles; the western, or entrance court, is 167 feet by 141; the middle, or clock court, is 133 feet by 91; and the eastern, or fountain court, is 111 feet by 117. Charles I. was a state-prisoner in the old palace; Cromwell afterwards resided here; and it was occasionally inhabited by Charles II. and James II. The present

structure was the favourite residence of William III., and fre quently occupied by Anne and George I. and II. George III. never resided here; but his present Majesty, when Regent, passed a short time at Hampton Court in the autumn of 1817.

The pictures are numerous, and many of them by the first masters. Among them are the unrivalled Cartoons of Raphael, perhaps the greatest wonder of the art that the world ever produced. They may be seen any day or hour on application to the guide, who resides in the palace, and to whom it is usual for parties to give from three to five shillings.

The park and gardens are three miles in circumference. In the wilderness is a Maze, which furnishes much amusement to those who do not understand the plan of its arrangement. In the grape-house is the famous vine, which, in one year, produced 2200 bunches of grapes, averaging 1lb weight each.

Hampton House was the villa of the late David Garrick, the celebrated dramatist. On purchasing the estate, he had the mansion new fronted, from designs by R. Adam the architect. Near the Thames, he erected a temple to Shakspeare, where was a statue of the great bard, by Roubiliac; and it contained paintings by Zoffany, and by Hogarth, all of which are dispersed.

Oatlands, lately the seat of the Duke of York, is situated in the parishes of Weybridge and Walton, in Surrey, on a terrace which commands views of the rich adjacent country. The mansion formerly standing here, was accidentally destroyed by fire, in 1793; after which the present structure was erected from designs by Mr. Holland. This estate was sold by auction a few years ago. The park and grounds are nearly six miles round, and seated in the finest part of the county. A famous Grotto is the curiosity of this place, which chiefly attracts strangers: it cost 12,000l. Here also is a cemetery for the favourite dogs of the late amiable Duchess of York, who kept a considerable number in a state of whimsical luxury. Her Grace had likewise a curious menagerie in the Park. This is now the seat of Edw. Hughes Ball, Esq.

Claremont is situated near the village of Esher, in Surrey, about 17 miles from London. Sir John Vanbrugh, well known for a peculiar style of architecture, built a low brick house, for his own residence here, which Thomas Holles Pelham, Earl of Clare, afterwards. created Duke of Newcastle, bought and to which he added a magnificent room for the entertainment of

large companies. He also increased the grounds by further purchases, and having adorned the park, edged by a winding bank, with scattered shrubberies, he erected a building on an eminence in the park, in the shape of a castle, and named it Claremont, from its first title.

After the death of the Duke, the estate was purchased by Lord Clive, who gave directions to Mr. Brown to build him a house, and lay out the grounds, without any limitation of expense this he performed to his Lordship's satisfaction, at the cost of upwards of 100,000.

After Lord Clive's death, in 1774, Claremont was sold to Viscount Galway, and by him to the earl of Tyrconnel, who, in 1807, disposed of it to Charles Rose Ellis, Esq.; the latter occupied it until 1816, when it was purchased by Parliament for 65,000l., as a country residence for Prince Leopold and his consort, the late Princess Charlotte of Wales, who died there in child-bed, the 6th November, 1817.

Chertsey, and St. Anne's Hill. Not far from Oatlands is the market town of Chertsey, and near it is St. Anne's Hill, the residence of Mrs. Fox, and once the favoured retirement of that celebrated statesman, the Right Hon. Charles James Fox.

The mansion contains, among other objects of curiosity, a selection of paintings by the first masters. The house, greenhouse, and grounds display many traits of the taste and talents of the late eminent proprietor.

Epsom. This village is famous for a mineral spring, strongly impregnated with sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom Salts, which once drew large resorts of fashionable company, but which, as a medical water, has long been disused..

It now derives nearly equal celebrity from its extensive and much frequented race-course, where the metropolitan admirers of horse-racing assemble, in great numbers, in the spring and autumnal seasons, when the races are held. Epsom Downs afford a charming ride in every season of the ycar.

Dorking. The neighbourhood of Dorking, in Surrey, 22 miles from London, is one of the most picturesque, and the most highly-cultivated and decorated of any in the country. It merits three days residence better than any ing place in England, Matlock or Malvern alone excepted. The village of Mickleham, Norbury Park, Box Hill, Leith

M M

water.

Hill, and the noblemen and gentlemen's seats which cover the neighbourhood, all render it a sort of fairy region. About half a mile from the town is the Deepdene, the very beautiful seat of Thomas Hope, Esq. who has, of late years, made such various alterations in the mansion, from his own classical designs, that it has now all the air and character of an Italian villa. The grounds are uncommonly picturesque, and possess greater variety, perhaps, than can be found in any other seat of similar extent throughout England. He has also purchased the adjoining estate, called Chart Park, and aunexed it to that of the Deepdene.

Egham. This village is situated on the south of the Thames, eighteen miles from the metropolis. It is celebrated for its annual races, which are much frequented, and take place nearly on the site of Runnymede, where the encamped Barons extorted from the tyrant John the Great Charter of Liberties, called Magna Charta. It is nowise creditable to the country, that no monument yet honours the site, though one has long been in contemplation. The Iron Bridge of one arch, over the Thames, from this place to Staines, merits notice. The races are held on the 4th, 5th, and 6th of September. Hounslow Heath is famous for its extensive Powder Mills, and was formerly much noted for the highway robberies committed on its exposed roads. Nearly the whole heath is now inclosed and cultivated.

Windsor Castle. Twenty-two miles west of London, on the south bank of the Thames, stands the lofty residence of the Kings of England, Windsor Castle. It was always the favourite retreat of George III., and at this time is the only palace which England can boast of, as fully worthy of the residence of its Sovereign. The castle is situated on a hill, which commands a delightful prospect over the adjacent country. The terrace is one of the most charming walks in the world, and is 1870 feet in length.

The present, or rather the late structure was built principally under the direction of William of Wykeham, in the reign of Edward III. Great additions were made to it under Edward IV., Henry VII., Henry VIII., Elizabeth, and Charles II.; but it having long been in a state of dilapidation, designs for rebuilding and enlarging it were made by Jeffry Wyatt, Esq. (now Wyatville), and under his superintendence,