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Mr. Browne. The span of the arch of the Rialto bridge is 101 feet, but this extensive appearance is much obfcured by the fullness of the water. On the vast obelifk, which is 130 feet high, the grant of the crown, and fervices of the Duke, are fully displayed by a long inscription written by Dr. Hare, who had been his Grace's chaplain, and was afterwards Bishop of Chichester.

Woodstock is among the places which contend for the honor of the birth of Chaucer. Of his refidence here, in a fquare ftone house, near the park gate, there is no doubt. This great genius, the father of English poetry, was born (moft probably of honorable parents, though this is not certain) in 1328, 2. of Edward III. He was educated both at Cambridge and Oxford, and then ftudied the law in the middle temple, thence he went to court, and became the King's Page, and was taken under the patronage of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, whose interest he never after forfook. Indeed a clofer tie afterwards took place; he married about 1360 Philippa, fifter of Catherine Swinford, first the mistress and afterwards the wife of his patron; and the ancestress from whom Henry VII. derived his title to the crown. During the greater part of his life he enjoyed many rich and honorable employments, and his income is faid to have been at one time 1000l. per annum. a large eftate in thofe days. He refided much, particularly while the court was here, at this fpot. When difengaged from public bufinefs his time was entirely spent in studying and walking. The park here was the scene of his most favorite wanderings, and many of the rural defcriptions in his poems are taken from hence. In the poem called the Cuckowe † and Nightingale, the defcription of the morning walk is exactly what may be traced from his houfe, through part of the park, and down by the brook into the vale under Blenheim house, as certainly as we may affert that Maples inftead of Phyllereas were the ornaments round the bower, which place he likewife defcribes in his dream, as a white castle standing upon an hill, the scene in that poem being laid in Woodstock park. Thus has the country hereabouts become confecrated in his poems, and to all who feel the genuine force of poetry, a claflick ground. About two years before him, died his kind patron the Duke of Lancafter, and this fo deeply affected him, that he could no longer bear this place, the scene of his former happiness, but retired to Dunnington caftle S by Newbury, in Berkshire; in the folitude of which sweet retreat he indulged his contemplations, till October 25, 1400; when, at the age of 72, he departed quietly to his grave. Sir Thomas Chaucer, Knt. his fon and heir, was Speaker of the Houfe of Commons in the reign of Henry IV. and in many other honourable offices, and left a daughter, and heir Alice, who carried the caftle of Dunnington, Ewelme Palace (by Benfon) in this county, and other large eftates to William De la Pole, Earl, and afterwards Duke of Suffolk, whose son, by mixing with the blood royal, was the real author of the deftruction of the family in the perfon of the grandfon, beheaded by Henry VIII. 1513. The eftates were forfeited to the Crown. Ewelme became a palace to our Kings. Moft of the rest were granted to Charles Brandon, created Duke of Suffolk.

See Chaucer's Life in the Biographia, and other books. + Ver. 51. 85,

Dunnington Calle lies half a mile to the right of Spinhamland. In the park was an old oak, called Chaucer's oak, under which he is faid to have compofed many of his poems. Here afterwards the gallant Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, (the favorite of Henry VIII. who married that haughty monarch's youngest fifter,) much refided. In the rebellion it was a garrifon for Charles I. under the valiant sir John Boys. The King lay here one night. At prefent there is remaining only a battered gateway with two towers, and some small part of the scattered walls, choked with brambles, and overrun with ivy.

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In the evening we proceeded to Oxford, that facred feat of the Mufes; the antiquity and particulars of which I fhall not here pretend to defcribe; the two Universities are places fo well known, and fo full of matter for contemplation and defcription, that nothing less than a feparate work can give an account adequate to their refpective merits. I fhall therefore pafs this place over in filent veneration, and only infert a few common obfervations on recent improvements in that noble city, and its neighbouring beauties. Befides the wonderful improvements that have been made, within a few years, by widening the ftreets, paving, &c. the new county goal does great credit to the spirit of the place, and when finished will be one of the ftrongest and best in the kingdom. Its fituation is adjacent to the old castle, and encompaffed by a maffy stone wall, which we enter at a large tower and gate-way, over which is to be the platform for executions. In the centre of this fpacious area, ftands the governor's house, whence he can overlook the whole of the buildings under his care. The principal one for felons is divided into 60 cells, eight feet by feven, as strong as iron and stone can make them. The two leffer bridewells contain 20 each, and are almost finished. The old castle is to remain as it was, fo that the whole group which is of that style of architecture, will have a noble appearance. There is alfo a city prifon now building upon the fame plan.

As Nuneham, the feat of the earl of Harcourt, is a place fo generally famed, we could not omit visiting it. This eftate formerly belonged to the Courtnays of Devonfhire, and is called to this day Nuneham Courtnay. After paffing through feveral hands, it was fold in Oliver Cromwell's time, to John Robinson, of London, merchant, (ancestor to Sir George Robinson, bart.) from whofe family it came by an heiress to David Earl of Wemys; of whom it was purchased in 1710, by Simon, first lord Harcourt, lord high chancellor of England. He was fon and heir of Sir Philip Harcourt, knt. (member for Oxfordshire, 1681) feated at Stanton Harcourt in this county, (a manfion now fold, but ftill the burial place of the family) where his ancestors had refided ever fince they married the heirefs of Richard de Camville, in the reign of Richard I. who brought them this feat. They have been very famous here; one of them a knight of the garter; have married nobly; and have never been beneath the degree of knighthood. The prefent houfe at Nuneham was built by the late earl. It is fituated about fix miles from Oxford, and half a one from the Henley road, on the fide of a rich hill, and encompaffed with an extenfive park well wooded, the foftly flowing Ifis meandring at a proper diftance in the meadows below. A fweeter fituation could scarce be found for such a piece of architecture, nor a spot so much endowed by nature, or as well laid out by Brown; "here are scenes worthy of the bold pencil of Rubens, or to be subjects for the tranquil funshines of Claud Lorrain." The common. approach gives an idea of nothing more than a fmall plain gentleman's feat, and the infpection of the first apartments confirms this impreffion, but we were afterwards pleafingly deceived. The furniture is moftly elegant, and the rooms adorned with many capital paintings. Paffing through the hall, which is ftrongly arched as a fecurity against fire, in which are fome antique ftatues, we afcended the circular geometrical ftair-cafe, and entered a fmall room called the faloon, in which are feveral good paintings, Sufanna and the elders, by Hannibal Carracci; the Nativity, by Pietro da Pietri; feveral portraits, by Vandyke; two Beggar Boys, by Murillio. Anti-chamber, fmall, but ornamented with tolerable pictures. From hence, by a narrow circular

*The mother of lord chancellor Harcourt was Anne, daughter of Sir William Waller (the parliament general) of Ofterley park, before defcribed.

† Walpole's Anecdotes of Painters, vol. 2d. p. 145.

paffage

paffage to the library, which is adorned in a pleafing ftyle with heads of the poets, &c. Rowe and Pope, by Kneller; Philips, by Ryley; Prior, by old Dahl; Shakespear, Rouffeau, Beaumont, Addifon, Mafon, Sir Walter Raleigh, Horace Walpole, Sir Ifaac Newton, Mrs. Pritchard, Mrs. Siddons, &c. Dining-room, very handsome; its dimenfions 33 by 24 and 18. Here are fome excellent paintings; the principal, Ulyffes and Naufica, by Salvator Rofa; a large landscape with figures and cattle, very beautiful, by Cuyp; four ruins of Rome, by Parolo Panini; dead game and dogs, by Snyders; two fruit pieces, by Michael Angelo Campidoglio; landfcapes by G. Pouffin and Ruyfdaal, Octagon drawing room, 30 by 24 and 18, and fuperbly furnished and gilt, &c. with no inconfiderable fhare of pictures; two Madonas, by Guido and Barrocci, both esteemed beautiful; Chrift crowned with thorns, by Veronese; St. John preaching in the wildernefs, by Albano; Mofes fweetning the waters of Meribah, highly coloured, by Nicolo Pouffin; landscape by Gaspar Pouffin, &c. Great drawing-room, 49 by 24 and 18, St. Margaret, whole length, and highly preferved, by Titian; from the collection of Charles I. Four noble landscapes, the fubject hunting the boar, Italian Banditti, Diana and nymphs, and other figures, (fome of them by Teniers,) by Van Artois; two leffer beautiful ones, by Gafpar Pouffin, and figures by Nicolo; a charming Cuyp; a moon-light on the water, very perfect, by Vander Neer; a landscape by Claud Lorrain; a beautiful landscape, a cart overturning in a rocky country, by moonlight, by Rubens; this is well known by Bolfwaert's prints;* An entertainment on the Texel with English and Dutch yatchts, an admired Vandervelde, leffer landscapes, by Wootton, &c. Another circular paffage led us to the ftate bed-room, hung with velvet, and many valuable old family portraits; alfo the King and Queen, by Gainsborough. Two dreffing rooms full of various paintings. Amongst the reft, a portrait of Giles Bruges, third lord Chandos (who died 1594, the dress remarkable, apparently Spanish, the cloke of black velvet, with filver orna......

ments.

We now walked to view the external beauties of the place, which must excite peculiar admiration in the mind of every beholder; the park is about fix miles round, and the pleasure grounds, including the garden, contain near 60 acres. Afcending the hill towards the church, you have an exquifite view to Abingdon, and other parts of Berkshire. The grand fweep of woods, and the river Ifis are charming features in this fcene. Beyond the chapel, the profpect breaks ftill more enchantingly through a vita to the north, up the Ifis to the ftately towers of Oxford "bofomed high in tufted trees.” Such was our view from the windows of the houfe, but here the fore-ground gives great grandeur and boldnefs. In front of this avenue ftands the peculiarly formed church of ine ftone, in imitation of a Roman temple; this was erected by a late lord, founder of the house, 1764. In front are fix large pillars fupporting a plain pediment, and from the top rifes a lofty dome. The infide is extremely neat; over the parith door are names of those who have gained the annual prize of merit, from an inftitution made by his lordship seven years ago. This is determined by the votes of the parishioners in favour of the most fober and honeft candidate. A very laudable inftitution, and worthy of universal imitation. Over the altar is a painting of the good Samaritan, by Mafon, the poet. In the garden is an excellent confervatory, open in fummer,

* « The noblest and largest landscape of Rubens, is in the royal collection. It exhibits an almost bird's eye view of an extenfive country, with fuch masterly clearness and intelligence, as to contain in itself alone a fchool for painters of landfcape."+

† Walpoles's Anecdotes, vol. zd. p. 145 and 6.

and covered in the winter feafon. On the margin of the walks are placed various buildings and bufts, infcribed with verfes from many of our favourite poets, but too numerous to be inferted in this defcription. I fhall only obferve, in the words of Milton,

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Infinitely delighted with this excurfion, we returned by the village of Nuneham, which confifts of about twenty neat houfes, at equal diftances on the road; these are divided into two feparate dwellings, fo that forty families may here, by this liberal affiftance of his lordship, enjoy the comforts of induftry under a wholefome roof, who otherwife might have been doomed to linger out their days in the filthy hut of poverty. As we approached the Univerfity, its towers and richly fhaded groves again won our admiration and aftonishment. From this road the effect of the whole is indifputably the moft ftriking, and may challenge the universe to fhew its equal.

"See! Oxford lifts her head fublime,
"Majeftic in the mofs of time;
"Nor wants there Græcia's better part,
"'Mid the proud piles of ancient art;

"Nor decent Doric to dispense

"New charms 'mid old magnificence;

"And here and there foft Corinth weaves

"Her dodal coronet of leaves;

"While as with rival pride, her towers invade the sky.”*

Auguft 31. After a night of much rain; we croffed the river into Berkshire, to vifit the adjacent market town of Abingdon. The intermediate hills are very beautiful and afford feveral pleafing views. Thofe noble fons of the foreft, the widely spreading oaks, form an agreeable fhade of confiderable length; at the further extremity, as we began to defcend into the flat again, we saw, at a small distance on our left, Radley, a confiderable modern edifice, belonging to Sir James Stonehoufe. Leland mentions, there was a park there belonging to Abingdon Abbey, which was destroyed because the scholars of Oxford much reforted there to hunt. The fame liberty of sporting is ftill taken by the University, to the great annoyance of the owner of this place. Beyond, across the vale, lord Harcourt's fweet place called to mind those charming fcenes of the preceding day. We now approached the principal object of our excur fion, and received a moft terrible impreffion at the entrance from this road; a narrow lane, unworthy the name of a street, made too almost impaffable by the confines of dirt and water. The market-place, however, improved our idea of the town, though it has little more to boaft than a fpacious market-house, over which is a good hall for public bufinefs. This is certainly a building that may claim pre-eminence over thofe of moft towns of like fize and confequence, nay, fo fuperior is it to the general structure of the place, that it feems as though brought there by mistake. If we fearch into the annals of antiquity, we fhall find this town of much greater confequence than at prefent, deriving its name and chief glory from its abbey, founded by one Hein or Eanus, a noble Saxon, nephew to Cifla, king of the Weft Saxons, about 675. According to Leland, the abbey was firft begun at Bagley wood, thofe noble fhades we defcribed

*Warton's Ode.

about

about two miles from hence; but the foundations and the works (ays he) there profpered not; whereupon it was tranflated to Seukesham and there finished chiefly at the cofts of King Ciffa, who was himself afterwards buried there. And from this abbey being built it changed its name to Abingdon. In old times (continues Leland) many of the villages about Abingdon had but chapels of eafe, and this abbey was their mother church, where they buried. Amongst the reft the famous Geoffery of Monmouth had his monument here. This abbey, which was one of the finest and richest in England, had not flourished long, ere it was demolished by the violent fury of the Danes. Yet it foon after recovered itfelf through the liberality of King Edgar, and afterwards by the industry of the Norman abbots it grew to fuch magnificence, as to ftand in competition with any in Britain. "It was in ancient times called Sheoverfham, a famous city, goodly to behold, full of riches, encompaffed with very fruitful fields, green meadows, fpacious paftures, and flocks of cattle abounding with milk. Here the king kept his court; hither the people reforted, while confultations were depending about the greatest and moft weighty affairs of the kingdom." Two fynods are fuppofed to have been held here, one in 742, and the other in 822. Leland fays the rents of this abbey were almoft 2,000l. a year. Though this town had its dependance for a long time on the abbey, yet fince 1416, when King Henry V. built bridges over the Oufe (as appears by a diftich in a window of St. Helen's church there) and turned the high road hither, for a fhorter cut; it became much frequented, having a mayor and corporation, &c. and much enriched itfelf by making great quantities of malt; as it ftill does, fending the chief in barges to London by the river. It gives title of earl to the right honourable Willoughby Bertie, which was firft conferred upon his ancestor James lord Norris of Rycote, 1682, 34th of Charles II.

September ift, as before, cloudy and unfettled, but made foft and pleasant by intervening funfhine. Being delayed beyond our expectation, at a time too when the Univerfity could afford little or no fociety, and the whole town looked dull in the midst of a long recefs from bufinefs and gaiety; thus circumftanced we were glad to find any object worthy attention, that might afford us an hour's useful entertainment. To this intent we directed our courfe along the Gloucefter road to Einfham; the meadows we paffed through are exceedingly pleasant and extenfive, where we croffed fix or seven excellent ftone bridges, thrown over the rivulets, which refresh with their cool ftreams the growing herbage; and from the fummit of the vaft hill beyond we had a fine profpect over the four adjoining counties. The back front of Blenheim, and the stately obelisk in the park, are great additions to this fcenery; but they appear lefs to their own advantage from this point of view. A little on our right we faw Witham, an old monaftick-looking edifice, belonging to lord Abingdon; and as we approach the village of Einfham, this earl has erected a fair ftone bridge of fix arches, in the place of a ferry, alfo a large fquare houfe, intended for an inn, but never yet inhabited: the former pays a very profitable toll, but the latter is likely to continue an incumbrance to its owner. Finfham (according to Camden) was formerly a royal vill, which Cuthwulph, the Saxon, firft took from the conquered Britains. Ethelmar, a nobleman, adorned it with a monaftery, which King Ethelred confirmed in 1005, and "figned the privilege of liberty, with the fign of the Holy Crofs." After the diffolution this religious house was turned into a private feat, which belonged to the earls of Derby. From Henry, third earl, it came to his third fon, Sir Edward, who was buried here 1609, S. P. and was fucceeded in his eftate by his nephew, Sir Edward Stanley, k. b. one of whofe co-heirs was the famous Venetia, the wife of Sir Kenelm Digby, of whofe beauty and other accomplishments, fo much has been faid.

September

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