the townes of Plymmouth, Stonehoufe, Milbrook, and Saltafh. It is fupplied with a never-fayling spring of water, and the dwelling ftored with wood, timber, fruit, deere, and conies. The ground abundantly answereth a house-keeper's neceffities, for pafture arable and meadow, and is replenished with a kind of ftone, ferving both for building, lyme, and marble. On the fea cliffs groweth great plenty of the best ore wood, to fatisfie the owner's want and accommodate his neighbours. A little below the house, in the fummer evenings, fayne boats come and draw with their nets for fish, whither the gentry of the houfe walking downe, take the pleasure of the fight, and fometimes at all adventures buy the profit of the draughts. Both fides of the forementioned narrow entrance, together with the paffage betweene (much haunted as the high way to Plymouth,) the whole town of Stonehoufe, and a great circuite of the land adjoining appertain to Mr. Edgecumbe's inheritance: thefe fides are fenced with block-houses, and that next to Mount Edgecumb was wont to be planted with ordinance, which at coming and parting, with their base voices greeted fuch guests as vifited the house, neither hath the opportunity of the harbour wanted occafions to bring them, or the owners a franke mind to invite them. For proofe whereof, the earft remembered fir Richard, (a gentleman, in whom mildness and ftoutnefs, diffidence and wisdom, deliberateness of undertaking, and fufficiency of effecting, made a more commendable than blazing mixture of virtue,) during Queen Mary's reign, entertained at one time, for fome good fpace, the admirals of the English, Spanish, and Netherland fleets, with many noble-men befides*." We now proceeded along what was the green terrace, but has been lately gravelled, and had a fine view of the harbour, the old town of Salthoufe, on the oppofite hill, Mr. Harrison's feat, Stonehouse, Dock, and Plymouth, &c. in the found, Nicholas Island, fatal fometimes to unwary fhips. Laft December twelve monthis, three, heavy laden with iron, split upon the rocks and were loft. The bold termination on the eastern fhore, is called Withey Hedge. From hence we continue through bowers of various foliage, oaks, chefnuts, limes, plantains, variegated fycamores green and white, &c. to an alcove oppofite the gate into the deer park, which affords a fimilar fweet view. The first object after entering the park, is a mofs houfe; from this we next come to an open bench looking full upon the merchants' harbour of Catwater. Lord Borringdon's pleasant place at Saltram has a charming effect here, bofomed in its own woods and backed by Devon hills. South east in the found, at a small distance from the fhore, rifes a high cragg called Mews-ftone; to this little island about fourteen years ago a man was tranfported for feven years, where he quietly remained his due time without fetting foot on other land. Leaving this habitation to his daughter he went to Loo Ifland, about 30 miles further in Cornwall. She ftill remains here, a widow with three children, her husband being lately drowned. We now were hid awhile in sweet foliage till we came upon the large terrace beyond the park. Here the watry expanse burst full upon the view, and from the vast arch we pass under, with a glafs I could plainly see Eddystone light-houfe, four leagues from hence, and three from any land. The ingenious Mr. Winstanley first undertook this arduous piece of architecture, and by repeated vifits made it stand the attack of many a bitter storm, but at laft too confident of the ftability of human affairs he had his wifh of being in it," when a ftorm should happen,' that fatal hurricane, Nov. 27, 1703, which baffling all attempts of diftant aid, plunged the whole fabric, and its unfortunate founder and all that were with him into the watery grave. A few days after, the Winchelsea, a homeward-bound merchant-ship • Carey's Survey of Cornwall, fol. 100. from from Virginia, ignorant of what had happened, run foul of the rock, and fuffered the fame fate. Another was afterwards erected by the corporation of Trinity-house, in pursuance of an act of parliament paffed in 5th of Queen Anne, which was deftroyed by fire in Dec. 1755; the two men who had the care of it were faved by means of a boat fent by admiral Weft from Plymouth; the prefent useful work was rebuilt under the direction. of Mr. John Smeaton, F. R. S. and allowed to be the completeft in Europe. The intervening mixture of funfhine and fhort forms was very favourable for this delicious excurfion. From hence we defcend through ferpentine bowers of bays, myrtles, arbutuses, laureftinuses, &c. to lady Damer's garden, (fo called,) at the end of which is a large ftone alcove with a complimentary infcription. Afcending again by fi milar zig-zags to the terrace, the opening here prefents a fine view of Corfon Bay and the two little ports, Kingston and Corfon, the haunts of fmugglers; the former ftands in Devon, the latter in Cornwall, only feparated by a small creek. Here was the scene of much confufion in the late war, when the French fleet was daily feen to float about this bay, meditating deftruction to the docks at Plymouth. The following extract on the fubject from a letter in the Gentleman's Magazine, for Auguft 1779, reflects great credit on the noble lord for his conduct, and public fpirit on the occafion. "Every body is forry for the devaftation produced in the beautiful woods of Mount Edgecumbe. It is an entire falfehood that his Lordfhip objects to their being cut down, for on a proper representation of the circumftances by lord Shuldham and others here, that it was very poffible that these groves might be made use of as a place of concealment for the enemy, in attack upon the dock-yards, all that his Lordthip faid on the occafion was this, "If it be abfolutely neceffary for the prefervation of the dock-yards that Mount Edgecumbe be deftroyed, you have my ready confent, even to the last shrub. Nothing with me can have any weight against a circumftance of that No private interest can have the smallest influence when fet in balance with an object of the magnitude you mention; but I would beg leave to remark, gentlemen, that without your fears are very well founded, I am entirely averfe to the deftruction of thefe groves. If you are convinced, on serious deliberation, that danger may arife from them, down with them; if you are not quite fo certain, for heaven's fake let them ftand." The Generals perfevered in their opinions, and they were immediately cut down with the entire concurrence of the owner. If this was really the cafe, how rapidly must have been their growth, fo foon to appear in the prefent flourishing condition. Our guide gave us a genuine piece of intelligence, which he had lately received from two officers, who were in the French fervice at the time, and fhewed him the two places thought of for landing their men, one on this fide Kingfton, the other on the hill beyond; but their defigns were inefficient, and happily prevented. Winding beautifully round we came next to a Gothic alcove, built from the materials of an old chapel, the infide of which gives a picturefque view of nothing but the fea, the fore-ground an hollow verdant flope to the margin of the water. In our walk from hence we faw very fine cork-trees, live-oaks, &c. the variety of heath and other bloffoms hanging around gave all the luxuriant tints of a real garden. We now entered the deer park again, and croffed where our defenfive regiments were encamped. On the fummit of the hill stands a lofty parish church, belonging to Corson, Kingston, and Milbrook; from the tower are placed various fignals, and the circular profpect is here immenfe. Defcending now the common walk to the house, we came to the white alcove on the dry walks, (fo called) which fronts full north, and gives a beautitul perspective up the harbour, St. John's Lake, St. German's and Milbrook, with an intermixture of Devon and Cornwall. Paffing towards the front grounds again, we faw many many very noble trees, oaks of near twenty different forts, fine flourishing chefnuts, and cedars of Lebanus. In a part called the wilderness, is placed à flat ftone two feet fquare, with fo much nicety as to catch a glimpfe of feven different towers; viz. Anton, Dock-yard, the new chapel at Dock, Stoke, Plymouth, old and new churches, and Plymstock. Near the water ftands a neat Doric alcove, with the following infcription from Thomfon. On either hand, Like a long wintry foreft, groves of mafts Shot up their fpires; the bellying fheet between Row'd regular, to harmony; around The boat, light fkimming (tretch'd its oary wings, While deep the various voice of fervent toil, From bank to bank, encreas'd; whence ribb'd with oak To bear the British thunder black and bold The roaring veffels rufh'd into the main. A little beyond is a battery of 22 guns, for the purpose of falutes, &c. Laftly we faw the orangery, an excellent building, 100 feet by 30, where the fruit ripens in almost equal perfection with that abroad. We now took leave of these enchanting scenes, and made a comfortable repast at the paffage house, called Cremil, which pays the rent of 400l. per ann. to lord Edgecumbe, befides the expence of feven men, boats, &c. We afterwards returned across, to inspect the nature and extent of the docks, which are inexpreffibly furprizing and magnificent. To obtain a fight of them is difficult, requiring a form of your names and abodes, with the addition of fome refident perfon of Plymouth, to be fent to the governor or commiffioner. Such caution is neceffarily used, that any remarks with pen or pencil are forbid; therefore a full and accurate defcription must not here be expected. Befides the feveral dry and wet docks heretofore established, they are still adding to the numbers. One in particular, of the first-rate dimenfions, cut out of the folid rock, and beautifully lined, and faced with Portland stone, may challenge the universe to fhew its equal. A moft extenfive wet dock for mafts is now finishing; the immenfe range of building for ftores, and warehouses for fails, rigging, &c. and dwellings for the commiffioner, clerks, and all other neceffary officers, are well worth the notice of ftran-. gers. Within themfelves too are the immenfe forges for making anchors, and all other iron work, belonging to fhips of the largest fize. The whole contains a fpace of 70 acres. Amongst the numerous men of war which now lay in harbour, were the Royal Cerberus, of 100 guns, and feveral others newly launched; alfo was refitting the -taken from the Spaniards in the laft war, and when finished to be honoured with the name of Gibraltar. We now retired to our inn at Plymouth. This place had the honour of giving birth to that great explorer of the feas, fir Francis Drake. Having visited the most striking features of this place, our next object was to extend about 40 miles into Cornwall, where we might obtain a fufficient knowledge of its valuable mines. This county like Spain, a peninfula, furrounded on all fides by the fea except the eaft, ftretches weftward the furtheft of all Britain, and is inhabited by the remains of those, whom the calamities of cruel war, and tyrannical oppreffions forced into these western parts of the island, Wales and Cornwall, which are naturally fortified with hills and æftuarics. In the British language it is called Kernnaw, because it diminishes like a horn and runs out into fo many fimilar promontories. The Saxon conqueror, who called foreigners and every thing strange, Wealth, named the inhabi-, |