The end-screen which fhuts in the beautiful vale just described, confifts of the range of hills beyond Dorking; and the rifing grounds of Deepden; where in a clear day, a new house, built by the Duke of Norfolk, makes a confpicuous object. A little to the left of Dorking hills, the high grounds gradually falling, admit a diftant catch of the South downs, which overhang the fea.

Such is the fituation of this elegant villa; though, like all other fituations, it hath its favourable and unfavourable lights. It is feen to moft advantage in an evening. As the vale points almost directly fouth from the house, the weft is on the right. In the evening therefore the woods of that fcreen are all in

quantities of it in ballaft, that the wood on the hill could not find a purchaser; and not having been cut in 65 years, was growing in many parts cankered. But the war having diminished the influx of it from the Mediterranean, several purchasers began to offer and in the year 1795 Sir Henry put it up to auction; and fold it for the immenfe fum of twelve thousand pounds. Box attains its full growth in about fifty years; in which time, if the foil be good, it will rife fifteen feet, nnd form a stem of the thicknefs of a man's thigh. The depredations made on Box hill, in confequence of this fale, will not much injure its picturesque beauty; as it will be twelve years in cutting, which will give each portion a reasonable time to renew its beauty.

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fhadow, which is flung in one vaft mass over the bofom of the vale: while the setting fun, having juft touched the tops of the trees, as its rays pass over, throws a beautiful light on the guttered fides of Box-hill.

This view over the vale, (beautiful as it is,) is subject, however, to inconvenience. Every house should, if poffible, overlook its own domains, as far at least as to remote distance. All the intermediate space, in which objects are feen more distinctly, may fuffer great injury from the caprice of different proprietors: and, in fact, this view has, in two or three inftances, fuffered injury from the interference of neighbours. This is indeed one reafon, among others, why noble palaces, with extenfive property on every fide, are most adapted to these commanding fituations.

Norbury-house pretends only to comfort and convenience; except in the drawing room, which is an object of great curiofity. It is an oblong of 30 feet by 24. The walls are covered with a hard and durable ftucco, and are painted by Barret. The whole room represents a bower or arbour, admitting a fictitious

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fky through a large oval at the top, and covered at the angles with trellis-work, interwoven with honey-fuckles, vines, clustering grapes, and flowering creepers of various kinds. The fides of the room are divided by flight painted pilafters, appearing to support the trellis roof; and open to four views. That towards the fouth is real, confifting of the vale inclosed by Box-hill, and the hills of Norbury, and Dorking, which hath been just described. The other three are artificial. Two of them, which are the two end-views, cover the whole fides of the room from the ceiling to the bafe.

The scene presented on the west wall, is taken from the lakes of Cumberland. It is an exact portrait of none of them; but a landscape formed from a collection of some of the happieft circumstances which belong to all. No real view could prefent fo beautiful and complete a picture. A large portion of the lake, under a fplendid calm, is fpread before the eye, furrounded by mountains perfectly well shaped and stationed. Nature is not very nice in the moulds in which the commonly cafts these enormous bodies; and as they have

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various forms of beauty, so have they of deformity; but here we have fome of the moft pleafing fhapes culled out, and beautifully grouped. Woods are scattered about every part, which give these scenes a greater richness than nature hath given to any of the lakes in Cumberland. The fmaller ornaments alfo of buildings, figures, and boats are judiciously introduced, and have a good effect. All this fcenery is contained in various removes of diftance; for no part of the lake comes close to the eye. The near ground is compofed of bold rocks, and other rough furfaces, with which the banks of lakes commonly abound. Among these a wild torrent, varioufly broken, pours its waters under the furbafe of the room, which intercepts it. This torrent the painter has managed fo well, that its fpirit and brilliancy produce no lights which interfere with the calm refplendency of the lake, but rather contraft it.

In defcribing this noble landscape, I have thus far confidered it chiefly as a whole. But all its parts are equally excellent. On the foreground particularly are two birch-trees, which are painted with great beauty. The roots, the bark, and the foliage, are all admirable.

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The other grand landscape occupies the eastern wall of the room. It is, I think, inferior to that on the west; yet it is a noble work. The scene is fylvan, and the objects of course lefs grand. The foreground, where we admire particularly fome beautiful trees, is tumbled about in various forms; but in the distance it finks into a rich flat country, through which a sluggish stream, winding its course, difcharges itself into the fea. The fame obfervations might be made on this picture, which were made on the other, with regard to compofition, and the judicious management of the feveral parts.

The north fide of the room, oppofite to the windows, offers two more landscapes; divided by the breast of the chimney; which is adorned with a pier-glass, let into the wall, and covered thick with a frame-work of honey-fuckles, vines, wild-rofes, and various creepers in flower; all painted with great beauty. These two pictures on the north are a continuation of the scene exhibited on the western wall, which they unite with the landscape on the east. Clustering vines, and wild flowers, form a frame-work to all thefe beautiful pictures, both at the base, and along the trellis

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