its owner as their Mecænas; by titled courtiers, who came to learn from him the tone of good company; and by the brilliant beauties of the day! who were happy to pay with a smile for the ho nour of figuring in Walpole's amusing chronicles. 9 But amidst Walpole's running fire of wit and raillery, which was the expression of derisive su periority; amidst that indifference and nil admirari, which has been styled philosophic happiness; inf spite of the enjoyments of the wealthy egotist, and the luxury of the elegant nobleman,-what melancholy réflexions on human nature are excited by the confession of the courtier Democritus, when, stretched on his sick bed, he looked forward to the infirmities and miseries of old age and soli tude!b: How differently did Evelyn contemplate the approaching close of existence !

I must here say a few words on a subject which I touched upon, when alluding to Say's Court and Wotton. Pope and Horace Walpole may, I think, be regarded as the authors of that revolu tion in taste, which substituted for the designs of Le Notre, and his imitators, the picturesque style of gardening; I must not call it the Anglo-chinese style, for the English claim all the originality of the invention. Addison, in the Spectator, threw out some hints on landscape architecture; and Pope, in a number of the Guardian, which is as amusing as a scene of Molière, disenchanted yew trees, metamorphosed into giants, dragons, or other monsters of vegetable sculpture. His humourous catalogue of trees ready cut for sale, contributed

in some measure to restore the mutilated branches of oaks and elms; and in his epistle to Lord Burlington, the poet traces out the rules of the new style of landscape gardening. Bridgeman pulled down park walls, and substituted ditches in their stead, by which means the eye was refreshed by distant prospects and perspective effects. Kent evinced true genius in the art of landscape gardening, preferring the irregularity of the imagination to the regularity of the compass. He was skilful in producing contrasts, and deceiv ing the eye by continual illusions. He contrived to impart beauty even tó barren and unpicturesque sites; and he realized the most magical effects of painting. Kent displayed admirable ingenuity in his manner of introducing water into landscape gardening. Walpole, while he bestowes high praise on his originality of invention, attributes to Pope the merit of having helped to form his taste.

Brown continued several of Kent's plans, and tastefully modified his ideas in the laying out of certain villas. But he was somewhat of a mannerist. He carried even further than Kent his dislike of strait lines, and perhaps multiplied zigzags and labyrinths to too great an extent. The theory of English gardening has been ably explained by Mr. Repton. He observes that many new landed proprietors have neither the taste nor the wish to improve their estates, being more anxious to extend than to enjoy them. Before a man can feel a pride in embellishing his estate, he must be attached to it by sentiment; he must re

spect and love it as the birth-place and home of his ancestors. The majority of new landed proẻ prietors are mere speculators, who endeavour to double the produce of their estates, for the sake of embarking their capital in other ways. There are among them many individuals who have grown rich in mercantile pursuits, and who are not very eager to make improvements merely for the sake of pleasure.

I have just learned that Newstead Abbey is condemned as an old ruin, and is on the eve of being pulled down to make room for the erection of an elegant modern villa. Horace Walpole thus describes this venerable pile, which he visited during one of his tours:

"On my return I saw Newstead. The great east window of the church remains, and connects with the house; the hall entire, the refectory entire, the cloister untouched, with the ancient cistern of the convent, and their arms on it; a private chapel quite perfect. The park, which is still charming, has not been so much unprofaned; the present Lord has lost large sums, and paid part in old oaks, five thousand pounds of which have been cut near the house. In recompense he has built two baby forts, to pay his country in castles for the damage done to the navy, and planted a handful of Scotch firs, that look like plough-boys dressed in old family liveries for a public day. In the hall is a very good collection of pictures, all animals; the refectory, now the great drawing-room, is full of Byrons," &c.

The sale of Newstead was a cruel sacrifice to Lord Byron; it might even be regarded as a crime, but that a nobleman ought to pay his debts at any price. It is to be hoped that the new owner will respect the abbey, were it only for the sake of the beautiful farewell which the author of Childe Harold addressed to it at parting.

I remain, &c.

LETTER XXII.

TO M. ADOLPHE DE CHEVRY.

I HAVE paid a second visit to Richmond, which has afforded me no less pleasure than the first. The prospect should be seen on a sun-shiny day. A cloudy sky, by confounding the various tints of the verdure, produces a sameness of effect, and deprives the picture of all animation. The Thames itself seems to forget to flow, when the sun beams do not play upon its surface.

I have also been to Windsor, which may be called the Versailles of the kings of England., But it is a gothic Versailles, and that epithet renders it impossible to draw any comparison between the palace of the most magnificent of sovereigns and the castle of one of his feudal lords. * At the

* The English will perhaps say this is gasconading. But they must recollect the absurd title of king of France which their monarchs assumed for ages. Even Charles II. scrupled not to take this title, though he was in the pay of Louis XIV.

distance of three miles, Windsor Castle is discernible, with its terraces, towers, and waving banners, and the Thames flowing at its feet. This royal residence, which was built by William the Conqueror, enlarged by Edward III., embellished by Charles II., and finally repaired by the late king, consists of several buildings, whose irregularity adds to the effect of the whole. The castle, which is situated on the declivity of a hill, is terminated by a terrace 1870 feet long. On reaching this terrace, after passing through the gloomy court-yards, whose mournful solitude resembles that of a prison, a feeling of enthusiasm is excited at the aspect of the surrounding scene, which comprises a view of twelve different counties. The venerable walls of the castle have a certain air of royalty, and the ivy crowned towers are the more interesting when imagination associates them with the lovely English landscape which extends on every side.

In the first court, on an artificial eminence, covered with grass, stands the Round Tower.This building contains the apartments of the governor, and is celebrated for having been the prison of James I. of Scotland, who was perfidiously seized in spite of the faith of treaties. In this very place, too, there was once confined a king of France, who sacrificed his freedom for his honour. His pretended coat of mail is shewn as a monument: it would have been better to have engraved on the walls his own noble words, which