by the Baroness Howe in the year 1807. Under the direction of that lady the house has been completely taken down, and a new dwelling erected, at the distance of about one hundred yards from the site.

It is difficult to conceive what could be her ladyship's motive for this act of entire destruction, except the temptation offered by the value of the bricks and the timber, the whole of which might, perhaps, at a good market, produce some five and forty pounds. If the Baroness had been desirous of constructing a more commodious residence than that inhabited by Lord Mendip, she might, without any great blot to the grounds, or injury to the prospect, have suffered the central part of the structure to remain, the portion once inhabited by Pope, and so highly reverenced and carefully preserved by Lord Mendip. Even calculating on the sum produced by the materials we must think that she did not bear a careful eye towards her own interest, as, at a future market, the estate may be purchased by some person of common feeling and common taste, who would necessarily be disposed to give more for the premises if they contained a relic so estimable in the view of the civilized world, as the former residence of a poet who is the boast of his country.

The work of devastation is complete! and all that remains for the examiner, after looking round with amazement, and assuring himself that such a needless task of ill taste was indeed performed in the 19th century, is to stand on the site, now mournfully verdant, and recollect the bright sunshine of intellect which once illumined the spot. Here Pope translated a part of the Iliad, that noble version of poetry that has greatly assisted in harmonizing the language of his country; here he wrote the Dunciad; the Essay on Man; the Epistles; and numerous poems of a minor size, which only the few can forget. In the house which once occupied this site he enter tained Swift, Gay, Arbuthnot; and hence are dated the greater

6

greater number of those letters so universally admired for elegance and wit. Here St. John

It was here that Pope died! How painful that only the stranger, visiting the spot, should look with reverence on a place so hallowed!

The grotto with which Pope was so highly pleased has been stripped of its most curious spars and minerals, by the blameable zeal of those who have been desirous of procuring a memorial of the poet. Various fragments of the former embellishments are, likewise, dispersed in the contiguous part of the pleasureground.

Over the arched passage connecting the ground added by Sir William Stanhope with the gardens possessed by Pope, are placed the following lines, from the pen of Lord Clare:

The humble roof, the garden's scanty line,

Ill suit the genius of the bard divine,
But fancy now displays a fairer scope,

And Stanhope's plans unfold the soul of Pope.

In a retired part of the grounds is an obelisk, having a funeral urn on each side, raised by Pope to the memory of his mother, who died at Twickenham at a very advanced period of life. On the obelisk is this tender and simple inscription, written in the true language of grief, which disdains poetical flourish or amplification:

AH! EDITHA,
MATRUM OPTIMA,

MULIERUM AMANTISSIMA,

VALE!

The

The house constructed by the Lady Baroness Howe, and in which she now resides with her husband, Sir J. Wathen Waller, Bart. is partly formed from a dwelling erected by Hudson, the painter, who was the scholar and son-in-law of Richardson, and who retired to this place, after marrying to bis second wife, a Mrs. Fiennes. * The building is, without doubt, sufficiently commodious, and it has a very smart, uniform, appearance.

We pass from the spot where so little now remains of Pope, or of a spirit to sympathize with his worth. At a short distance is the seat of William Baker, Esq. which was built by Scott the painter, and was once the residence of Hickey, an attorney of great eminence, who is mentioned with little respect by Lord Orford, + but whose "good nature" is praised by Goldsmith, in the poem intituled Retaliation. Next in the range is the residence of Francis Lind, Esq. Nearly contiguous is Radnor-house, built by John, the last Earl of Radnor of the Robarts family, and lately occupied by Charles Marsh, Esq. F. A. S. a man of literature and taste, who had here a valuable library, comprising many rare works in the black letter.

STRAWBERRY HILL,

the celebrated villa of the late Horatio, Earl of Orford, better known as Mr. Horace Walpole, is situated near the River Thames, at the distance of about half a mile from the village of Twickenham. On the spot now occupied by the mansion there stood formerly a small tenement, built by a person who

was

Hudson embellished the principal apartments of his small villa with a good selection of cabinet pictures, and drawings, by great masters. After the death of his widow, his collection was sold by auction.

+ In a letter addressed to Mr. Bentley, Lord Orford mentions this resident of Twickenham as "Mr. H. the impudent lawyer that Tom Hervey wrote against."