that plain, fimple one, Mr. Shenftone'

left it in.

Where

* This Gentleman died in the year 1763, and lies interred in Hales Owen church-yard.

A very

handsome urn is placed in the weft end of the church to his memory, thus infcribed :

EPITAPH.

Whoe'er thou art, with reverence tread
Thefe facred manfions of the dead-
Not that the monumental buft

Or fumptuous tomb HERE guards the duft
Of rich or great: (Let wealth, rank, birth,
Sleep undistinguish'd in the earth ;)
This fimple urn records a name
That fhines with more exalted fame.
Reader! if genius, taste refin'd,

A native elegance of mind :
If virtue, fcience, manly fenfe ;
If wit, that never gave offence;
The cleareft head, the tendereft heart,
In thy esteem e'er claim'd a part;
Ah fmite thy breast, and drop a tear,
For, know, THY Shenstone's duft lies here.

Wherever Nature offers fuch a gay verfity as furrounds this country, it is a temptation for every refident gentleman to adorn his habitation, and lay it open to the beauties of the profpect. Many of these are seen from the brow of every hill in the ride from hence to Hagley, which is exceedingly pleasant and agreeable; the country never lofes its bold appearance; hill and valley fucceed each other, every where rich, and fo happily cultivated, that not a fpot is feen but fmiles by the hand of industry in the gayeft verdure; even the lofty summit of Clent is dreffed in the fame vivid robe, and gives fuftenance to those herds of sheep, which are conftantly feen browfing along its ample fides.

The delightful hill which looks upon the Witchberry plantations, the noble obelisk, the Grecian temple, and the endless expanfe beyond, is truly great but to the glory of the fcene, on the declivity

fweeping

fweeping down the oppofite fide, appear the lofty woods, and lawns of

HAGLEY.

HAGLE Y.

THIS

HIS celebrated park is fituated on the north-weft fide of the Clent hills, and ranges down to the road leading to Bromsgrove and Stourbridge in Worceftershire. An eafy winding avenue of spreading limes, and other trees, leads, for a confiderable diftance, to the noble manfion; which at length bursts upon the ftranger, in all its glory: grandeur, in this modern pile, is fupported by fimplicity; a proof that true elegance needs not the aid of fuperfluous orna

ment.

The rooms are happily difpofed, and adorned with rich cieling-pieces and cornices; the paintings, numerous and well chofen, -in many of which Vandyke, and other capital mafters, fhew their inimita ble pencils; the whole is furnished with great taste and judgment, every way be. coming

coming the well known character of the noble poffeffor.

The entrance into this princely habita- ' tion is up a grand flight of steps, where, in the Hall, the lovers of fculpture will find a pleasing amusement.

Over the Chimney-place in ftucco.

Pan courting Diana, with the offering of a fleece of goat's hair, after a picture of Carlo Maratti; by Vapili.

Medallions, and other ornaments; by the fame.

Stone work of the chimney; by Lovell. Statues in Seaglione, copied at Florence from the antique in the Great Duke's gallery.

Six antique bufts, and two by Rifback, viz. the heads of Rubens and Vandyke :' that on the right hand from the door, next to Mercury, is Vandyke.

SALOON.