venerable grove of old oaks ftretches down into the vale below, and confines the charming profpect. Leaving the houfe, the firft object worthy of obfervation, is, THE PARISH CHURCH; A fmall Gothic building, entirely furrounded by trees, and its tower thickly covered with ivy: the infide is exceedingly neat, and the chancel windows are richly adorned with stained glafs: this is a modern production, but whether equal to the antient method, whofe beauty yet appears unfullied in moft of the cathedrals, time will beft difcover. Here are feveral monuments, among which, that erected to the memory of Lucinda Lyttelton, my lord's first lady, claims our notice, by its infcription being wrote by his Lordship's own pencil. Made Made to engage all hearts and charm all eyes, From the church, a narrow path, by the fide of a small pebbly chirping rill, leads along the lawn, to a rude, folitary hollow, seemingly marked fo by some violent concuffion of nature. The abrupt, fteep, and hanging banks, devoid of verdure, large rocky ftones, as if rent from the bowels of the earth, and the naked roots of old trees, promifcuous, tottering, hollow, impending, and the dashing cafcade among maffy ftones and burnt cinders, flrike the mind, and add to the wildnefs of the scene. This place, though perhaps but curforily attended to, is capital ;--and no one part of the park fhews a ftronger exertion of genius. This the attentive fpectator will acknowledge, when, after climbing a bank of a few yards, he finds himself, in an instant, transported from gloom and melancholy, into the rofeate bowers of paradife. Adventitious fcenes are always delightful, and more fo where they are introduced to give a ftriking contraft: here it is ftrongly marked, and plainly indicates the intention of the preceding rough, uncultivated recefs: the defign has its defired effect, the lovely view from the Palladian bridge above is rendered more delectable. THE ALCO V E, which this bridge fupports, is a chearful, light building, modelled by the hand of fancy, and has this inscription : -Viri Viridantia Tempe, Tempe, quæ fylvæ cingunt fuper-impendentes. That is, Delightful vales! with conftant verdure crown'd, Where flow the rills, and fhading trees furround. ANON. With what attention and pleasure does the fpectator look from this happy feat, up the enchanting vifta, to the terminating rotunda! what does he not even feel, when he fees the playing cafcade gufh from the moffy rock, in different falls, down the embofomed vale; when he marks the stately spreading trees, on the impending banks, bend their luxuriant arms to kifs the undulating ftream; while the melody of the thrush, the blackbird, and a thousand different warblers, give their wild notes, to make it still more delightful! he ftands in rapture, he gazes, contemplates, and, with reluctance, quits the elyfian scene. Keep Keeping the left hand of the water, by the hanging fides of the verdant fhady banks, a portico, on the fummit of an opening lawn, embofomed by firs, and deeply wooded on either fide, is remarkably attractive. A small wicket now leads into the environs of THE GROTTO, through a gloomy fequeftered range of trees, thick fet with various forts, decidious and evergreen. The first bench under a fhady oak, of furprizing magnitude, gives the most agreeable idea of this sweet recefs; the steep, abrupt banks, covered with mofs, fhrubs, and fimple flowers, have a very pleasing effect, and is introduced with great judgment. Bare earth is never feen to any advantage, but in rude, uncul tivated scenes, and as it is impoffible for grafs to flourish in places where the fun can scarce ever throw its beams, mofs is the only carpet, and is always lively in the moit gloomy receffes. The |