Ascending the grand staircase, we arrive on the gallery of the principal story; round which are niches, with crocketed canopies and finials. The arms above the niches are;— 1, Rutland impaling Paston; 2, Rutland impaling Neville; 3, Rutland impaling Holcroft; 4, Rutland impaling Charlton, Lord Powis; 5, Rutland, with an escocheon of pretence for Sidney; 6, Rutland, with a similar escocheon for Knevitt, impaling Tufton; 7, Rutland impaling Carey; 8, Rutland impaling, quarterly, Montagu and Monthermer. The above are the armorial bearings of the first eight Earls of Rutland. The gallery of this staircase communicates at the north-west end, with the regent's gallery, and the king's rooms; and, at the other end, with the anteroom to the library, formerly the billiard room, and the picture gallery. The usual and perhaps the most convenient course of viewing the rooms on the principal story, is, to proceed first by a door on the left, into

THE REGENT'S GALLERY.

The fire of 1816 was stopped at this door, by bricking it up, after having done some slight damage to the oak floor, (some traces of which may be now observed on entering) and consuming a single picture hung over the door. At this end of the Regent's Gallery, our surprise is excited, that the great disproportion of the breadth to the length;—17 feet 8 inches, to 131 feet, and 18 feet 2 inches high,—should not occasion the room to appear more decidedly what it was designed to be,—a gallery,—than what it is often applied to, a magnificent, as well as comfortable, living room. is, however, soon observed, how its anticipated disproportion has been obviated. The central tower of this side of the Castle, with a diameter of 35 feet 9 inches, by the addition of a bay to the gallery, gives an increased breadth of 18

It

feet; with such a glow of light through its windows, and such a prospect from them, as are rarely equalled. This noble gallery was temporarily fitted up for the reception of George IV, when Prince Regent ;-hence its name;-and still remains very much in the same state: it may indeed be questioned, whether very elaborate decorations would improve its character. Though of such large dimensions, it is a warm and comfortable room; and is, moreover, capable, by the occasional hanging of curtains across its breadth, of being divided into three fairly proportioned rooms; of which, the centre with the bow is by far the most attractive. But the great charm of the regent's gallery consists in the variety of works of art assembled in it. A preference in order of time, may be fairly given to the examination of eight pieces of gobelin tapestry-two large, and six smaller, on which are delineated with the brilliancy of colouring, and the minute finish of the most accomplished pencil, the adventures of "Dom Quichotte," from designs painted by Coypel. They are inscribed at the bottom of each piece, as follows:

In every one of these, the respective characters of the knight and the squire,—the roguery, laziness, and sensuality of the latter, and the weak-headed frenzy of the former,are most admirably delineated. The squire is always cunningly alive to his own safety, interest, and comfort: while the knight never for a moment suspects his knavery; or indeed views any thing in its true light, until awakened from his fantastic dreams by "La Sagesse." In this piece, the transition from active frenzy, always of a chivalrous and self-denying nature, to a melancholy review of his eccentric course, is described in a most masterly manner, and so true to nature, that it is almost painful to look upon. The several subjects are surrounded by devices of armour, flowers, fruit, sheep, &c. It is an interesting feature in these tapestries, that though a chance purchase of his Grace, the peacock in his pride is beautifully delineated on the top of each piece.

ANTHONY COYPEL was born at Paris in 1661. He received instruction in the rudiments of his art from his father; who, being appointed director of the French academy at Rome, took his son with him, that he might have an opportunity of improving himself there, by studying after the best models. During his continuance in that city, he designed after the antiques, and after the works of Buonarotti, Raffaele, and the Carracci. After three years practice at Rome, he went to Lombardy and Venice to study colours, and returned to Paris, very well qualified to appear as a professed master, although at that time, not above eighteen years of age. The Duke of Orleans appointed him his principal painter and he eventually received so many proofs of esteem from the king, the dauphin, and the princes of the blood, that he was seldom disengaged from the service of one, or the other; and as a public testimony of his merit, he was appointed by the king, director of all his paintings, with a large pension, and was also elected director of the academy. He painted historical and allegorical subjects. There is a great deal of spirit in his compositions, and generally an agreeable expression; the turn of his figures is frequently elegant; but he can rarely divest himself of the French taste. His style is theatrical; his heroes are those of Racine; and his costume resembles that of the opera. He died in 1722, aged sixty-one. Anthony had a brother, Noel Nicholas, a painter and pupil of his father, of nearly equal merit, who was born in 1692, and died in 1737.

Gobelin Tapestry is so called from the name of two brothers, who in the reign of Francis I, introduced from Venice into France, the art of dyeing scarlet; and established extensive work-shops, for the purpose, upon the small river Bievres, in the Faubourg St. Marcel of Paris, at Gentilly. Here the brook takes the name Gobelins from the manufactory, In the year 1677, Colbert purchased the houses from the Gobelin family, in virtue of an edict of Louis XIV, styled it the Hotel Royal des Gobelins, and established on the ground a great manufactory of tapestry, similar to that of Flanders. The celebrated painter Le Brun was appointed director in chief of the weaving and dyeing patterns. Under his administration were produced many magnificent pieces of tapestry, which have ever since been the admiration of the world. There is an academy within the Gobelins for the instruction of youth in the various branches of the fine arts, in physical science, and mechanics, subservient to the improvement of the manufacture.

Several attempts have been made to establish a manufactory of tapestry in this kingdom. It is mentioned in authentic documents of the reign of Edw. III, and Henry VIII. Sir Francis Crane, in the reign of James I., established a manufacture of tapestry at Mortlake, in Surry; but, though patronised by the king, the prince of Wales, and the Marquis of Buckingham, it was found to be too expensive a speculation, and therefore fell into decay.

In various parts of the gallery, and principally on marble columns, there are some exquisitely chiselled busts by Nollekens of the following persons:-William Pitt, and his father, Lord Chatham; Oliver Cromwell; the present Duke; the late Duchess; the Prince Regent; Lord Robert Manners; the Marquis of Granby; the first Earl of Mansfield, with the motto "Uni æquus virtuti;" Charles, the third Duke of Somerset; William III; and George II. There is also a bust of the late Duchess, by Matthew Wyatt, on a fluted column, the top of which is gracefully and appropriately decorated with a wreath of flowers; beneath which there is the following inscription:-" ELIZABETHA RUTLANDIE DUCHISSA OBIIT XXIX NOV. MDCCCXXV. This was executed after her death, from the painting by Sanders, in the Elizabeth saloon. A bust of Admiral Keppel, by Jos. Ceracchi, faultless as it may be in the execution, does not please in the conception. The features are of genuine Dutch character, sufficiently alien from the classic drapery of the bust.

JOSEPH NOLLEKENS, the son of Joseph Francis Nollekens, a native of Antwerp, and a painter by profession, was born the 11th of August, 1737, in Dean Street, Soho, London; and baptised at the Roman catholic chapel, in Duke's street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. After receiving a very imperfect education, he commenced, early, the study of sculpture, attending the drawing school of Shipley, in the Strand, and afterwards the studio of Scheemakers, in Vine Street, Piccadilly. In 1760, he proceeded to Rome, with a scantily filled purse, where he acquired considerable reputation and emolument by adding heads to busts, and bodies to heads, of antique