a much more serious objection may be made to the roomthat it is, what no library ought to be, a thoroughfare from the principal to the private apartments. It is in the very essence of a place of study, that it be abstracted from the ordinary communications of every-day life. And, that we may dispose of all the real or supposed defects, before we proceed to notice its architectural beauties and literary treasures, I must say, that not only the proportions, but the architectural character of this room, demanded a different roof. It certainly should have been vaulted and groined, as well as ribbed. Ribs, panels, bosses, quatrefoils, and shields, all elaborately painted and gilded, which on a vault add immensely to its richness, magnificence, and beauty, become heavy accessories to a flat roof. But, take it for all in all, it is a very sweet room, as I think will appear from the following more detailed description.

It is 47 feet long, 23 feet 9 inches wide, and 18 feet high; and is lighted from the court by four handsome windows, the soffits and sides of which are covered with cinquefoil-headed panels. These windows are also hooded with mouldings springing from corbels, both most gorgeously decorated with carved and gilded flowers and fruit. The bosses at the intersection of the ribs of the roof, are decorated alternately with flowers, í hs, ducal coronet, and an eagle with wings displayed. In each of the four corners of the roof, there is a square panel, having a shield contained within a quatrefoil: 1. Manners, with augmentation, impaling Howard. 2. Manners, &c., impaling Beaufort. 3. Manners, &c., impaling Somerset (Marquis of Granby). 4. Manners, &c., with an escocheon of pretence for Sutton. The first, second, and fourth, are encircled with the motto of the garter, and are mounted with a ducal coronet. In a multfoil over the folding doors at each end, are the ducal coronet, cap of dignity, crest and motto of the garter.

In each of the two centre windows, there is a rich piece of stained glass, of the size of an ordinary pane, the subject of which has not, that I can discover, any connexion with the history of the Castle; and is, perhaps, valued only on account of the spirited delineation and splendid colouring. Over the first figure there is a scroll, indicating the name of the person represented, and the dateDom Stein Langedogge, 1510. The figure is in armour, with a bear-skin cap, wreath, sable and argent, and a plume of feathers; and is holding a heavy battle-axe. At his feet, a shield, gules, three leaves pendant from a collar argent, buckle and gem, or. Above the shield, a helmet and gorget of mail; crest, a Moor's head, with a turban, on which is planted a cross between two horns.

At the feet of the other figure, a scroll, on which is inscribed-Hans batshalet or zyt buchsen Meister der stat bern, 1561. He is in mail armour, cap and plumes; and at his feet a shield, gules, a cross issuing out of a star, argent.

The shelves for the books are, with the exception of the breaks for the windows, doors, and fireplace, ranged in a double series, against both sides and ends of the room. They are of oak, and lettered and numbered on ivory labels. The lower series consists of lock-up cases for such literary treasures as require careful and infrequent handling, such as MSS., original drawings by the great masters, illustrated works, and valuable editions of standard writers. marble slab runs the whole extent of the top of these cases, for busts, and other articles of vertu. The upper cases are of a height sufficiently accessible, without a gallery; which, in a room of almost any dimensions, appears an unsightly feature, and in this, would have been altogether impracticable.

A

The number of volumes, in this and the anteroom,

amounts to about 7000; and, with the exception of a few modern works of imagination, there is scarcely a volume that does not possess great intrinsic value, as well as the fictitious value which certain bibliomaniacs attach to tall folios, morocco and crimson velvet bindings, &c. A brief notice of a few of these treasures, selected for description almost at random, may be acceptable to some of my readers.

An illuminated MS. on vellum, of "BOCHA'S FALLES OF PRYNCES, IN INGLYSCH." The capital letters of this manuscript are beautifully illuminated. It is of the time of Richard III., and was translated at his command, while Duke of Gloucester.

MISSALE ROMANUM-MS. on vellum, embellished with miniatures, the borders consisting of flowers and fruits, with grotesque and arabesque ornaments, very highly finished.

12mo.

BREVIARIUM ROMANUM-MS. on vellum, with illuminations of grotesque borders and ornaments. The dresses of the figures are evidently Saxon; and it is presumed, that it was executed in the reign of Henry II.; as many of the sports and games of the English are represented at the bottom of the page. Folio.

MS. on vellum, of LES REMEDES DE LA BONNE ET ADVERSE FORTUNE, by Petrarque. Besides illuminated capitals, and arms of Louis XII., to whom the work is dedicated by the translator, each volume is ornamented with a beautifully executed emblematical frontispiece, and arabesque borders finished in the highest manner. The frontispiece in the second volume represents Fortune in the distance, blindfolded, and holding a wheel: a group of figures in the foreground;-" Adversite," sitting on a stool, in rags, with bare feet and legs, and her hand on her heart; "Craintle," as a nun in black garments and hood; "Raison," as a female in blue garments, with white veil.

There are also manuscripts of more modern date, either relating to Belvoir Castle, or written by members of this noble family. Of these the most remarkable are a "Pindarique Ode on Belvoir Castle," written in 1679. This poem was first printed in the Harleian Miscellany, vol. iv. p. 527; and afterwards by Nichols, in the appendix to the second volume of his History of Leicestershire. It is valuable chiefly on account of the description it gives of the character of Belvoir Castle at the period in which it was written, and of the works of art, which the Castle then contained.

A second series of Manuscripts is described as "Letters from Gilbert, Earl of Shrewsbury, and various other letters and papers, from 1591 to 1609;" "Letters from Elizabeth, Lady Annesley, afterwards Countess of Anglesey, to her mother, Frances, eighth Countess of Rutland;" "Letters and Papers (miscellaneous), from 1564 to 1661. Amongst these papers is a very curious letter from the Earl of Huntingdon, relative to the Gunpowder Plot, dated 7 Nov. 1605."

The Library is rich in divinity, classics, and illustrated works. I noticed on the shelves the following, which may serve as a specimen of its general character:-Kennicott's Biblia Hebraica, Oxon. 1780; a splendid folio copy of the Septuagint, Frankfort, 1597; Walton's Polyglott, 4 vols. folio, London, 1657;-several of the ancient Fathers, of editions from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, published chiefly on the Continent;—the principal works of the Reformers and most eminent Divines of the Anglican Church. Of illustrated works, I may mention Dugdale's Monasticon, folio, large paper, London, 1817-1830; Lodge's Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, 4 vols. folio, large paper, London, 1821-1832; Claude's Liber Veritatis, engraved from the originals in the possession of the Duke

of Devonshire, Boydell, 1777; Horsley's Britannia, folio, large paper, 1732.

There is also in one of the lock-up cases, (No. 11,) very interesting collection of original drawings by the great masters :-Claude Lorraine, Polidoro, Agostino and Annibale Caracci, Domenichino, Berghem, Correggio, Vanni, Schidone, Titian, Rothenhamer, Apresso, Tintoretto, Parmegiano, Raffaele, Giorgi Vasari, Breughel, (a study of birds,) Guido Reni, Swanvelt, Rembrandt, Pietro da Cortona, Andrea del Sarto, Girolamo Mazzuolo, Elsheimer, Rubens, Pordenone, Ludovico Caracci, Guercino, Poussin, "Van Dyck f. 1622," Leonardo da Vinci, Julio Romano, Pyrrho Ligoris, (study of heads,) Mola, Barocci, Sachtleven, Ostade, Wouvermann, Paolo Veronese, Botticelli, Bassano, (adoration of the shepherds,) &c.

Over the fireplace, there is a full-length portrait, the size of life, of Suleima, successively Persian interpreter to the late Lord Exmouth, and the present Queen; painted by Hayes. He is represented as a handsome man, in Turkish costume, standing at a table, with books and manuscripts open before him. Suleima was formerly an occasional visitor at Belvoir Castle; and is described as a man of a highly intellectual character, with great suavity of manners.

Going out of the library, through folding doors, opposite to those by which we entered, we proceed into an anteroom, communicating with the chapel, the apartments of the late Duchess, and a passage to the private apartments of the family.

In this anteroom are the following portraits :- Lady Chaworth (knee-piece); whole-length of "John, ninth Earl, created Marquis of Granby and Duke of Rutland, 1703;" Bridget, wife of the third Duke of Rutland, and heiress of Robert Sutton, Lord Lexington (in a sitting