Over the Chimney is a very fine Portrait of Mary Dachefs of Richmond, and a Girl prefenting her gloves, by Vandyck. Over the doors, Lord Stafford and his Secretary, and Mrs. Killegrew and Mrs. Morton, by Vandyck. The Dining Room. Over the door going in from the Drawing-Room is a capital Piece of Cattle and Figures, by Caftiglione; a Bacchanalian Piece by Vandyck; Lot and his Daughters, by Rubens, given by the Emperor; Queen Anne, whilft Princess of Denmark, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; Venus and Adonis, by Rubens, given by the Emperor Jofeph I.; the prefent Duke, Duchefs, and fix Children, by Sir J. Reynolds; the Rape of Europa, by. Paul Veronefe. On the pannels near the windows are fix fmall Landscapes, by Wootton. THE SALOON. This Room, which is nobly decorated, is proportioned to the magnificence of the reft. The lower part is lined with marble, which affords a cool retreat in the warmest weather. The feveral compartments reprefent the different Na. tions in their various habits and modes of dress, by La Guerre. The Ceiling is emblematic, reprefenting John Duke of Marlborough in the midst of his Victories ftopt by Peace, and Time reminding him of the rapidity of his own Flight, painted alfo by La Guerre. Over the right-hand Chimney, as we enter from the Hall, a Buft of Carracalla. Over the other, a Buft of a Roman Conful. Green Drawing Room. The Tapestry reprefents more of John Duke of Marlborough's Battles. Over the neareft door to the Saloon, is a Portrait of a young Knight of St. John of Jerufalem, by Barrocio Over the oppofite Door. Meleager and Atalanta, very masterly, by Rubens. On the pannel near the window next the Saloon, the Adoration of the Shepherds, by Lucca Giordano. A Madona and Child, by Nic. Pouffin; a Garland of Flowers, with Figures in the middle, by Rottenhammer. On the Pannel oppofite this are, The Offering of the Magi, by Lucca Giordano; Holy Family, by Nic. Pouffin; a Garland of Fowers, with Figures in the middle, by Rottenhammer; a highly finifhed Picture of her Grace the Duchefs of Marlborough, by Romney. State Drawing Room. The Tapestry continues to reprefent the farther Defcription of the Battles of John Duke of Marlborough. Over the Chimney. The prefent Duke of Marlborough, by Romney; a capital Painting upon Black Marble, by Allefandor Veronese. Over the firft door is a Fruit Piece, by Lucca Giordano. Over the oppofite door, St. Laurence diftributing the Ornaments of the Altar, by Il Prete Genoefe. The State Bedchamber, Which is furnished with blue damafk, with elegant gilding, has on the Chimney a Buft of Diana, over which is a very capital Picture of Seneca bleeding to death, by Lucca Giordano... On a pannel to the right are, A Portrait of King Edward VI. by Holbein ; a View of Architecture, by Panini; the Burning of Troy, by old Frank. Over the doors. Two Pieces of Still-life, by Maltese. THE LIBRARY. From a series of fmaller yet magnificent apartments, the centre. we are fuddenly ftruck at entering this fuperb room, which is 200 feet long, and 31 feet 9 inches wide in The Doric pilafters of marble, with the complete columns of the fame, which fupport a rich entablature, the window frames, the furrounding basement of black marble, and the ftuccoed compartments of the vaulted ceiling, are in the highest tafte both of defign and finishing. It was originally intended as a gallery for paintings; but the late Duke adding utility to elegance, furnished it with a noble collection of books, made by Lord Sunderland, his Grace's father. Their number amounts to more than 24,000 volumes, which renders it the principal private collection in England. At one end of the room is a highly-finished Statue JOHN Duke of MARLBOROUGH And to whofe Munificence With Gratitude Over the marble Door is A Buft of Milo Crotonienfis, by Wilton, A Buft of Charles Earl of Sunderland, who collect ed this Library. Over each Chimney are Landscapes after Gafpard Pouffin. Over the right-hand Chimney is A Buft of Charles Spencer Duke of Marlborough, by Ryfbrack. At the farther end of the room is A fine Greek Buft of Alexander, in very good prefervation, on a Therm, defigned by Sir William ChamBers. E And And in this room are two antique Statues, óf Diana and Julia Domna, on Mahogany Therms. The Whole-length PORTRAITS are, King William the Third. Queen Anne. John Duke, and Sarah Duchefs of Marlborough. Elizabeth Duchefs of Marlborough. Francis Earl of Godolphin. Anne Countess of Sunderland. The Hon. John Spencer. The Right Hon. Lady Georgiana Spencer, now Countess Cowper. John Duke of Montagu. Before we leave this Gallery, I must direct the Spectator to its Bow-windows, from whence we have a delightful profpe&t of the declivity defcending to the water, and the gradual afcent of the groves which cover the oppofite hill. N. B. In the Galleries of the Attic Story there is a large Collection of Family Portraits, by different Masters, This is one of the wings; in which is a fuperb Monument to the memory of the firft Duke and Duchess, by Ryfbrack. They are reprefented with their two fons who died young, as fupported by Fame and History. Beneath, in a Ballo-relievo, is the taking of Marshal Tallard. The Altar-piece is Our Saviour taken down from the crofs, by Jordaens of Antwerp. THE GARDENS Include a great variety of ground. The defcent on the fouth-weft fide; the extent and beauty of the water; the grandeur of the opposite bank, the cascade, the new bridge bridge and lower piece of water, form an affemblage of great and beautiful objects in no other place to be met with. The ground on the fouth-eaft is a happy contraft to the fouth-weft fide: the Gardens here feem to lofe themfelves in the Park, amidst a profufion of venerable oaks and interfected avenues, from whence they derive an air of most indéterminate extent, which is very pleafing. Lastly, the beautiful plain in the front of the Houfe, and the picturefque effect of the Village rifing out of the Wood below, call for our attention. Thefe Gardens have been confiderably enlarged, and thrown into the form they now wear, by the prefent Duke, who has likewife farther beautified them by the addition of fome judicious and well-placed ornaments; particularly the Temple of Diana, and an elegant little temple in what is called the Flower Garden: To which we may add two noble Bronzes, and some copies of Antique Vafes, in ftone. Is eleven miles in circumference, and contains many delightful scenes. The lover of rural variety will be entertained here with every circumftance of beauty which he can expect from diverfified nature; from hill and valley, water, and woods. The pleasure-grounds have lately received a confiderable improvement and enlargement, by throwing a neat Chinele bridge over the lake, near the cafscade; and inclofing and laying down, in the most elegant ftyle, a pretty large tract of the oppofite hill. In this delightful fpot, feveral grottos are fo naturally introduced, that art fcarcely appears. But the most capital object is a magnificent fountain, a prefent to John Duke of Marlborough; which, after lying neglected for many years, has been recently erected in the vale, near the eaftern limits of the new improvements. On one fide of this fountain is the fubfequent Latin infcription; and on the E 2 three |