BLENHEIM CASTLE, THE SEAT OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH. WITH A CATALOGUE OF THE PRINCIPAL PORTRAITS AND STATUES, A DESCRIPTION OF THE TAPESTRY, PAINTINGS, GARDENS, PARK, &c. HE Castle of BLENHEIM, the seat of His Grace the Duke of MARLBOROUGH, is fituated west of Woodstock, a market and borough town, about seven miles and a half from Oxford. From the town we enter the Park through a spacious portal of the Corinthian order ; from whence a noble prospect is opened to the Castle, the Bridge, the Lake with its Valley, and other beautiful scenes of the Park. The House in particular, which we survey from this point obliquely, is probably no where viewed to greater advantage. The front is 348 feet from wing to wing, and confifts of a variety of architecture, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh. On the pediment of the south front towards the garden is a noble Busto, larger than the life, of © Louis XIV, taken froin the gates of Tournay. We enter the House on the east, through a portal built in the style of martial architecture, on the top of which is a refervoir, which supplies the house with -water from the river. This leads us into a quadrangle chiefly chiefly consisting of arcades and offices. From hence we pals into the grand area. Through the superb portico elevated on masly columns we enter THE H A L L. This magnificent room is of the height of the house, and of a proportionable breadth. It is supported by Corinthian pillars. Over the door going into the Saloon. A Bust of John Duke of Marlborough. Two Statues in Bronze, viz. The Venus of Medicis, and the Faun, both from the originals in marble in the Duke of Tuscany's collection at Florence, and executed by Max. Soldani Benzi, at Florence, 1701. Above, upon the right and left, aré feveral marble Termini, with two excellent Statues of a Nymph and a Bacchanal, The ceiling, painted by Sir James Thornhill, allegorically represents Victory crowning John Duke of Marlborough, and pointing to a Plan of the Battle of Blenheim. The Bow-Window Room. Over the chimney is a capital original Picture of the Virgin and Child, St. John and St. Nicholas, by Rapliael, formerly belonging to the Capella degli Ansidei at Perugia. Over the first door is St. Jerome, by Giorgioni. On a pannel to the right, a fine Head, after An. Caracci, by Sir J. Reynolds ; a Head of Lady Anne Churchill, by Sir G. Kneller; a small Picture of the Aflamption, by Tintoret ; a female Head, by Rubens; two Monkics in the habit of Monks, by Teniers ; a Madona and Child, by I eonardo da Vinci. Over the second door are two Nymphs, by an unknown Master. In the Duke's Dreyfing Room The Paintings arem -Venus and Adonis, by an un certain certain Artist ; a Magdalen, by young Palma; our Sa. viour in the Virgin's lap, by Titian ; St. Mark, writing his Gospel, by old Palma; Inside View of a Church, by Steenwyck; a Spanish Sca-Port, by Weenix ; De. struction of Pharaoh and his Holt, by old Frank ; two Beggar Boys, by Murillio; Ether and Ahasuerus, by Paul Veronese ; three Beggar Boys, by Murillio; a Holy Family, by Rubens ; Charles Earl of Sunderland, by Kneller; George I. by an unknown Artist; Sleeping Venus and Satyr, from the School of Rubens ; a View of Altho, pe, the seat of Earl Spencer, by Tilleman. The East Drawing Room. Over the door going in from the Dresling Room is a Holy Family. The Marchionefs de Havre, and Mary of Medicis, by Vandyck. The Duchess of Buckingham and her Children, by Vandyck. An oval Portrait of King William III. by Sir G. Kneller ; a Man's Head, by Titian; another Head, by Holbein an Annunciation, by Corregio ; an oval Portrait of Lady Chefterfield, by Vandyck; a Whole.length of Philip II. of Spain, by Titian ; a most capital Bacchanalian Piece, by Rulsens ; Andromeda chained so the Rock, by the fame; the Offering of the Magi, by Rubens; a French Camp, by Watteau ; a small Cabinet with Miniatures of the prefent Family; two small Landscapes, by a French Artist; Cattle, by Rosa di Tivoli; 2 Landscape, by Paul Brylle ; Lord Henry and Lady Charlotte Spencer, by Sir J. Reynolds; Rubens, Wife and Child, by Rubens, presented to the first Duke by the city of Bruffels ; Charles I. by Vandyck; a Holy Family, supposed by Raphael, a present from the town of Ghent; Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I. by Vandyck; an Angel, by Corregio; Cattle and Figures, by Wovermans; a Landscape, small, by Claude Lorrain ; a broad Day-break; by Vanderineer. This Drawing-Room is furnished with crimson damak. The Grand Cabinet. In this room, which is also furnished with crimson damalk, damak, the Paintings, which are well worthy of parti- Tbe Blue Drawing Room, The Paintings are-Ifaac bleffing Jacob, by Rembrandt; Catherine of Medicis, by Rubens; Time cutting Cupid's wings, by Vandyck; William Marquis of Blandford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller ; a Landscape, by Vandermeer; a Dutch Family, by Oftade; a Land. scape, by Gaspard Pouffin; Dorothy Countess of Sunderland, celebrated by Waller, by Vandyck; another Landscape, by Gaspard Poullin ; a small beautiful Family Piece, by Gonzales : a very fine Landscape, by Wavermans; Ladies Caroline and Elizabeth Spencer, by Romney; on the 'right of which are two Heads of young Women, by Paul Veronese ; on the left our Saviour and St. John, by Carlo Dolce; the Woman taken in Adultery, by Rembrandt; our Saviour and the Virgin in the clouds, and a Monk worshipping, by Annibal Caracci; our Saviour and the Virgin in the clouds, &c. by Tintoret ; thirty Miniature Portraits in one frame; a Holy Family by Ludovico Caracci; Cattle and Figures, by Bambocchio. The Winter Drawing Room. |