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THE LIBRARY,

Which is a fuperb room, 83 feet in length, and 20 in height.

The Ornaments of this room are mafterly: they confift chiefly of the moft elegant and highly finifhed ftucco, by the late and prefent Mr. Roberts of Oxford; the defigns of which are admirably adapted to the purposes of the place.

On the north fide are feven Receffes, one of which is the entrance from the Hall, and the other fix are filled with elegant Book-cafes, over which are curious Medallions of Cicero, Plato, Thucydides, Homer, Shakespeare, and Inigo Jones. In this fide are alfo two superb Chimney-pieces, by Carter, compofed of rich antique marble. The entrances at each end are formed to correfpond with the other Receffes; the femicircular Arches over which, as well as that leading from the Hall, are ornamented in ftucco with Fabies from Æsop, admirably executed; with a Medallion of the fame kind over each Chimney. The south fide, which fronts the Garden, confifts of eight magnificent windows, with a pair of folding Glafs Doors, which open to the Terrace, and afford a moft delightful and extenfive prospect.

The Ceiling, which is entirely plain, is fupported by columns of the Corinthian order; and is encompaffed by an exceeding rich Ionic Entablature. This room is likewife enriched by pendent Ornaments, in alto relievo, of Still Life, Military, Mufical, and Mathematical Inftruments; with a judicious mixture of Fruit and Flowers.

THE SMALLER DRAWING-ROOM

Is furnished with Genoa Flowered Damask, and has a Chimney-piece of fine marble, and very curious workmanship. The Ceiling and Cove are in Fretwork Compartments, ornamented with Birds, Foliages and Feftoons of Flowers.

THE

THE GREAT DRAWING-ROOM.

This apartment is 47 feet long, 25 broad, and zo high. It is furnished with excellent Tapeftry, which, for colour as well as expreffion, engages the attention of the curious. It is the work of Vanderborght, and represents the four Quarters of the World, well expreffed by affemblages of the natives, in their various habits and employments, except Europe, which is in Masquerade. Over the four Doors are the Seafons and Elements painted in a very peculiar ftyle. Thefe figures, in Claro Obfcuro, appear as if starting from the Canvas. From the vast expreffion, yet exceeding light tint of these Pieces, the fpectator is at first fight ready to pronounce them bas-reliefs in white marble.

The Chimney-piece is extremely fuperb, compofed of rich Egyptian marble, executed by Carter. The Cornice is fupported by highly carved and polished Figures of Ceres and Flora, about five feet high: the Drapery of thefe Figures, one in the ancient, the other in the modern ftyle, as well as their Attitudes, are pe culiarly ftriking and expreffive. In the centre of the Freeze is a raised Tablet of the Choice of Hercules. Over it is a Painting of the Destruction of Pharaoh and his Hoft in the Red Sea.-Suitable to the other Ornaments of this apartment, the Ceiling confifts of reprefentations of the four Quarters of the World, with the Elements, and Seasons, in ftucco, interfperfed with Fa bles and other Decorations; and furrounded by a full enriched Corinthian Entablature. On the oppofite fide to the Chimney piece are two fuperb Glaffes, upwards of four feet in breadth, and nine feet high. Under thefe Glaffes are two rich Tables of Egyptian marble, apon gilt and carved Frames; and on the other Piers are two Girandoles of exquifite workmanship, by Anfell.

THE MUSIC-PARLOUR

Is a fmall neat room, with a light and well executed Ceiling

THE

THE DINING-PARLOUR,

A very commodious apartment, of 27 feet by 25. The Walls, with the Cove and Ceiling, are decorated with varied compartments of highly finished Orna ments, in stucco. Over the Chimney is a Portrait of the late Duke of Shrewsbury.

The Environs, or Gardens, are well laid out. A variety of beautiful fcenes ftrike the fpectator in a moft agreeable fucceffion. With very little appearance of art, nature has received much affiftance from tafte. To the fouth-weft, lofty trees afford a most refreshing shade, interfperfed with openings edged with flowers. Eastward, a fmall stream is improved into a winding river, broke by eascades, whose banks are adorned with a curious fancybuilding called

THE MOSS-HOUSE.

This edifice is covered with reeds, and constructed of rustic oak; the infide is lined with moss of various colours, and the floor paved in Mofaic work, with horse's teeth polished. Upon entering this building, we have a ftriking view of two Cafcades, which afford an agreeable furprise.

This piece of water is croffed by a ftone bridge, under which is an engine that fupplies the house with water; and above it, at the distance of about four hundred paces, is the most natural, if not the most striking of the Cafcades found here. It is built with petrifactions, and other curious ftones; and on the top is a Terrace, planted with flowering fhrubs.

From this bridge, in another direction through a grove, we afcend to a beautiful ferpentine walk, alfo planted with flowering fhrubs on each fide, which terninates in an octagon Bowling-Green, where we command feveral extenfive, different, and moft delightful prospects.

NUNEHAM.

NUNEHAM-COURTENAY,

THE SEAT OF

THE EARL OF HARCOURT.

T the general furvey this manor belonged to

A Richard de Curcy: afterwards to the Family of

Riparys, or Redvers. Mary, youngest daughter of William de Redvers, Earl of Devon (who, as well as his uncle William, was furnamed de Vernon), married Robert de Courtenay, Baron of Oken hampton, in 1214. -It is probable, that by this marriage the manor of Nuneham was carried into the Family of Courtenay, and thence affumed the name of Nuneham-Courtenay. After them fucceeded (the Pollards) Sir John Pollard of Devon. From them it came to

Court of Wards, called the Rich Audley.

Audley of the

From him to Robert Wright, Bishop of Litchfield, whose fon, Calvert Wright, fold it to John Robinson, of London, Merchant, (temp. Ol. Cromwell), knighted in 1660, by King Charles II. and made Lieutenant of the Tower.

From the Robinfons it defcended to David Earl of Wemys (who married Mary, daughter and coheiress of Sir John Robinfon, Baronet), from whom it was purchafed in the year 1710, by Simon, firft Lord Harcourt, Lord High Chancellor of England.

:

The House was built by the late Earl, but has fince been much altered and enlarged (by the addition of a Court of Offices, &c.) according to the plans of Mr. Brown it ftands in a park of fix miles and an half in circumference, well wooded, and containing near twelve hundred acres, in which are Scenes worthy of the bold pencil of Rubens, or to be fubjects for the tranquil * See Mr. Walpole's Anecdotes of Painters, octavo Edition, Vo lume the fecond, page 145.

*

funfbines

funfhines of Claude Lorrain." The Gardens contain thirty-eight acres, and (except the Terrace and FlowerGarden) were laid out by Mr. Brown.

From the centre window of the Breakfaft Room, round the fouth fide of the Garden, and back again, is half a mile and fixteen poles.

From the fame place along the Terrace, round the hill, at the termination of it, and back again, is a mile and a furlong.

In entering the Houfe you pass through a Veftibule, which is ornamented with Doric Columns, and Cafts of Antique Statues; and afcend by an oval Geometrical

Stair-cafe, to

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30 Feet by 16, and 18 and an half high, hung with blue Damask, and the following Pictures:

Over one of the Chimnies, Sufannah and the Elders, by Annibale Caracci. Over the other, two Beggar Boys, by Murillio. It came from Penfhurst.

The following eight Heads hang on either fide of them: William fifth Lord Paget, by Sir Peter Lely; Lady Ann Finch, second daughter of Sir Thomas Finch, Bart. and first Earl of Winchelfea, wife to Sir William Waller, General of the Parliament Army in the Civil War, by Vandyck. A Portrait of one of the Harcourt Family, by Mirevelt; fine. George Simon Viscount Nuneham (now Earl Harcourt), at the age of feventeen, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, capital.

3

Another Portrait of one of the Harcourt Family, which, as well as the former, was a prefent from Harcourt Powell, Efq. Simon Harcourt (afterwards Viscount and Earl), only fon of the Hon. Simon Harcourt; the Head by Sir Godfrey Kneller; Mrs. Siddons, the celebrated Actress, in the character of Isabella in the Fatal Marriage, by Hamilton; Elizabeth, daughter of King James the First, Electress Palatine and Queen of Bohemia, by Honthorst; a prefent from her to Sir Simon Harcourt. Over the centre Door, a Nymph

with

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