Her Ladyfhip's DRESSING ROOM;

N elegant Apartment, hung with Chinese Paper;

A from whence we command an extensive Prospect

over the adjacent Country.

From the Bed Chamber before mentioned we come to

W

The LIBRARY,

HICH 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 finished Stucco, 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 seven Receffes, one of which is the entrance from the Hall, and the other fix are filled with elegant Book-cafes, over which are curious Medalions of Cicero, Plato, Thucidides, Homer, Shakefpeare, and Inigo Jones. In this fide are alfo two fuperb 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 Stucco with Fables from Æfop, admirably executed; and a Medalion of the fame kind over each Chimney. The fouth fide, which fronts the Garden, confifts of eight magnificent windows, with a pair of folding Glass Doors, which open to the Terras, and afford a most delightful and extenfive Profpect.

The cieling, which is entirely plain, is fupported by Columns of the Corinthian Order; and is encompassed by an exceeding rich Ionic Entablature. This Room is likewife enriched by pendant Ornaments, in alto relievo, of Still-life, Military, Mufical, and Mathema

L

tical

tical Inftruments; with a judicious mixture of Fruit and Flowers.

I

The BREAKFASTING PARLOUR,

S furnished with Genoa Flowered Damask, and has a Chimney-piece of fine Mable, and very curious workmanship. The Cieling and Cove are in fret-work Compartments, ornamented with Birds, Foliages, and Feftoons of Flowers.

T

The GREAT DRAWING ROOM.

HIS Apartment is 47 feet long, 25 broad, and 20 high. It is furnished with Tapestry, 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. These figures, in Claro Obfcuro, appear as if starting from the Canvas. From the vaft expreffion, yet exceeding light tint of these Pieces, the Spectator is at firft 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 polifhed Figures of Ceres and Flora, about five feet high: The Drapery of these Figures, one in the ancient, the other in the modern ftyle, as well as their Attitudes, are peculiarly 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 Cieling confifts of reprefentations of the Four Quarters of the World,

with the Elements, and Seafons, in Stucco, interspersed with Fables 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 these glaffes are two rich Tables of Egyptian Marble, upon gilt and carved frames; and on the other Piers are two Girandoles of exquisite workmanfhip, by Anfell.

The Settees and Chairs of this well proportioned and highly decorated Apartment are richly carved and gilt, the feats of which are covered with needlework in filk, reprefenting different bunches of Flowers: here are alfo two curious Fire fkreens, by the fame hand as the Tapestry; one exhibits a Dutch Merriment, the other Sportfmen returned from shooting, with their Game,

I

The MUSICK PARLOUR,

'S a fmall neat Room, with a light and well executed Cieling.

The DINING PARLOUR.

The Walls, with the Cove and Cieling, are decorated with varied compartments of highly finished Ornaments, 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 Scenes ftrike the Spectator in a moft agreeable Succeffion. With very little appearance of Art, Nature has received much Affiftance from 'Tafte. To the South Weft, lofty trees afford a moft refreshing fhade, interfperfed with Openings edged with Flowers. Eaftward, a fmall ftream is improved

into a winding River, broke by Cafcades, whofe banks are adorned with a curious Fancy-building called

I

The HERMITAGE.

T is covered with Reeds, and constructed of ruftic Oak; the infide is lined with Moss of various colours, and the floor is paved, in Mosaic-work, with teeth polished. Upon entering this Building we have a ftriking view of two Cascades, which afford an agree able furprize.

This piece of Water is croffed by a ftone Bridge, under which is an Engine that supplies the house with water; and above it, at the distance of about 400 paces, is the most natural, if not the most striking of the Cafcades found here. It is built with Petrefactions and other curious Stones.

From this Bridge, in another direction, we afcend to a grafs Terrace, planted with Flowering Shrubs on each fide, that terminates in an octagon Bowling-green, where we command feveral extenfive and different Prospects.

NUNEHAM.

NUNEHA M,

The SEAT of

The EARL of HARCOURT.

N this Houfe, which is a modern Fabrick, the rooms throughout have arched Cielings, to prevent the fatal effects of fire; and the roof is covered with copper. There are two detached Wings for the Offices, and the Stabling and Coach Houses are thrown back to a confiderable distance.

This Seat is placed on the fide of a Hill, about two furlongs from the River Thames, upon fo elevated a fituation as to command a very extenfive prospect, particularly on the Berkshire fide; and from the Windows of the Octagon Room, it is fcarce poffible to conceive a Prospect more highly enriched. The Eye is delighted with a fine meandring River for many Miles; at a proper distance rises the Town of Abingdon; and, as a capital Object, which bounds the fight northward, we have a full View of Oxford. Exclufive of thefe, there are not wanting the rural Charms afforded by a neighbouring Country interspersed with Villages, Wood, and Water, rich Meadows, and fruitful Hills.

The House is encompaffed by a very extenfive Park, planted, and laid out with Taste, by the late Earl; in L 3

which