light that can refult from a diversity of Woo!, Water, Eminences, and Vales.

An Avenue of above two Miles, planted on each fide with Foreft Trees, interfperfed with Clumps of Fir, leads from the North to the grand Area before the House; and by its length and variety, forms an exceeding magnificent Approach. The Architect of this Houfe, though fo modern a Building, is not known.

The Houfe is a regular Edifice, confifting of four Fronts, built in a moft elegant ftile of Architecture, and is joined to the Offices by open Arcades. We enter the House by a Flight of Steps under a great Portico, fupported by four lofty Corinthian Columns.

THE HALL,

Is a well proportioned Room, thirty-two Feet by twenty-seven Feet nine. It is finished in plain Stucco, and adorned with Vases and Lamps upon highly finished Brackets. The Eye is agreeably furprized on our first entering, by the Reflection of the Avenue, and part of the Hall, from two large mirror Safhes on each fide the Door leading to the Salon, which raises the idea of another Room of equal Dimenfions and Magnificence.

From the Hall, we go to the grand Staircase, the Walls and Ceiling of which are ornamented with Pannels and Feftoons of Stucco. We next come to

THE BREAKFASTING PARLOUR, A Neat and commodious Room. Over the Chimney is a fine Landicape by Pouffin; and four other Landscapes, by an eminent Italian Master; as likewise an excellent Portrait of fome unknown Perfon, by Hans Holben: with fome other Lanscapes and Portraits.

From hence we are conducted into the Family Apartments. To the right of the Ante-Chamber, enriched with fome Prints and fome Family Portraits, is his Lordship's Dreffing-Room; on the left is her Ladyfhip's Dreffing-Room,

THE

THE LITTLE BLUE DRAWING ROOM. THIS is an Apartment of twenty one Feet by eighteen and an half, and enriched with an elegant Chimney-piece, of Sienna Marble, executed by the late Mr. Carter.

Over the Chimney is a Family Piece of King Charles II. by Vandyck: and on the Sides of the Room the Portraits of the late Earl and prefent Countess of Shrewsbury, by Mr. Hoare.

THE PRINCIPAL BED CHAMBER, Is fitted up with Tapestry, with a rich blue Damask Bed and Furniture. The adjoining Clofet is an elegant Apartment hung with Chinese Paper; from whence we command an extensive Profpect over the adjacent Country.

From the Bedchamber before mentioned we come to THE LIBRARY, Which is a fuperb Room, 83 Feet in length, and 20 in height.

The Ornaments of this Room are masterly: 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 Side 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, Shakefpeare, and Inigo Jones. In this Side are alfo two fuperb Chimney pieces, by Carter, composed of rich antique Marble. The Entrances at each End are formed to correspond 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; with a Medallion of the fame kind over each Chimney. The South Side, which fronts the Garden, consists of eight magnificent

Windows,

Windows, with a pair of folding Glafs Doors, which open to the Terrace, and afford a moft delightful and extenfive Profpect.

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 pendant 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, For liages, and Feftoons of Flowers.

THE GREAT DRAWING ROOM.

THIS Apartment is 47 Feet long, 25 broad, and 20 high. It is furnished with excellent 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 Seasons and Elements painted in a very peculiar Style. Thefe figures, in Claro Obfcuro appear as if ftarting from the Canvas. From the valt 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 polished Figures of Ceres and Flora, about five Feet high: The Drapery of thefe Figures, one in the ancient, the other n the modern Style, as well as their Attitudes, are pecularly

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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 Deftruction of Pharaoh and his Hoft in the Read Sea---Suitable to the other Ornaments of this Apartment, the Cieling confifts of representations of the Four Quarters of the World, with the Elements, and Seasons, in Stucco, interfperfed 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 thefe Glaffes are two rich Tables of Egyptian Marble, upon gilt and carved Frames; and on the other Piers are two Girandoles of exquifite workmanfhip, by Anfell.

THE MUSIC PARLOUR, Is a small neat Room,' with a light and well executed Ceiling.

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 Ornaments, in Stucco. Over the Chimney, is a Portrait of the late Duke of Shewsbury.

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 Affistance from Tafte. To the South Weft, lofty Trees afford a most refreshing Shade, interfperfed with Openings edged with Flowers. Eastward, a small Stream is improved into a winding River, broke by Cafcades, whofe Banks are adorned with a curious Fancy-building called'

THE MOSS HOUSE.

THIS Edifice is covered with Reeds, and conftructed of ruftic Oak; the Infide is lined with Mofs of various Colours, and the Floor paved in MofaicWork,

Work, with Horfe's Teeth polifhed. Upon entering this Building we have a ftriking View of two Caf cades, which afford an agreeable Surprize.

This Piece of Water is croffed by a Stone 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 moft natural, if not the most ftriking of the Cascades found here. It is built with Petrefactions, and other curious Stones; and on the Top is a Terrace, planted with Flowering Shrubs.

From this Bridge, in another direction, through a Grove, we afcend to a Beautiful Serpentine Walk, alfo planted with Flowering Shrubs on each Side, which terminates in an octagon Bowling-Green, where we command several extenfive, different, and moft delightful Profpects.

NUNEHAM-COURTNAY,

THE SEAT OF

THE EARL OF HARCOURT.

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T the General Survey this Manor belonged to 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 Okenhampton, in 12 14. ---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---Audley of the Court of Wards, called the Rich Audley,

From him to Robert Wright, Bishop of Litchfield, whofe

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