DITCHLEY, The Seat of the Right Honourable the Earl of LITCHFIELD, fituated about four Miles from Woodstock. ITCHLEY is a modern Fabrick, lofty, and elecommands all the Country, having Blenheim, Oxford, and the Hills beyond it in full View. Over the Front of the House are two grand Statutes Loyalty and Fame, with their proper Emblems. The Offices, which form two beautiful Wings, have a Communication with the principal Building by circular Colonades. In the House are many valuable and mafterly Portraits, by Rubens, Vandyke, Sir Peter Lely, Johnson and Wotton. We enter the House at the HALL, which is elegantly ornamented on the Sides and Roof with curious Stuc CO. On the fuperb Chimney Piece in a Pannel is a Picture of the late Lord. The Ceiling is an Affemby of the Gods by Mr. Kent. Two of the Compartments are by the fame Painter, and contain Æneas's meeting his Mother Venus in the Wood; and Venus giving Æneas the new Armour. A Statue of Venus de Medicis, and Bufts of the Poets. Over the Chimney-piece are Geography and Sculpture oppofite Mufick and Painting. The MUSICK ROOM Has feveral Paintings in it, viz. The Grandfather and Grandmother of the present Earl of Litchfield. The prefent Earl. The two late Dukes of Beaufort. The Honourable Mr. Lee, and Sir Watkin Williams Wynne, by Hoare, who excells in Crayons. 1 Rubens Rubens and his Son, hunting Wild-Beafts. Two Venetian Courtezans. A Shooting-Piece, and two Hunting-Pieces, by Wotton. In the Shooting-Piece his Lordship and the Hon. Mr. Lee are introduced. The DINING ROOM Is ornamented with feveral valuable and mafterly Portraits. Henry VIII. by Hans Holben. Charles I. with Charles II. at his Knee, by Vandyke. Sir Henry Lee, with the Dog which once faved his Life, by Johnson. Over the Dog are these Words, More faithful than favour'd. The late Lord, by Richardson; and the present Dowager Lady, by Vanderbank, both in their Coronation Robes. The Duke of Monmouth and his Mother. Sir Charles Rich. Sir Chriftopher Hatton. Four Portraits of Sir Henry Lee's Brothers. The DAMASK BEDCHAMBER. The Tapestry, which is executed with uncommon Expreffion, reprefents Boys engaged in feveral Sports and Employments, fome fqueezing Grapes, others at Play, &c. 1. Admiral Lee. PAINTINGS. 2. The Queen of Bohemia, by Johnson. 3, 4. Lord and Lady Tenham. The RED TAPESTRY DRAWING ROOM Is alío adorned with Tapestry, representing the Muses and Apollo, a Vintage and Bacchanalian Scenes. PAINTINGS. 1. The Countess of Rochefter, by Sir P. Lely. 4. Sir 4. Sir Harry Lee in the Robes of a Knight of the Garter, by Johnson. In this Room we are fhewn a large beautiful India Cheft. From this Apartment we have an entertaining View of a winding Valley, with a ferpentine Canal, over which is thrown an elegant Bridge from a Defign of Palladio's. The SALOON. The Ceiling and Walls are richly ftuccoed; in the middle Compartment of the Roof Flora and the Zephyrs. 1. ANTIQUES. The Goddess Health, three Feet in Height, formerly in Dr. Mead's Collection. On its Pedestal is a Bas Relief of Æfculapius. 2. A Medallion of a Sleeping Cupid. The Diameter is nine Inches. The GREEN DAMASK DRAWING ROOM. The marble Chimney piece and Table in this Room are of the most beautiful Sorts. The two Corinthian Columns to the Chimney Piece and high finishing of the Whole, are worthy of Scheemaker, who was the Artist. The Landscape in the middle is by Mr. Wotton, who has gained great Applaufe in this Species of Painting. A rich Fire-Screen of the Fulham Manufactory, representing a Basket of Flowers, in the most lively Colours. Two Pieces of Rocks and Ruins over the Doors: were brought from Italy. A rich japanned Cabinet, with two gilt Stands, and fuperb gilt Branches on each of them. The WHITE DINING-ROOM. PAINTINGS. King Charles II. and the Dutchess of Cleveland, by Sir P. Lely. The Great Grandfather of the present Duke of Grafton, by the fame. Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, his Lordship's Grandmother, by Kneller. T Two Egyptian marble Tables, and glass Chandelier in the middle. The VELVET BEDCHAMBER, So called from the Bed and Hangings, which are of a fingular Figure. The elegant Chimney Piece is by Scheemaker, ornamented with an Italian Prospect of a Ruin. The Dreffing Table is of Tortoife-Shell, curiously inlaid. It was made in France, and must have been a Work of Labour.. Is the last we are fhewn, curiously ornamented in the Chinese Tafte, and has two elegant and coftly Sconces. The Tapestry reprefent the Cyclops forging the Armour for Eneas, and Neptune, properly attended, directing the refitting a Veffel, which has been shipwrecked. The Chimney Piece is of white Marble. Over it is a capital Picture by Sir Peter Lely of the Duke and Dutchess of York, and the Princesses Mary and Anne. Two Landscapes over the Doors are by an Italian Master. The Chairs in this Room are each ornamented with one of the Fables of Esop. In this Apartment is a beautiful Fire-Screen of Needle Work, by the Dowager Lady Litchfield. Proper to this Apartment are the Chinese Lady and the Porter with a Cheft of Tea. Two rich Branches on each Side the Chimney-Piece; one fupported by a Black-moar, the other by a Mulatto. De Defcription of STOW-GARDENS, belonging to the Seat of the Right Honourable Earl TEMPLE. TH HE Spectator will have an Idea of what he is to expect in these unrivalled Gardens, where Art and Nature are so excellently blended, by the following Lines. With Envy ftung, and Emulation fir'd, Nature the Foreft plants, extends the Plain, And glitt'ring Spires fhoot upwards to the Skies: Separate these Rivals thus aspire to Fame, Baffled in each Attempt, at Length they ceafe Their fierce Difpute, and knit in Leagues of Peace; Determin'd with affociate Powers to fhew One matchlefs Effort of their Force at Srow. The World astonish'd, as the Labour grew, Exclaims, "What cannot Art and Nature do! 99 At the Southern Entrance of the Gardens are two Pavillions, fupported by Dorick Pillars, defigned by Sir John Vanbrugh. The Infide of each is adorned with Sto M |