Badby is the first place mentioned in this excurfion; but there is little or nothing here to attract the Traveller's notice. Proceeding to Fawley, we have a particular account of this ancient family-feat of the Knightleys. Here fome portraits caught the Author's eye; as did alfo the church, and the tombs. We drive on to Flore and Upton, and fo to Northampton. This large, handsome, populous town, affords the Author confiderable materials for his Journal;-to which we must refer for: particulars.

From hence we repair to Caftle-Ashby, the magnificent feat of the Compton's, Earls of Northampton. Mr. P. gives us a view of this place, by his ingenious draughtsman, already named; and by whofe performances fo many of this gentleman's publications have been embellifhed. We have here likewise, two portraits (engraved by Bafire) of the heroic John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his Countels, Margaret, daughter of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. Thefe two original portraits our affiduous Virtuofo had the merit of redeeming from beneath a load of paltry pictures flung into a garret. He had been informed that a picture of the great Talbot exifted in this house; but the person who attended him knew nothing of it.-After much fearch, the noble Earl and his Countefs were discovered in the difgraceful fituation above-mentioned. They were coarsely painted on wood, as might be expected from the artifts of the period in which they flourished.-Many more of the DEPARTED GREAT are here ftill breathing on canvas; but for our Author's account of them we must refer to his book.

Entering Buckinghamshire, we come to Gothurst, the feat of the Digby family; which produces a long and very curious account, illuftrated by an elegant print of Lady Venetia Digby; of whom many extraordinary circumftances are related.

Newport Pagnel is next defcribed; and then we arrive in Bedfordshire.

In paffing Wooburn Sands, Mr. P. directs our attention to the noted pits of Fuller's earth,-an invaluable substance, which is fuppofed to give that great fuperiority to the British cloth (honestly worked) over that of other nations.'

The ftrata which lie over this important fpecies of marl are thus described by Mr. Pennant: Firft, Several layers of reddifh fand, to the thickness of fix yards; then fucceeds a ftratum of fand-ftone, of the fame colour; beneath which, for feven or eight yards more, the fand is again continued to the Fuller's earth; the upper part of which, being impure, or mixed with fand, is flung afide, the reft taken up for ufe. The earth lies in layers; under which is a bed of rough white free-ftone, about two feet thick, and under that fand; beyond that the labourers have never penetrated.

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The

I of great wie of the eps cleaning the cicts. er me which are in frecvent ing the tar, preal, Atme ployed by the furguwid, in healing the externa. creates to which thesp afe laule, neither can the wool be worked, Dan, or woyon, leuels it be well grealed. All this great mot be powey out-before the clots are fit to wear. Other countries e haly Want this fpecies of earth, or have it in jek perfection. Safiral other parts of our inland produce this mott vietu tubBanor, unlice Bedlord in re.

Wooound Apsey, the feat of the Duke of Bedford, is a notie Sujeir or defeription. We have here an abftract of its buttary, from Dugade, W., Tanner, &c. The architecture of the house is very bricEy noticed, but the gallery contributes a treature of painings" Of the portraits, there is, indeed, an iluftrious group; which we now view undazzled with the weak, rack, or power that the originals once pofiefied. Whatever were their virtues or failings, or their qualifications, mental or corporcel, they now, as our author exprefies it, underpo a pofthumous trial, and, like the Egyptians of oid, receive centure or praife according to their refpective merits."

Our Author's commentary on this truly noble collection, is extended to a confiderable length: we fhall extract from it the following particulars:

I. Mr. P.'s just reflections on the melancholy fate of Lord William Ruffel, who fell, the fad victim to his virtuous defign of preferving our liberties and conftitution from the attempts of as abandoned a fet of men as ever governed thefe kingdoms. True pa trioofm, not ambition nor intereft, directed his intentions. Poferity mult applaud his unavailing engagements, with due cenfure of the Machiavelian neceflity of taking of to dangerous an oppofer of the machinations of his enemies. The law of politics gives fanction to the removal of every obstacle to the defigns of ftatefmen. At the fame time, we never fhould lofe our admiration and pity of the generous characters who fell facrifices to their hopes of delivering, purified, to their defcendants, the corrupted government of their own days. To attempt to clear Lord Ruffel from the thare in fo glorious a defign, would be to deprive him of a molt brilliant part of his character. His integrity and ingenuity would not fuffer even himself to deny that part of the charge. Let that remain unimpeached, fince he continues to perfectly acquitted of the moit diftant defign of making aflafination a means or of intriguing with a foreign monarch, the most repugnant to our religion and freedom, to bring about fo de fired an end.1

This may ftand as a tketch of the political portrait of our Author himfelf; and we view it with the more pleafure, as, in general, we do not meet with fo much good Whiggism among Cambra Britons.

Or the portrait, and character, of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, we have the following account;

His

His dress is black, with red fleeves, with the collar of the garter, and the George. His beard is white; his countenance bluff, not unlike that of his mafter Henry VIII. Their qualities, happily for the favourite, were different; for the infcription with truth fays, that he was "gratiofe with Henry VIII.; void of defpyte; moft fortunate to the end; never in difpleafure with his Kynge." He was brought up with his mafter, and justly beloved by him for his noble qualities, for his goodly perfon, courage, and conformity of difpofition in all his exercises and paftimes. He was a principal figure in every tilt and tournament. In his younger days (1510) he appeared at Weftminster in the folemn Jufts, held in honour of Catherine of Arragon, in the dress of a recluse, begging of her Highness permiffion to run in her prefence; which having obtained, he inftantly flung off his weeds, and came out all armed. He fignalized himself at the Jufts at Tournay, in 1511, inftituted by Margaret Princefs of Caftile, in compliment to his royal mafter.-He here won the heart of the fair foundrefs of the entertainment; but fortune referved him for another princess.

In 1514, he performed amazing deeds of arms at St. Dennis, at the coronation of the youthful Mary, fifter to Henry, on her marriage with the aged and decrepid Louis XII. The good King, fays Henault, forgot his age, and met with death in her arms, in lefs than three months. This opened the way to the poffeffion of the beautiful dowager. Her heart was loft to him at the preceding tournaments; in which he had opportunity to compare her feeble bridegroom with the dexterity, the grace, and ftrength of her valiant knight; who, at fingle combat, overthrew man and horfe. The French, envious of his prowess, introduced into the lifts a gigantic German, in hopes of bringing the English hero into difgrace. He treated the Almain fo roughly, that the French interfered; but, in a fecond trial, Suffolk caught him round the neck, and pummel'd him fo feverely about the head, that they were obliged to convey the fellow away fecretly; who had been furreptitiously introduced in difguife, merely on account of his great ftrength.

Mary, on the death of her royal confort, proposed to Suffolk, and gave him only four days to confider of the offer. This feems concerted, to fave her lover from the fury of Henry, for daring to look up to a dowager of France, and, what was more, his fifter. His mafter, fortunately, favoured the match.

He continued beloved by the King, to the end of his life; after feeing the following knights and attendants on the conjugal feftivities, the Earl of Devonshire, Lord Leonard Grey, Sir Nicholas Carew, and Anna Bullen, fent headless to their graves. But Charles went off, triumphant, with his royal fpoufe; carried with him her jewels, to the amount of 200,000 crowns; the famous diamond le mirroir de Naples; and fecured her jointure of 60,000 crowns. He married almost as many wives as his master, leaving his fourth to furvive him. He died univerfally lamented, in August, 1545, and was

Mr. Pennant, who quotes Herbert's Henry VIII. for these traits of Brandon's character, fuppofes that author meant conformity of dif pofition only with refpect to exercises and paftimes.'

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buried

buried magnificently, at the expence of his master; his loss being one of the few things that touched his hardened heart.'

We shall here take leave of these valiant knights and illuftrious dames, and proceed, with our Author, to the completion of this tour.

From Woburn we are conducted to Ampthill, where there is little remarkable, except Lord Offory's houfe in the park; of which, with it's paintings, Mr. P. in his ufual manner, gives an account. Houghton Park and House are contiguous, and are all described. Houghton Houfe being a very magnificent ftructure, is here made the fubject of an elegant engraving. The house and manor, we are told, were purchased by the late Duke of Bedford from the Earl of Aylesbury, and with it the stewardThip of the Honour of Ampthill, held under the crown.

We next arrive at Wreft, Lord Hardwick's, where the curious traveller will meet with a grand collection of paintings. The portraits, and their hiftory (fays Mr. P.) would take up a volume: I muft therefore be excufed for giving a more brief account than their merits may demand.'

Speaking of three fine portraits, of James I. in his robes; Anne of Denmark, in white, with a hoop, a feather fan, and her neck exposed; and their fon, Henry, in rich armour, boots, and with a truncheon,-Mr. P. obferves, that the prince's military turn appears in the drefs of all his portraits.-Our Author fubjoins the following reflection, which may be given as an instance of his candour, and perhaps of his penetration. Had Henry lived, England might probably have transferred the miferies of war to the neighbouring kingdom. His mother had infpired him with ambitious notions, and filled his head with the thoughts of the conqueft of France. She fancied him like Henry V. and expected him to prove as victorious. I am forry to retract the character of this lady; but I fear that my former was taken from a parafite of the court. She was turbulent, reftlefs, and afpiring to government; incapable of the management of affairs, yet always intriguing after power. This her wifer husband denied her †, and of courfe incurred her hatred. Every engine was then employed to hurt his private eafe: the affected amours of which he was never guilty, and permitted familiarities which her pride would, probably, have never condefcended to. James was armed with indifference.'

We come next to Luton, and Luton-Ho. The former a fmall dirty town, but affording fome remarkable monuments, and a very fine font in the church. The latter is become famous on account of its prefent poffeffor, the Earl of Bute. All the

Wilfon.

+ Carte.

particulars

particulars we have here, of this noble feat, are comprized in the following fhort paragraph:

• Luton-Ho,' the feat of Lord Bute, lies near the London road; about three miles from the town. I lament my inability to record his tafe and magnificence; but alas! the ufeful talent, Principibus placuiffe viris, has been unfortunately denied to me. I must therefore relate the ancient ftory of the favoured fpot. In the 20th of Edward I, it was poffeffed by Robert, who took the addition of de Hoo, from the place; which fignifies a high fituation. His grandfon, Thomas, was created Lord Hoo and Haflings, by Henry VI. in 1447. He, if no mistake is made in the account, fettled two parts of the tithes on the Abbey of St. Alban's, for the use of ftrangers. Lord Hoo left only daughters. From one, who married Sir Godfrey Bullen, was defcended Queen Elizabeth.-'

The next place of any confiderable note, that we arrive at, is Hatfield, where the great CECIL built the magnificent house yet ftanding, and which is ftill poffeffed by his defcendant the Earl of Salisbury. It has lately [fince our Author wrote this account] been completely repaired and beautified, in the original ftyle.

Here Mr. P. had his tafte gratified, by the view of a fine collection of paintings, of the principal of which an account is here given :-And then we proceed to Gobions (vulg. Gubbins) late the feat of Sir Jeremy Sambroke, now of Mr. Hunter. Of this place we have only a fhort hiftorical sketch.

We now enter Middlefex; and after fome account of the New River, Enfield Palace, Waltham Crofs, Waltham Abbey, Theobald's, &c. we return with our entertaining guide to London.

The volume is closed by an Appendix, confifting of copies of original papers, relative to the ancient hiftory, records, &c. of fome monaftic and other places, mentioned in the courfe of thefe Journies. The whole is followed by an INDEX; an advantage which no publication of any confiderable bulk ought to appear without; but of the want of which we have too frequently had occafion to take notice.

ART. II. Sermons, by Alexander Gerard, D.D. Profeffor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen, and one of his Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary in Scotland. 8vo. Vol. II. 5s. Boards. Dilly. 1782.

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N our Review for December, 1780, we gave an account of the first volume of Dr. Gerard's Sermons; and what was faid of the first, may, with equal juftice, be applied to the fecond volume. There are very few writers who have a clearer or more diftinct view of the fubjects they treat of than Dr. Gerard, who poffefs greater ftrength of reafoning, or who fhew more candour and liberality of fentiment.

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