whole parish, and gives motion to several corn and

On Holtspur Heath there was formerly a very large beech-tree, in which a small wooden house was built by some of the Wharton family, for the accommodation of themselves and friends at the annual races.

HEDSOR LODGE, the elegant mansion of Frederick Lord Boston, was erected by his Lordship in the year 1778, and, from its situation on a lofty eminence, which commands a very richly 'diversified country, its internal decorations, and convenient domestic arrangements, has been made a most desirable and commodious residence. The grounds are distinguished for their high sloping hills, deep vallies, and the wild luxuriant foliage of the woods, which combining with the bold swells or abrupt depressions of the surface, produce some very beautiful and picturesque scenery. The view from the brow of the hill, with the village church embosomed in trees, "the silver-winding stream of the Thames," and the distant hills, clothed with beech wood, is uncommonly fine. In the dining-room, among other portraits, there is one of WILLIAM LORD PAGET, who was made Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Charles the First; yet at the commencement of the civil commotions, he was distinguished for his opposition to that Monarch, and appointed Lieutenant of Bucks by the Parliament. In this capacity he executed the ordinance for raising the militia with much spirit, and contributed more horses for their service than any other person of the same quality; but soon afterwards joined the King, and continued in great favor with the royal party till the Restoration. Lord Boston is a descendant from this Nobleman by the female line.

CLIEFDEN became celebrated from its magnificent mansion, erected by George Villars, Second Duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Charles the Second: but this edifice, which had been greatly improved by Frederick, Prince of Wales, who resided many years on this delightful spot, was almost wholly destroyed by fire on the 20th of May, 1795. The conflagration spread with such rapidity through the building, that scarcely a remnant of its superb furniture or splendid paintings could be preserved. The

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The wings were the only parts of this stately fabric that escaped the flames. The terrace occupies the brow of the very lofty eminence on which the house was situated, and is reported to be higher than that at Windsor, whose castle and contiguous buildings constitute the prominent objects of the view. The declivity towards the Thames is finely hung with natural woods; and the prospect of the meanderings of that river, with the prolific meadows nourished by its waters, are extremely beautiful.

Near the bottom of Cliefden Wood rises a small spring, which falling over a rugged ledge, forms a beautiful cascade; and thence murmuring over its pebbly bed, winds onwards to the Thames. Poetry, says a late writer, "would consider it as the crystal tribute of the Dryads of the woods paid to the Naiads of the stream."

The wretched end of the founder of this once noble residence has been finely commemorated by Pope; and as some of the lines refer to the dissipated scenes transacted on this spot, they seem justly to claim recital.

In the worst inn's worst room, with mat half hung,
The floors of plaster, and the walls of dung,
On once a flock-bed, but repair'd with straw,
With tape-ty'd curtains, never meant to draw,
The George and Garter dangling from that bed
Where tawdry yellow strove with dirty red,
Great Villars lies. Alas! how chang'd from him,
That life of pleasure, and that soul of whim!
Gallant and gay, in Cliefden's proud alcove,
The bow'r of wanton Shrewsbury and Love.*
Or just as gay at council, in a ring

Of mimick'd statesmen and their merry King.
No wit to flatter left of all his store!

No fool to laugh at, which he valued more.
There, victor of his health, of fortune, friends,
And fame, this Lord of useless thousands, ends.

MORAL ESSAYS.

This line alludes to the Duke's intrigue with the Countess of Shrewsbury, which occasioned a duel between him and her husband, when the latter was slain. It has been said that the Countess, disguised as a page, held the Duke's horse during the combat, and afterwards slept with him in the shirt stained with her husband's blood. The Duke died on the 16th of April, 1688, at the house of a tenant at Kirby-Moor Side, near Holmsly, Yorkshire.

BEACONSFIELD

Is a small market-town, supposed to have derived its name from the term Beacon, either significant of the commanding eminence whereon it is situated, or of the purpose to which that eminence has been applied. The houses are built with flint and brick, and disposed into four streets, which, from their relative positions, assume the form of a cross. The church is composed with flint and square stones. It consists of a nave,

chancel, and side aisles, with a tower at the west end. The inside is neatly plastered and whitewashed. In the south aisle, a small and plain mural tablet of marble has been lately put up, to record the memory of that great and most resplendent genius Edmund Burke, who died at Butler's Court, in this parish. The inscription is as follows:

Near this Place

Lies interred

All that was mortal of the
Right Honorable EDMUND BURKE,
Who died on the 9th of July, 1797,
Aged 68 Years.

In the same Grave are deposited
The Remains of

His only Son, RICHARD BURKE, Esq.
Representative in Parliament

For the Borough of Walton,

Who died on the 2d of August, 1794,

Aged 35.

Of his Brother, RICHARD BURKE, Esq.

Barrister at Law,

And Recorder of the City of Bristol,

Who died on the 4th of February, 1794.

that the poor

By some inscriptions on the gallery it appears, of this town enjoy the benefit of several donations. Mr. Thomas Read left, by will, the interest of 1001. to be laid out for bread, and given to the poor every Christmas. Edmund Waller, Esq. by will, dated 30th August, 1699, gave to the poor of Beaconsfield

and Amersham, 1001. each, to be laid out in the purchase of lands; the rents to be annually appropriated to the same purpose. Henry Clonebery, by will, gave 2241. to purchase lands; the income to be distributed to the poor every new year's day, with the exception of 20s. directed to be given to the minister for preaching a sermon.

In the church-yard is a table monument of white marble, which records the memory of the Poet Waller, and is ornamented with a pyramid in the centre, and four urns at the corners. On each side is a Latin inscription. That on the west concludes with the singular expression, that, "He had so improved his native Language, that whenever the Muses should renounce Greek and Latin, they would discourse in English." The lines inscribed on the east side are worthy of preservation, as they record some particulars of himself and family. They are to this effect.

EDMUND WALLER, to whom this Marble is sacred,

Was a Native of Coleshill, and a Student at Cambridge.
His Father was Robert; his Mother of the Hampden Family.
He was born the 30th of March, 1605.

His first Wife was Anne, only Daughter and Heiress of Edward Banks.
Twice made a Father by his first Wife, and Thirteen Times by his Second,
Whom he survived Eight Years, he died the 21st of October, 1687.

HALL BARN, the once celebrated seat of Waller, by whom it was built, is about one mile south of Beaconsfield, and before the improvements of modern times, was considered as a magnificent abode. It is now the property of Mr. Edmund Waller, a descendant of the Poet's, whose family have long been inhabitants of this neighbourhood,

WALLER was the nephew of the great Hampden, and probably by his influence was returned Burgess for Amersham before he was eighteen. His conduct in the early part of his political career appears to have been formed on his uncle's principles, for he opposed the measures of the court with such energetic vehemence, that he was chosen manager of the impeachment against Judge Crawley, whose decision on the great question of ship-money had been in favor of the King. Within

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