white marble by Banks, representing the British prince Caractacus before the throne of Claudius. A recess in the opposite wall contains another very bold alto-relievo, representing the tent of Darius, executed by a French artist. This apartment contains: A statue of Paris in fine white marble. Two fine antique Vases on marble pedestals; both are are decorated with figures and foliage. Eight antique marble Busts, Four transparent alabaster Urns, The State Drawing Room is 50 feet by 32 and 22 high. It contains a collection of well executed paintings, most of which are by the best of the old masters, among them are the following: Portrait of Dobson, by himself. Prince Henry and Prince Maurice of Nassau, on large white horses; a fine sketch by Vandyck. Rembrandt's Father: Rembrandt. Belena Forman, Ruben's Wife: Rubens. Two exquisite paintings of our Saviour and the Mado- Venus reclining: Titian. Landscapes with satyrs, remarkably highly finished: Breughel. A large landscape, with an ale-house, and a group of three figures resting on their staffs: D. Teniers. In this apartment there is a fine Italian chimneypiece, in the centre of which is an antique tablet of oriental alabaster, representing the emblems of a sacrifice to Bacchus, and heads of Bacchanals; the pilasters are of porphyry, together with part of the entablature: the remainder is of the finest white marble. On the mantle-piece is a most beautiful transparent vase, of oriental alabaster. The State Gallery is 170 feet in length by 25 in breadth, breadth, and is 22 feet high. Its walls are hung with curious pieces of tapestry. On the tables and mantle-pieces are fine bronze statues of Venus, Flora, Hercules, &c. The State Dressing Room is 30 feet by 24, and 19 feet high. This room is also hung with tapestry, and contains a fine portrait of the late Field Marshal Viscount Cobham, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and two capital pictures of a Burgomaster and his wife, by Van Hurst. The State Bed Chamber is 50 feet in length by 35 in breadth, and 18 feet high The ceiling is ornamented with the insignia of the garter, and the magnificent bed was executed by Signor Borra. chairs, window curtains, and hangings are of crimson damask. The This apartment contains a copy, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, of Vandyck's celebrated picture at Hampton Court, representing Charles the first, on a white horse attended by Monsieur St. Irmin. In the State Closet there are several fine cabinet paintings, among which are particularly to be noticed:-A portrait of the present King of Denmark, by Angelica Kauffman. The adoration of the magi, P. Veronese. A boy and woman by candle-light, Schalken. A Flemish piece, moonlight: Swickart. Holy Family: Corregio. Two sketches by Rubens, one of Venus and Adonis, the other of the adoration of the Magi. The walls and ceiling of The Music Room, are painted in Arabasques and other subjects, in the most elegant and chaste stile, by Signor Valdre. The design taken from the Loggiu of Raphael in the Vatican at Rome. At each end of the room are scagliola columns, execated in imitation of sienna marble by Signor Bartoli. The capitals, mouldings, and other ornaments are richly gilt. The Library, of the same size and shape as the State Gallery, contains 10,000 volumes of rare and valuable works, and a great number of unpublished MSS. E 2 The The Dressing and Grenville Rooms contain a great number of portraits, of which the following are the principal Eari Nugent, by Gainsborough--Mrs. Siddons, Lady Buckingham, from the celebrated picture of Sir Joshua Reynolds.---Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset and Protector in the early part of the reign of Edward VI.-Thomas Seymour, Lord Sudley, high admiral and brother to the protector.— Queen Catharine Parr.-Anna Boleyn.-Henry the VII.-Charles the First.--Sheldon, archbishop of Canterbury.-Peter Temple, the founder of Stow, in 1560.--John Temple.-Hester Sandys, wife to Sir Thomas Temple, Bart. This lady as we are informed by Fuller had only four sons and nine daughters, yet lived to see above seven hundred of her own descendants.--Lord Viscount Cobham, by Vanioo. -Sir Bevil Grenville, killed at the battle of Lansdown, in the year 1648. "That which would have clouded any victory," says Lord Clarendon, "and made the loss of others less spoken of, was the death of Sir Bevil Grenville. He was indeed an excellent person, whose activity, interest, and reputation, were the foundation of what had been done in Cornwall; and his temper and affections so public, that no accident which happened could make any impression on him. In a word, a brighter courage and a gentler disposition were never married together, to make the most cheerful and innocent conversation."-WilJiam Pitt, first Earl of Chatham.-Martin Luther; Hans Holbein. -Oliver Cromwell; Richardson the Elder.-James Craggs, secretary of State to George 1. The following epitaph on this gentleman's tomb in Westminster Abbey, by Pope, faithfully represents his character: Statesman, yet friend to truth! of soul sincere; Ennobled Ennobled by himself, by all approv'd, Prais'd, wept, and honour'd, by the muse he lov'd. Dean Swift; Bindon.-James, Duke of York.— John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough.—Old Richard Desborough, and his wife; Dobson. These are highly finished portraits of Cromwell's sister and brother-in-law.-John Locke.—Mr. Pope: Hudson. The Billiard Room is 29 feet in length, 26 wide, and 19 feet high. It contains several curious and original portraits, among which are the following, viz: Catharine of Braganza, wife to Charles II. Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary Curzon, Countess of Dorset: Vandyck. Charles I. and his Queen Henrietta Maria: Vandyck. Mr. Quin Gainsborough. : Joseph Addison, Esq. Sir Godfrey Kneller. In the New Dining Room, among others, are the following capital paintings : Rembrandt's wife, in the character of Minerva : John the last duke of Cleves: Rembrandt. Christ rising from the tomb: Tintoretto. St. Catharine, St. James, and the Holy Lamb: Tin toretto. The entry of Louis XIV. into Paris. The Death of Adonis: Rubens. Orpheus and the brutes: Bassau. Titian's Mistress in the character of Venus: Titian. In this apartment is also an ancient Sarcophagus, found on the road to Tivoli, and brought from Rome by Lord Buckingham. It is about three feet long, E 3 and and 20 inches deep; on the top lies a snake and a human figure finely executed. At one end is the following inscription : D. M. Antonia Pacuvio Filia fecit sibi et Erennio filio suo piissimo The Chupel completes this suite of apartments. It is wainscotted with cedar, and hung with crimson velvet. Over the communion table is a copy of Ruben's fine picture, at Wilton, called the Holy Lamb. The limits of this work will not permit us to give a more minute description of this celebrated seat; we shall therefore for further particulars refer our readers to a quarto volume lately published at Buckinghain, by Seely, with views of all the buildings, drawn and engraved in a beautiful manner, by T. Medland. The beauties of Stowe have been extolled in poetry by Pope and West, who spent many festive hours with its noble owner, Lord Cobham, and by some of the most celebrated of their literary cotemporaries. Hammond, the elegiac poet, died whilst on a visit to Stowe in 1742. The parish Church of Stowe contains only one monument of the Temple family, that of Hester, Lady Peniston, daughter of Sir Thomas Temple, who died in 1619. In the church-yard was a large yew tree, with a remarkable extent of spreading branches, which is now parted off, and stands within the Marquis of Buckinghamshire's ground. BUCKINGHAM, The county town, is situated in a valley upon the river Ouse, by which it is nearly surrounded, and over which it has three bridges. It is an ancient borough, |