194 NORTHUMBERLAND BOTANY. [/uly, 



side, stands Brizlee Tower, a composite column, ninety feet in 

 height, finished in the highest and most elaborate style of ma- 

 sonry of the last century, and from whose summit, reached by an 

 internal staircase, is obtained a prospect of extended and varied 

 beauty. To the north-west and between the openings of the Che- 

 viot range, the visitor catches a glimpse of the blue hills of plea- 

 sant Teviotdale, in Scotland. To the east, spread out before his 

 eye, lies a landscape teeming with all the wealth of cultivation, 

 bounded by the coast-line, marked by ancient castles and ruined 

 keeps ; and further still the wide expanse of the German Ocean. 

 To the south, his vision is carried on to the fells of the county of 

 Durham. Nearly two miles further down, on a pleasant haugh, 

 formed by a bend in the river, stand the remains of Alnwick 

 Abbey, another monastic establishment, founded about 1147, by 

 Eustace Fitz-John, for Premonstratensian Canons, of which all 

 now left is the gate-tower, appropriated to the residence of one 

 of the keepers, and on the beautiful lawn in front the Alnwick 

 Horticultural and Botanical Society hold their annual Exhibi- 

 tions. 



The soil of the park, resting upon the sandstone, is not so rich 

 in rare plants, as from the inequality of its surface the inquiring 

 botanist might be led to anticipate. It abounds with several 

 species which are clearly not indigenous, but appear to be legacies 

 bequeathed to the district by the inmates of the religious esta- 

 blishments, and who were expelled during the reign of our eighth 

 Henry, and from their long cultivation have in a great measure 

 become naturalized. Among these may be named the Euphorbia 

 Esula, which is found in abundance on the walls of Hulne Abbey ; 

 the Corydalis solida is another instance, and several others might 

 be named in different parts of the immediate neighbourhood. 



I may add, that, the Duke of Northumberland, the noble owner 

 of the grounds, with that generosity and consideration which dis- 

 tinguish his character, throws his parks open to the public two 

 days in the week throughout the year, when they are accessible 

 to all, from noon to sunset, throughout the summer. And the 

 Castle, garden, and parks, are open at all times to pleasure-parties 

 from all quarters, on simply applying for a pass at the Castle 

 offices. 



The Flora of this part of the country is very attractive. To 

 commence, near Alnwick Abbey, on the banks of the Aln, not 



