SIR JOHN VANBRUGQ. 45 



were viewing the country through a perspective- 

 glass." 



Sir John VanbruG^h, who wrote the above 

 admirable account of a journey to London, was 

 the grandson of a Protestant refugee from the 

 Netherlands, and the son of a wealthy sugar- 

 baker. Little is known of the history of his 

 youth, or of that training which enabled him not 

 only to become one of the most celebrated 

 English architects, but also, in conjunction with 

 Congreve, to produce some excellent comedies. 

 As an architect, he designed Castle Howard and 

 Blenheim ; as a dramatist, his most successful 

 plays were " The Relapse" and " The Provoked 

 Wife," and the uncompleted " Journey to Lon- 

 don," which was worked up by Colley Gibber 

 into " The Provoked Husband." 



" The good of ancient times let others state ; 

 I think it lucky I was born so late." 



So wrote Sydney Smith, and it is a sentiment 

 that all must concur in. The witty divine goes 

 on to state : — 



" A young man alive at this period hardly 

 knows to what improvement of human life he 

 has been introduced, and I would bring before 

 his notice the following changes which have 



