78 EEMIXISCENCES OF A SPOETSMAN. 



pensions as these, although exposed for several years 

 to every climate and all the risks of war ? Colonel Peter 

 died at the age of eighty-two, about the same time as 

 Mr. Merry ; I was to have met him about six years ago 

 at Major-Greneral Sir E. Harvey's, near Norwich, with 

 whom we were staying a few days, and much regretted 

 that the Colonel was prevented accepting the invitation. 

 Two of the sons of Greneral Bulwer, who have so highly 

 distinguished themselves, one as a diplomatist, the 

 other as an author, were little boys when I was Brigade 

 Major to the General in 1803; we were great friends, 

 and many a game of romps we had together. I also 

 experienced much kindness from the late Mrs. Bulwer, 

 who was some years younger than her husband. 



On the breaking up of the large cavalry camp on Bag- 

 shot Heath in 1798, the Grreys received a route to proceed 

 to Birmingham and Coventry. During this march we 

 halted one night at Woodstock, and soon after our 

 arrival we were anxious to visit Blenheim, raised by 

 a grateful nation for the residence of the great Duke of 

 Marlborough at an expense of 500,000^.* The architect 

 employed was Vanburgh. The paintings, consisting of 

 the works of Eubens, Teniers, Kneller, &c. were cer- 

 tainly much to be admired, but at that period of my 

 life my thoughts were more fixed on field sports than 

 on the fine arts. At a more advanced age I should 

 have been more observant of these treasures, having 



* About the middle of the grand approach is a magnificent bridge of 

 three arches, under one of -which runs a small stream, which forms a large 

 lake in a valley below. Alluding to the fii-st duke's avarice, these two 

 lines were -written : — 



" The bridge his high ambition shows, 

 The stream an emblem of his bounty flows." 



