CHAP, vii S Y L V A 167 



its park and prospect not only emulous, but in many 

 respects exceeding that of the famous Thrasian Bos- 

 phorus from Constantinople : That palace namely at 

 Greenwich, now turned into a stately and capacious 

 colledge (the incomparable work of that accomplished 

 architect Sir Chris. Wren) to which I had the honour 

 to lay one of the first foundation stones, as the first 

 treasurer of that Royal structure, erected for the 

 reception and encouragement of emerited and well 

 deserving sea-men and mariners, for its glorious 

 fabrick, and conveniencies, exceeding any in Europe, 

 dedicated to that excellent purpose. To these also 

 belongs a park, as there did to that of Eltham. Near- 

 er the metropolis yet are those of St. James's, Hide- 

 Park, and that sweet villa (as now built, planted and 

 embellish'd) of Kensington, deserving a particular des- 

 cription ; and for all that can be desirable of mag- 

 nificence, Hamton-Court, truly great, in a most beauti- 

 ful flat ; the palace, gardens, canale, walks, groves 

 and parks ; the sweet and silent Thames gliding her 

 silver streams to the triumphal Winsonian Tempe, 

 raising its stately head, and which alone, has in view 

 an hemisphere, as far as eyes and telescopes can 

 distinguish earth from heaven : Thus from the keape, 

 the terrace, parks and forests, equalling, nay exceeding 

 any thing Europe can boast of. 



Other sweet and delectable countrey seats and 

 villa's of the nobless, rich and opulent citizens (about 

 our Augusta) built and environ'd with parks, padocks, 

 plantations, &c. adapted to country and rural seats, 

 dispersed through the whole nation, conspicuous not 

 only for the structure of their houses, built after the 

 best rules of architecture ; but for situation, gardens, 

 canals, walks, avenues, parks, forests, ponds, prospect 



