52 NEWTON MANOR. 



a house in Dorchester, which was being modernised in the usual way ; 

 fortunately, it fitted its new situation as though it had been made 

 for the spot. The carved oak brackets betwixt the two rooms are 

 authentic specimens of the work of the celebrated artist Grinling 

 Gibbons. They are portions of the old altar piece of Hammersmith 

 Church, near London, which Gibbons is known to have executed. 

 This altar piece, as usual, was condemned and broken up and sold 

 for an old song when the present big and ugly " Gothic " structure 

 was built. Fortunately, I was able to secure the most beautiful 

 details. I recollect that when last I had the honour of receiving 

 the members of this Society at Newton, an unlucky reporter who 

 wrote an account for a local newspaper, and who had evidently 

 never heard of the famous old wood-carver, stated that these 

 carvings were by " Grindling Gibbons and Co., of London." 



There are several old mirrors in these two rooms in elaborate 

 carved frames ; two of them are of English work of the period of 

 Charles II. One hanging on the pier betwixt the two rooms is 

 Italian of about 1550, and the one over the fireplace in the back 

 room is of pure Flemish work of about 1650. This is, I think, a 

 masterpiece of carving in its way, and of the style which Grinling 

 Gibbons afterwards developed in London. In a corner of this 

 room will be found a very curious old English picture of about 

 1560. It is a sort of Pilgrim's Progress allegory, the subject being 

 the Christian man assailed by the vices and protected by the shield 

 of Faith. Another curious English picture of the same date, which 

 may, possibly have been painted in this county, hangs in the 

 corridor. This is a " memento mori ; " it is inscribed with a 

 number of very curious and quaint verses and texts. As to the 

 furniture in general in different parts of the house, there is a series 

 of old high-backed chairs covered with incised and embossed 

 leather ; these are of Portuguese work of the second half of the 

 17th century, and, together with an inlaid cabinet in the drawing 

 room, were obtained at Evora, in Portugal. There is rather a fine 

 Flemish carved oak cabinet in the hall, dating about 1620, and a 

 number of old English carved oak chairs, &c. Lastly, the staircase 



