WILTON HOUSE. 83 



In 1669 the second Earl Philip was succeeded by his son William (the third of that name), and 

 on the death of the latter in 1674, the title and estates were inherited by his brother, a third Earl 

 Philip. The two last-mentioned noblemen, according to Aubrey, " espoused not learning, but were 

 addicted to field sports and hospitality." Their younger brother, T7iomas, became Earl of Pembroke 

 in 1683. He was a warm admirer and liberal patron of literature and the fine arts, and is famous 

 as the founder of the magnificent collection of ancient marbles, coins, &c. which have given great 

 celebrity to Wilton House. Aubrey dedicated the present work to that nobleman, soon after he 

 succeeded to the title, and was honoured with his personal friendship. The Earl survived him 

 many years, and was succeeded by Henry, the second of that name, in 1733. Of the latter noble- 

 man and his works at Wilton, Horace Walpole wrote as follows : " The towers, the chambers, the 

 scenes which Holbein, Jones, and Vandyke had decorated, and which Earl Thomas had enriched 

 with the spoils of the best ages, received the best touches of beauty from Earl Henry's hand. He 

 removed all that obstructed the views to or from his palace, and threw Palladio's theatric bridge 

 over his river. The present Earl has crowned the summit of the hill with the equestrian statue of 

 Marcus Aurelius, and a handsome arch designed by Sir William Chambers.* No man had a purer 

 taste in building than Earl Henry, of which he gave a few specimens besides his works at Wilton." 

 (Anecdotes of Painting, $r.) The nobleman thus commended for his architectural taste, was 

 succeeded as Earl of Pembroke, in 1751, by his son Henri/, who employed Sir William Chambers 

 as mentioned by Walpole; and George, who succeeded to the Earldom in 1794, caused other 

 extensive additions and alterations to be made at Wilton, by the late James Wyatt. J. B.] 



THE old building of the Earl of Pembroke's house at WILTON was designed by an architect 

 (Hans Holbein) in King Edward the Sixth's time.f The new building which faced the garden was 

 designed by Monsieur Solomon de Caus, tempore Caroli I mi ., but this was burnt by accident 

 and rebuilt 1648, Mr. Webb then being surveyor. [See next page.] 



The situation of Wilton House is incomparably noble. It hath not only the most pleasant pros- 

 pect of the gardens and Rowlindon Parke, but from thence over a lovely flatt to the city of 

 Salisbury, where that lofty steeple cuts the horizon, and so to Ivychurch ; and to add further to the 

 glory of this prospect the right honourable Thomas, Earle of Pembroke, did, anno 1686, make a 

 stately canal from Quidhampton to the outer base-court of his illustrious palace. 



The house is great and august, built all of freestone, lined with brick, which was erected by 

 Henry Earle of Pembroke. [Holbein's porch, and probably other parts of the house, were anterior 

 to the time of the first Earl Henry. See the introductory note to this chapter. J. B.] Mr. Inigo 

 Jones told Philip, first Earle of Pembroke, that the porch in the square court was as good architec- 

 ture as any was in England. 'Tis true it does not stand exactly in the middle of the side, for which 

 reason there were some would have perswaded his Lordship to take it down ; but Mr. Jones dis- 

 swaded him, for the reasons aforesayd, and that we had not workmen then to be found that could 

 make the like work. (From Dr. Caldicot.) 



King Charles the first did love Wilton above all places, and came thither every summer. It was 

 he that did put Philip first Earle of Pembroke upon making this magnificent garden and grotto, 

 and to new build that side of the house that fronts the garden, with two stately pavilions at each end, 

 all al Italumo. His Majesty intended to have had it all designed by his own architect, Mr. Inigo 

 Jones, who being at that tune, about 1633, engaged in his Majesties buildings at Greenwich, could 



* [I have in my possession a drawing of this arch by the architect. J. B.] 



t [There is no authority for the assertion that Holbein designed more than the porch mentioned elsewhere. J. B.I 



