GORHAMBURY 247 



'' Then come with me, sir." Closing my book and 

 putting it in my pocket, I accompanied him into this 

 handsome and interesting residence, which I believe was 

 built somewhere about the middle of the last century. 

 The magnificent portico is supported by eight lofty and 

 substantial pillars, with Corinthian capitals, and the 

 elevation is in a similar style of architecture ; the rooms 

 are good though not spacious, and were replete with 

 every comfort, and furnished in a fashion suitable to 

 the dignity of its noble and esteemed owner. It did 

 not contain any extraordinary work of art, and the 

 paintings consisted chiefly of family portraits, by 

 Vandyke, Sir Peter Lely, Sir Godfrey Kneller, Sir 

 Joshua Reynolds, and other esteemed artists. A picture 

 that attracted much of my attention was a likeness of 

 one of his lordship's celebrated ancestors, Sir Harbottle 

 Grimstone, who was closely allied to the five members 

 demanded by Charles the First, when he went down to 

 the House of Commons for the purpose of arresting 

 them, and was conspicuous in and out of the House 

 for the share he took in the proceedings on that 

 occasion — which ill-advised act was followed by the 

 Civil War, that finally consummated that unfortunate 

 monarch's destruction. 



Passing one room, where my conductor said his lordship 

 was at present engaged, he took me first to the conserva- 

 tory, full of a variety of the most beautiful and rare 

 exotics : then to the forcing-houses, where multitudinous 

 clusters of grapes hung from the roof in great profusion 

 and perfection. I could but stop and feast my eyes on so 

 pleasing a sight, admiring how art could be made to 



