in Sussex, visited in October, 1842. 613 



most vicious and abandoned convicts, even in Norfolk Island, 

 the ultima Thule of crime and misery, have been reformed, in the 

 manner to which we allude, by Capt. M'Konochie. There is 

 also in Munich an establishment (the Ruhensfeste), founded by 

 Count Rumford, for effecting the same object. The time will 

 come when the state will not only have normal schools for train- 

 ing schoolmasters for the youth of the national schools, but col- 

 leges for training humanisers for the inmates of prisons ; men 

 who shall adopt as a profession what Capt. M'Konochie has 

 adopted from philanthropy. If mankind had taken a tithe of the 

 trouble to reclaim and humanise offenders against law and 

 justice that they have taken to tame wild animals for amusement, 

 how different, at the present time, would have been the statistics 

 of crime in all countries ! but it would appear that good is only 

 to be attained as the result of a long experience of evil. 



To return to Battle Abbey ; there is a platform among the 

 ruins, laid out symmetrically as a flower-garden, and very well 

 planted and managed. On one side it is bounded by a covered 

 yew walk, such as may sometimes be found in old French gar- 

 dens ; but a great part of the ground among the ruins is in a 

 state of neglect. Much might be done by excavation, and show- 

 ing parts in a more efficient manner, by adopting in part the style 

 of ornament employed by the Bishop of Winchester in the ruins 

 of Farnham Castle (Vol. XL p. 503.), and by judiciously en- 

 riching the walls with other creepers as well as ivy. Trees 

 scattered so as at a distance to form masses, and a piece of water, 

 for which there are great facilities, would complete the beauty of 

 the park. The gardener was not at home, but we found every 

 thing under his care in very respectable order. There is a 

 seed-shop in Battle, and a nursery adjoining the town, both be- 

 longing to Mr. Denyer, a very intelligent man, and a good 

 gardener, 



Beauport ; Sir Charles Lamb, Bart. The grounds are ex- 

 tensive, delightfully and boldly undulated, and commanding fine 

 views of the sea in some places, and of the interior of the country 

 in others. They have been naturally covered by woody scenery, 

 interspersed with glades of different forms and degrees of extent, 

 smooth in some places, and rough with furze or fern in others. 

 The park is many acres in extent, and throughout the whole a 

 character of exotic planting and picturesque beauty has been 

 given by the introduction of foreign trees and shrubs, and even 

 of strong-growing herbaceous plants. Aristolochias, Virginian 

 creepers, periplocas, menispermums, climbing roses, lyciums, 

 wistarias, and other climbers, may be seen scrambling up the stems 

 and branches of native trees; and among the native trees and bushes 

 are grouped great numbers of American oaks, acers, thorns, and, 

 in short, foreign trees of every description. This character of 



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