LITTLE GADDESDEN. 221 



laid quite dry in a cloth, with which the iron or brass 

 utensils were polished. If this dust is wet, the utensils 

 which are rubbed therewith become seruginous, argig, 

 in consequence. 



The 2nd April, 1748. 



In the morning we walked about in [Ashridge] Park, 

 which lay S.W. of and close to Little Gaddesden, and 

 belonged to the Duke of Bridgwater, who lately died in 

 early youth and left his estates to his sisters and young 

 brother, who was only eleven years old. [" John, 2nd 

 " Duke of Bridgwater, was born in April 1726, and died 

 "in February 1748, unmarried. Francis, third and present 

 " Duke of Bridgwater, and only surviving brother of the 

 " last was born in 1736. His grace is not married (1775V 

 " and, if he dies without legitimate issue, will be succeeded 

 " by his cousin. . . . But he is best known by that 

 "noble canal in Lancashire which takes its name from 

 " him, and will effectually transmit it to future ages, 

 " being by all accounts a work worthy of the ancient 

 " Romans." The Complete English Peerage, Rev. F. 

 Barlow, 2nd Ed. 1775, vol. I. pp. 225-6.J 



The Stone House itself, which was very handsome* 

 lay in the midst of the park, from which there were 

 prospects on four sides through the midst of the park, 

 cut in straight lines.f The park consisted especially 

 of lofty, thick and dense beeches, with some oaks 

 mingled amongst them, blandad deribland, hawthorn, 

 ash,| hazel, also appeared in it in some places. 



* The frontispiece of Todd's Bonhommes shows the north front, as it was 

 in 1768. 



■f These still exist, 1886. The Prince's Riding runs N.W. straight for 

 1 J miles to Money Bury Hill. At its summit is the obelisk erected to the 

 memory of Francis, 3rd Duke, whose likeness will be found on page 56 of 

 Todd's Bonhommes. He died 8th March, 1803, unmarried. 

 % Skelton in his Crown of Laurel has the distich : 



" Fraxinus in clivo frondet que viret sine rivo 

 Non est sub divo similis sine flumine vivo.'' 



