MR HAY'S JOURNAL IN HAMPSHIRE. .561 



stacle : the expence would necessarily be great, but the return 

 would be sure, though distant ; and her wooden walls ought 

 always to be considered, under Providence, as the bulwark of 

 Britain. 



Ciffiiels, the seat of the late Right Honourable George 

 Rose, is situated in New Forest. It was almost dark before 

 we reached this place, and we therefore got but an imperfect 

 view of it. The trees, principally large oaks, are very fine. 

 We had only day light enough to examine an admirable rho- 

 dodendron, standing on a lawn near the shrubbery ; its branch- 

 es, all close, and proceeding from one root, covered a space 

 of ground 27 feet in diameter : it was represented to me as 

 being the largest and most beautiful plant of the kind in 

 England. A plant of the weeping thorn, not above 4 feet 

 6 inches high, but covering a space 21 feet diameter, had 

 likewise a very elegant appearance. I got a peep by candle 

 light into the conservatory, which, with a library and inter- 

 mediate antichamber, extends to a considerable length on the 

 south of the mansion. The conservatory is spacious; the 

 plants grow in a circular pit, and there are spaces at each 

 end, with chairs and sofas for the accommodation of com- 

 pany : but the exterior appearance of this conservatory has 

 been attended to, more than its proper adaptation to the cul- 

 ture of plants ; they are placed too far from the light, and 

 there being no roof-glass, they soon become much drawn, and 

 require to be frequently replaced, to keep up the effect. 



Having thus finished this day's excursion, Mr Watson and 

 I returned the same evening to Broadlands.-— Next morning 

 {Oct* 8.) I proceeded to Winchester, where I met the Bath 

 coach, which carried me to London. 



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