450 
building, though a fanciful appendage to 
the pleafure-grounds of a private gentle- 
man, is yet in fize very confiderable, and, 
at a diftance, makes a formidable ap- 
pearance. The eftate, thus defended by 
the caftle, and a train of artillery, be- 
longs to a Quaker ! 
At Kings-Wefton, one mile from the 
laf mentioned place, is a fuperb houfe, 
belonging to Lord de CLIFFORD, built 
by Sir John Vanourg. This isa ftriking 
monument of the architeét’s tafte ; which 
Sir Jofhua Reynolds has refcued in fo 
honourable a manner from the temporary 
difcredit into which certain wits, at the 
beginning of the prefent century, had 
brought it by their falfe and malicious 
criticifms. In this building, parts, which 
in general architeéts with to hide, are 
made peculiarly ornamental ; for tlie 
chimneys rifing boldly from the centre 
of the houfe, form a {quare arcade at top, 
and give to the whole a light and pleai- 
ing appearance. Few noblemen’s feats 
contain fo valuable a coileéction of origi- 
nal paintings: they are chiefly felected 
trom the Italian, Venetian, and Flemith 
{chools. 
gardens, laid out in the firft ftile of ele- 
gance, may be feen every day in the 
week. Tig 
About fifteen miles from Brifol is 
Pearcefield, fituated on the banks of the 
Wye, and efteemed one of the mott 
charming and roniantic {pots in the king- 
dom. It ‘ts generally vifited by ftrangers, 
who come to the neighbouring parts ; 
but is to be feen only twice in the week, 
on Thuriday and Saturday. ; 
Caer-Went, three miles beyond the 
New-pafiage, and about thirteen from 
Briftol, is a place well deferving the no- 
tice of the antiquary ; where are to be 
feen the remains of the ancient city of 
Venta. This was built by the Romans, 
whofe military works are ftill difcover- 
able fcattered about the modern village, 
which fiands on its fcite. About twenty 
years ago, as the vicar of the parifh was 
digging a well in his garden, he lit upon 
a Mcfaic pavement, in high perfeGtion. 
The arrangement ,of the ftones, which 
were about three quarters of an inch 
fquare, and varioufly diverfied. in co- 
Jour, was fullof elegance; and thew to 
what a degree thofe old warriors united 
the refinements of art with the labours of 
war. If a little of the mania explera- 
toria, which a@tuated the French at Her- 
culaneum, were to feize fome of our fober 
countrymen, there is little doubt, but 
tmany valuable remains of antiquity might 
Environs of Briftel deferibed. 
The houfe, with the park and 
[July 
be difcovered in this ancient capital of 
the Silures. 
. But I turn from the ruins of antigqui- 
ty to vifit again the beauties of nature, 
About ten miles from Briftel, in an op- 
pofite direction to the Jaft mentioned 
place, is Brockley-Coomb. 
deep, rocky, vale, running tranfverfely 
into the fide of an immenfe hill, and 
forming the cooleft, and moft fequéftered 
fummer’s retreat imaginable. The trees 
here are of the largeit growth, and pro- 
mifcuoufly fcattered as they are by. the 
capricious but graceful hand of nature, 
they mix with the rude fcenery around 
a confiderable portion of the beautiful. 
About the fides of this valley are feen. 
mafies of rock, jutting out above the 
ftateliefi trees ; yet fuftaining others of 
equal growth above: fo that the travel- 
ler, who vifits this place, as he winds 
along, is apprehenfive every moment 
for his fafety; and the more fo, on 
account of the numberlefs and perpe- 
tually augmenting ruins which ftrew 
his path. On the front of a neat cot- 
tage, in this valley, is the following in- 
{cription : she 
eS Somnus agreftium 
Lenis virorum non humiles domos 
Faftidit, umbrofamque ripam, 
Non Zephyris agitata Tempe. 
Agitated by Zephyr, or Boreas, he mutt 
have pretty good nerves who could fleep 
pleafantly in fuch a fituation as this. 
' Cheddar, a place ten miles diftant from 
Brockley, and eighteen from Briftol, can 
boaft, perhaps, of one of the fineft pieces 
of rock fcenery in the kingdom. It cen 
fifts in a winding vale, about a mile and 
a half long, of no very confiderable 
breadth, but whofe fides, in many places, 
are one hundred and thirty yards in per- 
pendicular height. A fragment, ftand- 
ing by itfelf in one part, deferves notice: 
it is an immenfe lamina, about twenty 
yards high, as many broad, and three or 
four thick. In the tchifm that took place 
at the formation of the valley, this por- 
tion of rock feems to have fteod neuter 
between beth parties, independently root- 
ed to its original bed. 
At one end of thefe rocks are fituated 
a number of cottages, inhabited by aged 
perfons who partly live by fhewing a 
fubterraneous paflage. It is—but I will 
not defcribe what—it is a charity to fee; 
fome things are intrinfically valuable; 
and others for the difficulty whereby they 
are attained; the fight of this paflage 
has the latter defeription of worth. 
A communication is faid to exift be- 
ba rate tween 
This is a- 

¢ 
* 
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