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20 
quently only gratified by the view of a 
Gothic library, which is not yet finished. 
This place was formerly a religious house 
of the Augustine friars. The park con- 
tains many old trees, particuiarly the 
celebrated Greendale oak, with a road 
cut through the trunk, and bearing one 
branch, which alone indicates its being 
still in life. 
From Welbeck I rode on to Clumber, 
and was there repaid for my late disap- 
pointment, the family having fortunately 
left the house to go to London only the 
preceding day, and all the rich furniture 
being still uncovered. Clumber combines 
magnificence and comfort, more than 
any nobleman’s mansion in England. 
The whole house is richly carpeted ; the 
railings of the stair-cases curiouslywrought 
and gilt in the shapes of crowns, with 
tassels hanging down between them from 
-cords twisted in knots and festoons. All 
the bed rooms are decorated with superb 
furniture; beds in the form of tents and 
pavilions, curtains twisted in graceful 
- foldings, large portable mirrors, ceilings 
elegantly finished, Turkey carpetings, 
jnlaid cabinets, and timé pieces mounted 
with classical taste. There is a hbrary, 
a music-room, and an clegant chapel 
with windows of stained glass. From 
the duchess’s dressing-room is seen a fine 
view of the sheet of water terminated by 
a bridge, which forms one of the sammer 
beauties of the place. The duke’s pri- 
wate study is as complete a bouidoir as 
can well be imagined. —_['n this princely 
abode the writer of romance might 
enrich his fancy, and the poet imagine 
himself wandering through an enchanted 
alace: nor are nobler specimens of the 
arts here wanting. It would be tedious 
to enumerate the paintings of the best 
ancient and modern artists which adorn 
the walls of Clumber; there are an Ora- 
tor, by Rembrandt; two small pieces, re- 
presenting» Wild Scenes. with Shepherds, 
by Salvator Rosa; a Lion and Wild Boar, 
by Rubens; and Two Boys, by Gainsbo- 
rough: all_admirable pictures... In the 
collection are paintings by Vandyke, 
Canaletti, Rubens, Battoni, Sneyders, 
Old John, Wouverman, Teniers, Claude, 
and Van Huysum. Of the latter may be 
observed a Flower Piece, with adew-drop 
exquisitely resting on a tulip-leaf.- One 
yoom is adorned with seven paintings in 
water colors, brought fromthe ruins of 
Herculaneum. In the chajel* there is 
a Dead Christ and Mary, after Raphael. 
The larger dining-room, a magnificent 
apartment, which eould easily accom- 
Journal of a Winter Tour from Leeds to London. fAug. 1, 
modate 150 guests, is hung round with 
appropriate paintings of fish and fruits, 
by the best masters in each of these de- 
partments. Every thing reflects the 
highest credit on the taste displayed in 
the accommodations and ornaments 
found in this delightful retreat. 
The last of the dukeries is Thoresby, 
formerly a seat of the duke of Kingston, 
but now possessed by Mr.’ Piesrepoint. 
There are no paintings of any conse- 
quence in this mansion; and the only 
object worthy of notice is a marble sa- 
loon with beautiful columns, a tessellated 
pavement, and lamps in candelabras. 
Having thus made good use of my time 
by completing, in one winter’s day, the 
tour-of these four seats, I rode forward 
to Ollerton, where 1 was annoyed for 
the rest of the evening, by riders boast- 
ing of their horses, their employers, and 
their consequence at inns. 
The next morning I breakfasted at 
Newark, which stands on an_ island 
formed by two branches of the Trent, 
which re-unite their streams a little below 
it. The castle was built by King Stephen ; 
‘and here King John died. Near Newark 
is found a kind of stone, which forms’a 
composition used as a substitute for 
stucco-work. My next stage was Grant- 
ham, from which place | rode forward 
to Beivoir Castile; but, unfortunately, 
on arriving there in the dark, I found 
the whole of the inn occupied by 
servants belonging to the gentlemen vi- 
sitors of the duke of Rutland: I found 
it necessary to go round two mules before 
I could reach an inn. To add to my 
misfortunes I Jost my way; and not un- 
til I had wandered about in the snow, 
leading my horse for a couple of hours, 
. did I reach the little comfortable hos=_ 
pitable inn of Knipton. 
Early next morning IT walked to the 
castle, which stands proudly on a com- 
manding eminence, from which the flat ~ 
country is distinctly seen extending many 
miles, Great improvements are carrying 
on, but the new rooms are paltry: when 
compared internally, as the residence of 
peers, Clumber is a palace—Belvoir a 
pig-sty. The collection of paintings is 
small, but very choice: here is a fine 
Peter denying Christ, by M. Angelo; 
and other master-pieces, by Salvator Rosa 
and Lucca Giordano; nor must I omit 
the original design of the window in New 
College, the work of sir Joshua Reynolds, 
A full-length portrait of Henry VILE. by 
Hans Holbein, is said to be extremely 
valuable, ny Get Gs ; ; 
a Getting 
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