tour through the eastern counties of england-第25节

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only。



The　house　is　built　since　these　gardens　have　been　finished。　　The

building　is　all　of　Portland　stone　in　the　front；　which　makes　it　look

extremely　glorious　and　magnificent　at　a　distance；　it　being　the

particular　property　of　that　stone　（except　in　the　streets　of　London；

where　it　is　tainted　and　tinged　with　the　smoke　of　the　city）　to　grow

whiter　and　whiter　the　longer　it　stands　in　the　open　air。



As　the　front　of　the　house　opens　to　a　long　row　of　trees；　reaching　to

the　great　road　at　Leightonstone；　so　the　back　face；　or　front　（if

that　be　proper）；　respects　the　gardens；　and；　with　an　easy　descent；

lands　you　upon　the　terrace；　from　whence　is　a　most　beautiful

prospect　to　the　river；　which　is　all　formed　into　canals　and　openings

to　answer　the　views　from　above　and　beyond　the　river；　the　walks　and

wildernesses　go　on　to　such　a　distance；　and　in　such　a　manner　up　the

hill；　as　they　before　went　down；　that　the　sight　is　lost　in　the　woods

adjoining；　and　it　looks　all　like　one　planted　garden　as　far　as　the

eye　can　see。



I　shall　cover　as　much　as　possible　the　melancholy　part　of　a　story

which　touches　too　sensibly　many；　if　not　most；　of　the　great　and

flourishing　families　in　England。　　Pity　and　matter　of　grief　is　it　to

think　that　families；　by　estate　able　to　appear　in　such　a　glorious

posture　as　this；　should　ever　be　vulnerable　by　so　mean　a　disaster　as

that　of　stock…jobbing。　　But　the　general　infatuation　of　the　day　is　a

plea　for　it；　so　that　men　are　not　now　blamed　on　that　account。　　South

Sea　was　a　general　possession；　and　if　my　Lord　Castlemain　was　wounded

by　that　arrow　shot　in　the　dark　it　was　a　misfortune。　　But　it　is　so

much　a　happiness　that　it　was　not　a　mortal　wound；　as　it　was　to　some

men　who　once　seemed　as　much　out　of　the　reach　of　it。　　And　that　blow；

be　it　what　it　will；　is　not　remembered　for　joy　of　the　escape；　for　we

see　this　noble　family；　by　prudence　and　management；　rise　out　of　all

that　cloud；　if　it　may　be　allowed　such　a　name；　and　shining　in　the

same　full　lustre　as　before。



This　cannot　be　said　of　some　other　families　in　this　county；　whose

fine　parks　and　new…built　palaces　are　fallen　under　forfeitures　and

alienations　by　the　misfortunes　of　the　times　and　by　the　ruin　of

their　masters'　fortunes　in　that　South　Sea　deluge。



But　I　desire　to　throw　a　veil　over　these　things　as　they　come　in　my

way；　it　is　enough　that　we　write　upon　them；　as　was　written　upon　King

Harold's　tomb　at　Waltham　Abbey；　INFELIX；　and　let　all　the　rest　sleep

among　things　that　are　the　fittest　to　be　forgotten。



From　my　Lord　Castlemain's；　house　and　the　rest　of　the　fine　dwellings

on　that　side　of　the　forest；　for　there　are　several　very　good　houses

at　Wanstead；　only　that　they　seem　all　swallowed　up　in　the　lustre　of

his　lordship's　palace；　I　say；　from　thence；　I　went　south；　towards

the　great　road　over　that　part　of　the　forest　called　the　Flats；　where

we　see　a　very　beautiful　but　retired　and　rural　seat　of　Mr。

Lethulier's；　eldest　son　of　the　late　Sir　John　Lethulier；　of　Lusum；

in　Kent；　of　whose　family　I　shall　speak　when　I　come　on　that　side。



By　this　turn　I　came　necessarily　on　to　Stratford；　where　I　set　out。

And　thus　having　finished　my　first　circuit；　I　conclude　my　first

letter；　and　am；



Sir；　your　most　humble　and　obedient　servant。







APPENDIX。







Whoever　travels；　as　I　do；　over　England；　and　writes　the　account　of

his　observations；　will；　as　I　noted　before；　always　leave　something；

altering　or　undertaking　by　such　a　growing　improving　nation　as　this；

or　something　to　discover　in　a　nation　where　so　much　is　hid；

sufficient　to　employ　the　pens　of　those　that　come　after　him；　or　to

add　by　way　of　appendix　to　what　he　has　already　observed。



This　is　my　case　with　respect　to　the　particulars　which　follow：　（1）

Since　these　sheets　were　in　the　press；　a　noble　palace　of　Mr。

Walpole's；　at　present　First　Commissioner　of　the　Treasury；　Privy…

counsellor；　etc。；　to　King　George；　is；　as　it　were；　risen　out　of　the

ruins　of　the　ancient　seat　of　the　family　of　Walpole；　at　Houghton；

about　eight　miles　distant　from　Lynn；　and　on　the　north　coast　of

Norfolk；　near　the　sea。



As　the　house　is　not　yet　finished；　and　when　I　passed　by　it　was　but

newly　designed；　it　cannot　be　expected　that　I　should　be　able　to　give

a　particular　description　of　what　it　will　be。　　I　can　do　little　more

than　mention　that　it　appears　already　to　be　exceedingly　magnificent；

and　suitable　to　the　genius　of　the　great　founder。



But　a　friend　of　mine；　who　lives　in　that　county；　has　sent　me　the

following　lines；　which；　as　he　says；　are　to　be　placed　upon　the

building；　whether　on　the　frieze　of　the　cornice；　or　over　the

portico；　or　on　what　part　of　the　building；　of　that　I　am　not　as　yet

certain。　　The　inscription　is　as　follows；　viz。：…





〃H。　M。　F。



〃Fundamen　ut　essem　Domus

In　Agro　Natali　Extruendae；

Robertus　ille　Walpole

Quem　nulla　nesciet　Posteritas：



Faxit　Dues。



〃Postquam　Maturus　Annis　Dominus。

Diu　Laetatus　fuerit　absoluta

Incolumem　tueantur　Incolames。

Ad　Summam　omnium　Diem

Et　nati　natorum　et　qui　nascentur　ab　illis。



Hic　me　Posuit。〃





A　second　thing　proper　to　be　added　here；　by　way　of　appendix；　relates

to　what　I　have　mentioned　of　the　Port　of　London；　being　bounded　by

the　Naze　on　the　Essex　shore；　and　the　North　Foreland　on　the　Kentish

shore；　which　some　people；　guided　by　the　present　usage　of　the　Custom

House；　may　pretend　is　not　so；　to　answer　such　objectors。　　The　true

state　of　that　case　stands　thus：



〃（1）　　The　clause　taken　from　the　Act　of　Parliament　establishing　the

extent　of　the　Port　of　London；　and　published　in　some　of　the　books　of

rates；　is　this：



〃'To　prevent　all　future　differences　and　disputes　touching　the

extent　and　limits　of　the　Port　of　London；　the　said　port　is　declared

to　extend；　and　be　accounted　from　the　promontory　or　point　called　the

North　Foreland　in　the　Isle　of　Thanet；　and　from　thence　northward　in

a　right　line　to　the　point　called　the　Naze；　beyond　the　Gunfleet　upon

the　coast　of　Essex；　and　so　continued　westward　throughout　the　river

Thames；　and　the　several　channels；　streams；　and　rivers　falling　into

it；　to　London　Bridge；　saving　the　usual　and　known　rights；　liberties；

and　privileges　of　the　ports　of　Sandwich　and　Ipswich；　and　either　of

them；　and　the　known　members　thereof；　and　of　the　customers；

comptrollers；　searchers；　and　their　deputies；　of　and　within　the　said

ports　of　Sandwich　and　Ipswich　and　the　several　creeks；　harbours；　and

havens　to　them；　or　either　of　them；　respectively　belonging；　within

the　counties　of　Kent　and　Essex。'



〃II。　　Notwithstanding　what　is　above　written；　the　Port　of　London；　as

in　use　since　the　said　order；　is　understood　to　reach　no　farther　than

Gravesend　in　Kent　and　Tilbury　Point　in　Essex；　and　the　ports　of

Rochester；　Milton；　and　Faversham　belong　to　the　port　of　Sandwich。



〃In　like　manner　the　ports　of　Harwich；　Colchester；　Wivenhoe；　Malden；

Leigh；　etc。；　are　said　to　be　members　of　the　port　of　Ipswich。〃



This　observation　may　suffice　for　what　is　needful　to　be　said　upon

the　same　subject　when　I　may　come　to　speak　of　the　port　of　Sandwich

and　its　members　and　their　privileges　with　respect　to　Rochester；

Milton；　Faversham；　etc。；　in　my　circuit　through　the　county　of　Kent。











End