On a Lady far advanced in Years, and who was a great Card- She married John the gardener.' On the Report of an intended Alteration of Westminster-Hall, projected by [William Wyndham] Lord Grenville, which would make it necessary to take off the Roof. • With cedar roof, and stony wall, We should have mentioned, p. 80., that Townley's translation of Hudibras is no doubt the work to which we alluded in our No. for July last, p. 257., under the name of Townsend. ART. X. Graphical and Literary Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire; with Heraldical and Genealogical Notices of the Beckford Family. By John Britton, F.A. S. Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, &c. &c. 4to. pp. 76. and 10 Plates. Small Paper, 17. 1s. Boards. Longman and Co. 1823. FONTHILL Abbey, the late seat of Mr. Beckford, has been for the last two years in particular the object of much attention with the curious, the idle, and the gay, on account of the unusual nature and extraordinary magnificence of the building; as well as of the peculiar taste and habits of its owner, who would not allow it to be publicly visited till its contents were to be exposed for sale. Rumour, therefore, instead of general knowlege, and on the authority of a few privileged persons, rather than with its customary thousand tongues, had hitherto asserted its claims to a high character; and the old saying, "ignotum omne pro magnifico," has perhaps been seldom so warrantably applied as in the present instance, in which the object, now no longer unknown, has still been found eminently intitled to admiration. The numbers of persons who flocked to visit it last summer, when it was sold, and who are again at this moment attending the auction of its furniture, curiosities, and library, are prodigious beyond any similar occasion; and it is therefore quite in accordance with "existing circumstances," and with the gratification of actual inquiry, to send forth a history and description of this attractive building. Of Mr. Britton, who has furnished us with these seasonable Illustrations,' our readers are by no means ignorant; since we have often introduced him to them as the author of highly decorated works on architectural antiquities, topography, and art. art. His present undertaking varies somewhat from his usual line, and yet is not entirely foreign to it: but he acknowleges that he feels himself treading on rather new ground, and has consequently adopted a different style in describing it. That he has by no means failed in his effort, we shall manifest by our quotations: but if Mr. Britton has gone a little out of his way on this occasion, we seem to be still more exceeding our province by noticing, in detail, a production which from its nature scarcely comes within our cognizance as literary censors. The public curiosity, however, will form our excuse. The author enters at large, perhaps too much at large, into various circumstances attending the execution of his book, which, after all, are left in obscurity with the reader; and he modestly expresses a degree of dissatisfaction with the final accomplishment of his labors, in which, we imagine, others will not participate. He is not thoroughly pleased with the engravings, and we agree with him that two or three of them are not so highly finished as his illustrative prints generally are: but the others have much beauty; and that they are satisfactory in number and subjects will appear when we enumerate them. The frontispiece, marked as Plate VI., is a beautiful view of the hall, from the octagon. Next is an engraved heraldic title-page, ingeniously designed by the author himself. The printed title contains a very pretty vignette, shewing the Abbey from the end of the western Then follow a plan of the principal floor, a view of the great hall, tower, &c. from the north-west, a southwest view, a south-east view, a distant view from the southwest, the interior of the octagon, the interior of King Edward's Gallery, a colored print of the south end of St. Michael's Gallery, and another of the window in that gallery. A description is given in chap. i. of the natural and artificial character of the place and adjacent country, of the old house, park, and scenery, &c. &c.; and in the second we enter the principal parts of the building as it now stands. We are told that, avenue. The Abbey consists of five great portions or members, each of which contains several subdivisions: 1. the hall:- 2. the central tower :- 3. the north wing: 4. the eastern portion :and 5. the south wing. The entrance-hall, or grand vestibule, is a large and lofty apartment: it is entered by a spacious door-way, with a pointed arch, and to which are attached a pair of tall folding doors, with a small door inserted. These doors are thirty feet high, divided by ribs or mouldings, studded with nails, and supported by ponderous hinges. The hall measures sixty-eight feet long, by twenty-eight feet wide, and seventy-eight in height.' Of this area the stone-stairs occupy a space of sixteen feet G 4 eight eight inches by thirty feet: area of the octagon is thirty-five feet in diameter by one hundred and twenty-eight feet in height: circular stair-case, twelve feet six inches in diameter, with a large newel in the centre, two feet six inches, containing a chimney-flue. Edward's Gallery is sixteen feet wide; and that of St. Michael thirteen feet seven inches, whilst the length of the whole is more than three hundred feet. The exterior measurements are two hundred and seventy feet from east to west, and three hundred and twelve feet from north to south; the centre-tower is two hundred and seventy-six feet high from the floor to the top of the pinnacles: the new building, to the east, is forty-seven feet in width, by ninety-five feet six inches high to the top of the parapet, whilst the two octagonal turrets are one hundred and twenty feet high by twenty feet in diameter.' Of the principal apartments, we may mention that the great octagonal tower contains four arched recesses, above which are four tall windows, filled with stained glass; that the gallery of Edward III. is occupied by books, cabinets, > curious tables, pictures, painted glass, and armorial blazonry; that St. Michael's Gallery contains niches for books, and cabinets, and has five windows to the west, three bay windows to the east, and one to the south, all ornamented with painted glass of armorial bearings, historical figures, &c.; and that two drawing-rooms contain also book-cases, cabinets, and rich furniture; besides innumerable other rooms, bedchambers, &c. "North of the octagonal saloon is a long narrow room, divided into three compartments, and respectively called the Gallery of Edward III.: the vaulted corridor, and the sanctuary, or oratory. The first, or Edward's Gallery, is so named from a series of splendid armorial emblazonments, which mark the numerous descents of Mr. Beckford and Lady Margaret Gordon from that monarch. A full-length portrait of Edward the Third, copied from one at Windsor, and seventy-two emblazoned shields round the frieze, of knights companions of the most noble order of the Garter, and from whom Mr. Beckford and his lady are lineally descended, are parts of the adornments of this splendid gallery. In the recesses of the eastern wall are six bookcases, and in the centre a fine alabaster chimney-piece; opposite to, and corresponding with which are seven pointed windows, with stained glass. A flowered red damask is hung against the walls; purple and scarlet cloth adorn the windows and recesses, whilst the ceiling is ornamented with numerous pannels and mouldings, intersecting each other in rich and picturesque confusion. On each side of the fire-place is a cabinet, carved in imitation of the style of the Elizabethan age, in which singularity if not beauty of design is as conspicuous as extreme labour and excellence of execution. A series of black tables and candelabras is ranged on the side of the room, between the windows, whilst an interesting and costly mosaic table, formed formed of the most precious agates and marbles, is shewn in the centre. This splendid table consists of a large slab, nine feet by four feet six inches, placed on a carved oak-stand, or frame of four uprights, with as many feet. The slab, called "pietre commesse,” is ornamented with an oval compartment in the centre, of mammillated oriental onyx, surrounded by specimens of rare and beautiful jaspers and breccia," and with a broad border of bold arabesque, of various costly and uncommon marbles, and edged with variegated marble." This slab formerly belonged to the Borghese Palace in Rome. The Corridor, or approach to the oratory, is a continuation of the Edward Gallery, and is designed to produce a solemn and gloomy effect. The ceiling is arched over, and, with the sides, covered with numerous gilt and painted ribs and pannels. Three perforated bronze doors, on each side, communicate with mysterious recesses, somewhat resembling monastic confessionals. A doorway from the eastern recess leads to the Lancaster staircasetower, which forms one approach to an upper gallery, and leads to bedrooms in the tower above. Around the frieze of the corridor are thirty-eight emblazoned shields, marking Mr. Beckford's and his late consort's descents from King Edward I. through the house of Butler. North of the corridor is a square apartment called the Sanctuary, with a flat ceiling, having several divisions of fan groining, with gilt pendants. This room is peculiarly beautiful and impressive: it prepares the eye and mind to approach and appreciate the Oratory at the northern extremity of the gallery. This is formed of five sides of an octagon, with gilt columns at the angles, from which spring a succession of fan-shaped ribs, with a circular compartment in the centre. A richly chased golden lamp is suspended from this. At the east end rises an altar, spread with a Persian carpet of figured silk; on which stands a marble statue of St. Anthony of Padua, executed by Rossi with admirable taste and unaffected simplicity. On each side of the altar are placed lofty candelabras, supporting tapers of extraordinary size; whilst two small lancet-windows, filled with stained glass, admit a little glimmering many-coloured light. The union of beauty and solemnity, of softness, repose, and harmony, which pervade this part of the building, cannot be adequately described; nor can it scarcely be imagined by those visitors who have seen it only in its days of bustle and gaiety. When dimly illumined by the rays of its own simply elegant lamp, which 6.66 through the room Teach light to counterfeit a gloom;" and by the admission of variegated gleams from the small windows, alternately throwing vivid touches of brightness and deep shadow on the projections and recesses of the statue, and the gilt mouldings; when the windows of the adjoining gallery are shrouded by their crimson, purple, and gold draperies, and the soft solemn organ sends its mellow tones through the echoing galle : ries, ries, whilst the odours of eastern perfumes contribute their fra grance to feast another sense, it is more easy to fancy than to depict the seraphic influence of such a scene.' With regard to the history of the building, we are told that Mr. Beckford, having pulled down the splendid mansion which had been erected by his father, laid the foundation of the present abbey in 1795. Determined to produce an edifice uncommon in design, and adorn it with splendour; knowing and properly appreciating the insatiable curiosity of the English, and that no common means would restrain it from breaking in upon domestic privacy, and encroaching on the regular occupation of artificers and workmen, Mr. Beckford commenced his works by raising a high wall around a tract of land above six miles in extent. This was guarded by projecting railing on the top, in the manner of chevaux de frise, and thus constituted a sort of fortified barrier. Large and strong gates, or rather double gates, were provided in this wall, at the different roads of entrance to the interior. At these gates were stationed persons who had strict and rigid orders not to admit a stranger. A vast number of mechanics and labourers were employed to advance the works with rapidity. The neighbouring villages. were thronged with inhabitants, and a new village, or hamlet, was built to accommodate some of the new settlers. All around was activity and energy whilst the growing works of the edifice, as the scaffolding and walls were raised above the surrounding trees, excited the curiosity and speculations of the passing traveller, as well as the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. It was generally inferred that something wonderful was in progress; for as the inclosed grounds were carefully guarded against the admission of strangers, these naturally became the more inquisitive, and were the more vague, extravagant, and marvellous in their inferences and reports. To enhance this surprise, and afford new scope for this spirit of speculation, a novel scene was presented in the winter of 1800: during the dark and inclement season of November and December in that year, it is related that nearly five hundred men were successively employed night and day to expedite the works and in the darksome and dreary nights of those months, they prosecuted their labours by torch and lamp light. The prospect of an illuminated edifice, as seen from a distance, with flitting lights and busy workmen, must have produced a singular and mysterious effect. This event was "harvest-time" to the men employed; for if they worked hard they were amply repaid; and it is an unanswerable maxim that "reward sweetens labour." The cause of this most extraordinary exertion and activity was a visit of Lord Nelson, with Sir William, Lady Hamilton, &c, to Fonthill. The "Hero of the Nile," as he was then called, and Lady Hamilton, had excited great notoriety: the one by his courage, naval skill, and conquests, and the other by her personal attractions and abilities. Mr. Beckford having invited them, with several other friends, to his splendid seat, first received and then treated |