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INSTEAD of a 'little dozing closet (according to the unwholesome custom of most people) I chuse this spacious room, for all my small affairs, reading books or writing letters; where I am never in the leaft tired, by the help of stretching my legs fometimes in fo long a room, and of looking into the pleasantest park in the world juft underneath

it.

VISITS, after a certain hour, are not to be avoided; fome of which I own a little. fatiguing (tho' thanks to the town's laziness, they come pretty late) if the garden was not fo near, as to give a feasonable refreshment between thofe ceremonious interruptions. And I am more forry than my coachman himself, if I am forced to go abroad any part of the morning. For though my garden is such, as by not pretending to rarities or curiofitics, has nothing in it to inveagle one's thoughts; yet by the advantage of fituation and prospect, it is able to suggeft the nobleft that can be; in presenting at once to view a vast Town, a Palace, and a magnificent Cathedral. I confess the laft with all its splendour, has less share in exciting my devotion, than the most common fhrub in my garden: For though I am apt to

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be fincerely devout in any fort of religious affemblies, from the very beft (that of our. own Church) even to thofe of Jews, Turks, and Indians: Yet the works of nature appear to me the better fort of fermons ; and every flower contains in it the most edifying rhetorick, to fill us with admiration of its omnipotent Creator.

AFTER I have dined (either agreeably with friends, or at worst with better company than your country-neighbours) I drive away to a * Place of air and exercise; which fome conftitutions are in abfolute need of: agitation of the body, and diverfion of the mind, being a compofition for health above all the skill of HIPPOCRATES.

*Marybone.

THE small distance of this place from London, is just enough for recovering my wearinefs, and recruiting my fpirits, so as to make me fitter than before I fet out, for either bufinefs or pleasure. At the mentioning the laft of these, methinks I fee you fmile; but I confefs myself fo changed [which you ma liciously, I know, will call decayed] as to my former enchanting delights, that the company I commonly find at home is agreeable cnough to make me conclude the evening on a delightful Terrace, or in a Place free

from

from late vifits, except of familiar acquain

tance.

BY this account you will fee, that moft of my time is conjugally spent at home, and confequently you will blame my laziness more than ever, for not imploying it in a way, which your partiality is wont to think me capable of. Therefore I am obliged to go on with this trifling description, as fome excufe for my idleness. But how fuck a description itself is excufable, is what I should be very much in pain about, if I thought any body could fee it befides your felf, who are too good a judge in all things to mistake a friend's compliance in a private letter, for the least touch of Vanity.

THE Avenues to this houfe are along ST. JAMES'S Park, through rows of goodly Elms on one hand, and gay flourishing Limes on the other; that for coaches, this for walking; with the Mall lying between them. This reaches to my iron palisade that incompasses a fquare court, which has in the midst a great bason with statues and water-works and from its entrance, rises all the way imperceptibly, 'till we mount to a Terrace in the front of a large Hall, paved with square white ftones mixed with a dark-coloured VOL. II.

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marble

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marble; the walls of it covered with a fett of pictures done in the school of RAPHAEL. Out of this, on the right hand we go into a parlour thirty three foot by thirty nine, with a niche fifteen foot broad for a Bufette, paved with white marble, and placed within an arch, with Pilafters of diverse colours, the upper part of which as high as the ceiling is painted by RICCI.

FROM hence we pass through a suite of large rooms, into a bed-chamber of thirty four foot by twenty feven; within it a large closet, that opens into a green-house.

ON the left hand of the hall are three ftone arches fupported by Corinthian pillars, under one of which we go up eight and forty steps ten foot broad, each step of one entire Portland-ftone: These stairs, by the help of two refting-places, are so very cafy, there is no need of leaning on the ironballufter. The walls are painted with the story of DIDO; whom though the Poet was oblig'd to dispatch away mournfully in order to make room for LAVINIA, the better-natured Painter has brought no farther than to that fatal Cave, where the Lovers appear just entring, and languishing with defire.

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THE toof of this ftair-cafe, which is fifty five foot from the ground, is of forty foot by thirty fix, filled with the figures of Gods and Goddeffes; in the midft is JUNO, condefcending to beg affiftance from VENUS, to bring about a marriage which the fates inten ded fhould be the ruin of her own darling Queen and People. By which that sublime Poet wifely intimates, that we should never be over-eager for any thing, either in our pursuits, or our prayers; left what we endeavour or ask too violently for our intereft, fhould be granted us by Providence only in order to our ruin.

THE bas-reliefs and little fquares above are all episodical paintings of the fame ftory and the largeness of the whole has admitted of a fure remedy against any decay of the colours from falt-petre in the wall, by making another of oak-laths four inches within it, and fo primed over like a pic

ture.

FROM a wide Landing-place on the stairshead, a great double-door opens into an a partment of the fame dimenfions with that below, only three foot higher: Notwithftanding which, it would appear too low, if the higher Salon had not been divided from

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