terial an evil perhaps as many might be apt to consider it. For it is always in the power of a family resident amongst us, by knowledge of the reputation in which individuals are held, to keep perfectly clear from degrading or questionable associations. Indeed it is one of the peculiar advantages of the place, and one belonging in fact to a foreign residence in general, that it is perfectly at every one's option to act and do as each pleases, and therefore the fault is in the individual, and not that of the society, that corrupting or disgraceful intercourses are ever admitted. In public meetings, in the assemblies, and soriées-dansantes at the room, &c. it is true, this promiscuous mixture is not so easily avoided, but where is it otherwise? and cannot such resorts be avoided? "Waving these objections, the society is not the obstacle to a residence here; but if economy, or a better or more moderate education be the objects that are to induce families to quit England, it will be vain and fruitless indeed now to seek them at Boulogne!" H ACCOUNT OF THE PRIORY OF DAVENTRY. (See Plate II.) UGH DE LEYCESTRE had founded a small Priory at Preston Capes, but through the double inconvenience of want of water, and proximity to his castle, removed it to Daventry. The order was Cluniac, a scion of the Benedictines. Hugh the founder, called Hugh Vicecomes, (a term in the Anglo-Saxon æra applied to the Governors of Counties, where the King retained the Earldom in his own hands,) was the Deputy of Simon de St. Liz, the Norman Earl of Northampton. The descendants of Simon considerably enriched the foundation, and among other grants, usual in such endowments, we meet with "two acres in burgage, near the house of Ralph the Saracen." Whether this was a real Saracen, taken prisoner in the Crusades, a Spanish Arabian, or a man who had been abroad in action, as a warrior of the Cross, and was called Saracen in consequence, it would be now impossible to say; but the circumstance is curious. The descendants of the Patron had, as was very common, various disputes with the Priory concerning their estates; but to the honour of the GENT. MAG. November, 1826. Monks, it appears, that they were more offended against than sinning. One dispute about nuisances is, however, worth noticing, because it mentions two unusual things: one, ringing the bells at unseasonable hours; the other, a high road through a Church-yard. It seems that it required the real presence and influence of a Prince of the Blood to settle this strange dispute, in regard to claims, which a modern sense of propriety would have rejected as intolerable. The matter is thus detailed by Mr. Baker: "A controversy having arisen between the Prior and convent of Daventre, parsons of the parishe Church sette withinne the same priorie, and between the good folkes of the same towne, parishioners of the said parish Churche;' the former alleging that the latter rung the Church bells so early afore the hour of rising, so often, prior and convent, were disseised and disand in such a manner, that they, the said do divine service the day following, consiturbed of their rest, and the less disposed to dering their rising to midnight matins; and the latter, complaining that the prior and convent made chase and rechase with their carts and carriages through the Churchyard, claiming to have a way for their ease, which thing suffered bysemed' to the said parishioners to be dishonest and grevaunce, been there buried; it was decided in the bycause their ancestors and friends had presence of the right mighty prince John Duke of Guyenne and of Lancaster, that the said parishioners shall ring in the morning 'one covenabull peele and rynging wth on belle, and at the levac'on of ye sac'me't of ye same masse thre knyllyngs oonly afore ye rysynge of ye sayde p'or and covent aforesaide; and that the said prior and convent shall have a way as of ancient time, as often as their business shall require, through the vice; and there shall be a gate upon the Church-yard, without disturbing divine serChurch-yard, to be shut, and with tweyn lockes and keyes locked,' of which keyes one shall rest in the ward and keeping of the prior and convent, and the other of the parishioners. In witness of which the said duke put his seal to the indentures of agreement, at Kenyllworth,' 18 Mar. 14. Ric. II. (1890-1)." I. p. 312. In 2 Edw. II. (1308) John de Cran-, ford of Drayton, and Isabella his wife, recovered seisin in the King's court at York against this prior, of the third part of the custody of the gate. (porte") of the priory of Daventry, with purtenancies. Id. p. 314. Supposing this a toll, what an inconvenience must it have been, and how odd, not to have bought off the right? This was one of the smaller foundations, which Cardinal Wolsey annexed to his new foundation at Christ Church, Oxford, (first called Cardinal College,) in which the property now remains. On pulling down the house, it appears, that the stone was saved for the re-edificing of the tenandries in the town of Daventr', and in the country belonging to the seid Manor," &c. This circumstance is worthy the notice of Antiquaries and Tourists, for the same thing has occured in other places; and sometimes, from seeing arched doors and windows, such repaired cottages have been called parts of the original Monastery. The Conventual edifice consisted of two quadrangles, or squares, with a gate-house to each court. The outer court contained a dwelling (formerly) for a bailiff, and out-houses. The inner conrt, which was superior, included the cloyster, dormitory, and other usual conventual offices. Besides these a barn-yard, dairy-houses, with oxhouses, cow-houses, and calf-houses, and a kiln and malt-house. These particulars only relate to the portions of the building, which remained just after the Dissolution. The woodcut (see Plate II.) subjoined, copied by permission from Mr. Baker's work, represents the recent vestiges, the upper floor of which, approached by a flight of steps, is supposed to have been the refectory; but all these re'mains are now taken down. [There has been lately erected on part of the site, from a neat design, a Town-goal, with a National schoolroom over it; and behind, or to the North-east, a Parochial poor-house.] The Grecian Church represented in the background, is the only one in Daventry. It is a handsome edifice, from a design by Mr. Hiorn of Warwick. The first stone was laid, April 8, 1752, and it appears by the vestry-book, Nov. 9, 1758, that the whole expence, including hanging the bells, clock, and chimes, amounted to to 34861. 2s. 54d. The only entrance is at the West end, where the vestibule is divided into three doorways corresponding with the nave and ailes. The interior is very neatly fitted up, and has North, South, and West galleries; and the nave is divided Irom the ailes by four lofty Doric pillars, supporting low circular arches, &c. and a covered roof. In the chancel window appear the arms of the Earl of Winchelsea (then Lord of the Manor), and those of Christ-church, Oxford. Idea of a Royal Residence, developed in a Letter supposed to be written from the Count de Chartres to the Count de Chabrol. (Continued from p. 300.) BETWEEN the North-western and North-eastern wings is the Gallery of Models, which forms a screen to the North side of the grand court. The exterior has an elevation of distances by buttresses finishing above thirty-four feet, is divided into equal the roof with pinnacles; the intermediate spaces have large windows, over which is a cornice and handsome battlement; the ends and the middle of this gallery are pierced with three entrances each, opening into the court. Above these apertures are gate-houses; that of the middle is enriched with pinnacled turrets and the armorial dimensions, pyramidally grouped with bearings of Great Britain of colossal flags and cannons. On entering through these archis superb, its vast extent, the lofty and ways the coup d'oeil of the quadrangle magnificent character of the buildings surrounding it, the elaborate sculpture of the three porches of the North front, the round end of the chapel royal, environed with its monumental chapels, and battlemented galleries, its buttresses and flying arches, supporting the clerestory, the beautiful gable of St. George's-hall and throne-. blage of regal grandeur unequalled in room, altogether exhibits an assemany other country. In the midst of the court is an immense tumulus of earth, planted with evergreens and encircled with water; upon the top of this mount is the reservoir which supplies the fountains. The fountain of lions is upon a base in the middle of the reservoir, and is composed of twelve lions of bronze, who support tinually overflowing with water, which a large and smaller basin, both congushes also in a plentiful stream from the mouths of the lions. This fountain and reservoir are replenished from the River Thames by a very simple piece of mechanism constantly at work, at an expence of not more than fifty pounds per ann., which, in point of economy, forms an astonishing contrast to our complex works at Marly. From this brief account you will, I trust, be able to collect a general idea of this extensive building. The materials with which it is constructed are principally brick, covered with cement; the buttresses, angles, all prominent parts, and those more immediately exposed to injury, are of stone; the tracery of the windows, the lanterus, and many of the enrichments, are of cast-iron, coated with a mixed metal, imperviable to the action of the elements; the historical statues are of marble; those merely ornamental, and the minor details, of artificial stone, cast in moulds, and said to be more durable than stone itself. The Churches of Strasburgh, Rheims, Vienna, Rouen, Amiens, York, Lincoln, Lichfield, Beverley, Merton College, and other ancient buildings which have furnished the patterns of the details, have been followed in all their minutiæ with the most scrupulous exactness, so much so that the architect has been accused by some of servility; but perhaps future ages will be grateful that the beauties of former glorious edifices have been thus copied and preserved, while of the originals themselves, the ravages of time will then probably have scarcely left any trace. Already several edifices have been erected in the mode of architecture displayed in this palace, and numbers of the nobility are appropriating parts of their immense wealth to raising mansions upon their estates in the pure style of the fourteenth century, which, in the sheltered entrances and flood of light these beautiful buildings afford, are so eminently calculated for this climate. The impetus this has given to the iron-works, the opportunity it has gained for even the most humble sons of genius to exercise their talents, the wealth it has caused to flow in numerous channels, giving employment to thousands before destitute, and the magnificent features it has added to the known superiority of British landscape, renders this the most important and efficient revival of the Arts since the days of our munificent Francis the First. The Palace museum is open to the public three days in the week, on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 o'clock till four, and on Sundays from two till five. Artists are admitted every day, excepting Sundays and Mondays, from eight till 12. At these hours strangers, by presenting their permissions, given to them at the Alien-office: upon their arrival, have also access. Catalogues are sold by persons appointed for the purpose; and from the learned professors themselves and all the domestics wearing the picturesque palace costume, one is certain of meeting with urbanity and attention. Ascending the noble flight of steps on the South front, we pass beneath the arches of George the Fourth's door, and enter the Barons'-hall; this room is 145 feet long, 65 wide, and 45 high, with arches in the side walls, opening each into a small square room. At the upper or North end are two windows of beautiful tracery, a door with a brilliant circle above, and on each side a grand staircase leading to the picture galleries. This sumptuous apartment is divided by two rows of pillars, against which upon pedestals are figures in chain armour of the nobles who forced the ratification of the famed charter from the pusillanimous John, apparently guarding the place from unauthorized intruders. The original great charter itself, with the signatures and seals of those haughty Barons appended, is to be seen upon a desk standing upon the floor of the hall. Around are assembled many other figures, trophies, and groups of arms, helmets, shields, bows, coats of mail, sabres, swords, guns, daggers, battleaxes, &c. chronologically arranged, being a complete study of the art of war from the earliest times down to the period when the general use of fire-arms gave to cowards an equality with the heroes of Richard Coeur-delion. A very fine effect of light is produced by the coloured glass of the crown above the lantern descending to the floor of the hall from an elevation of 186 ft. Regularly pointed archways open from the middle lateral arcades into the galleries of sculpture, the libraries, and conservatories. Turning to the one on the left, we perceive the western gallery from its commencement, divided in the middle by its octagon and cross, to its extremity, where an arched door opens to the West wing, at a distance of 360 ft.; the breadth of this gallery is 33 ft., and height 30 ft.; it is lighted throughout its whole length by windows opening into the conservatories on the South: the roof is plainly groined, and springs from piers at four feet distance from the side walls, forming a regular series of recesses. This arrangement is observable nearly throughout the edifice, the arches of the ceilings being thus of a more elegant design than could otherwise have been from the dimensions of the apartments. This gallery possesses some delightful chefd'œuvres of ancient art, which were before shut up in the private abodes of their fortunate owners, and scarcely known to be in existence; but, placed in this school of arts, here become of real utility, and although presented generously to the nation, still proclaim more audibly the taste or wealth of the donor, each being inscribed with the patriotic individual's name. The apartments containing the manuscripts are on the North of this gallery; these are arranged in two large rooms, each 90 ft. long and 28 ft. wide, and six smaller ones. The chief treasures of this collection are a vast number of. Ethiopic, Coptic, Arabian, Persian, Hindoo, and Chinese MSS. These have been mostly presented by the East India Company, and by numerous travellers; such is the great value attached to some of them, that 1000/. have formerly been offered for one or two articles only. The East sculpture gallery is fellow to the Western, having also an octagon, transepts, and dependant libraries and conservatories. At its upper end is the grand vestibule, where commences the state staircase, which ascends in four flights of twelve steps, each in a straight line of ninety feet. These glorious stairs are covered in the middle with a broad rich carpet; the sides being visible, are encrusted with a mosaic of bits of coloured glass, intersected with gilded marbles. Its side walls rise to the height of the first floor, and support a line of pillars richly painted and gilt, having open corridors between them and the windows. The interlaced arched roof springs from these clustered columns at a height of sixty feet from the floor, and is also painted in mosaic. In fine, its ten "Storied windows richly dight," give brilliancy to the whole, displaying a splendour only heretofore described in Eastern tales. As at the lower, so also at the upper end of this gay arcade, is a large archway filled with curious tracery; behind hangs a voluminous curtain in superb folds, hiding the interior of the saloon of Ambassadors. From this we enter the saloon. of Peace, and proceed through a long suite of state apartments, each increasing in sumptuousness, till we arrive at the Throne-room, which exceeds all the former both in size and decoration, being 100 ft. long, 50 wide, and its finely-arched roof, supported by columns, 60 ft. high. Parallel with the state apartments is the Stuart gallery, containing the celebrated portraits of the Second Charles's beauties, the cartoons of Raphael, some pieces of tapestry formerly the property of King Charles the First, &c. On the floor beneath are the galleries of British and foreign costume; the former are arranged in glass cases, and commence from the earliest period of British history down to the present age, illustrated by upwards of 400 wax figures, many of them copied from portraits of celebrated characters, in their appropriate dresses. Among those the sombre habiliments of the monks and nuns exhibit a striking contrast to the varied-coloured costume of the laity in the middle ages. The foreign gallery possesses few figures, but very numerous articles of apparel, ornament, and war, from oriental and savage nations, consisting of caps, boots, turbans, dresses, models of horses with their rich trappings, canopies, palanquins, &c. St. George's Hall is of the same dimensions as the Throne-room above, except in its height, which is only 36 ft. and its being divided into three parts by two rows of clustered columns; it contains a very numerous collection of curiosities from the East Indies. The collection of models of Edifices is arranged with much taste and judgment, in the two noble galleries on the North side of the quadrangle. It is the most important portion of this school of arts; here its elevés are taught by the Regius and Gresham Professors, and by the objects before their eyes, to introduce a purer taste in the design of future buildings, and to avoid that injudicious mixture which has disgraced nearly all the erections of the last three centuries; for as even the populace of Athens were so enlightened by the public lectures of its philosophers, as immediately to discover the defects and reject with contempt any plans that innovating projectors might offer to their notice, it is |