[Thomas Hearne] his age 52, her's 35; in the Catalogue p.11 'tis called "Luther & his wife", & said to be "Holbein's manner"; a small night-piece; [3]  in the room where Mary Queen of Scots work is - are 3 Busts over the Chimney, the middle one however seems to be antique; they were brought from the ruins of Whitehall; the next room has 3 more, the middle one is Mark Antony. The greatest likeness,they say, that ever was drawn of Charles II is on one of the Cielings by Verrio being an head & shoulders in a Schedule. [4] Charles XI, King of Sweden, large on horseback in the King's Guard-Chamber.Verrio succeeded better in painting on Cielings than on Canvasses. In St George's Hall, over King William a Carpet is painted pendent, representing St George killing the Dragon with the Motto Veniendo Restituit Rem. Lord Delaware presenting the Captive Kings to Edward 3 which was the rise of the Family,

​

In the Chappel Lanscron (who worked under Verrio) & Sir G[odfrey] K[neller] in Wigs. Sir G. drew Verrio & Verrio drew Sir G.K. Xt's [Christ's] face is most admirable in the Altar-piece.

​

Eaton. Brick front. Enter into Piazza, the upper School over. Chappel in the outside View something like That at King's College, Cambridge. Roof is Pannels of Lath & Plaister, a high Room, tho' not near so high as from the Area of the Quadrangle to the roof, for You ascend high to come to it. Wotton & Saville under 2 Stones in the Anti-Chapel before the Choir Door. Wainscotted with large Oak Pannels. Two Monuments shut up behind the wainscot, one to the North for Provost Murray, [5] a Scotch man, Tutor to Charles I; to the South for the wife of Sir John Collins, but both towards the East. There is a Monument for Provost Dr Allestree on the North & by East. One opposite to be erected for Provost Godolphin. [6] Behind the wainscot all along, were painted in Water-Colours the figures of Saints, Fathers &c. They are now up & down in the fellows houses whereas they should have been in the Anti-Chappel. 7 fellows. They live in a 2d Quadrangle: Cloistered.

​

No Church in Eaton, the Parish sit Eastward in the Chappel but pay nothing towards Repairs. Library lately erected, very elegant, much carving, chiefly out of publick Stock; Waddington, the Bishop of Chichester's books stand by themselves; vast substantial Mahogany Tables, Desks. Not half filled. Among their Manuscripts is (says Sleeche) part of Homer, A.B.& C. with a critique upon it said to be Longinus's; t'other part is in St Mark's Library at Venice, now out of order, t'other part in Leipsich Library. [7]

​

Beaconsfield. In the Church two Epitaphs under Escocheons. The lower has no battlements, probably not finished, however a Spire designed. Mr Waller, Son of Dr Stephen Waller of the Commons, Son of the Poet, lives a little distance Westward of the Church; the house called Hall Barn is brick, stands low; He has built a very fine Room of Stone, at a distance from the house, called the Poet's Room; of Stucho-Work, Poets' Heads &c fronting a long Bason of Water. Many most lovely Walks in the Woods which rise high, some Gardens, several mutilated antique Statues about here. Waller's Tomb stands South-East of the Church. [8]

​

Duke of Portland's on an high Ground to the left, not long after Beaconsfield.

​

Sir William Bowyer's a low old brick house; Gardens well-watered by the Coln.

​

From Uxbridge to Ickenham 2; to Ruislip 1; to Ascot 1, Pinner 1; Stanmore 4; Edgeworth 1.

​

Good houses by the way, woody Countrey.

​

Cannons in the Parish of Whitchurch or Little Stanmore. [9] Cannons of Brick, the Grand front, & That towards the Garden, being cased with Stone; rustic work; 11 windows; Ionic Pillars fluted, half let into the building (the offices of bare brick); Hall too low, paved with Marble, at the farther end of the Stair-case; the Cieling is Stucho-work & Painting. 2 Chimnies right & left opposite; over the right a bust of Ol[iver] Cr[omwell]. Over the left an antique bust of Plato; the Stairs of Marble, grey, balllisters of cast brass, of Ebony & Mother of Pearl inlaid; Venetian Windows on the Stair-case; part of the stair-case upheld by 8 Corinthian fluted Pillars; Bolusis painted the Cielings in this house; Marble Tables inlaid with cards &c. 3d room -3 Views, half-lengths in different habits of Charles I full-face, & two side-faces by Van Dyck, Satyr by the same. [10] 4 heads - different pieces by Raphael, & a Madonna & Babe: Winter's Frost; Mother & Child, the Baptist &c by Raphael. Christ taken-down from the Cross, a Woman standing by ill-performed without Passion in her face, a man with not much more Passion than her's, by Van Dyck, they say; an old piece of many figures, being the Crucifixion of Peter. Good Brussels Tapestry. Marc. Antony & Cleopatra; a neat Marble Bathing Room. The Duke of Chandos by Kneller; Lacy in his 3 postures as at Windsor; Queen Anne, Lord Middleton &c. by Van Dyck; Above, Miniatures of the Cartons in Water-Colours well-taken. In a Closet, some of the Dutchesses Paintings. In his Grace's private Study, a long good Room, the Painting of the Apostles finding the money in the Fish; good Carving here; The grand Apartments above, All the Rooms but small. A Gold & Velvet Bed, Coronet at the bed's Head, with precious stones, Pearl, Emerald, Garnet; rich embroidered Carpet, Chairs & Curtains the same as the Bed; Marble Table inlaid with Stones of natural Colours resembling flowers; Silver bottoms & Cheeks to the Chimnies. Next to the State Room another, the Bed, Curtains & Chairs of Silver & Velvet. Polished Silver bottoms & cheeks to the Chimnies here. Length of Lord Treasurer Godolphin by Lely; Table the same as the Last; A Length of Charles I the Prince by Van Dyck, they say. The Locks to this Grand Apartment are Silver. A Carton of a Raphael's of the Creation; Adam naming all the Creatures, God (like a man) presenting them to him. Duke of Buckingham's family by Van Dyck; An Agate Table. Raphael Carton of God making Man in his own Image, God like a Man makes Adam like Him. Two others are  now  repairing at London. One of  God  pronouncing  his  Curse  against fruit, serpent descending; t'other of God conveying Adam to the Garden of Eden; Picture of Vander Bank's of the Dutchess marrying the Duke, ill-performed, the Duke very ugly. Large Room has the Cieling painted by Thornhill very well. Chappel, a good room paved with Marble; painted Windows by J.Price.The Roof is painted by the same Italian Hand as Those in the house, but it is better, gilded also & Stucho. Organ behind the Altar. [11] Gallery over the Entrance where sits the Duke supported by Marble Pillars. [Illegible phrase] Pots & Statues on the house. Low house, 3 Stories, square House. About 100 Acres for Gardens, plain, well-watered - Coffee-Trees, red-berries; India Pine-apples. The Estate belonged to the Lakes, of Them bought by his Grace. [12] But small Rooms, the Cielings are beautiful of Stucho & Gilding; plain yet most elegant Marble Chimney-pieces.

​

The Bell at Kensington. [Kensington Palace]. The house of Brick; the best front towards the Garden, has but one Wing. Kent has painted the Stair-Case & some of the Cielings very well. The Stairs are of black Marble. We saw only the Apartments above. In one of the Rooms an antique Statue of Venus with an Apple; another antique mutilated Statue; a Guido of Cupid inspiring the painter; the present Queen of Prussia's which hangs [in] one Room. In a long Room Lengths of King William & Queen Mary by Kneller, he was made a Baronet for these Pictures; - of James II & Ann Dutchess of York by Lely, of James I & his Queen copyed by Van Dyck; - I fancy from Hampton Court, of Queen Elizabeth, an original [13] drawn when she was at Woodstock; [14] of Henry 8 - & of Queen Catherine with her little daughter,Mary, - two Pictures, head & Shoulders by Holbein of Queen Mary & Princess Elizabeth, of Queen,Mary, these three by Holbein; - of King Philip of an original; in another Room when young; a dead Christ by Titian, a Crucifix by the Same. Nurse to James II by Ryley - fine Queen Anne, head & shoulders, young, by Lely. Skirmish by Holbein. Henry 8 - head & shoulders by Holbein - when young, some Hair appearing, sandy [15]. Half-Lengths of Charles I & his Queen by Van Dyck. In another Room the holy family "4 pieces of" by Veronese, Palmas, Bassan & Rubens. Herodias's Daughter with the Baptist's Head, & Magdalen, Both by Carlo Dolci. A Length of Edward 6 by Holbein. In the long-room, at one end, the Picture by Van Dyck, the Queen in yellow, a dog between her & the King. Tintoret's Muses: Deluge by Bassan, Christ & the Samaritan by the same; Tintoret of Ahasuerus & Esther. Opposite to the other Kings Charles I riding on a white horse; the Duke d'Espergnon standing, on the left hand, with a helmet in his hand; [16] Upon a back Stairs out of this Room, are a half-length of Prince Henry, Son to James I, - [a] Van Dyck of the Duke of Gloucester Son to Charles I - Erasmus, an head, on it Anno 1537 by Holbein. Red Damask Furniture in several of the Rooms, put-up by the late King George; Gardens stand very high [17] so as to command fine Prospects towards London; fine high hedges, long walks. Mount commands Hide-Park separated only by a Haw-Haw so that the Coaches seem to go in the Gardens.

​

Hampton Court. Brick. Thro' a range of Offices You come to the House, an extended regular front; the whole Building looks much like a College; in the 2d Court on the left hand are some Cloisters upheld, not by Arches, but by Pillars of the Ionic Order two & two together; the opposite Side is now almost built-up new by George II. The 3rd Quadrangle which contains the State-Apartments was built by King William.'tis perfectly elegant, cloistered, Brick as the Rest, except the Cloisters; & the Windows (All sashed) are faced with Stone. Most of the Apartments are wainscotted with Oak, some hung with red Damask as at Kensington. Verrio painted the Stair-case, & truly 'tis the best Wall-Painting I have seen [18] admirable fluted Pillars in it, infinitely exceeding his Performances at Windsor; Now, I'm informed, he was older, This being painted in King William's time, & Verrio himself, when he grew old, despised his Performances at Windsor. So Wanley on Painting in the Philosophical Transactons. [19] Lengths of James I & his Queen by Vansomer, different but infinitely preferable to Those at Windsor. He without his Robes, She in an Hat. [20] Verrio &c have painted one Room, Cieling & all the Sides, on one Side a Prince George of Denmark, High Admiral. In one Room Lengths of Mary Queen of Scotland, a Monkey in her hand in short in all Respects exactly the same as the half length of her at Dr Clarke's & surely by the same hand -her daughter, the Dutchess of Lennox, - a Duke of Brunswick - his Daughter & a Marchioness of Brunswick;[21] A length of Eff. Howard Earl of Nottingham by Vansomer. [22] The destruction of the Spanish Armada, in 8 pieces by Vandevelde. Length of Marquis of Hamilton by Vansomer. By the same a Length of Xtiern the IV of Denmark, Brother to James I's Queen [23] A length of James I's daughter the Queen of Bohemia; A Madonna by Correggio. Very fine Tapestry, after Raphael, the very same sort as at Windsor Castle. David, & Goliath's head well-expressed by Fetti, the holy family by Correggio. Ann Hyde Dutchess of York by Lely. Fine Paintings of Fowls & Flowers by Buckdown. [24] The Colouring good in Mantegna's Caesarean Triumph: True it is that his Drapery is remarkably perplexed, with little folds. See Grahame, The Painter by avoiding an ostentatious swelling Pride in the Victor has made him stupidly unconcerned. This is one Gallery. The Cartons in water-Colours, sketched for Tapestry [25], [26] are in another Gallery, neither high or wide enough for a proper View of these Paintings. The Carton of the Fishers, judiciously raises the muscles very much in the Shoulders & Backs of the Apostles dragging their loaded Nets. An inconsistency here, the Wind blows the hair of one of the Men a different way from the Smoak of a Chimney in Prospect and the Birds are too near the Boat. The Carton of Ananias' Death; Authority in St Peter, the greatest Horror in the 2d person from the miserable Object on the right Side; It is taken exactly from an Antique. In That of the sacrifice to Paul & Barnabas, Paul rends his Cloaths, speaks to Him that has the Ram just by him; [27] Feed my Sheep strikes least. In St Paul preaching, a fellow in blew pressing out of gaping curiosity to see the famed Preacher. In the healing of the Impotent: He is ordered to arise up & walk; how can he? for many years he had been brought thither to his begging Station, & could never move hand or foot from the place they put Him in; extravagant pain ever attended the least tendency to the most cautious & gentle Motion of a limb, only how should He then think of rising thus at once, & use those Limbs so long disused; This, & how much more! expressed in his face, in every part. Le Blon was the other Copier of the Cartons. [28] ,King William's Beauties, Lengths by Kneller; he took much Pains about 'em; [29] Queen Mary is an half-piece by Wisson, ill performed among the Beauties. One Cieling painted by Thornhill, was evidently inferior to Those in this house by Verrio. One Room hung with needle-work of Queen Mary's. The Gardens are chiefly two fine Gravel-Walks, one by the Thames Side, at the end a Bowling-Green, most rural Prospects beyond the River. Iron Rails separate from Hampton Court Park, [30] being placed on the left side of this Walk; [31] in them at proper distances are mock Gates, most admirable Performances in Iron work & various, one higher in the middle. Those on one Side this middle gate are the same as those on the other Side of it. The Wilderness-Garden we did not see. The Front next this Garden has 23 windows cased, 7 in the middle which is cased with Stone, Corinthian fluted Pillars & Pillasters. The Front next the River has 25 Windows. Both these fronts are elegant. Along the wall between Bushy & Hampton Parks is a most elegant gate to the latter, neat, plain, Boys supporting baskets of fruit, happily imitated.

Bushy Park very pleasant. Lord Hallifax's plain brick house in it; Is he Proprietor or Ranger? Another pretty neat Box of his within the near hearing of a Cascade, which in the front presents you with a Rock of Stone & burnt-Iron, on each side Canvass painted to represent the Perspective of Caves - with success. Not far hence, a more gentle Cascade, from it a beautiful cut. A fine head of water within view of the house. Further a noble Bason, with a Gilt Image [32] on a Base. There are 2 Urns opposite to the Garden-front on which admirable Relievo-work, the faces well performed. The banqueting houses by the Bowling Green have good Paintings of Verrio which we did not see.

​

The Castle at Kingston; to Hampton, Staines, Windsor. Beyond Hampton on the right  Sir  John Chardin's house.[33] 

 

1. v. 4  to History p.70

2. v. Walpoles "Anecdotes" p.82.

3. v. Vanderdoort p.6.

4. v. 4to History p.42.

5. the immediate predecessor of Wotton & successor of Savile.

6. It was erected when I was here on October 1.1737.

7. Mr Topham's Books had well nigh filled the Library when I was there on October 1.1737.

8. v. the 8vo MS p.71.Vol.1.

9. It should be Canons belonging to St Bartholomews in Smithfield.

10. but v. Letters between Pope & Hill. v. Bertie's at Low-Layton.

11. So in the King's at Windsor .

12. His Grace married a Lake so Q?.

13. & very singular

14. v. Walpole's "Anecdotes" p.151.

15. v. Walpole's "Anecdotes" p.81.

16. v. Walpole II p,99

17. v. Spectator No. 7.

18. But see Walpole III.39

19. See more concerning Verrio in the 2d Edition of "A Tour thro' the Island of Great Britain" p.358. The Painting on the Side is conjoined to That on the Cieling  by  a cloud bowed.

20. v. Walpole's "Anecdotes" II.4.

21. v. Walpole ,Ib.9.

22. ibid

23. there is an Account of his Person in Bond's Dedication of his Horace to Prince Henry, versus finem.

24. v. Walpole's "Anecdotes" II.99.

25. see Chamber's Dict: sub voc Carton.

26. v. Walpole's "Anecdotes of Painting" II.59.74, III.124, IV.22.

27. more concerning this in Wright. p.330.

28. v. Vanderdoort p.166. Wright's travels p.272,416, & the catalogue of Dr Mead's pictures, p.XI.

29. v. Walpole III.119.

30. v. Clarke's Letters concerning  Spain.

31. v, Archeologia VII.124.

32. of Diana.

33. More concerning Hampton Court farther on in these papers & in Wren's  Parentalia p.326 in Walpole's "Anecdotes" III.96,98,113; & in the "British Critic", xvii.246.