III. and his family at Windsor; and, (except, as Fanny Burney has told us, gentlemen were never allowed to sit down in the royal presence, and ladies stood as far off as they could, so that sovereignty might have elbow-room, and never spoke but when they were spoken to,) there was infinitely more state at such places as Stowe and Alnwick than in the Lodge at Windsor. Here, we have reached Westmacott's statue of the first Brunswick King who was bred and born in England. What questions would he ask, could he see himself in his Roman toga? Still it is a fine statue, and the ideal prevails throughout. An equestrian figure, twenty-six feet in height, raised upon a rocky pedestal of the same elevation, and placed upon a considerable hill, is no common object. But to a stranger, the statue is an inconsiderable thing, when he looks from its site down the magnificent avenue which now leads direct to the Castle-gates, at a distance of more than three miles. It is, indeed, a wondrous approach to a noble pile. Five-and-twenty years ago, the avenue was without an object. Shabby houses interposed between its commencement at Windsor and the Castle; now it leads direct to the gateway called after George IV., and thence to the grand entrance of the state apartments. We cannot but remember what an incongruous thing Windsor was before the vast improvements of the Castle were undertaken and perhaps this is the proper place to give a brief account of the principal changes which have been effected. Excepting beauty of situation, the Castle had nothing whatever to recommend it as a residence. The whole of the east and south sides, the portions actually inhabited, were singularly inconvenient in every respect,rambling, and also exceedingly confined, in plan, with very small rooms, and those for the most part thoroughfare rooms; there being no other communication than some narrow passages got out from them on the sides towards the quadrangle; so that, in point of accommodation, the whole was a mere "makeshift," inadequate to that required for a private gentleman's establishment. Hence it was found indispensably necessary to erect (1778-82) a separate building for the actual occupation of the royal family. This, which was called the Queen's Lodge, was merely a large plain house on the south side of the Castle, near the site occupied by the present stables, and was taken down in 1823. About the same time George IV. announced his intention of taking up his abode within the Castle, and converting it into a suitable residence for himself and his successors. Accordingly a grant of £300,000 was readily voted by Parliament, in April, 1824, for the projected improvements, since, so far from being thought extravagant, the scheme was a popular one. The architect selected was Mr. Jeffry Wyatt. The first stone of King George IV.'s Gateway' (forming the principal entrance into the quadrangle on the south side, in a direct line with the Long Walk) was laid by the king, August 12th, 1824, on which occasion the architect received the royal authority for altering his name to that of Wyatville; and 1, Edward III.'s Tower; 2, Lancaster Tower; 3, York Tower; 4, South Turret; 5, Victoria Tower; 6, Clarence Tower; 7, Chester Tower-state drawing-room; 8, Prince of Wales's Tower-state dining-room; 9, Brunswick Tower, octagon, 38 feet diameter externally, height 100 feet; 10, Cornwall Tower-ball-room, 90 x 32 feet; 11, George IV.'s Tower; 12, King John's Tower; 13, Keep-not a perfect circle, 102 feet in greatest diameter, 93 in smallest; height, 80 feet from the top of the mound; Watch-tower, 25 more; entire height from level of Quadrangle, 148 feet. b, state entrance, with vestibule continued through to North a, George IV.'s Gateway, directly facing the Long Walk; Terrace;c, state staircase, occupying site of Brick Court, 50 x 36 feet; d, Waterloo Gallery, on site of Horn Court, 95 x 46 feet; e, St. George's Hall, 180 x 32 feet; f, visitors' entrance; 9, 9, 9, grand corridor; h, entrance for public to state apartments; i, Henry VII.'s Building; k, Queen Elizabeth's Gallery; 7, Norman Towers and Gateway; m, statue of Charles II.; n, St George's Gateway. It will be perceived that such enlargement has been. made principally within the quadrangle, on the exterior facing the North Terrace, to which the Brunswick Tower has been added; and by converting what were two open courts in that northern mass of building, viz., Brick Court and Horn Court, into the State Staircase and the Waterloo Gallery. Some general communication along the whole extent of the private apartments was indispensable, unless that part of the Castle was to remain as incommodious and as imprac- | fine architectural vista quite through to the North Terrace, from which there is an entrance through George IV.'s Tower; and a new state staircase has been formed within what was a confined inner court. This is admirably well planned for effect, for the staircase itself shows all the more strikingly, by coming suddenly into view, when its greater spaciousness and loftiness (70 feet from the floor to the top of the lantern) forms an imposing contrast to the lengthened perspective of the vestibule. Another improvement consequent upon the alteration of the staircase is the obtaining an upper state vestibule in connection with the Guard Room, which last has been extended by being carried out over the porch of the State Entrance. Thus a continuous and varied grand line of approach is formed to St. George's Hall, which was before hardly accessible from the staircase, otherwise than by passing through the rooms of the north front, owing to the intervention of the Royal Chapel at the west end of the hall. By that chapel being added to the hall, a decided improvement has been produced: the latter has been extended to 180 feet-nearly double its former length; and it forms a fine climax in the general arrangement. The Waterloo Gallery, which is an entirely new feature in this part of the plan, contributes in no small degree to give not only greater variety, but an appearance of much greater extent than formerly to this portion of the Castle; while, owing to its being well lighted from above, it contrasts pleasingly with the other rooms, and serves to bring into one group with itself and the hall two of the most spacious of them, viz., the Throne-room and the Ballroom. The architect appears also to have been happy in his arrangement of Queen Elizabeth's Gallery, which, together with the adjoining room in Henry VII.'s Building, has been fitted up as a library. ticable as ever, with no other real improvement than Until renovated and remodelled by Sir Jeffry Wyatville, the exterior had very little of either architectural character or dignity, or even of picturesqueness, except that arising from situation; whereas now it is marked by many bold features and well-defined masses, and presents a series of parts, all varied, yet more or less interesting. All these last- interesting. Even where the principal masses remain the same, the general outline, before feeble and insipid, has been greatly improved: somewhat greater height than formerly has been given to most of the buildings by deep embattled parapets, and in some of them by machicolations also. Some of the towers have been carried up higher, and others added: among these last are the Lancaster and York, flanking George IV.'s Gateway, and distinctly marking that as the principal portal of the Castle; also the Brunswick Tower, which, owing to its difference of form and greater mass, adds very much to the architectural effect of the north-east angle. But the most striking improvement of the kind was that of carrying up the Round Tower 90 feet higher, exclusive of the Watch Tower on its summit, which makes the height in that part 25 feet more. It was generally understood that the Castle was to |