like buildings. We ascended to the top of this, and saw parts of twelve counties; the view is both extensive and beautiful.

We were civilly conducted through the palace, the state apartments of which are arranged in much the same way as those at Hampton Court.

The furniture and decorations are in a style of great magnificence.

There is a profusion of fine paintings, done by the first masters, English and foreign; among them are a number of historical pieces by West, representing the triumphs of Edward III. and of the black prince.

But, the objects of beauty and interest are so numerous, that, in despair of giving you any thing like an adequate account, I am almost disposed to pass them over in silence, and I should do so, were it not that a few hints, noted now, may serve to recall the principal things at a future day..

The king's audience chamber, or chamber of state, is a most sumptuous apartment. A canopy of state, of silk velvet, ornamented with a profusion of gold, is suspended at one end of the room, and the chairs are covered with blue satin, fringed with gold. In the middle of this chamber there is a table, on which lies a piece of satin, embroidered with the arms of France. They told us that the Duke of Marlborough is obliged to renew this banner every year, before a particular day in August, or he forfeits his right to Blenheim Castle.

In some of the apartments, the tables, the andirons, the chandeliers, and the frames of the looking-glasses, are of massy silver; there is one mirror consisting of a single plate of glass, which is eleven feet by seven.

We were shown the apartments in which John king of France, and David king of Scots, were confined. The former was taken prisoner by Edward, the black prince, at Poictiers, and the latter in the North, by Philippa, the Queen of Edward III. The armour of both these kings is still preserved, and was pointed out to us in the room devoted to ancient armour.

The superb state-bed of Queen Ann remains as it was in her time.

We had not the pleasure of seeing any of the royal famly; they are now at Weymouth.

After viewing the apartments we went on to the terrace; this is a delightful walk, which encircles the palace, and affords a prospect of the surrounding country, which is beautiful in the extreme.

On the terrace, the royal family walk with the most unreserved freedom, in the presence of the citizens of Windsor, and of the numerous strangers who, from motives of curiosity, flock to this place. Indeed, on such occasions they are seen to most advantage, and we regretted that we too could not have this gratification.

The sun was near setting, when we were on the terrace; the evening was mild, and the sky perfectly clear, while the numerous groves and forests, the green declivities of the hills, and the elegant seats and lodges which adorn this charming country, were fully illuminated by the last beams of the sun, and I thought I never beheld more beautiful scenery.

It was necessary for us to return two miles to Slough, in order to be in the course of stages to Bath. This short journey we performed on foot, and on our way, stopped a little while at Eton College. As it was vacation, the stu

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dents were all dispersed, and the silent halls echoed to our feet, as we walked through its long dark passages, and beneath its solemn porticoes.

A statue of Henry VII. the founder of this celebrated and venerable institution, stands in one of the courts. The buildings are in the Gothic style, and, as they are ancient, their appearance is very impressive. They stand in a beautiful meadow, on the very bank of the Thames, surrounded by extensive and fine fields, shaded by lofty trees, beneath which the Eton boys indulge in exercise and active recreations.

Twilight was nearly gone when we left Eton, and it was quite dark before we arrived at the door of Dr. Herschell, to whom I had introductory letters. With much regret we learned that the Doctor had gone from home, and would not return for several days. I left my letters, notwithstanding, and obtained a promise of seeing the great optical wonder early the next morning. In the mean time, we repaired to the traveller's home, and retired

to rest.

In fact, we were literally driven to bed by the imperiousness of our landlady. I was quietly occupied in writing, between ten and eleven o'clock, when we were told that the family hour of retiring was arrived, and they would shew us our beds. I insisted on sitting up to write. The lady, with great decision, told us, that she never permitted any light to burn in her house after she was in bed; and there was no alternative but to quarrel, or comply. I suppose she must have been worried by the Eton boys, till she had lost her temper, for it was almost a solitary instance of rudeness in a public house, as far as I had experienced, in England.

THE GREAT TELESCOPE.

August 27.-Early in the morning we repaired to Dr. Herschell's, and were admitted to see his famous optical instrument. His sister, Miss Herschell, was so good as to come out into the back court-yard, where the telescope is, and expressed her regret that her brother's absence should preclude us from the most advantageous view of his apparatus. She then explained to us the most important parts of the arrangement, and, after making all proper apologies, withdrew, and left us with the servant, to examine more minutely.

The tube of this telescope is forty feet in length, and five feet in diameter. The servant told us that his majesty had walked through it, and a boy of thirteen might do it without stooping. It is managed by machinery and ropes, and as it is always in the open air, exposed to the weather, the tube is painted, to prevent it from rusting. The end in which the reflector is placed, is constantly closed, and the other also, when the instrument is not in use.

A swinging seat is connected with the elevated end of the tube, and moves with it when it rises and falls. On this Dr. Herschell sits, when he makes his observations. He looks in at the elevated end of the telescope, through a small interior tube, which receives the reflected light from the great mirror at the lower end, and thus transmits the rays to his eye. He therefore sits with his back towards the celestial body.

On the framed work at the lower end of the telescope, which is contiguous to the ground, there are two small lodges, one on either side of the great tube. In one of

these a servant attends, and in the other Miss Herschell sits, ready to record her brother's observations. These he communicates to her, without leaving his seat, by means of a speaking trumpet, one orifice of which is at his mouth, and the other at her ear.

There is so much machinery and cordage to suspend this great telescope, and to give it motion, that the apparatus looks like the masts and rigging of a ship. The lower end of the instrument has only a circular and horizontal movement, and, with the greatest facility, it is elevated to any angle, or directed to any point of the

compass.

The basis of the whole machinery is a circle of forty or fifty feet in diameter; beneath this circle is a system of rollers, which rest and move upon another flat circular rim of wood. When the horizontal movement is wanted, not only the telescope, but all the machinery is turned around on the rollers, while the centre continues fixed. When the vertical movement is required, nothing more is necessary than to pull or loosen a set of ropes, which pass over pulleys, and thus sustain the elevated end of the telescope, and serve also to raise or depress it.

There is also a swinging gallery, which moves independently of the tube, but always accompanies its elevated orifice, being sustained by ropes; there is a flight of stairs to ascend to it, and here, as Miss Herschell informed us, parties of ladies sometimes assemble, not as objects of telescopical observation, but to take tea in the air; and then, as evening comes on, to gaze at the stars, through the largest telescope in the world. This instrument is indeed a wonder, and does equal honour to the talents of the great astronomer, and to the munificence of his royal patron.