VISIT TO STAFFA AND IONA-A Voyage to the Western Isles, a great event a few years ago. Scenery on the Voyage-Scene in the Cave of Staffa-general aspect of Iona-Children on the Shore offering Shells and Green Pebbles- Ruins, Tombs of the Norwegian Kings, Crosses, and other Remains— VISIT TO EDGE-HILL Scenery of Edge-Hill- solitary Inn of the Sun- rising-Round-Tower-Scene of the Battle-Battle Farm-the Grave Fields account of the Battle-Bullet-hill-Anecdote of Cromwell- Traditions-Anecdote of King Charles on his way to the Battle meet- ing Richard Shuckburgh hunting-the circumstance fatal to Richard Shuckburgh-tragic Love affair in the family of his descendants VISIT TO THE GREAT JESUITS' College at STONYHURST, IN LANCASHIRE— Fine situation and picturesque Neighbourhood of Stonyhurst College -Whalley Abbey-Mitton Church-the Old Sexton, his attention to the last Rector's Tomb - the splendid Monuments of the Sherburnes -curious Monumental Records of the Sherburnes-Anecdote of the Village Sculptor-description of the College, its Paintings, Relics, and mode of Education -Gardens - Conversation of the peculiar position VISIT TO THE ANCIENT CITY OF WINCHESTER - Historical Reminiscences- the Capital of the British and Saxon Kings-favourite City and Burial- place of Alfred-resort of many subsequent Monarchs Remarkable Events there- GENERAL ASPECT OF THE CITY -Fair of St. Giles' Hill -THE CATHEDRAL-its Venerable Beauty - the Beauty of Gothic Architecture-Monuments of Joseph Warton and Bishop Hoadley- splendid Chantries of Wykeham, Beaufort, Fox and Waynflete-Tomb of William Rufus-Noble Choir-Chests containing the Bones of the Saxon Monarchs-Sonnet by Richard Howitt, on the Matin Service- Grave of Izaak Walton-WYKEHAM'S COLLEGE- William of Wyke- ham's Origin and Career-Account of the School- THE HOSPItal of ST. CROSS-History and present State of it-its noble Norman Church VISIT TO WOTTON HALL, STAFFORDSHIRE-ALFIERI AND ROUSSEAU IN ENG- LAND-Alfieri's Early Character and Conduct in England — the Arrival of Rousseau at Wotton - his Temporary Contentment there-- his Ac- quaintance-his Flight-present Traditions of him at Wotton SACRAMENT SUNDAY AT KILMORAC Peculiar mode of administering the Sacrament in Scotland- administered in the Highlands every Summer in the Open Air--Description of such a Scene as witnessed by the VISIT TO PENSHURST IN KENT, THE ANCIENT SEAT OF THE SIDNEYS. ENGLAND, amongst her titled families, can point to none more illustrious than that of Sidney. It is a name which carries with it the attestation of its genuine nobility. Others are of older standing in the realm. It is not one of those to be found on the roll of Battle Abbey. The first who bore it in England is B said to have come hither in the reign of Henry III. There are others, too, which have mounted much higher in the scale of mere rank; but it may be safely said that there is none of a truer dignity, nor more endeared to the spirits of Englishmen. In point of standing and alliance, there is hardly one of our old and most celebrated families with which it will not be found to be connected. Warwick, Leicester, Essex, Northumberland, Pembroke, Carlisle, Burleigh, Sutherland, Rutland, Strangford, Sunderland, are some of the families united by blood or marriage with the house and fortunes of the Sidneys. The royal blood of England runs in the veins of their children. But it is by a far higher nobility than that of ancient descent, or martial or political power, that the name of Sidney arrests the admiration of Englishmen. It is one of our great watchwords of liberty. It is one of the household words of English veneration. It is a name hallowed by some of our proudest historical and literary associations; identified in the very staple of our minds with a sense of high principle, magnanimity of sentiment, and generous and heroic devotion to the cause of our country and of man. When we would express in a few magical syllables all that we feel and comprehend of patriotism and genius, the names that rush involuntarily to our lips are those of Milton, Hampden, Sidney, and such men. It is a glorious distinction for one family to have given one such name to its country: but it is the happiness of the house of Sidney to number more than one such in its line, and to have enriched our literature with a brilliant constellation of names, both male and female, that have been themselves poets, or the admired theme of poets; literary, or the friends of all the literary and learned of their times. They were not merely of the aristocracy of rank, but of the aristocracy of mind; and it is from that cause, and that alone, that their name is embedded like a jewel in the golden frame-work of the language. Of this distinguished line, the most illustrious and popular was unquestionably Sir Philip. The universal admiration that he won from his cotemporaries is one of the most curious circumstances of the history of those times. The generous and affectionate enthusiasm with which he inspired both his own countrymen and foreigners, has, perhaps, no parallel. The "admirable Crichton" is the only person who occurs to our minds as presenting anything like the same universality of knowledge and accomplishments; but Crichton was a meteor which blazed for a moment, and left only a name of wonder. Sir Philip still continues to be spoken of by all genuine poets and minds of high intellect with much of the same affectionate honour that he received from his own age. "He approaches," says Dr. Aikin, "more nearly to the idea of a perfect man, as well as of a perfect knight, than any character of any age or nation."* This perfection of character is shewn by these particulars: that from his boyhood he was eager for the acquisition of all possible knowledge,-language, philosophy, poetry, every species of art and science, were devoured by him; yet he did * Annual Review, p. 919. |