To Alfred Kempe, Esq., Hayes Common, near

Keston, Kent.

MY DEAR ALfred,

Salisbury, Oct. 18. 1812.

Blue-deviled by all the horrors of a wet day, spent in silence and alone, my only resource is to write to you. Although I cannot answer for affording you any amusement; but, together with the old subject, antiquities, and other matters, I shall endeavour to spin out till I want paper.

Leaving town on the Thursday following the Tuesday which I spent with you, I travelled by the night-coach; the only incidents to tell you of are, that I was half choaked by the thickness of the fogs the fore part of the night, and slept away the remainder. Of Salisbury, I believe, I cannot tell you any thing but what you already know. I remember to have heard you say, you had not seen Old Sarum; and if I am not mistaken in this, I am rather surprised, considering how short a distance it is from this city. I shall endeavour to give you, in my old way, some account of Sarum. It was a circle, as may be seen by the entrenchment which completely surrounded it. Within this outer one is another, also of a circular form, wherein formerly stood the castle; of the walls, the remains are slight indeed, there not being more (though there are

two pieces) than would fill three cart loads. I have drawn the site of this ancient city, as it appears, and measured it by my steps; and, to give you a right understanding of the immensity, as well as the perfection of the remains, laid before you these views: No. 1, is Old Sarum, as it appears at the distance of a mile; that part where the castle stood now covered with trees-No. 2, a section, showing all its rampires and trenches, under the ×, a subterraneous passage. No. 3, the ground plan- and No. 4, a view of the outer rampire and trench; the figures on the top convey some idea of the height and depth.

I have now, I think, given you by these sketches as clear a definition of the thing as our old friend Camden would, had he attempted it.

After I had examined these stupendous remains, I visited Stone Henge. As there is nothing that I can say will afford you any idea of it, but fall short when you see the place, I shall say nothing, but that the mind is lost in the contemplation of such vast efforts of human power. I have made drawings of this wonderful collection of stones in several points of view; and luckily, at the time, a company of soldiers on their march, dispersed in all directions, viewing the wonders of the place, gave me an excellent scale for the magnitude of the work.

I have now told you of all I have seen at present, you might expect more, if I did not say I made these expeditions only on Sunday afternoons. I lodge facing the Cathedral, in the house of a good motherly old lady; so that I am as comfortable as it is possible to be, so far from my friends. Society I have in plenty, if I choose it, and of the best in the place; but I feel more inclined to stay at home, from the desire of getting through my work. Whilst drawing of an evening, the above mentioned good lady reads to me an old friend of Eliza's, Zimmerman.

In a family I visit at this place, I have found a young antiquary, who, from practice, can open

a barrow as nicely as you would cut up an apple pye; and from his description, it is done much after the same manner. I unluckily missed an opportunity of being present at an operation of this sort. Had I been at Salisbury three days sooner, I should have made one in the party. Amongst other things found in the barrow opened, was a comb, which is a singular instance; whether it was large or small toothed, I did not inquire, or I think we might have drawn some very interesting conclusions.

I cannot for certain say when I return; the subjects I have in hand keep me employed in the evening as well as the morning. I often think of you, and your bath; I suppose, by this time, your relish must begin to abate. And pray tell me, if you write, what fresh discoveries you have made on your station: Have you yet seen the relics preserved at the farm-house? If you write at all, let it be soon, as my stay is uncertain. At any rate, I do not leave Salisbury before Sunday next; but that I shall come home direct, is uncertain also. I had nearly forgot to say, that I did not travel by Marlborough as I had expected, so that I was disappointed in what I had reckoned on seeing; this miscalculation made me take a place in the night-coach, that I might have the more time to devote to my principal object. Till you see me, you will hear no

more accounts from me. With remembrance to all friends at home, believe me, dear Alfred, ever your sincere friend,

C. A. STOTHARD.

During the summer of 1813, my brother removed with his family to a beautiful part of Kent, in the vicinity of Holwood Hill, the seat of the late William Pitt. There Charles was his frequent guest, and some of the happiest hours of our lives were passed on this spot. It afforded the finest subjects we could desire for .the study of landscape, and we made frequent excursions to Knowle Park, Eltham Palace, Wickham Court, &c. Sometimes with our family, including my brother's children, we rambled into the neighbouring woods, where we passed the day in those harmless pleasures, that gay spirits, mutual friendship, and charming scenery afford.

Charles highly delighted in these rural excursions, and joined in all our sports; sometimes the playmate of the children, at others engaged in kindling a gypsey fire for tea, or in sketching the landscape, whilst the setting sun gilded with its resplendent lustre the broad green masses of oak, that form so distinguished a feature in Holwood's delightful walks. Charles, who so closely followed his sedentary pursuits,