pieces of tapestry, relate entirely to the fiege of Troy; yet, were it not for the infcriptions, and the names of the feveral characters worked on the figures, we fhould inftantly believe it to be a ftriking reprefentation of the manners and customs of the time in which it is fuppofed to have been executed, the 14th or 15th centuries; for neither the buildings, drettes, or other appearances, have the leaft tendency to illuftrate Troy's ten years fiege, but the coftume of the epochs we have juft mentioned. In this light, then, muft we view this tapetry, and, banishing the heroes of Greece and Rome, conclude we behold our ancestors in all the fplendour and magnificence that heroifm and royal munificence could poffibly devife. Say it was worked on the Continent, as fome have maintained; what then? Did not our neighbouring states always fhew the fame accommodations in life as ourfelves? All our own as well as their Antiquities prove it. And is it not well known, that we and thofe on the Continent appear abroad at this hour in nearly the fame dreffes, live in nearly the fame habits, and refide in nearly the fame kind of dwellings? On thefe prefumptions, then, let us rivet our eyes and chain our mind to the fubject before us; and, without any more uncertainties of its real hiftoric reference, go on to defcribe its principal leading features, as if we were decyphering the glorious atchievements of an Edward III. or an Henry V. England's BRIGHTEST HEROES, and (with only one exception) her BEST OF KINGS.

Second piece of Tapestry. We firft obferve the infide of a magnificent chamber, where a king, in his royal robes, crown, and iceptre, appears giving audience to a prodigious circie of great perfonages in their civil habiliments. The chair of state, canopy, &c. are particularly to be noticed. Likewife, we cannot but wonder at feeing a monkey fitting on one of the co

lumns fupporting the building. The net fcene fhews feveral of the foregoing characters on fhip-board. They feem as if preparing to land. The third fcene exhibits the hero of the ftory in complete armour, conveying a beauteous dame, attended by her ladies, on-board another fhip, with a multitude of attendants, of knights and foldiers, fome of which are carrying all kinds of household furniture, and a wholelength female ftatue. In the background is a religious edifice of much grandeur. The fourth fcene gives i the difembarkation of thefe noble perfons, and their reception by royal hands before the walls of a city, whofe gate of entrance is di rectly behind them. The archi tecture of the various ftructures is in the Saxon and pointed arched ftyle; a combination which we every where still witnefs remaining in our antient buildings. The nnifhings of the upper parts of the churches, manfions, towers, gates, are particularly fatisfactory, as but few fuch objects are to be met with, our public works having been from time to time altered and repaired according to the new modes of ar chitecture arifing during their long periods of exiftence. The forms of the fhipping have much claim for obfervation, as the amazing change fuch floating cattles have undergone makes the prefent naval architec ture almott a new creation. The dreffes, cither of robes or armour, are profufely rich, and are decorated with fplendid ornaments of embroi dery, gold, and jewels; and the make of the caps, helmets, fwords, lances, battleaxes, &c. &c. are curious in the extreme. The mott confpicuous figure, in our eyes, is the lovely female above fpoken of Her drefs is in the strict cofiume of the 14th century, and is thus to br particularized. Next her nerfon is a tight vett with ! which is a re and open of the form body,"

folds of the extremity of the under veft. On the head is a tafteful cap, from under which the golden treffes fall far below the wafte. This elegant dress of the fair ones of an tiquity is certainly one of the moft enchanting fashions that ever added attractive charms to female lovelinefs. It is much to be regretted that the bottom of this piece of Tapestry has been curtailed of fome feet of its breadth, whereby we lofe a number of very material objects, fuch as the lower parts of feveral of the figures, ftaircafes, the hulk of the principal fhip, and other no less remarkable features of this national costumic treasure. AN ARCHITECT. (To be continued.)

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Mr. URBAN, March 6. Na temporary excurfion in North Wales, laft fummer, I took a drawing of Harlech caftle, one of the moft antient in the Principality; which, from its picturefque appearance, you may perhaps think worth engraving (Pl. II.). I was informed by the neighbouring inhabitants it was built by Edw. I. The eminence neareft the castle is the fummit of Snowdon. The low ground to the left, whereon are fed black cattle and fheep, was formerly covered by the fea, which wathed the foot of the high rock projecting in the Irish fea, on which the caftle ftands. It is defended by a deep foffe on the Eat, the only pregnable fide, and was taken by the Earl of Pembroke 1468. It afforded fhelter to Margaret of Anjou after the battle of Northampton, 1460, and was the laft in North Wales which held out for the king, being furrendered to Gen. Mytton, 1647, on articles. Edward I, formed the town, which is but mean, into a borough. Several Roman coins have been found hereabouts; and, in 1692, an antient golden torquis was dug up in a garden near this caftle. It is a wreathed bar, or rather three or GENT. MAG. May, 1900.

four rods twifted together, about four feet long, flexible, but bending naturally only one way, in form of a hatband. It had hooks at each end, not twisted or fharp, but plain and cut even. It is of a round form, about an inch in circumference, and weighs eight ounces*. Yours, &c. J. C.:

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Mr. URBAN, June 4, 1799: WAS induced, from reading Mr. Malcolm's account of the demolition of Leatherfellers hall, LXIX. p. 298, to pay a folitary vifit to that place laft Sunday evening. But how much was I disappointed to find it all a heap of undiftinguifhed ruins, not a fingle veftige, "not even a mutilated pil-. lar, an arch, or even a piece of a ruin!" I in vain endeavoured to trace the remains that Mr. Malcolm, has pointed out in his ingenious letter; it is impoffible even to trace the foundation of this once-extenfive ftructure; "like the bafclefs fabrick of a vifion," it is completely. vanifhed, and memory almott labours in vain to give it a "local habitation." I was aroufed from the contemplation of this frail memo→→ rial of the religion of other times by the found of the diftant organ, which broke upon my ears in peals from the neighbouring church of St. Helen's, it being evening fervice. I drew near, and, looking through one of its fine Gothic windows, was ftruck with the folemn appearance of the interior, its walls being decorated with many a recording ftone. One monument particularly arrefted my attention; it was the figure of a knight at full length on an elevated toinb, dreffed in a complete fuit of armour richly gilt, with a canopy over his head. As I could not make a more minute inveftigation at that time, I have deferred it till another opportunity. In the mean time, I have fent you the annexed fketch (fig. 2) of the

* See this engraved in Mr. Gough's edition of Camden, vol. II. p. 542.

church

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April 25:

EING on a vifit to a friend in the neighbourhood of Oatlands in Surrey, I was, from his report of the alterations making on the manfion of his Royal Highness the Duke of York, induced to ride and view the fame. Having a natural love and veneration for the antient architecture of this kingdom, I was not a little pleased to witness a very general attempt to imitate its feveral characters; not after the ufual profeffional mode in fuch cafes, by giving a "few faint features of our antient works," and fupplying the rest from fancy, or, as it is arrogantly termed, "an improvement" on their varying forms, but in a ftri&t " adherence to the indefcribable peculiarities of their magic charms." How were my ears gratified to hear the workmen talk of the Eaft tower, its hanging turret and buttrefs; the Saxon entrance; the Eaft gate; the Eaft front; the Eaft porch; the galleries, the buttreffes, battlements, &c. &c.! and, to crown the whole, I heard the Duke enquire, "When will they begin my Bower-window?" Thus are happily united the objects of our antient architecture and their antient defignations. Far otherwife we find in a vast architectural effort to imitate our antient ftyles in a Weftern part of the kingdom; where we are told of a vestibule, a drawingroom, drelling-room, &c.; terms

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applicable only to the Roman and Grecian methods of building. I forgot to enquire the name of the Artift, who makes the selections from antique models for the feveral works, and who fuperintends the execution of them, whom his Highness has honoured, by approving his zealous attachment to the remains of Antiquity in this country; but peradventure your correfpondent, the "Architect," who, by his effays, endeavours to raife an emulation to copy, and an interest in his countrymen to preferve them, may have it in his power to inform us.

As our portion of happiness is mixed with alloy, I muft acknowledge that I was fhocked to fee a painter dawbing the face of the work as finished with a paltry reprefentation of courfes of ftone, and their joints, &c. whereby the faithfulness of the parts, and their correctness of execution, were "turned into contempt and ridicule." Surely, I atked, can the Artist, who has fo well begun his work, be fo devoid of tafte and judgement as to advise this ftrange disfigurement? If so, why let him pafs, his mind is vitiated. Sir, a ftander-by returned, your conclufion is not just; this Artift is entirely adverfe_to fuch a mode of proceeding. No; a fashionable Architect has fet up this new manner of mixing imitative and real architectural lines together in fome erections nigh the caftellated walls of Majefty in an adjoining county; therefore here muft the fame have place.

My friend having a turn for drawing, it is not improbable but that I may fend you a view of this manfion for your inftructive Magazine.

W. D.