《tour through the eastern counties of england》

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tour through the eastern counties of england- 第24部分


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of reasons why the town should not disoblige the university; as

there are some also on the other hand; why the university should

not differ to any extremity with the town; nor; such is their

prudence; do they let any disputes between them run up to any

extremities if they can avoid it。  As for society; to any man who

is a lover of learning; or of learned men; here is the most

agreeable under heaven; nor is there any want of mirth and good

company of other kinds; but it is to the honour of the university

to say; that the governors so well understand their office; and the

governed their duty; that here is very little encouragement given

to those seminaries of crime; the assemblies; which are so much

boasted of in other places。



Again; as dancing; gaming; intriguing are the three principal

articles which recommend those assemblies; and that generally the

time for carrying on affairs of this kind is the night; and

sometimes all night; a time as unseasonable as scandalous; add to

this; that the orders of the university admit no such excesses; I

therefore say; as this is the case; it is to the honour of the

whole body of the university that no encouragement is given to them

here。



As to the antiquity of the university in this town; the originals

and founders of the several colleges; their revenues; laws;

government; and governors; they are so effectually and so largely

treated of by other authors; and are so foreign to the familiar

design of these letters; that I refer my readers to Mr。 Camden's

〃Britannia〃 and the author of the 〃Antiquities of Cambridge;〃 and

other such learned writers; by whom they may be fully informed。



The present Vice…Chancellor is Dr。 Snape; formerly Master of Eaton

School near Windsor; and famous for his dispute with; and evident

advantage over; the late Bishop of Bangor in the time of his

government; the dispute between the University and the Master of

Trinity College has been brought to a head so as to employ the pens

of the learned on both sides; but at last prosecuted in a judicial

way so as to deprive Dr。 Bentley of all his dignities and offices

in the university; but the doctor flying to the royal protection;

the university is under a writ of mandamus; to show cause why they

do not restore the doctor again; to which it seems they demur; and

that demur has not; that we hear; been argued; at least when these

sheets were sent to the press。  What will be the issue time must

show。



From Cambridge the road lies north…west on the edge of the fens to

Huntingdon; where it joins the great north road。  On this side it

is all an agreeable corn country as above; adorned with several

seats of gentlemen; but the chief is the noble house; seat; or

mansion of Wimple or Wimple Hall; formerly built at a vast expense

by the late Earl of Radnor; adorned with all the natural beauties

of situation; and to which was added all the most exquisite

contrivances which the best heads could invent to make it

artificially as well as naturally pleasant。



However; the fate of the Radnor family so directing; it was bought

with the whole estate about it by the late Duke of Newcastle; in a

partition of whose immense estate it fell to the Right Honourable

the Lord Harley; son and heir…apparent of the present Earl of

Oxford and Mortimer; in right of the Lady Harriet Cavendish; only

daughter of the said Duke of Newcastle; who is married to his

lordship; and brought him this estate and many other; sufficient to

denominate her the richest heiress in Great Britain。



Here his lordship resides; and has already so recommended himself

to this county as to be by a great majority chosen Knight of the

Shire for the county of Cambridge。



From Cambridge; my design obliging me; and the direct road in part

concurring; I came back through the west part of the county of

Essex; and at Saffron Walden I saw the ruins of the once largest

and most magnificent pile in all this part of England … viz。;

Audley End … built by; and decaying with; the noble Dukes and Earls

of Suffolk。



A little north of this part of the country rises the River Stour;

which for a course of fifty miles or more parts the two counties of

Suffolk and Essex; passing through or near Haveril; Clare;

Cavendish; Halsted; Sudbury; Bowers; Nayland; Stretford; Dedham;

Manningtree; and into the sea at Harwich; assisting by its waters

to make one of the best harbours for shipping that is in Great

Britain … I mean Orwell Haven or Harwich; of which I have spoken

largely already。



As we came on this side we saw at a distance Braintree and Bocking;

two towns; large; rich; and populous; and made so originally by the

bay trade; of which I have spoken at large at Colchester; and which

flourishes still among them。



The manor of Braintree I found descended by purchase to the name of

Olmeus; the son of a London merchant of the same name; making good

what I had observed before; of the great number of such who have

purchased estates in this county。



Near this town is Felsted; a small place; but noted for a free

school of an ancient foundation; for many years under the

mastership of the late Rev。 Mr。 Lydiat; and brought by him to the

meridian of its reputation。  It is now supplied; and that very

worthily; by the Rev。 Mr。 Hutchins。



Near to this is the Priory of Lees; a delicious seat of the late

Dukes of Manchester; but sold by the present Duke to the Duchess

Dowager of Bucks; his Grace the Duke of Manchester removing to his

yet finer seat of Kimbolton in Northamptonshire; the ancient

mansion of the family。  From hence keeping the London Road I came

to Chelmsford; mentioned before; and Ingerstone; five miles west;

which I mention again; because in the parish church of this town

are to be seen the ancient monuments of the noble family of Petre;

whose seat and large estate lie in the neighbourhood; and whose

whole family; by a constant series of beneficent actions to the

poor; and bounty upon all charitable occasions; have gained an

affectionate esteem through all that part of the country such as no

prejudice of religion could wear out; or perhaps ever may; and I

must confess; I think; need not; for good and great actions command

our respect; let the opinions of the persons be otherwise what they

will。



From hence we crossed the country to the great forest; called

Epping Forest; reaching almost to London。  The country on that side

of Essex is called the Roodings; I suppose; because there are no

less than ten towns almost together; called by the name of Roding;

and is famous for good land; good malt; and dirty roads; the latter

indeed in the winter are scarce passable for horse or man。  In the

midst of this we see Chipping Onger; Hatfield Broad Oak; Epping;

and many forest towns; famed as I have said for husbandry and good

malt; but of no other note。  On the south side of the county is

Waltham Abbey; the ruins of the abbey remain; and though antiquity

is not my proper business; I could not but observe that King

Harold; slain in the great battle in Sussex against William the

Conqueror; lies buried here; his body being begged by his mother;

the Conqueror allowed it to be carried hither; but no monument was;

as I can find; built for him; only a flat gravestone; on which was

engraven HAROLD INFELIX。



From hence I came over the forest again … that is to say; over the

lower or western part of it; where it is spangled with fine

villages; and these villages filled with fine seats; most of them

built by the citizens of London; as I observed before; but the

lustre of them seems to be entirely swallowed up in the magnificent

palace of the Lord Castlemain; whose father; Sir Josiah Child; as

it were; prepared it in his life for the design of his son; though

altogether unforeseen; by adding to the advantage of its situation

innumerable rows of trees; planted in curious order for avenues and

vistas to the house; all leading up to the place where the old

house stood; as to a centre。



In the place adjoining; his lordship; while he was yet Sir Richard

Child only; and some years before he began the foundation of his

new house; laid out the most delicious; as well as most spacious;

pieces of ground for gardens that is to be seen in all this part of

England。  The greenhouse is an excellent building; fit to entertain

a prince; it is furnished with stoves and artificial places for

heat from an apartment in which is a bagnio and other conveniences;

which render it both useful and pleasant。  And these gardens have

been so the just admiration of the world; that it has been the

general diversion of the citizens to go out to see them; till the

crowds grew too great; and his lordship was obliged to restrain his

servants from showing them; except on one or two days in a week

only。



The house is built since these gardens have been finished。  The

building is all of Portland stone in the
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