The ascent to the choir, from the west door, is by a flight of steps, under an arcade of artificial stone, extending the whole width of the choir.

;

The improvements in the choir are general, and particularly the stalls of the Knights of the Garter, which have received great embellishments; the most conspicuous of which is the King's stall. It was erected in 1788, under the direction of Mr. Emlyn, and is carved in a neat Gothic style. In the centre are the arms of the Sovereign, encircled with laurel, and crowned with the royal diadem the whole surrounded with flower-de-luces, and the star of the order, with G. R. III. properly disposed The curtains and cushions are of blue velvet fringed with gold. The old banners of the Knights that have been installed are taken down, and beautiful new silk ones substituted, with helmets, crests, and swords. Vacancies are left for the new-elected Knights. No part of the church appears to have been neglected. Taste, as well as convenience, has been consulted; a great degree of airiness pervades the whole, and the effect of the stone-work, with the neatness of the finishing, strikes the spectator with wonder. The tout ensemble is one of the most magnificent ever seen in a place of divine worship.

At the east end of St. George's Chapel, is a free-stone edifice, built by Henry VII. as a burial-place for himself and his successors; but afterward altering his purpose, he began the more noble structure at Westminster; and this remained neglected until Cardinal Wolsey obtained a grant of it from Henry VIII. and, with a profusion of expence, began here a sumptuous monument for himself, whence this building obtained the name of Wolsey's Tomb House. This monument was so magnificently built, that it far exceeded that of Henry VII. in Westminster Abbey; and, at the time of the Cardinal's disgrace, the tomb was so far executed, that Benedetto, a statuary of Florence, received 4250 ducats, for what he had already done; and 3802. 18s. had been paid for gilding only half of this monument. The Cardinal dying soon after his disgrace, was buried in the cathedral at York, and the monument remained unfinished. In 1646, the statues and figures of gilt copper, of exquisite workmanship, were sold. James II. converted this building into a popish chapel, and mass was publicly performed here. The ceiling was painted by Verrio, and the walls were finely ornamented and painted;

but the whole having been neglected since the reign of James II. is now in a state of decay, and being no appendage to the college, waits the royal favour, to retrieve it from the disgrace of its present appearance.

The royal foundations in this Castle are, the most noble Order of the Garter, which consists of the Sovereign and 25 Knights Companion; the Royal College of St. George, consisting of a Dean, 12 Canons, seven Minor Canons, 11 Clerks, an Organist, a Verger, and two Sacrists; and the Alms Knights, who are 18 in number, viz. 13 of the royal foundation, and five of the foundation of Sir Peter le Maire, in the reign of James I. The Order of the Garter was instituted by Edward III. in 1349. It is also called the Order of St. George, the patron of England, under whose banner the English always went to war, and St. George's Cross was made the Ensign of the Order. The Garter was at the same time appointed to be worn by the Knights on the left leg, as a principal mark of distinction; not from any regard to a lady's garter," but as a tye or band of association in honour and military virtue, to bind the Knights Companion, strictly to himself, and to each other, in friendship and true agreement, and as an ensign or badge of unity or combination, to promote the honour of God, and the glory and interest of their Sovereign." At that time, King Edward, being engaged in prosecuting, by arms, his right to the crown of France, caused the French motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense, to be wrought in gold letters round the garter, meaning to declare thereby the equity of his intention, and, at the same time, retorting shame and defiance upon him who should dare to think ill of the just enterprise in which he had engaged.

Such is Windsor Castle, and those who have visited it deem it one of the most delightful spots in the world.

WINDSOR LITTLE PÄRK, a fine inclosure, which embraces the north and east side of Windsor Castle, and is about four miles in circumference, declining gently from the terrace to the Thames. It is a charming spot, pleasantly wooded; and there is a row of ancient trees, near the Queen's Lodge, which is said to have been planted by order of Queen Elizabeth, and still retains her

name.

Here also an old oak is said to exist still, by the name of Herne's Oak. The admirer of natural antiquity, who would wish to investigate the subject, will find an ample

account of it in Mr. Gilpin's "Remarks on Forest Scenery." It is thus celebrated by Shakspeare:

There is an old tale goes, that Herne, the hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,
Walk round about an oak, with great ragged horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,

And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain,
In a most hideous and dreadful manner!

Merry Wives of Windsor, Act IV. Sc. IV.

Formerly, numerous herds of deer were kept in this park; but since the year 1785, it has been stocked with sheep and cattle of various denominations; yet there are still some deer remaining, and plenty of hares, which frequently afford his Majesty the diversion of coursing.

WINDSOR GREAT PARK, an extensive park, adjoining to the south side of the town of Windsor. A noble road, near three miles in length, called the Long Walk, and adorned, on each side, with a double plantation of stately trees, leads to the summit of a delightful hill, near the Ranger's Lodge, whence there is a very luxuriant prospect of the Castle, Eton College, and the country beyond. This park possesses a circuit of 14 miles; and, since the death of the late Henry Frederick Duke of Cuinberland, his Majesty has taken it under his own immediate care, and amuses himself in giving it every advantage which the united efforts of good husbandry and landscape improvement can bestow. It consists of near 4000 acres, beautifully diversified in hill and dale; many parts of it nobly planted with venerable bodies of wood, varied with wild and romantic scenery. While this extent of domain remained in the hands of a Ranger, he employed it as a temporary advantage, and never thought of bestowing upon it any permanent improvement: but his Majesty having taken that office upon himself, every rational experiment which can add beauty, or produce advantage, is brought forward; and persons of the first eminence and skill are employed in the execution of a magnificent plan of embellishment in the park; as well as to hold forth an example of improved husbandry to the imitation of the surrounding country. The principal outlines of this plan embrace a vast compass of draining, which is completed, without deformity, after the mode adopted in Essex; an

extensive scene of planting upon the high grounds and eminences, where à grandeur of effect can be produced; a delicate opening of the bottom parts, in order to throw the vales into beautiful savannas; a selection of the fine sylvan parts into harbours for game; with sheep-walks for Jarge flocks; and the formation of two contrasted farms at the opposite ends of the park. The one, from the lightness of the soil, is established on the Norfolk system of husbandry, under a rotation of six course cropping, with all the advantages of tulip cultivation; and the other, which consists of a loamy soil, is carried on in due conformity to the agricultural practice of Flanders, where the course of husbandry almost invariably consists of an alternate crop for man and beast; one of the most productive dispositions to which land can be applied.

WINDSOR FOREST, a forest, which, according to Roque, forins a circuit of 56 miles, abounding with deer and game; and it is a magnificent appendage to Windsor Castle. It was originally formed and preserved for the exercises of the chase, by our ancient sovereigns, and is still employed in those recreations by his present Majesty. This extensive tract of land contains one market-town, and many pleasant villages. The town, named Okingham, or Wokingham, is nine miles from Windsor. Among the villages are East Hamsted, the birth-place of Fenton, the poet, celebrated as a valuable coadjutor of Pope's, in his translation of Homer. Near this, is a Roman camp, called Cæsar's Camp. East of this is Sunning Hill, noted for its mineral waters. But the glory of Windsor Forest is Binfield, near Okingham, where Pope spent his youthful days, and where he composed his Windsor Forest. On one of the trees, in a wood, in this parish, is cut this inscription:

HERE POPE SUNG!

Although much of the soil in Windsor Forest is barren and uncultivated, it is finely diversified with bills, vales, and woods, interspersed with charming seats and elegant villas. It may be truly said to possess those sylvan beauties which invited Pope to make it the subject of his youthful muse, and which will hand down its fame to posterity. See St. Leonard's Hill, New Lodge, and Sophia Farm.

WINDSOR, OLD, a village on the Thames, between New Windsor and Egham, adorned with several hand

some villas; particularly Lord Walsingham's, at the foot of Priest's Hill; The White House, the property of William Pitt, Esq. of Eton, and residence of Rice James, Esq.; Pelling Place, the seat of James Bonnel, Esq.; the elegant house and grounds of Mrs. Hammersley; Crawley House, the seat of Henry Isherwood, Esq.; and Clay Hall, the neat cottage of Mrs. Keppel, and residence of Sir Henry W. Dashwood, Bart. See Beaumont Lodge and

Grove House.

WOBURN FARM, the seat and beautifully ornamented farm of the Hon. Mr. Petre, near Weybridge in Surry. It contains 150 acres, of which 35 are adorned to the highest degree; of the rest, two-thirds are in pasture, and the remainder in tillage. The decorations are communicated, however, to every part; for they are disposed along the sides of a walk, which, with its appendages, forms a broad belt round the grazing grounds, and is continued, though on a more contracted scale, through the arable. This walk is properly a garden; all within it is a farm. These enchanting scenes were formed by the late Philip Southcote, Esq. and exhibit a beautiful specimen of the ferme ornée, of which he was the introducer, or rather inventor; and him, therefore, the Poetical Preceptor of English Gardening thus apostrophizes:

On thee too, Southcote, shall the Muse bestow
No vulgar praise; for thou to humblest things
Couldst give ennobling beauties, deck'd by thee,
The simple farin eclips'd the garden's pride,
Ev'n as the virgin blush of innocence
The harlotry of art!

MASON.

WOODCOTE, now only a single farm-house, in the parish of Beddington, is supposed to have been a Roman station, from many remains of antiquity found here. Camden, and other antiquaries, contend, that this was the city of Noviomagus, mentioned by Ptolemy; which others maintain to have been in Kent.

WOODFORD, a village, eight miles from London, in the road to Epping, has some agreeable villas on each side of the road, which command fine prospects over a beautiful country. The most worthy of notice are, Woodford Hall, close to the church, the seat of John Goddard, Esq.; Prospect House, the property of J. Proctor, Esq.;