called Leicefter buildings, which, though the most modern erection, is yet approaching nearest to decay. This may in fome measure arise from the brown and perishable stone of which it is conftructed, but principally from the depredations that have been made on it, for the fake of the materials, which have either been applied in raifing new buildings, or in repairing the roads in the neighbourhood.

EXTENSIVE and magnificent as these ruins appear to be, and interesting as they certainly are, to the curious obferver, they yet fail in fixing determinately the eye of the artist, which is conftantly wandering, and knows not where to reft, but fancies a thoufand beautiful combinations for a picture, that, when attempted to be put on paper, are found to want fomething neceffary towards producing a true picturefque effect. The main. objects are too much fcattered

and

and broken to form one general mass or combination that may ftrike, and the whole pile wants due elevation to give it pictorial expreffion. The country around is likewise flat and uninterefting; yet, with all its disadvantages, the mind is fo captivated by the furrounding features of the landscape, that it knows not how to quit this fascinating scene. Under this impulse, I made several other attempts to sketch these noble remains in various points of view; but they all fell fo fhort of the general idea I entertained of the place, that I defisted, and was determined to rest on the one prefixed to this fection.

THE view which comprises Cæfar's tower and Leicester buildings, cannot, by the curious traveller, be paffed unnoticed ; the latter is overgrown with fhrubs and ivy, in a form peculiarly diversified, and presents an object highly picturesque

and

and romantic. The fplendid remain of the grand banquetting hall in Leicester buildings, is eighty-fix feet in length, and forty-five in width. Beneath one of the windows, in the outer part of this building, is affixed a flat ftone, on which appears the date 1571. This hall conftituted the principal part, in point of magnificence, of this once ftately manfion. The venerable Gothic groined arches, and beautiful antique fragments, the lofty and once ftately windows, now fallen to decay, cannot but yield a melancholy fenfation to the contemplative mind, fuggesting the flow but fure decay of human greatnefs, and the futility of every object on which the pride of man seems to depend.

In this temper of mind let us turn our thoughts to the once flourishing state of this ruin, in the baronial reign of our Elizabeth. At that period we find it recorded, in a letter written

written by one Langham, an attendant of the court and who was present at the entertainment given at Kenelworth caftle by the Earl of Leicester to the Queen, during her fummer's progrefs in 1579. In the quaint ftyle of the times, it runs thus: "Who that confiderz untoo the stately feat "of Kenelwoorth caftl, the rare beauty of

bilding that his honor hath avaunced; all "of the hard quarry ftone: every room fo

fpacioous, fo well belighted, and fo hye "roofed within: fo feemly too fight by due

proportion without: a day time on every "fide fo glittering by glaffes; a nights, by "continuall brightneffe of candel, fyre, “and torch-light, tranfparent thro' lyght"fom wyndoz, az it wear the Egiptian "Pharos relucent unto all the Alexandrian "coaft: or els (too talke merily with my

mery freend), thus radiaunt, az thoogh "Phœbus for hiz eaz woold reft him in the

"castle, and not every night fo to travel "dooun