virtue and virtuous men, and, by the force of example, contributes to the deftruction of all around him. The error in that religion which may be termed modern is, that it merges into a few moral duties decently performed, and an external demeanour that does not ftrike as improper; but all this, independent of religion, is required by the laws, and is found to be confiftent with interest and convenience. It is not from fuch a fyftem, which is but a flight improvement on the philofophy of the heathens, that we can expect fuperior minds meditating and practifing fuperior virtues. This is a plain, beaten track, flat, and without objects of grandeur or fublimity, nothing that ftrikes, and nothing that elevates. To walk in it is both neceflary and con venient, and the performance, therefore, can claim little merit. In a word, if religion, in order that it may be palatable, is thus to be refolved into certain moral duties, and if there are only those to be performed, and nothing to be believed, it does not feem that a revelation was wanted to make men wiser or better, fince we have found it neceffary to borrow fo little from that revelation. And thofe, who by fuch ill-timed conceffions to the paflions of a luxurious age, are thus rendering infidelity pleafing by a thin covering of Chrif tianity, would certainly have attained, their purpofe more expeditioufly and candidly, had they recommended the apofles recorded by Diogenes Laertius, and exchanged the epistles of. St. Paul for thofe of Seneca. An Account of STRAWBERRY HILL, at Twickenham, the Villa of the Earl of Orford: With a beautiful Perfpective View of that elegant Gothic Structure. STR TRAWBERRY HILL, the elegant villa of the earl of Orford, is not only celebrated for the beauty of its Gothic conftruction, the fine collection of paintings, and the numerous valuable curiofities it contains, but for being the rural retreat of a perfon, who has fo much diftinguished himself by his literary productions as his lordship did, while only the honourable Horace Walpole. It is feated at Twickenham, in Middlefex, on a fine afcent from the Thames; commanding views of Twickenham, Richmond Hill and Park, Ham, Kingston, &c. This beautiful little ftructure, formed from felect parts of Gothic architecture in cathedrals, chapel-tombs, &c. was wholly built, at different times, by his lordship, whofe fine tafte is difplayed in the elegant embellishments of the edifice, and in the choice colletion of pictures, fculptures, antiquities, and curiofities that adorn it; many of which have been purchafed from fome of the firft cabinets in Europe. The approach to the houfe, through a grove of lofty trees; the embattled wall, overgrown with ivy 3 the fpiry pinnacles, and gloomy caft of the buildings; give it the air of an ancient abbey, and fill the beholder with awful admiration; especially on entering the gate, where a fmall oratory, inclofed with iron rails, and a cloifter behind it, appear in the fore court. On entering the houfe, you are led through a small hall and paffage, lighted with painted glafs windows, into a large parlour, hung with the portraits of fir Robert Walpole, his two wives and children, and other family pictures; one of which, by Reynolds, contains the portraits of the three ladies Waldegrave, daughters of the duchess of Gloucefter. The window has many pieces of painted glaís, as have all the windows in every room; and the chimney-piece, chairs, table, &c. are Gothic; as are, alfo, most of the chimney-pieces and furniture, throughout the house. The breakfast room contains two frames, and fome little ebony cabiK k nets, nets, containing feveral exquifite miniatures of the Digby family, by Ifaac and Peter Oliver, and others by Petitot, &c. Two other pictures here deserve attention: one reprefents Charles II in a garden, and his gardener on his knee, prefenting the firft pine-apple raised in England: the other, a charming portrait of Cowley, when young, as a fhepherd, by fir Peter Lely. In this room is a clofet, in which are many miniature and other pictures; particularly one, by Hogarth, of Sarah Malcolm in Newgate; and a good view, by Scott, of the Thames at Twickenham. In a niche, on the ftairs, is the curious armour, emboffed with gold, of Francis I, of France. Near it is other armour, of different countries; and an ancient picture, on board, of Henry V and his family. The library contains a felect cok lection of books, and books of prints, among which are many volumes of English portraits, from the earliest to the prefent times. The Holbein chamber is adorned with pictures, chiefly by and after Holbein particularly, the Triumph of Riches and Poverty, by Zucchero. Part of this room is feparated by a Gothic fcreen, behind which ftands a handsome bed, the canopy of which is crowned with a plume of red and white oftrich feathers. By the fide of the bed hangs the red hat of cardinal Wolfey. The gallery, the fplendour and elegance of which we will not attempt to defcribe, as no defcription can do it juftice, contains many good pic tures, chiefly portraits, among which are, the malage of Henry VII and Elifabeth of York, Mabeufe; fir Francis Walfingham, Zucchero; admiral Montague earl of Sandwich, Lely; fir George Villiers, Janfen; George Villiers duke of Buckingham, Rubens; Sophia countefs of Granville, Rofalba; Men at Cards, Miel; a landscape, Pouffin; Anne duchefs of York, Mrs. Beale; the wife of alderman Leneve, Lely; Henry Jermyn earl of St. Alban's; James fecond ear Waldegrave, Reynolds; the bashaw Bonneval, Liotard; Henry lord Hol land, ditto; alderman Leneve, fine, Lely; John lord Sheffield, fir Anthony More; Virgin and Child, John Davis, efq; Mr. Leneve, Janfen, Margaret of Valois duchefs of Savoy, fir Ant. More; Maria countefs Waldegrave, Reynolds; Mr. Law, Rofalba; earl of Hertford, ditto; Frances countess of Exeter, Vandyck; fir Godfrey Kneller, by himself; Catherine Sedley countefs of Dorchefter, Dahl; madame de Sevigné; Girl fcowering pots, Watteau; Sevonyans, the painter, by himself; Mary queen of France and Charles Brandon duke of Suffolk; Tobit burying the dead, fine, Caftiglione; Catherine de Medicis and her children, Janet; Griffiere, the painter, Zouft; a portrait, Giorgione; a flower-piece, old Baptift; Anne countefs of Dorfet and Pembroke; Thomas duke of Norfolk, fir Anthony More; Henry Carey lord Falkland, whole length, Vanfomer; Frances duchess of Richmond, ditto, Mark Garrard ; Ludowic Stuart duke of Richmond, whole length; Thomas lord Howard of Bindon, ditto; feveral landscapes and fea-pieces, Scott. In one of the receffes, on an antique pedestal, is a noble buft of Vefpafian, in black marble. In the other recefs, on an antique pedeftal, adorned with fatyrs heads, and foliage, in relief, stands the famous eagle, of Greek workmanhip, one of the finest pieces of faulpture known: it was found in the Baths of Caracalla, at Rome. On, and under the tables, are other pieces of ancient fculpture, in bufts and urns. On the japan cabinets are fome choice fpecimens of Roman earthen ware, finely painted and well preserved. In the windows, and other parts of the room, are feveral good bronzes. The round room, lighted by a bow window of fine painted gafs, is richly ornamented, and has a beautiful chimney-piece of marble, gilt, and inlaid with fcagliola. The few pictures in this room are by great malers; viz. Mrs. Mrs. Lemon, the mistress of Van- the mosaic of the windows and the dyck, by himself; the Education of ftar in the ceiling; and the gilt Jupiter, N. Pouffin; Bianca Capella, mouldings and ornaments; all conVafari; Jacob leaving Laban, Sal- fpire to throw fuch a golden gloom vator Rofa; a landfcape with rocks, over the whole room, as to give it Gobbo Caracci; Dorothy and Lucy the folemn air of a Romih chapel; Percy, counteffes of Leicester and especially when firft viewed through the Carlisle, Vandyck; a charming land- grated door. The pictures, bronzes, fcape, Paul Brill. antiquities, gems, and curiofities, are too numerous to be detailed. But one thing we must notice; a small filver bell, of the most exquifite workmanfhip, covered over with lizards, graffhoppers, and other infects, in the highest relief, by Benvenuto Cellini. In feveral parts of the house are pieces of fculpture, and modellings in terra-cotta, by Mrs. Damer; and drawings and modellings in wax, by lady Diana Beauclerk. The garden is laid out in the medern ftyle; and, in the encircling wood, is a neat Gothic chapel, erected on purpose to contain a curious mofaic monument (fent from Rome) the work of Peter Cavalini, who made the tomb of Edward the Confeffor in Westminster-abbey. In the great bedchamber are a state bed of French tapestry, rich in feftoons of the most beautiful flowers, the curtains lined with crimson filk, and the tefter adorned with plumes of oftrich feathers; and a handsome Gothic ftone chimney-piece, enriched with gilt ornaments. Here is, alfo, a glass closet, furnished with many curiofities and antiquities, and a beautiful little ebony cabinet, inlaid with polished ftones and medallions, and embellished with feveral charming drawings by lady Diana Beauclerk. The chief pictures in this room are, Philip earl of Pembroke and Montgomery, whole length; Henry VIII, and his children, on board; Margaret Smith, whole length, Vandyck; Catharine queen of Charles II, in a re- - Adjoining the wood, is the delightmarkable dress; Henry VII, a fine ful retreat of the late Mrs. Clive, the portrait, on board; Rehearsal of an actrefs; which Mr. Walpole gave to opera, Marco Ricci; Ogleby, the her for her life; and in the gardens poet, in his thirt; fketch of the Beg- of which, fince her death, he has gar's Opera, Hogarth; Prefentation placed an urn, adorned with masks, in the temple, Rembrandt; countefs on a pedeftal, and the following lines, of Grammont, after Lely; duchefs to her memory: de Mazarine; Ninon l'Enclos, original; Richard I, prifoner to the archduke of Auftria, Mieris; duchefs de la Valiere; madame de Maintenon; Frances Jennings, duchefs of Tyrconnel; a landscape and cattle, G. Pouffin; two views of Venice, Marieíki. The cabinet. This little room is beyond conception splendid and enchanting. Entire windows of painted glafs, in which are large heads of Chrift and two apoftles, furrounded with beautiful mofaics; a large ftar of yellow-ftained glafs in the centre of the dome; the carpet, imitating Ye fimiles and jefts, still hover round; H. W HISTORY of the Memorable Siege of BREDA, in the Year 1625. The very flight Defence made by the Governor of Breda, on the late French Invafion of Holland, must appear jurtrifing to those who recollect the memorable Siege which that City Juftained, in 1625, against the Spanish Army, commanded by the Marquis de Spinola, then the first General in the World. The Hiftory of this Siege is the more memorable, as it is fearce poffible to say which was the most worthy of Admiration-the heroic Valour of the Garrijon, for upward of ten Months, or the Humanity and Magnanimity of the Spanish Commander when he had achieved his important Conquest, T HE citadel of Breda, which formed the refidence of the princes of Orange, was furrounded by a ditch of prodigious depth filled with water, and a strong wall defended by three great bastions; and the arsenal was celebrated for its extent, and the vast quantities of arms and military ftores it contained. Spinola, perfectly acquainted with the ftrength of the place, thought he fhould expofe his whole army to imminent deftruction, should he attempt an affault before he had regularly carried on his approaches. He even refolved upon reducing the city by famine, as the method attended with leaft danger to his army; and accordingly began with drawing trenches round, for the fpace of four miles, erecting forts and redoubts at certain distances. On the other hand, the garrison, confifting of feven thousand infantry, and feveral troops of horse, composed of English, French, and Dutch foldiers, took the moft vigorous measures for their own defence. The English were under the command of colonel Morgan, who had frequently diftinguished his valour in the fervice of the ftates: the Frencl. were directed by colonel de Hauterive; and the Dutch troops were fubject to the immediate orders of colonel Lohre, though the whole received their inftructions from Juftin de Naffau, the governor. The firft advantage was gained by Baglioni, who feized a large convoy of provifions and ftores coming up the river, converting the boats into a bridge. This lofs difpirited the beficged, and reduced them to a flated allowance of bread; and what added to their misfortunes, though they were ignorant of it, was the death of prince Maurice, from whom they were in hopes of receiving relief. Meanwhile Spinola profecuted the fiege with the utmost diligence and vigour. On his pushing the trenches near the baftions, the beteged began a terrible fire to retard his approaches, and kept it up with fuch vehemence and obitinacy, that Spinola was in hopes they muft foon furrender for want of ammunition. But here he formed a falfe judgment of the prudence of Juftin de Naffau, who finding he could not accomplish his purpose by his firing, refolved to try the effect of water. With this view, he ftopped up the course of the river Marck; and having formed a large bason of water, opened the fluices, wept away men, horfes, and houses, in an inundation, and overflowed the whole country. The chief force of the torrent fell upon Spinola's quarters, and he exerted his utmost ability to remove the confequences. He dug large pits, and cut out ditches and canals to receive the water; but these being filled, and the whole ground covered over, fo as to appear one uniform mass of water, ferved only to entrap his cavalry. The inundation was augmented by the rains which happened to fall; a mortality among the foldiers and horfes enfued; and of his whole army, Spinola had scarce |