which occasion the damage done to the country below was so serious, that it was deemed expedient to extend the boundaries of the Lake rather than incur the risk of another overthrow.

The only remains of this work are the foundations of the original "Wheatsheaf," a humble road-side inn, which can still be seen half-way across the Lake whenever the water is drawn off.

VIRGINIA. It is difficult to determine the origin of this name. The idea that Queen Elizabeth in any of her hunting exploits took particular notice of this spot, is very doubtful. The most reasonable account is that it was borrowed from the great state of Virginia in America, which had been so called in honour of Elizabeth, and that the Duke of Cumberland appropriated it in his ambition to represent in miniature the forest scenery of that country.

In 1782, the lands adjoining the original Lake were purchased by the Crown for the purpose of its enlargement to its present boundaries. This was effected in 1790 by the Second Duke of Cumberland, who, succeeding his uncle as Ranger, lived to see the water flow over the Cascade,-his proudest achievement, and died the following year.

Throughout the formation of Virginia Water the Dukes of Cumberland were guided by the taste and skill of Paul Sandby, a landscape gardener, who had

accompanied the first Duke as artist during his Scotch campaign, and who afterwards became a celebrated water-colour painter. His drawings, especially those of this neighbourhood, are highly valued still, and many of them have been engraved.

We will add a few more particulars only. Virginia Water, as an artificial sheet of water, ranks next to Blenheim Lake in extent, and covers about 150 acres. Its entire length, from China Island to the Iron-gates, is 3720 yards, or 2 miles and 200 yards.

Although few have been allowed the privilege of rowing upon its waters, many have enjoyed the healthy exercise of Skating here in severe winters. The last time the public were thus indulged was on January 8, 1864, a day to be well remembered by those present, not only on account of the assemblage of skaters and hockey-players-the Prince of Wales being among the number, and the Princess in all the bloom of early womanhood looking on from her sleigh-but as having become the birth-day of that little Prince, ALBERT VICTOR, born to so high an estate amongst us, and called by such exalted names.

It may be interesting to some to learn that Virginia Water stands in three parishes Old Windsor, Egham, and Sunning-and that the boundary line of Berkshire and Surrey passes across its centre.

Passing under some fine Scotch firs, we reach an

open space covered with velvet sward. Here we stand upon the old coach-road which formerly ran from Windsor to Guildford. On our right are the landing-steps for Royal boating parties; and, close by, the shattered trunk of what was once one of the finest Beech trees in the forest. In our guide-books of twenty years ago, this tree was especially noticed and extolled for its grandeur and symmetry; but, one by one, its branches have withered away, and the storm which overwhelmed those stately ships in the Bay of Biscay (January 1866), and which felled or damaged 6000 trees in this Royal Forest, dashed the shattered remnant of this proud veteran to the ground!

THE RUINS.-Turning to tho left we see those ancient columns and capitals which have for many years lent an additional interest to this locality; and which, awakening a feeling of veneration within us as we approach, bid us tread softly and speak low, as if in the presence of spirits more exalted than our

own.

There is in such ruins as these a mysterious power which the noblest structure of to-day cannot possess. Was Rome's Coliseum the object of that reverential wonderment when it reflected back in its brightness the meridian sun-light, that it now is, "a ruin-yet what a ruin ?" Did Tyntern Abbey, or Melrose, or

Raglan Castle, create that intense feeling of delight and love in their founders' days, that their ivy-mantled walls and broken arches call forth to us? 0,1 and so we take up the words of Childe Harold, and realise their truth indeed :

"There is given

no;

Unto the things of earth which Time hath bent
A spirit's feeling, and where he hath leant
His hand, but broke his scythe, there is a power
And magic in the ruin'd battlement

For which the palace of the present hour

Must yield its pomp, and wait till ages are its dower." [CANTO IV., 129.]

We have experienced very great difficulty in our endeavours to elucidate the history of these Ruins. For some unaccountable reason everything connected with them has been shrouded in obscurity, and we do not feel justified even now in speaking decidedly upon them. This much, however, we are enabled to assert,that, at the request of George IV., they were, for the most part, brought from Tripoli in North Africa, under the direction of Sir Frederick Ponsonby, when Governor of Malta. But whether he collected them all or a portion only we have not been able to determine.*

* Colonel Ponsonby, one of Her Majesty's Equerries, has very courteously communicated these facts to us, and Lady Ponsonby

When first brought to England in 1825, they were deposited for some time in the vaults of the British Museum, and it was not until 1827- that they were placed in their present position by Sir J. Wyattville.

We regret that it is not in our power to state what was the character of the edifices to which they originally belonged, or to what Deities they were dedicated.

We are induced to think that, as they now stand, there is a composite character about them-that the capitals do not always belong to the columns, nor the columns always to their basements. That they all are, however, genuine ancient ruins, there cannot be any doubt. It is probable that the greater part are from 1800 to 2000 years old, and it is very possible that some portions among them are of much greater antiquity. Although of Grecian type, they are of Roman origin, belonging to the third or Corinthian Order of Architecture, which the Romans so thoroughly adopted as to consider their own-much in the same way as we have espoused the Gothic for our ecclesiastical edifices.

These Ruins being Roman, and coming from Tripoli, a twofold interest is attached to them; for they speak

has most kindly exerted herself to discover among Sir Frederick's papers a more detailed account of the part he took in this matter. But, hitherto, nothing of any importance has been discovered; whilst the dates upon the letters relating to these Ruins have tended to increase rather than diminish our difficulties.