Who has not heard of Richmond Hill; and who ever saw it, and was not enchanted with the rich land. scape which it presents? Windsor, Harrow, Hamp ton-court, Twickenham, Petersham, the winding sil very Thames, and a whole country filled with villas, turrets, woods, and richly cultivated fields, ravish the eye of the spectator. The prospect cannot be de scribed in more correct language than in that of Thomson, who resided many years at the house in Kew Foot Lane, now called Rossdale House *.

Enchanting vale! beyond whate'er the Muse
Has of Achaia, or Hesperia sung!

O vale of bliss! O softly swelling hills!
On which the power of Cultivation lies,

And joys to see the wonder of his toil.

Heavn's! what a goodly prospect spread around,

Of hills and dales, and woods, and lawns, and spires,
And glittering towns, and gilded streams.

A little beyond the Star and Garter, and close to the newly-built mansion of the late Sir Lionel Darell, is the entrance into Richmond Great Park, an inclosure of eight miles in circumference, and containing 2,253 acres. Nature has disposed the ground of this park to great advantage, and his present majesty has projected a great variety of improvements, which promise to render it one of the most beautiful parks in the kingdom.

The Star and Garter, at the top of Richmond Hill, is a well conducted tavern, enjoying all the prospects, and affording excellent accommodations and entertainment to strangers. On Sundays it is in general so crowded, that to secure accommodation it is proper to

*This illustrious poet lies buried at the west end of the north aisle of Richmond church. The house in which he formerly resided, deserves the notice of the stranger. It has been enlarged since his time, but his favourite seat in the garden is still preserved, as well as the table on which he used to write.

bespeak a room some days before-hand. The Castle, below the bridge, is also a most excellent tavern, and enjoys the advantage of a beautiful bowling-green, which extends to the water-side. The Taibot, which faces the bridge, is not inferior to either of the others, in point of accommodation.

An excursion upon the water to Twickenham or Hampton court, is among the delightful recreations which offer themselves at Richmond.

The Earl of Besborough's.

About two miles from the Star and Garter, across the Great Park, at Roehampton, stands the classical house and gardens of the Earl of Besborough, in which are contained some valuable antiques, and some capital pictures of the Italian and Flemish Schools. Roehampton also contains several other charming villas.

Wimbledon Park,

Across Putney Heath, about a mile and a half from Roehampton, and six miles from Westminster Bridge, is the entrance into Wimbledon Park, the property of Earl Spencer, whose elegant mansion was destroyed by fire in 1785. The park contains about 1200 acres, and exhibits a beautiful variety of surface, laid out with exquisite taste.

Sion House.

Above the new palace at Kew, on the opposite bank of the Thames, facing Richmond gardens, is situated Sion House, the seat of the Duke of Northum berland. It forms a large quadrangle, and is in all respects fitted up in a style suitable to the unequalled opulence of its owner, The great hall, which is paved with black and white marble, is sixty-six feet by thirtyt one, and thirty-four high, contains some antique colossal statues, and a cast of the Dying Gladiator, in

bronze, by Valadier. Adjoining to the hall is most magnificent vestibule, furnished with twelve columns of the Ionic order, and sixteen pilasters of verd antique, purchased at an immense expence, and being the greatest quantity of that valuable species of marble, which is to be found in any single building in Europe. The dining-room is ornamented with marble statues, and paintings in chiaro obscuro The ceil. ing of the drawing-room is ornamented with designs of all the antique paintings that have been found in Europe. The Mosaic work of which the tables are composed, was found in Titus's baths, at Rome. The glasses are the largest in England, being nine feet long, by five feet five inches wide. The magnificent library extends the whole length of the eastern quad. rangle, and is 130 feet by fourteen. The house was finished by Adam, and the gardens by Brown.

Osterly Park.

This delightful spot, situated nine miles from London, in the parish of Heston, formerly belonged to Sir Thomas Gresham, Sir William Waller, and others. In the beginning of this century it was purchased by Sir Francis Child. The park, finely wooded, is six miles in circumference. The house, rebuilt by Francis Child, Esq. in 1760, is a magnificent structure, extending 140 feet from east to west, and 117 feet from north to south. The apartments are spacious, and are fitted up with the richest hangings of silk, velvet, and goblin tapestry, elegantly sculptured marbles, &c.; the decorations display the talents of Mr. Adam, the architect, and Zucchi, the painter; they were fitted up by the late Robert Child, Esq. who suc ceeded his brother Francis, in 1763. From the lodges, a spacious road is entered, between two fine sheets of water, which gives great beauty and variety to this part of the park. On the north shore of one of these is a menagerie. Strangers are permitted to drive through

the park, and to visit the house, any day, excepting Sunday, by applying to Mr. Dent, at Messrs. Child and Co.'s, London, for a ticket for that purpose.

TWICKENHAM.

This village, distinguished by the immense number of beautiful seats and villas which adorn it, is ten miles from Hyde Park Corner, and about three from Richmond,

Strawberry Hill.

Its chief ornament is Strawberry Hill, the seat of the late Horace Walpole, and now of the honourable and ingenious Mrs. Damer. It is built in the Gothic style, within and without, from models of cathedrals in various parts of the kingdom. The windows also are ornamented with stained glass. It has filled volumes to describe all the curiosities of Strawberry Hill, and only to name the principal ones would exceed our limits. The house is not large, nor the rooms numerous, but the pictures, sculptures, reliques, antiques, books, and curiosities of every kind, are of inestimable value. The rooms consist of the little parlour, the blue breakfasting-room, the library, the starchamber, the Holbein chamber, the gallery, the round-room, the tri bune, or cabinet, the great bed-chamber, and the small library. The garden is laid out with great taste. and contains a Gothic chapel, containing a curious Mosaic shrine,

While viewing this interesting spot, the stranger fancies himself in a state of enchantment; the singu Tarity, harmony, and splendour, of the whole, exceed any thing which is perhaps to be found in any part of the world.

The house may be viewed by tickets, which admit four persons at once, any time between May the 1st, and October the 1st, on application to Mrs. Damer, either at Twickenham, or at her town house, No. 18, Upper Brook strcet, Grosvenor-square,

Pope's House.

This beautiful villa, on the banks of the Thames, was formerly the residence of Mr. Pope, whose fafavourite employment was to improve his house and gardens. Every memorial relative to the poet has been preserved with religious care.

Whitton Place.

Whitton Place is another of the numerous houses near Twickenham, which deserve to be visited by a stranger. Having been inhabited by two eminent artists, Sir Godfrey Kneller, and Sir William Cham bers, each of them exercised his own professional skill in the embellishments of the house and gardens.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE.

This magnificent royal palace, situated three miles beyond Twickenham, and thirteen from London, was built originally by Cardinal Wolsey, and afterwards rebuilt by William the Third, under the direction of Sir Caristopher Wren. The grand facade next the gardens, is 33 feet in length, and that next the Thames is 328 feet.

The palace consists of three principal quandrangles; the western, or entrance court, is 197 feet by 141, the middle, or clock court, is 133 feet by 91; and the eastern, or fountain-court, is 111 feet by 117. Charles I. was a state prisoner in this palace; Cromwell afterwards resided here, and it was occasionally inhabited by Charles and James II. It was the favourite resi pence of William III. and frequently occupied by Anne and George I. and II, but his present majesty has never resided here.

The park and gardens are three miles in circumference. In the wilderness is a maze, which furnishes much amusement to those who do not understand the secret by which it is entered. In the Grape-house is the famous vine which in one year produced 2,200 bunches of grapes, averaging one pound weight each.