The parterre is divided by walks into a great number beds, where all kinds of beautiful flowers are to be seen; and in its centre stands a basin of water stocked with golden fish. The flower garden leads to the menagerie, which is of an oval form, and enclosed by a range of pens, or large cages, wherein are kept great numbers of Chinese and Tartarian pheasants, besides many sorts of other large foreign birds. A pleasant pool relieves the scene, from the middle of which rises a pavilion, designed in imitation of a Chinese open Ting, and executed in the year 1760. Near the menagerie stands the temple of Bellona, and passing in the direction of the lake, in a retired solitary walk to the left, is the temple of the god Pan.

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Not far from the last-mentioned temple, on eminenee, stands the temple of Eolus; and at the head of the lake, near this temple, stands a Chinese octagon building, commonly called the house of Confucius. Its walls and ceiling are painted with grotesque ornaments, and some historical subjects relating to Confucius, with several transactions of the Christian missions in China. A winding walk, on the right of the grove, leads to an open plain, on one side of which, backed by thickets, on a rising ground, is placed a Corinthian colonnade, designed and built in the year 1769, and called the theatre of Augusta.

The Temple of Victory is the next building that presents itself to view. It stands upon a hill, and was built in commemoration of the signal victory obtained on the of August, 1759, near Minden, by the allied army under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, over the French army commanded by Marshal de Contades.

The figure is the circular peripteros; the order Ionie fluted, and richly finished. The cell which commands a pretty view towards Richmond, and likewise over Middlesex, is neatly finished with stucco ornaments. Those in the ceiling represent standards, and other French trophies. The whole was designed and executed soon after the battle which it commemorates.

Near the great pagoda, on a rising ground, backed with thickets, stands the Mosque. The body of the building consists of an octagon saloon in the centre, flanked with two cabinets, finishing with one large and two small domes. The former is crowned with a crescent, and its upright part contains twenty-eight little arches, which give light to the saloon. On the three front sides of the central octagon, are three doors, giving entrance to the building, over each of which is an Arabic inscription, in golden characters, extracted from the Alcoran. The minarets are placed at each end of the principal building. The whole exterior decoration is in imitation of Turkish architecture. The interior, however, is not exactly after that style. At the right angles of the room are palm-trees modelled in stucco, painted and varnished with various hues of green, in imitation of nature. At the top they spread and support the dome, represented as formed of reeds bound together with ribbands of silk. The cove is supposed to be perforated, and a brilliant sunny sky appears, finely executed by Wilson, the celebrated landscape painter.

In the direction from the Mosque towards the palace, is a Gothic building, and the Gallery of Antiques is an object of great beauty and interest. Continuing your way from the last-mentioned building, near the banks of the lake stands the temple of Arethusa, a small Ionic

building of four columns. Near it a bridge is thrown over a narrow channel of water, and leads to the island in the lake. The design is taken from one of Palladio's wooden bridges. There is nothing very remarkable in its construction, except, perhaps, that it was erected in one night.

Kew appears to have been at all times the favourite retreat of royalty and distinction. In the Harleian collection of MSS. in the British Museum, there is the following paper, containing an account of the preparations made for the reception of Queen Elizabeth by the steward of Sir John Puckering, lord keeper of the great seal at that time, on the occasion of her Majesty's visiting the knight at his house at Kew:

"Remembrances for furniture at Kew, and for her Majesty's entertainment, 14th August, 1594.

"A memorial of things to be considered of, if her Majesty should come to my lord's house.

"1. The maner of receyvynge bothe whout the house and within, as well by my lord as my ladye.

"2. What presents shall be given by my lord, when and by whom it shall be presented, and whether any more than one.

"3. The like for my ladye.

"What presents my lord shall bestowe of the ladyes of the privye chamber or bed-chamber, the groomes of the privye chamber, and gentlemen ushers and other officers, clerks of the kitchen, or otherwise.

"5. What rewards shall be given to the footmen, gardes, and other officers.

"6. The purveyed diet for the Queen, wherein are to be used her own cooks, and other officers for that purpose.

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7. The diet for the lords and ladies, and some fit

place for that purpose specially appoynted.

"8. The allowance for diet for the footmen and gardes.

"9. The appoyntment of my lord's officers, to attend on their several offices, with sufficient assistants unto them for that time.

"10. The orderinge of all my lord's servants for their waiting, both gentlemen and yeomen, and how they shall be sorted to their several offices and places.

"11. The proporcyon of diett fitted to eache place of service; plate, linen, and silver vessels.

"12. To furnish how there will be uppon a soddeyne provision of all things for that diett made and of the best kinds, and what several persons shall undertake it.

"13. As it must be for metes, so in like sort for bredd, ale, and wynes of all sortes.

"14. The like for banketting stuffs.

"15. The swetynyng of the howse in all places by any means.

"16. Grete care to be had, and conference with the gentlemen ushers, how her Majesty would be lodged for her best ease and likinge, far from heate or noyse of any office near her lodgyng, and how her bed-chamber may be kept free from any noyse near it.

"17. My lord's attendance at her departure from his howse, and his companye.

"Ladies' diet for bed-chamber.

"Ladies, some lodged besydes ordinarie.

"Lord Chamberlayne in the house.

"Lord of Essex near, and all his plate from me, and diett for his servants at his lodgyngs."

These arrangements of the worthy steward seemed to

have been conducted to the perfect satisfaction of her Majesty, for, as we learn from the Sidney state papers, she honoured my lord keeper with a second visit in the ensuing year. "On Thursday," says Rowland White, in a letter to Sir Robert Sidney, "her Majesty dined at Kew, my lord-keeper's howse (who lately obtained of her Majesty his sute for 1007. a-yeare land, in fee-farm). Her intertainment for that meale was great and exceeding costly. At her first lighting, she had a fine fanne, with a handle garnisht with diamonds. When she was in the middle way, between the garden gate and the howse, there came running towards her, one with a nosegay in his hand, and delivered yt unto her with a short wellpened speech. It had in it a very rich jewell, with many pendants of unfirld diamonds, valued at 4007. at least. After dinner, in her privy chamber, he gave her a faire pair of virginals. For her bed-chamber he presented her with a fine gown and juppin, which things were pleasing to her highness; and to grace his lordship the more, she, of herself, tooke from him a salt, a spoone, and a forke of fair agate."

We must not forget to mention the celebrated exotic garden at Kew, established in the year 1760, by the Princess Dowager. In consequence of the increase of the collection, it was found necessary to build a new house, one hundred and ten feet in length, for the reception of African plants only.