about seventy years back, is thus described in a MS. among the collections by Dr. Rawlinson, deposited in the Bodleian Library :"Near Sandford was a nunnery termed Mincheree, perhaps from Minchon Ree, Minchon signifying a nun. There are the ruins of many buildings yet remaining, particularly a long stack of building standing north and south. The north end thereof I judge to be the common hall, at the end of which stood the chapel, as appears by many stone coffins and bones frequently dug up there. It was formerly well wooded, and had pleasant walks about it, and many fish-ponds, some of which remain." The seal of the nunnery, a man in a gown, with flowing hair, was found by a farmer, about the year 1762, and was shewn to the Society of Antiquaries, by the Bishop of Carlisle.

NUNEHAM-COURTENAY, the seat of the Earl of Harcourt, demands particular notice. Taste, liberality, and domestic virtue, have united to adorn its halls and to spread a charm over every surrounding feature. Poetic genius flew to the happy spot as a secure asylum, and sanctified the shades with its effusions, while it instilled its spirit into every new disposal of the scene.

At the Norman Survey, the manor of Nuneham belonged to Richard de Curci: afterwards to the family of Riparys, or Redvers. Mary, youngest daughter of William de Redvers, Earl of Devon, (who, as well as his Uncle William, was surnamed, De Vernon) married Robert de Courtenay, Baron of Okehampton, in 1214. It is probable, that by this marriage the manor was carried into the family of Courtenay, and thence assumed the name of Nuneham-Courtenay.

After them succeeded Sir John Pollard, of Devon. From the Pollards it came to Audley, of the court of wards, called the rich Audley. From him to Robert Wright, Bishop of Litchfield, whose son, Calvert Wright, sold it to John Robinson, of London, merchant, knighted in 1660, by King Charles II. and made lieutenant of the tower. From the Robinsons it descended to David, Earl of Wemys, (who married Mary, daughter and coheiress of Sir John Robinson, Bart.) from whom it was pur

chased,

chased, in 1710, by Simon, first Lord Harcourt, Lord Chanchellor of England *.

The park contains near twelve hundred acres, and evinces, in every division, great richness of natural circumstance, improved by the hand of reverential, rather than of presumptuous, art. Perhaps the talent of Brown, who assisted in the arrangement of the grounds, was never displayed to greater advantage. Each artifice to heighten pictorial effect is so judiciously concealed, that the whole seems graceful in the simplicity of nature, though no superabundance obstructs the wishes of refined taste. From various points are obtained views of the Witenham Hills, of a part of Buckinghamshire, and the high elevations above the vale of White Horse. A drive is formed, which conducts to the chief objects of interest in the park, and continues through a wood that falls with a steep descent to the river Isis, the bank of which is here very abruptly and finely broken by steep and bold projections. On quitting this wood the house and river appear with new features, and the prospect is terminated by Shotover Hill. The Drive then circles round a grove, and passes a conduit, which formerly stood near Carfax Church, Oxford; but which was taken down in 1787, and presented to his lordship by the University. †

The house is situated on the slope of a hill, and the front placed towards the ascent. From this circumstance of situation all striking beauty of approach is forbidden; but groupes of spread

ing

This notice of the descent of the property is taken from an account written by the late Earl of Harcourt, but not published, to which we are indebted for many particulars, merely relating to matters of fact, in the ensuing pages. It may be added, that, from a memorandum among Dr. Rawlinson's papers in the Bodleian Library, the estate, with the annexed advowson, appears to have cost the Lord Chancellor Harcourt 17,0001.

This conduit contains much curious masonry, and was erected in 1617, at the expense of Otho Nicholson, M. A. of Christ Church, for the purpose of supplying the different colleges and halls of Oxford with water from North. Hinksey.

ing elms are united to the building by side-skreens of shrubbery, and impart a powerful effect of contrast to the extensive views commanded by the back-front of the edifice. The front is a handsome stone elevation, with projecting wings, joined to the body of the structure by inflected corridores. The vestibule is small, but ornamented by some good casts of antique statues.

Nearly every room and corridore of the mansion contains valuable paintings. Our notice of these must necessarily be limited to the most interesting.

The saloon, thirty feet by sixteen, and eighteen and a half high, is hung with green damask, and ornamented by many pictures, among which are:

Susannah and the elders, by Annibal Caracci.

Two beggar boys, by Murillio.

A nymph with Cupids, representing evening, by Valerio Castelli. A good picture, though the colouring is rather gaudy.

Lady Ann Finch, daughter of Thoinas, first Earl of Winchelsea, and wife to Sir William Waller. A fine and animated portrait, replete with grace and character.

George Simon, Viscount Nuneham, at the age of seventeen, by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Elizabeth Vernon, wife to Henry, Earl of Southampton, by Cornelius Jansen. A fine portrait of a very elegant woman, with a cap of lace in the shape of a shell, and a ruff falling back from the shoulders, and ascending over the back of her head. This picture was a present from the Lady Charlotte Finch, and is lettered at the back in the hand-writing of her grand-daughter, the celebrated Rachel, Lady Russell.

The ante-room is twenty-four feet by fifteen, aud eighteen and a half high. This room contains, among other paintings: An excellent portrait of Louis XIV. by Mignard.

A small but highly finished head of Sir William Waller, the Parliamentarian general. It has been engraved by Milton for the vindication of Sir William, written by himself. At the back

is

is a copy of his admirable letter to Sir Ralph (afterwards Lord) Hopton, written before the battle of Lansdown.

In the corridore, which leads to the library, the two following portraits attract notice:

Anne of Denmark, Queen of James I. A purple, gold-edged, scarf round her left arm. Among other ornaments composed of precious stones in her head-dress, is a kind of hair-pin, made to represent a cross bow, with the string drawn.

In this singu

Vandermyn, painter to the Prince of Orange. lar half-length portrait, Vandermyn is represented at his dressingtable, and no part of his attire is seen but a costly shirt, with rich lappets of lace round the neck and down the front. He has a comb in his hand, and two more are lying on the table. Upon the stretching frame is the following inscription: "The face was done by her royal highness, Anne, Princess of Orange, soon after her marriage, while the painter was attending at St. James's, to take the pictures of the said prince and princess, on that happy occasion. All but the face was done by himself. The princess was a good painter, and did it in great grace and condescension." Vandermyn died in 1741.

The library is thirty-two feet four by nineteen, and fourteen feet four inches high. The books are not numerous, but of a sterling character, and the portraits of literary men which adorn this place of study are, in many instances, rendered peculiarly valuable by the connexion which existed between the originals, and former representatives of the house of Harcourt. The most interesting of the portraits appear to be,

Pope, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. This is in the best style of the artist, and is traditionally believed in the noble family to be the most exact likeness of Pope that ever was produced. The picture was painted expressly for such a place as it now occupies; and, at the back, is a copy of an original letter from Pope to the first Lord Harcourt, dated August 2, 1723, in which he says, " It is a satisfaction to me that I shall not be any way disappointed of

the