第 24 节
作者:
西门在线 更新:2021-02-20 18:43 字数:9322
of reasons why the town should not disoblige the university; as
there are some also on the other hand; why the university should
not differ to any extremity with the town; nor; such is their
prudence; do they let any disputes between them run up to any
extremities if they can avoid it。 As for society; to any man who
is a lover of learning; or of learned men; here is the most
agreeable under heaven; nor is there any want of mirth and good
company of other kinds; but it is to the honour of the university
to say; that the governors so well understand their office; and the
governed their duty; that here is very little encouragement given
to those seminaries of crime; the assemblies; which are so much
boasted of in other places。
Again; as dancing; gaming; intriguing are the three principal
articles which recommend those assemblies; and that generally the
time for carrying on affairs of this kind is the night; and
sometimes all night; a time as unseasonable as scandalous; add to
this; that the orders of the university admit no such excesses; I
therefore say; as this is the case; it is to the honour of the
whole body of the university that no encouragement is given to them
here。
As to the antiquity of the university in this town; the originals
and founders of the several colleges; their revenues; laws;
government; and governors; they are so effectually and so largely
treated of by other authors; and are so foreign to the familiar
design of these letters; that I refer my readers to Mr。 Camden's
〃Britannia〃 and the author of the 〃Antiquities of Cambridge;〃 and
other such learned writers; by whom they may be fully informed。
The present Vice…Chancellor is Dr。 Snape; formerly Master of Eaton
School near Windsor; and famous for his dispute with; and evident
advantage over; the late Bishop of Bangor in the time of his
government; the dispute between the University and the Master of
Trinity College has been brought to a head so as to employ the pens
of the learned on both sides; but at last prosecuted in a judicial
way so as to deprive Dr。 Bentley of all his dignities and offices
in the university; but the doctor flying to the royal protection;
the university is under a writ of mandamus; to show cause why they
do not restore the doctor again; to which it seems they demur; and
that demur has not; that we hear; been argued; at least when these
sheets were sent to the press。 What will be the issue time must
show。
From Cambridge the road lies north…west on the edge of the fens to
Huntingdon; where it joins the great north road。 On this side it
is all an agreeable corn country as above; adorned with several
seats of gentlemen; but the chief is the noble house; seat; or
mansion of Wimple or Wimple Hall; formerly built at a vast expense
by the late Earl of Radnor; adorned with all the natural beauties
of situation; and to which was added all the most exquisite
contrivances which the best heads could invent to make it
artificially as well as naturally pleasant。
However; the fate of the Radnor family so directing; it was bought
with the whole estate about it by the late Duke of Newcastle; in a
partition of whose immense estate it fell to the Right Honourable
the Lord Harley; son and heir…apparent of the present Earl of
Oxford and Mortimer; in right of the Lady Harriet Cavendish; only
daughter of the said Duke of Newcastle; who is married to his
lordship; and brought him this estate and many other; sufficient to
denominate her the richest heiress in Great Britain。
Here his lordship resides; and has already so recommended himself
to this county as to be by a great majority chosen Knight of the
Shire for the county of Cambridge。
From Cambridge; my design obliging me; and the direct road in part
concurring; I came back through the west part of the county of
Essex; and at Saffron Walden I saw the ruins of the once largest
and most magnificent pile in all this part of England … viz。;
Audley End … built by; and decaying with; the noble Dukes and Earls
of Suffolk。
A little north of this part of the country rises the River Stour;
which for a course of fifty miles or more parts the two counties of
Suffolk and Essex; passing through or near Haveril; Clare;
Cavendish; Halsted; Sudbury; Bowers; Nayland; Stretford; Dedham;
Manningtree; and into the sea at Harwich; assisting by its waters
to make one of the best harbours for shipping that is in Great
Britain … I mean Orwell Haven or Harwich; of which I have spoken
largely already。
As we came on this side we saw at a distance Braintree and Bocking;
two towns; large; rich; and populous; and made so originally by the
bay trade; of which I have spoken at large at Colchester; and which
flourishes still among them。
The manor of Braintree I found descended by purchase to the name of
Olmeus; the son of a London merchant of the same name; making good
what I had observed before; of the great number of such who have
purchased estates in this county。
Near this town is Felsted; a small place; but noted for a free
school of an ancient foundation; for many years under the
mastership of the late Rev。 Mr。 Lydiat; and brought by him to the
meridian of its reputation。 It is now supplied; and that very
worthily; by the Rev。 Mr。 Hutchins。
Near to this is the Priory of Lees; a delicious seat of the late
Dukes of Manchester; but sold by the present Duke to the Duchess
Dowager of Bucks; his Grace the Duke of Manchester removing to his
yet finer seat of Kimbolton in Northamptonshire; the ancient
mansion of the family。 From hence keeping the London Road I came
to Chelmsford; mentioned before; and Ingerstone; five miles west;
which I mention again; because in the parish church of this town
are to be seen the ancient monuments of the noble family of Petre;
whose seat and large estate lie in the neighbourhood; and whose
whole family; by a constant series of beneficent actions to the
poor; and bounty upon all charitable occasions; have gained an
affectionate esteem through all that part of the country such as no
prejudice of religion could wear out; or perhaps ever may; and I
must confess; I think; need not; for good and great actions command
our respect; let the opinions of the persons be otherwise what they
will。
From hence we crossed the country to the great forest; called
Epping Forest; reaching almost to London。 The country on that side
of Essex is called the Roodings; I suppose; because there are no
less than ten towns almost together; called by the name of Roding;
and is famous for good land; good malt; and dirty roads; the latter
indeed in the winter are scarce passable for horse or man。 In the
midst of this we see Chipping Onger; Hatfield Broad Oak; Epping;
and many forest towns; famed as I have said for husbandry and good
malt; but of no other note。 On the south side of the county is
Waltham Abbey; the ruins of the abbey remain; and though antiquity
is not my proper business; I could not but observe that King
Harold; slain in the great battle in Sussex against William the
Conqueror; lies buried here; his body being begged by his mother;
the Conqueror allowed it to be carried hither; but no monument was;
as I can find; built for him; only a flat gravestone; on which was
engraven HAROLD INFELIX。
From hence I came over the forest again … that is to say; over the
lower or western part of it; where it is spangled with fine
villages; and these villages filled with fine seats; most of them
built by the citizens of London; as I observed before; but the
lustre of them seems to be entirely swallowed up in the magnificent
palace of the Lord Castlemain; whose father; Sir Josiah Child; as
it were; prepared it in his life for the design of his son; though
altogether unforeseen; by adding to the advantage of its situation
innumerable rows of trees; planted in curious order for avenues and
vistas to the house; all leading up to the place where the old
house stood; as to a centre。
In the place adjoining; his lordship; while he was yet Sir Richard
Child only; and some years before he began the foundation of his
new house; laid out the most delicious; as well as most spacious;
pieces of ground for gardens that is to be seen in all this part of
England。 The greenhouse is an excellent building; fit to entertain
a prince; it is furnished with stoves and artificial places for
heat from an apartment in which is a bagnio and other conveniences;
which render it both useful and pleasant。 And these gardens have
been so the just admiration of the world; that it has been the
general diversion of the citizens to go out to see them; till the
crowds grew too great; and his lordship was obliged to restrain his
servants from showing them; except on one or two days in a week
only。
The house is built since these gardens have been finished。 The
building is all of Portland stone in the