SEDES CONTEMPLATIONIS. That is, OMNIA VANITA S. The feat of contemplation. Through this obfcure and agreeable retirement, where every object is fhut out by the lovely grove, and its appendant groupes, chequering the hanging fides of the deep vale, the walk leads to THE HERMITAGE. This place is formed with clumps of wood, and jagged roots of old trees, carelefsly thrown together, and the interstices are fimply filled up with various kinds of mofs; the floor is neatly paved with small pebbles, and a fort of couch goes round, covered with a mat. Every thing about it carries the face of poverty, and a contempt of the vain fuperfluities of life, fit for the fuppofed inhabitant, who despises the the follies of the world, and devotes his hours to religious folitude. Not a recefs in the whole park is mōre to be defired than this; the constant melody of birds, perching unfeen, within the rich foliage of the finest grove in the world-the boldnefs of the ground, the deep-formed vales,whofe embellished fides, and sometimes bottoms, of chefnuts, elms, and oaks, rife graceful to the fight; together with the calm, undisturbed repofe which hovers round it, throws the mind into a contemplation, equally ferious and affecting. Within the Hermitage are thofe celebrated lines from the Il Penferofo of Milton: And may at laft my weary age Til Till old experience do attain There appear from the door of this moffy apartment, two views in perfpective agreeably blended with the closeness of the others: one very prettily catches a range of country over the fpreading boughs of the fronting trees, and the other under them. Little fancies of this fort, in places fo folitary, where they do not expose the fituation, but only tincture the furrounding gloom with a ray of chearfulness, are very juftifiable. The ground from hence falls precipitately to fome ponds of water; and the delightful trees which every where accompany the fwelling, irregular, and shelving banks, are remarkably fine. Through this vale the path fteals, and winds at laft abruptly, up an exceeding steep fteep hill, round a grove of oaks, thick planted, but not feathered to the bottom, to feveral benches which take in the country in the most agreeable diverfity, between the stems of the trees. Upon the fummit of this bold hill the walk waves on a very defirable level, and at length falls to that celebrated feat, which opens to the eye the loveliest of profpects. Here we find the following lines, very applicably taken from the fifth book of Paradife Loft. These are thy glorious works, parent of good, Thus wond'rous fair; thyfelf how wond'rous then! To us invifible, or dimly feen In these thy loweft works; yet these declare The fituation of this fhady eminence affords the most ravishing views, and infenfibly leads the mind into reflections of the great harmony and beauty of nature. The ample lawn fweeping from this gay brow brow into the lovely vale below, embofomed and infringed by the noblest trees that ever graced the turf, furrounds, enriches, and fhews the house in all its elegance. A finer foreground cannot be imagined to diftant fcenes, where nature feems to have ftudied to lavish her beauties in the most wanton profufion: Lofty hills crowned with woods, twining meadows, and fertile fields.-Nor is wanting, the dark brown heath, woodlands, and rich enclosures, to diverfify the whole; while the hoary Welch mountains touch the far diftant skies, and terminate the ftriking view. Instead of pursuing the path which leads down towards the house, you retire into the umbrageous grove, where the scene from the first feat is changed from a wide-extended country, full of a thousand different objects, to a rich and delightful garden, animated by gay variety and ru ral magnificence. From this feat a copi ous |