beauties of her time; she also died November 5, 1660.  Algernon Percy, tenth Earl of Northumberland.  Charles I. and one of his sons, by Sir P. Lely.  Charles I. by Vandyke.  Queen Henrietta Maria, Vandyke.  The Duke of Gloucester, son of Charles I. The Princess Elizabeth, daughter of Charles I.; this is believed to be the only picture extant of this lady.  The above portraits of the Stuart family are placed in the apartments in which Charles had so many tender interviews with his children, after the latter were committed to the charge of Earl Algernon Percy, and removed to Sion House, in August, 1646.  The earl treated them with parental attention, and obtained a grant of Parliament for the king to be allowed to see them; and in consequence of this indulgence, the latter, who was then under restraint at Hampton Court, often dined with his family at Sion House.

Two of the principal fronts of Sion House command very beautiful scenery; for even the Thames itself appears to belong to the gardens, which are separated into two parts by a serpentine river that communicates with the Thames.

The gardens were principally laid out by Brown:  they have, however, been lately improved and re-arranged; and the kitchen-garden is almost unequalled by any thing in the kingdom.  Here is a range of hothouses upwards of 400 feet in length, constructed of metal, even to the wall-plates, the doors, and framing of the sashes; the whole being glazed with plate-glass.  It is impossible for us to describe the extent and completeness of these improvements, connected with which, Mr. Loudon observes—­“nothing can be more gratifying than to see a nobleman employing a part of his income in so judicious and spirited a manner."[1]

    [1] Mr Loudon promises an account of these improvements for the next
        number of his valuable Gardener’s Magazine.

* * * * *

RETROSPECTIVE GLEANINGS.

* * * * *

MONKISH VERSES.

(For the Mirror.)

Mirror, vol. xii. pp. 98, 165.

The following is said to have been the epitaph on the tomb of Fair
Rosamond, at Godstow:—­

  Hic jacet in tomba, Rosamundae non Rosamundi,
  Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet.

TRANSLATED.

  Within this tomb lies the world’s fairest rose;
  Whose scent now charms not, but offends the nose.

  Mirror, vol. xiii. p. 98.

The couplet on York Minster, translated.

  As of all flowers the rose is still the sweetest,
  So of all churches this is the completest.

On the stone in the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey.

  Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque loquitur,
  Inveniant lapidem, regnare teneter ibidem.