Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/284

 agreeably contrasting with the airy and fantastic scenes we have been wandering through; where (to use Hamlet's expression) we have all along "been too much i' the sun." From the opposite wooded terrace the god Pan just discloses his sylvan form. Descending to the banqueting-house, we find ourselves in an elegant stone building with emblematical sculptures on its face, and a pretty carpet of lawn before us. From hence the object has been to unite all the artificial ornaments of the place into one view; the Gothic tower, the pantheon, the temple, and the seat; which, crouding upon the eye all together, satiate and disgust, instead of affording pleasure. Here was the favourite retreat of the late Mr. Aislabie, who during the summer almost constantly ate his meals at the banqueting-house. A good figure of Venus de Medici stands within the grand apartment, but we were distressed at seeing so modest a lady cast in bronze. From hence, dropping down the well-walk, where no new features occur, we shortly perceived the point from which we had set out two hours before, having threaded all the principal mazes of these very elaborate pleasure-grounds.

We had the pleasure of refreshing our eyes with some agreeable natural scenery, after all this ornamental gardening, in the picturesque village of