that
the principal papers which produced the revolution of 1688, were signed in
the dark recess at the end of the vault. These circumstances have been
recorded by Mr. Wilcox, in an inscription written at the extremity of the
vault, which, on account of the above circumstances, was visited by the
Prince of Orange after he had obtained the crown; by General Paoli in the
year 1780; and by George III. on the 14th of November, 1785.
The Lovelace family was ennobled by Charles I., who in the third year of
his reign, created Richard Lovelace, Baron Hurley, which title became
extinct in 1736. The most valuable part of the estate was about that time
sold to the Greave family and afterwards to the Duke of Marlborough: the
other part, consisting of the mansion house and woodlands, to Mrs.
Williams, sister to Dr. Wilcox, who was bishop of Rochester about the
middle of the last century. This lady was enabled to make the purchase by
a very remarkable instance of good fortune. She had bought two tickets in
one lottery, both of which became prizes: the one of 500_l_., the other of
20,000_l_. From the daughter of Mrs. Williams it descended to Mr. Wilcox
in the year 1771.--_Beauties of England and Wales._
P.T.W.
* * * * *
SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.
CLAVERING'S AUTO-BIOGRAPHY.
_Containing opinions, characters, &c. of his Cotemporaries._
Shelley had some excellent qualities: I attribute his eccentricities to a
spice of insanity. He often wrote unintelligibly;--sometimes in short
lyrics, beautifully. The ashes of him and Keats sleep together in the
Protestant chapel at Rome. I am resolved once more to visit _Lirici_,
where the funeral pile of his relics were lighted. I am never so happy as
when I am travelling on the Continent; the mere change of air, and
locomotion, gives me vigour. I saw old Sir William Wraxall at Dover, a few
days before he died, and meant to have accompanied him to Paris. He was
still full of anecdote, to which it was necessary to listen with caution;
but his information was often curious and valuable. He was one of our
oldest litterateurs.
Some years ago I met Sismondi: I could not agree with his ULTRA-LIBERAL
politics! He has married an English lady, but does not seem to love the
English. He himself once suffered from excessive revolutionism, and was
condemned to death by it when young, about 1794, in the reign of terror,
when _Monsieur Raville_ and others w
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