elf to science, notably
botany and mineralogy, upon which subjects he lectured at the Germantown
Academy, of which he was secretary of the board of trustees for thirty
years.

In 1865 the place came into the hands of Charles J. Wister, Junior, an
artist, writer and Friend of high repute, who, like his father, was for
many years identified with Germantown Academy. On his death in 1910
Grumblethorpe was shared by his nephews, Owen Wister, the novelist, and
Alexander W. Wister, neither of whom resides there.

[Illustration: PLATE XXVIII.--Doorway, 301 South Seventh Street.]

[Illustration: PLATE XXIX.--Doorway, Grumblethorpe, 5621 Germantown
Avenue; Doorway, 6105 Germantown Avenue.]

One of the noblest old ledge-stone mansions of the vicinity is The
Woodlands, located on high ground along the bank of the Schuylkill River
in Blockley Township, West Philadelphia. It was formerly the countryseat
of the Hamilton family, from which a district of West Philadelphia east
of Fortieth Street and south of Market Street took the name of Hamilton
Village. Many years ago the grounds of The Woodlands became a
cemetery, and the house is now occupied by the superintendent and
contains the cemetery offices. While the gay society of a century and a
quarter ago is lacking the place still retains much of its former beauty
and state.

Of essentially Georgian character, the house is still more strongly
reminiscent of many plantation mansions of the South. It has an entrance
front to the north and a river or garden front to the south, while the
kitchen arrangements are well concealed. Between two semicircular bays
that project from the ends of the building on the entrance front, six
Ionic pilasters support a broad and elaborately ornamented pediment, its
chief features being the notching of the shingles, the circular window
and the frieze with groups of vertical flutings in alternation with
large round flower ornaments. A broad paved terrace three steps above
the drive extends across the front from one bay to the other and gives
approach to a round-arched central doorway with handsome leaded fanlight
beneath a segmental hood supported by round engaged Ionic columns. This
doorway leads into the hall.

On the river front a lofty pedimental-roofed portico centrally located
and supported by six great smooth pillars is of distinctly southern
aspect. Another round-arched doorway flanked by two round-topped windows
opens directly into an oval-sha