playful mazes, was the river Ure, whose broken and variegated banks, highly enriched with trees, gave a finish to the scene highly captivating.

MIDDLEHAM

Is a small town, and was principally supported by its market; but that having failed within the last eight or nine years, the place is going fast to decay. This evil is owing to the want of a bridge over the river Ure, to enable the country people to have an easy and certain communication with the town. It would be prudent in those who have any property in this neighbourhood, to devise some means for the accomplishment of such a work, to prevent its decreasing in value: a remuneration might be obtained by a toll. Nor might it be unworthy of the patriotic spirit of the gentlemen of the vicinity, to assist in such an undertaking, to save the place from total ruin. The passage is at present by a ford; but, after rain, the only way to cross, is by going down the river as far as Cover-bridge, or by proceeding up as high as Wensley.

Richard, Duke of Glocester, had license of his brother, Edward the Fourth, to found a College here, which he appears never to have finished. "The minister of the parish hath yet the title of

Dean

Dean of Middleham, and enjoys several privileges: but there probably never were any Chaplains, Clerks, or Choristers. The deanery was valued, twenty-sixth of Henry the Eighth, at 161. 16s. Od. in the whole; and 161. 9s. 4d. clearly."*

An open square, forming a large market-place, is the principal part of the town: it is situated on the side of a hill, above which appears its most striking feature, the gigantic fragments of its once magnificent CASTLE. These ruins remain a striking proof of the instability of human grandeur. The founder of this structure might expect, from its strength, that it would have been able to resist the effects of even time itself: but how futile are human hopes and wishes! Where Princes have sat down in the pride of their hearts, is now the abode of filthy swine! Let those who are proud of their own works, look on the bulk of these walls, and be dumb! It scowls over the country like a grim and hoary tyrant; but, thanks be to God! shorn of its mischievous powers!

The form of this building, which is tolerably entire, consists of an envelope, or out-work, fortified with four towers, inclosing a body, or keep. This out-work forms a right-angled parallelogram of 210 feet, by 175.† Its greatest length is from north

north to south; each of its sides facing one of the cardinal points. All the towers are square, with the exception of the one at the south-west angle, which is round. The keep has been uncommonly strong; I measured the party-wall of one of the chambers, which was fourteen feet in thickness. The lower chambers have been vaulted, two vaults having supported the state apartment, which, like them, runs the whole length of the keep; another vault appears to have had many rooms over it, perhaps ante-chambers, or sitting rooms. Within the area inclosed by the outer walls, appear many divisions, probably for guardchambers, stabling, &c. A small fragment, of a lighter character, attached to the south side, marks the spot where the Chapel stood. keep is considerably higher than the envelope, though similar in shape; it has small turrets at each angle, with two large towers; one on the south; and the other, which is considerably the largest, uniting with the turret at the south-east angle. The principal entrance was beneath a massy tower, on the north-east angle of the outwork, which was defended by double gates, and a portcullis. Hence the way led under the south wall of the keep, to a high flight of steps, conducting to a door-way, still visible, and leading to the upper or state chamber.

P

The

Neither