On the death of the preceding nobleman, John his son, succeeded to the title of Duke, and obtained the connected estates. He had two wives: the first bore him five sons and four daughters, and the second six sons. He was succeeded in the titles, &c. by John, the eldest son, February 22, 1720-1. This was the last of the Rutland family who made Haddon, in Derbyshire, an occasional residence; and is said to have built the present hunting-seat at Croxton Park, about the year 1730. He also made some improvements at Belvoir, about the year 1750; died May 29, 1779; and was buried at Bottesford. He was succeeded by his grandson, Charles Lord Ros, FOURTH Duke, who died lord lieutenant of Ireland, October 24, 1787; when his son John Henry, the present, and FIFTH Duke, came to the possession of the titles and estates. Belvoir Castle, in its ancient state, may be pretty well estimated from the accounts of Leland, &c. already recited; but to give a full and satisfactory account of it in its present condition, would be no easy task. For when a large building is enveloped with scaffolding, mortar, loose stones, &c. and masons and carpenters are daily making alterations, it would be absurd to describe it in the real state, as presented to the eye; and equally, or more absurd, to specify what it is intended to be. It must suffice to state, that the castle occupies nearly the summit of a lofty hill, up the sides of which are several stone steps, and on its southern slope are some "hanging gardens," or inclosed terraces, with shrubberies, &c. The building surrounds a quadrangular court; and by the alterations now making, from the elegant designs of James Wyatt, Esq. it will assume a majestic, castellated appearance. The situation and aspect partly resemble Windsor. "Belvoir, art's master piece, and nature's pride, High in the regions of ethereal air, Above the troubled atmosphere, Above the magazines of hail and snow, Above the place that meteors breeds, Above the seat where lie the seeds, Whence raging storms and tempests grow, That do infest the troubled world below *.” The noble mansion of Belvoir is enriched and adorned with a valuable and numerous collection of pictures; to describe the whole of which would occupy a volume. On the decease of the late Duke, they were entrusted to the care of the Rev. William Peters, rector of Knipton in this neighbourhood, a gentleman who has evinced the possession of considerable talents as an artist, in some pictures painted for the Shakespeare gallery. As a painter and a scholar he is, therefore, peculiarly qualified to appreciate, and write an account of the valuable charge committed to his care. In a communication to Mr. Nichols, he says, "Belvoir Castle contains one of the best collections of paintings in this kingdom, whether considered in the variety of schools which are brought together in one view, or in the judicious choice of the works of each master. Of the Italian school, NICHOLO POUSSIN, in his celebrated works of the Seven Sacra ments, stands most conspicuous; GUIDO, CARLO DOLCI, and SALVATOR ROSA, have each a performance, which may vie with any other work extant of these celebrated masters; and if CLAUDE DE LORRAIN be admitted as an Italian-and in truth, as a painter, no other country than Italy can with equal right claim him as her own; for, though born in Lorrain, his school was on the banks of the Tyber; the ruins of ancient Rome were his build❤ ings; his shepherds were the inhabitants of Tivoli; and the clear and warm air of the Campagna, breathes in every tint and floats upon the canvas-let us then, without hesitation, class him with the natives of his beloved country, and he will bring a powerful aid to their assistance; for of his pencil there are no less than five. RUBENS, the prince of Flemish painters, appears no where with more brilliancy than in Belvoir Castle; it is enriched with six of his * A Pindaric Ode upon Belvoir Castle, written about 1679; first printed in the Harleian Miscellany, Vol. IV. p. 527, and reprinted in Nichols's History of Leicestershire, Vol. II. Appendix, p. 50, &c. his hand; of MURILLO, the boast of Spain, there are three large compositions; and TENIERS, that child of Nature, furnishes the castle with eight of his best finished and most pleasing performances. REYNOLDS, the first, and as yet chief, of the English school, holds a distinguished rank among his brethren of the pencil; and by the classic arrangement of his figures, the grouping of his angels, the beauty of his colouring, and the distribution of his light and shade, in his picture of the Nativity, takes the palm of victory from one of the best pictures Rubens ever painted, which hangs opposite to it, in seeming competition with this unrivalled work of our British artist. "John the third Duke of Rutland, and Charles the late muchlamented owner of these works, were both of them Patrons of the Arts, in the fullest extent of that word; for they were not contented only to look at and admire the dawning of genius in the infant mind, but sought out excellence wherever it could be found, cherished it in its bud, protected it in its progress, and supported it with their fortunes, when ripened into that state of perfection which it could only attain to by the liberal and steady patronage of the good and great. John, the third Duke, delighted much in the management of the pencil, and employed many of his leisure hours in that most pleasing amusement; and to the fostering hand of the late Duke, the Arts are indebted for their flourishing state in this country. By an early and warm attachment to men whose works have formed that style of painting which has created an English school, he did equal honour to himself, to his country, and to the age in which he lived. All the modern pictures, of which there are a very considerable number, were of his collecting." Among the pictures already referred to, are the following:PORTRAITS, by Sir Joshua Reynolds. JOHN, MARQUIS of GRANBY*, three-quarters. Another, full length, with his hus sar * An engraved Portrait of this eminent General, from a picture by Sir Joshua, with a Memoir of his Life and public services, are preparing for publication, in a work devoted to the memories of distinguished English Characters; sar and horse. EARL of MANSFIELD, half length. LORD ROBERT MANNERS: the head copied from a portrait by Dance.SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS.-GENERAL OGLETHORPE.-The SECOND EARL of CHATHAM, whole length.-KITTY FISHER. By Sir Peter Lely. The FIRST DUKE of RUTLAND, half length.-JOHN, SECOND DUKE of RUTLAND, half length. LORD ANGLESEA. By Closterman. JOHN, SECOND DUKE of RUTLAND, with a view in the back ground of a bridge, &c. HENRY VIII. a whole length, and the most perfect known of the master, by Hans Holbein. LORD CHAWORTH, by Vandyck. SIR ISAAC NEWTON, and DUKE of MONMOUTH, by Kneller. LORD GEORGE CAVENDISH, by Pompeo Battoni. CHARLES I. on Horseback, from Van Dyck; Old Stone. WILLIAM, FIRST EARL of CHATHAM, half length; Hoare. CHARLES, DUKE of RUTLAND; Dance. PICTURES.-The Seven Sacraments, by N. Poussin.-Two Landscapes, by Poussin. Dutch Proverbs.-Boors at Cards. An Old Woman with her Dram Bottle.-Cranes.--An Ox-Stall.-Temptations of St. Anthony.-An Old Man's Head, with Jug and Glass, by Teniers. Death of Lord Robert Manners, by Stothard. Barbarossa. Madonna and Child, by Vandyck. Sunset.-Another Sunset, small.-Flight into Egypt.-Landscape, with a large tree in the centre.-Landscape, two figures in a boat, by Claude. Sea Monster, by Salvator Rosa. Nativity. Infant Jupiter.--Old Man reading.-Head of a Boy. Hercules and Antæus.-Maid of Orleans.-Shepherd and Shepherdess.--Lanscape.-A Female Martyr receiving the Crown of Victory from the Infant Jesus: the three female saints in this pic ture Characters; and which is to consist of Portraits, historical Prints, Monuments, &c, ture were Rubens' three wives.-Holy Family, small. The Gods, by Rubens. Landscape, Cottagers and Man bringing Wood.-Landscape, with Cattle.-Landscape, with Cart-Horses, by Gainsborough. Christ disputing with the Doctors.-Samuel presented to Eli.— William of Albanac and his three Daughters, by West. King John delivering Magna Charta to the Barons.-A Conversation Piece, with a Pilgrim.-Ditto, with Soldiers, a Woman, Fish, &c. by Mortimer. POOR. The condition and management of the Poor of a country constitute a subject of political importance, whether considered in a national point of view, or as appealing to the feelings and studies of the philosopher and politician. It is much to the honour of the British Parliament, that this has not been overlooked, in the multiplicity of objects which necessarily devolve to them in the usual routine of official business. In the year 1804, a large folio volume was printed by order of the House of Commons, containing an "Abstract of the Answers and Returns made pursuant to an Act (43d Geo. III.) for procuring Returns relative to the Expence and Maintenance of the POOR IN ENGLAND." After the returns respecting Leicestershire, it is observed that, in the year 1776, returns were obtained from 312 “parishes or places;" in 1785, the returns amounted to 305; and, in 1803, the number of "parishes or places" making returns was 323. It is then further stated, that " Sixty-nine parishes or places maintain all, or part of, their Poor in Workhouses. The number of persons so maintained, during the year ending Easter 1803, was 954; and the expence, incurred therein, amounted to 10,7101. 7s. 9d. being at the rate of 111. 4s. 6d. for each person maintained in that manner. It appears from the returns of 1776, that there are forty-four Workhouses, capable of accom modating |