THE SEAT OF GEORGE AUGUSTUS HERBERT, EARL OF PEMBROKE AND MONTGOMERY, K.G. Ar the entrance to the town of Wilton about three miles from Salisbury, is the magnificent Mansion of the Earl of Pembroke. The approach is through a triumphal arch, surmounted by a bold equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The House is large, but having been erected at different periods, displays various styles of architecture. It is situated in a pleasant and fertile vale on the banks of the Willy, a small stream which flows through the beautiful Park, over which, near the house, is the Palladian Bridge of five arches. Henry VIII., on the dissolution of the monasteries, bestowed on Sir William Herbert, first Earl of Pembroke, Wilton Abbey and the lands belonging to it. The Earl, soon after, engaged Hans Holbein to design a palace for him, and the elegant porch, which long formed the entrance to the great Hall, was executed under the inspection of that eminent artist. It was of stone, highly painted and gilded, but has lately been removed. The garden front of Wilton House, originally erected by Mons. Solomon de Caus, was consumed by fire in the year 1640; this was rebuilt by Philip, the fourth Earl of Pembroke, from the designs of Inigo Jones. This side of the building is remarkable for the fine disposition and elegant proportion of the rooms. In the carly days of splendour and expensive taste, Wilton House was celebrated. It was here that Sir Philip Sydney composed his "Arcadia," some of the incidents of which are delineated on the panels of the saloon. Massinger, the dramatic poet, was born here. King Charles I. is said to have been very partial to this seat, and frequently resided here. Wilton House underwent few alterations until about twenty years since, when the late James Wyatt, R.A. was employed by the noble proprietor to enlarge the mansion, and adapt it in the best manner for the display of its rich stores of sculpture and painting, chiefly collected by Thomas, eighth Earl of Pembroke, one of the greatest men of his time. The entrance to the House is now through a stone gallery, forming the four sides of a quadrangle adapted expressly for the reception of Antique Statues, amongst which are the most considerable part of the Arundelian Collection, with the entire Museums of Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarine, the whole of which, Mr. Westmacott has subsequently arranged, that they may be viewed in the most favourable and useful manner. They now present an imposing and interesting display, many of them being extremely curious, and valuable as productious of art, or memorials of antiquity. We are only enabled to particularize those which we considered the most remarkable for their antiquity or execution. WILTON HOUSE. THE PRINCIPAL STATUES AT WILTON. A collossal Apollo from the Justiniani gallery, resting on a laurel.-Faunus looking over his shoulder at a Leopard, the work of Cleomenes, partly modern.-Didia Clara, daughter to the Emperor Didius Julianus, holding a senatorial roll, the head modern.-Antinous, the favourite of Hadrian. -A small statue of Esculapius, in excellent taste.-A small statue of Meleager, in the attitude and with the strength of an Athleta.-Mercury with his purse and Petasus.-A copy of the Venus de Medici, by Wilton.-Pomona, of Parian marble, presented by the Duke of Tuscany to Philip, fourth Earl of Pembroke.-A copy of the Apollo Belvidere, by Wilton.-Livia, head and arms modern.-Cupid breaking his bow, by Cleomones.-A colossal statue of Hercules.-Bacchus, clad with the Nebris.-Ceres, holding a cornucopoia in her right hand.-Marcus Antoninus.-A boy, holding the golden apple in his right hand.-The Muse Clio.-The Father of Julius Cæsar.-A young Bacchus smiling.-Adonis.-A Greek statue of the River Rhinocolura.-The River Nile. An equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.-Bacchus, with poppies hanging from both shoulders to the knees, a cup in his hand. THE PRINCIPAL BUSTS AT WILTON. Julia Mammea, doubtful if antique, but fine.-Lucilla, the daughter of Antoninus.-Apollo.-Philemon, a Greek comic poet.- Lepidus, the triumvir. Constantine the Great. Sophocles.-Pompey.-Ptolemy, King of Syria, and brother of Cleopatra.-Phocion, the Athenian general.-Dollabella. --Coriolanus.-Nerva.-Gryphinas, wife of Ptolemy Euer getes.-Isocrates.-Anacharsis.-Socrates.-Aristophanes THE PRINCIPAL RELIEVOS AT WILTON. Niobe's Children slain by Apollo and Diana. - Two Cupids.-A Grecian Sacrifice. Curtius leaping into the Gulf; modern.-Saturn with his scythe; very fine.-Four Boys eating Grapes; modern.-Endymion and Luna.-The Cave of Calypso; small-Saturn crowning Art and Science; modern.-Jupiter, Juno, and Bacchus.-Britannicus, the son of Claudius by Messalina; modern.-Mars, Venus, and Cupid; ditto.-Silenus and Bacchanals.-Britannicus, Jun. PAINTINGS AT WILTON HOUSE-CONTINUED. William, Earl of Pembroke, by Hans Holbein.-Captain Bernard, J. E. Eccard.-A Flemish Nobleman, Vansomer.The Earl of Chatham, Brompton.-Henry, tenth Earl of Pembroke, with Colonel Floyd, Lieutenant Kinsey, and Lord Herbert, all on horseback, Morier.-Pascal Paoli, Vincenzino.-Ditto, sitting with Corsican Soldiers, and his favorite dog, Cosacco.- Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. The present Earl of Pembroke, Creuse.-Lady Charlotte Herbert, P. Hoare.-Captain Augustus Montgomery, Spee.Garrick, Voltaire, Bourgelat, Rousseau, Sir Charles Hotham, Richardson.-Barbara, daughter of Sir Henry Slingsby, Bart., Sir Godfrey Kneller.-The Duke of Montagu, Dahl.Lady Rockingham, Sir P. Lely.-Four of the Royal Family, by Zimmer.-Mary, last wife of Thomas Earl of Pembroke, Jervoise.-Cromwell, Earl of Essex, Holbein.-Vandyck, by himself. Broughton, the pugilist, Mortimer.-The Duke of Marlborough, Sir J. Reynolds.-Henry, the tenth Earl of Pembroke, and his Countess, P. Hoare.-The Earl of Bristol, Sir J. Reynolds.-Francis II. whole length, dated 1559, Charles IX. ditto. dated 1560; both by Fred. Zucchero.The Children of Henry VII. Mabuse.-The Duke of Epernon, on horseback, Vandyck.-The Rev. Woodroffe, P. Hoare. -Sir Andrew Fountaine, P. Hoare.-Thirty of the Chief Reformers, by a disciple of Carlo Maratti.-Mrs. Killegrew, fair hair, Vandyck.-Mrs. Morton, brown hair, Vandyck.James Herbert, Esq. and his Wife, Sir P. Lely.-The Earl and Countess of Bedford, by Vandyck.-The Countess of Pembroke and her Sister, Sir P. Lely.-Henry, ninth Earl of Pembroke, æt. 17, Sir G. Kneller.-William, Earl of Pembroke, Sir P. Lely.-Catherine, eldest daughter of Thomas Earl of Pembroke, Sir G. Kneller.-Thomas, Earl of Pembroke, W. Wissing.-Margaret Sawyer, first wife of Thomas, Earl of Pembroke, W. Wissing.-The celebrated Picture of the Pembroke Family, by Vandyck, 20 feet by 12. It consists of 10 whole-length figures, viz. Philip, Earl of Pembroke, and Susan his Countess, daughter of Edward, Earl Oxford, sitting; on the right hand stand their five sons, Charles Lord Herbert, Philip, who succeeded his Father as Earl of Pembroke, William, James, ancestor to the Herberts of Kingsey in Oxfordshire, and John, who married the daughter and coheiress of Viscount Banning. On their left is their daughter, Anna Sophia, and her husband, Robert, Earl of Carnarvon; before them, Mary, wife of Charles Lord Herbert, and above them, in the clouds, Catherine and Mary, who died young. This single picture, which 'is inestimable, is accounted a perfect school of Vandyck. A small copy by Gibson is at Hinton St. George, the seat of Earl Poulet.-Charles I. Vandyck.-Queen Henrietta Maria, ditto.-William, Earl of Pembroke, Lord Chamberlain to James I, Vandyck. He painted the face from a bronze statue in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford.— Penelope, daughter of Sir Philip Naunton, wife of Philip, Earl of Pembroke, whole-length, Vandyck.-Three Children of Charles I. Vandyck.-Lady Mary Herbert, afterwards Duchess of Richmond, and Mrs. Gibson, the dwarf, wholelengths, Vandyck.-The Duke of Richmond and Lenox, whole-length. The Countess of Castlehaven, half-length, Vandyck.-Philip, second Earl of Pembroke, do, Vandyck.Henry, tenth Earl of Pembroke, and his Countess, Sir J. Reynolds.-Henry, ninth Earl of Pembroke, Jervoise.Prince Rupert, Vandyck.-Philip, Earl of Pembroke, ditto. Mieris, by himself. Henry, tenth Earl of Pembroke, when very young, and his Mother, P. Hoare.-An ancient Painting of King Richard II., who is represented at his devotion, kneeling by his three patron saints, St. John the Baptist holding a lamb; King Edward the Confessor, a ring; and King Edmund, an arrow. King Richard is crowned, and wears a robe powdered with white harts and broom cods, his badges; there are also attendant angels, with collars of broom cods and wreaths of white roses round their heads. The figures are painted on a golden ground, and the colours of the utmost freshness. Two brass plates at the bottom are inscribed, Invention of Painting in Oil, 1410. The picture has been engraved by Hollar, under the title of Tabula Antiqua, and was dedicated by him to King Charles I. King James II. gave the Painting to Lord Castlemaine when he went Ambassador to Rome, after whose death it was purchased by Thomas, Earl of Pembroke. Titian, by himself. — King Edward VI., Holbein.-The Princess Sophia, as a shepherdess, G. Honthorst. - Lord Herbert, Brampton. Philip, Earl of Pembroke, Vandyck.-A daughter of the Earl of Holland, Vandyck-Signor Medici e Moglie al Nupt. del Figliulo, 1441, Massaccio. The Earl of Pembroke, Sir J. Reynolds.-The Countess of Pembroke, ditto.-Alexander Pope, Dahl.--The late Earl of Pembroke, when a child, Miss Lisle.—Lord Herbert, when a child, Lady Diana Beauclerk.-Lord Herbert, Pompeo Battoni.-Lady Diana Beauclerk, Sir J. Reynolds.-The Duke of Marlborough, Vanlo.-The Duchess of Marlborough, ditto.-The Baron de Eisenberg, Ridingmaster to Francis I. THE PICTURES BY CELEBRATED MASTERS AT WILTON. Dogs, Snyders.-The Woman taken in Adultery, in Rembrandt's style, Jennari.-Venus leading Cupid and the Graces to see Vulcan forging the Arrows of Love, Aless. Turco Veronese. A young Woman, Lud. Caracci.-St. Andrew going to the Cross, Guido Rheni.-The Molten Calf, Tintoretto.-Perspective Views of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields and Covent-garden, Inigo Jones.-A Friar and Nun, as large as life, Aldegraaf; from the Arundelian Collection.-Landscape, Zucharelli.-Three Nymphs bathing, Actæon looking on, Rothenamer.-Christ in the Temple, Salvati.-Old Woman reading with Spectacles, Rembrandt.-Landscape, Vernet.— A Landscape, with Hagar, Ishmael, and the Angel, Gaspar Poussin, the figures by Nicolas Poussin.-The Virgin and Christ, Carlo Maratti.-The Holy Family, Guercino.-Bacchus and Ariadne, F. Mola.-Christ and the Woman of Samaria, Carlo Maratti.--The decollation of St. John, Dobson. -A Vintage, Michael de Angelo de Bataglia.-Neptune and Amphitrite, Luca Giardano.-Ceres, Parmegiano.-A Flemish School, Jan Steen.-Tobias and the Angel, inscribed Roma, 1697, Procaccini.-The Discovery of Achilles, F. Salviati.A Nativity, John Van Eyck, dated 1410. It originally belonged to a chapel in Bruges.-A Calm, Vanderveld the younger; very fine.-Harvest Home, Rubens.-The Money Changers in the Temple, Domenico Fetti.-The Judgment of Midas, Filippi Lauri.-The Nativity, Theodoro.-A_Magdalen, Elizabetha Sirani.-A Drawing, Raphael.-Jupiter and Leda, Leonardo da Vinci.-Virtue awakening Apollo and the Muses, Luigi Gentili.-Hercules and Dejanira, Giovanni Montano.-The Virgin and Child, St. Luke!-The Salutation of the Virgin, Francesco Dani of Modena.-Judith cutting off the Head of Holofernes, Andrea Mantegna.-The Virgin teaching Christ to read, Guercino.-St. Anthony, Correggio.-Charity, Guido Rheni.-A Landscape, Rubens.Mary Magdalen, Titian.-The Descent from the Cross, Michael Angelo Buonarotti. It was painted for Henry II., King of France, as a present to Diana Valentinois, his mistress. Upon it are the arms of France, and three crescents for the emblem of Diana.-Women bringing Children to Christ, Huens. A Magdalen, Domenichino. Narcissus, Poussin.-Assumption of the Virgin, Rubens.-A Madonna, Carlo Maratti.-The Virgin, Christ, and St. John, with Joseph reading, Lud. Caracci.-Christ, S. John, an Angel, and a little Girl, Rubens.—The Offering of the Three Kings, Paul Veronese. One is the painter's own portrait.-Apollo flaying Marsyas, Jeb del Piombo.-A Landscape, Claude Lorraine. The Virgin and Christ, Raphael.-Assumption of the Virgin, ditto.-The Virgin and Christ, Albano.-The Holy Family, Schidone.-The Descent from the Cross, Valerio Castelli. The Virgin, Carlo Dolce, her veil by Maria da Fiori.— The Siege of Pavia, Holbein.-The Return of the Prodigal Son, Wouvermans. - |