extremity of a projecting neck of land, is a strong fort, called the Block House, which defends the entrance of the Harbour on that side.

About a mile to the north of Gosport, near a creek of the Harbour called Forton Lake, is the Military Hospital, for the reception of sick and wounded soldiers belonging to the garrison of Portsmouth. Near the entrance of the creek are the Powder Magazines, and not far from hence, an extensive range of buildings, in which, during the war, great numbers of French prisoners were confiued.

HAVANT, a neat town, on the Sussex border, is 66 miles from London, and consists principally of two streets, crossing each other at right angles, and having in the centre an ancient Church, dedicated to St. Faith, built in the form of a cross, with a tower rising from the intersection; the interior exhibits specimens of the style of different periods, the pillars in the nave being of the ponderous Saxon, while the arches are pointed. This town was given by King Ethelred to the Clergy of Winchester, who obtained from King John a grant of the Market which is still held on Saturday. The population, in 1821, was 2099 persons, whose principal support is derived from fowling and fishing. In October, 1734, two shocks of an earthquake were felt here, which occasioned great alarm, but did no damage.

HAYLING ISLAND.

This island lies on the eastern side of Langston Harbour, by which it is separated from the Island of Portsea; it contains about 5000 acres, and is divided into two parishes, in which, beside the small towns of North and South Hayling, (each of which has a Church), are three villages, called Stoke, Mengham, and East Stoke. The inhabitants, whose number is about 800, are principally employed in agriculture, and in the making of salt, which has been an article of manufacture here from the earliest period. Previously to the Norman Conquest a Priory was established here, to which the property of the whole island was granted by Henry I; on the Dissolution the possessions of this foundation were given to the Earl of Arundel, from whom they have descended to

the Duke of Norfolk, under whose patronage a handsome Hotel has been erected, and it has some visitors during the bathing season. A bar of sand extends

across the entrance of Langston Harbour from this island to that of Portsea, which prevents the passage of vessels of more than 70 tons burden. To the east of this island is one, much smaller, called THORNEY ISLAND, on which is the village of West Thorney; and several islets are scattered over various parts of this extensive Harbour.

HIGHCLERE, a village near the northern border of the county, about 10 miles from Andover, was formerly a manor belonging to the See of Winchester, from which it was separated in the reign of Edward VI, and granted to Sir William Fitzwilliam; from his descendants it was purchased by Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney-General to Charles II, from whom the Earl of Caernarvon, the present proprietor, is descended. The Bishops had a Palace here, of which no vestiges now remain; but a handsome mansion, built about the middle of the last century, occupies its site, and stands on an eminence in the beautiful and extensive Park, which is more than thirteen miles in circumference. The House has been much improved of late years, and contains many elegant apartments, decorated with numerous portraits and other paintings. The principal distinction, however, of this residence arises from its park and pleasuregrounds, which possess more variety of surface, and more interesting scenery, than almost any other place in the kingdom. Beautiful eminences, mostly crowned with wood, arise in various directions; and the walks and rides have been laid out in the most judicious manner, and command the richest and most diversified prospects. Just without the gates of the Park is Beacon Hill, which rises to the height of 900 feet, and has on its summit an ancient encampment, and the vestiges of several huts, of a circular form, and considered to be of British origin. On a plain, about a mile from hence, are ten barrows, some of which have been opened, and were found to contain burnt bones and ashes. Two other encampments, and three barrows, are observable on Ladle Hill, about a mile and a half from Beacon Hill.

HURST CASTLE, situated near the extremity of a singular point of land, little more than 200 yards in breadth, which runs two miles into the sea, and approaches within a mile of the Isle of Wight, was erected by Henry VIII, and consists of a circular tower, strengthened by bastions. Within its walls Charles I was imprisoned for a short period, in December, 1648, previously to his being brought to London for trial. This Castle was also disgraced by the imprisonment, during 30 years, of a Catholic priest, named Atkinson, who was condemned, in 1699, to perpetual confinement for celebrating mass, and died here, in 1729*, at the age of 74 years. The Castle has still a garrison, but is not now in a very formidable state of defence.

Off this coast is an Island called the Shingles, "which," says Mr. Gilpin, "sometimes rises 15 or 20 feet above the water, and at others totally disappears. It shifts its situation also, rearing itself, at one time, nearer the Isle of Wight, and, at another, nearer the coast of Hampshire: the mystery of it is this-In that part of the channel lies a vast bank of pebbles, so near the surface that it is beaten up into an Island by the raging of the sea, sometimes on one side, and sometimes on the other, as the tides and currents drive: from the same cause, also, all the prominent parts of it are easily dispersed, and the Island vanishes."

On the coast, not far from hence, is Hordle Cliff, a lofty eminence, commanding a noble view of the sea, bounded on one side by the Isle of Wight, and on the other by Hengistbury Head, the western termination of Christchurch Bay.

HYTHE, a small hamlet situated nearly opposite to Southampton, has a ferry to that town; from an adjacent eminence, the views are beautiful in the highest degree.

KINGSCLERE is an ancient town, 55 miles from London, and 10 from Andover; it was formerly a residence of the Kings of Wessex, but is now a place

Such was the bigotry even of a century ago! How gratifying the contrast in 1829, when the last remnant of laws passed to punish men for worshipping their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences, was obliterated from the English statúte book.

of very little importance, although it has still a weekly Market on Tuesday, and the population, in 1821, was 2851 persons. The Church is a small but neat building, with a low tower.

KING'S SOMBOURN, a small village, three miles from Stockbridge, is stated, in Domesday Book, to belong to the king, and to have two churches. The only Church now remaining is an ancient edifice, with no other remarkable object than a tomb, with a mutilated effigy, and an almost obliterated inscription, in the Saxon character. Near this village are the ruins of an extensive mansion, said to have been the residence of John of Gaunt; the vicinity abounds with yew trees, which were much cultivated in his time for the use of the bowmen; and about 100 yards from the Church is an earthen bank, supposed to have been thrown up as a butt for the archers. These circumstances (with the fact of a large tract of ground, called the Park, being still held by lease from the Duchy of Lancaster) may perhaps confirm the tradition of the Duke's residence here, as, if we may credit Master Shallow, he was a patron of the exercise of archery *

*.

About three miles from hence is Mottisfont House, a spacious and venerable edifice, which occupies part of the site of an Augustine Priory, founded early in the thirteenth century. At the Dissolution it was granted by Henry VIII to Lord Sandys, who converted the monastic buildings into what Leland calls "a fair maner-place," which afterwards became the principal seat of the family, but is now unoccupied.

LEAP, a village near the mouth of the Beaulieu river, is principally inhabited by fishermen, and is the usual place of embarkation to the Isle of Wight from this part of the coast, as it lies nearly opposite to West Cowes. Along this shore, "fowling and fishing," says Mr. Gilpin," are commonly the employments of the same person. He who in summer, with his line or his net, plies the shores, when they are

* See the Second Part of Henry IV, where the worthy Justice, on being informed of the death of "Old Double," a townsman of his cousin Slender, exclaims: Dead! He was an excellent shot! John of Gaunt loved him, and betted money on his head!—and dead!"

overflowed by the tide, in winter, with his gun, as the evening draws on, runs up in his boat among the creeks and crannies which the tide leaves in the mud lands, and there lies in patient expectation of his prey." As the sea-fowl commonly feed by night, the fowler attentively listens to their noise, as they alight on the muddy flats, covered with sea-weed, which are left by the ebbing of the tide. If they chance to settle out of the range of his fowling-pieces (he usually has two) he despairs of success for that night; but if nearer to him, he points his first gun in the direction of the sound, fires, and instantly snatching up the second, discharges that also. He now puts on two flat pieces of board, called mud-pattens, used to prevent his sinking in the mud, and makes his way in the dark to the spot where he expects to find his booty; under all these disadvantages he sometimes picks up a dozen birds, and at others not one. "So hardly does the poor fowler earn a few shillings, exposed, in an open boat, during a solitary winter night, to the weather as it comes, rain, hail, or snow; on a bleak coast, a league perhaps from the beach; and often in danger, without great care, of being fixed in the mud, where he would become an inevitable prey to the returning tide."

Proceeding along the coast, in a north-easterly direction, we arrive at a lofty tower, erected on a beautiful eminence, and called Eaglehurst, or more commonly, from its builder, Luttrell's Folly; it contains several apartments, splendidly fitted up, and is the property of the Earl of Cavan.

LYMINGTON.

This town is 95 miles from London, and is situated on a gentle declivity, rising from the western bank of the Boldre Water, which falls into the sea at a short distance. It is believed to be of great antiquity, as many Roman coins have been found here; it occurs in Domesday Book, and is traditionally reported to have been three times burnt by the French; but no events of importance can with certainty be attached to it. A manufactory of salt from sea-water has been carried on here from time immemorial; it is now, however, conducted on a much smaller scale than of old, owing to the great dearness of coals.