The river winds away through the beautiful
parks and undulating foliage, its soft, grassy banks dotted here and there
with sheep and cattle, and you catch farewell gleams and glitters of it as
it loses itself among the trees.

Gray moss, wallflowers, ivy, and grass were growing here and there out of
crevices in the castle walls, as I looked down, sometimes trailing their
rippling tendrils in the river. This vegetative propensity of walls is one
of the chief graces of these old buildings.

In the state bedroom were a bed and furnishings of rich crimson velvet,
once belonging to Queen Anne, and presented by George III. to the Warwick
family. The walls are hung with Brussels tapestry, representing the
gardens of Versailles as they were at the time. The chimney-piece, which
is sculptured of verde antique and white marble, supports two black marble
vases on its mantel. Over the mantel-piece is a full-length portrait of
Queen Anne, in a rich brocade dress, wearing the collar and jewels of the
garter, bearing in one hand a scepter, and in the other a globe. There are
two splendid buhl cabinets in the room, and a table of costly stone from
Italy; it is mounted on a richly carved and gilt stand.

The boudoir, which adjoins, is hung with pea-green satin and velvet. In
this room is one of the most authentic portraits of Henry VIII., by
Holbein, in which that selfish, brutal, unfeeling tyrant is veritably set
forth, with all the gold and gems which, in his day, blinded mankind; his
fat, white hands were beautifully painted....

After having examined all the upper stories, we went down into the vaults
underneath--vaults once grim and hoary, terrible to captives and feudal
enemies, now devoted to no purpose more grim than that of coal cellars and
wine vaults. In Oliver's time, a regiment was quartered there; they are
extensive enough, apparently, for an army.

The kitchen and its adjuncts are of magnificent dimensions, and indicate
an ancient amplitude in the way of provision for good cheer worthy an
ancient house; and what struck me as a still better feature was a library
of sound, sensible, historical, and religious works for the servants.

We went into the beer vaults, where a man drew beer into a long black
jack, such as Scott describes. It is a tankard, made of black leather, I
should think half a yard deep. He drew the beer from a large hogshead, and
offered us some in a glass. It looked very clear, but, on tasting, I foun