Ireland, resigning in 1864 on account of ill-health;
and it is said that he was one of the few English rulers who really won
the affections of the people of that unhappy country. He died soon
afterwards.

[Illustration: THE OBELISK, CASTLE HOWARD.]

[Illustration: THE TEMPLE, WITH THE MAUSOLEUM IN THE DISTANCE.]

Leaving the railway-station in the valley of the Derwent, and mounting
the hills to the westward, a little village is reached on the confines
of the park. Beyond the village the road to the park-gates passes
through meadow-land, and is bordered by beautiful beech trees arranged
in clusters of about a dozen trees in each, producing an unusual but
most happy effect. The gateway is entered, a plain building in a
castellated wall--this being Walpole's "fortified city"--and, proceeding
up a slope, the fine avenue of beeches crosses another avenue of lime
trees. Here is placed an obelisk erected in honor of John Churchill,
Duke of Marlborough, which also bears an inscription telling of the
erection of Castle Howard. It recites that the house was built on the
site of the old castle of Hinderskelf, and was begun in 1702 by Charles,
the third Earl of Carlisle, who set up this inscription in 1731. The
happy earl, pleased with the grand palace and park he had created, thus
addresses posterity on the obelisk:

"If to perfection these plantations rise,
If they agreeably my heirs surprise,
This faithful pillar will their age declare
As long as time these characters shall spare.
Here, then, with kind remembrance read his name
Who for posterity performed the same."

The avenue then leads on past the north front of the castle, standing in
a fine situation upon a ridge between two shallow valleys. The bed of
the northern valley has been converted into a lake, while on the
southern slopes are beautiful and extensive lawns and gardens. The house
forms three sides of a hollow square, and within, it is interesting in
pictures and ornaments. It is cut up, however, into small rooms and
long, chilly corridors, which detract from its good effect. The
entrance-hall is beneath the central dome and occupies the whole height
of the structure, but it is only about thirty-five feet square, giving a
sense of smallness. Frescoes decorate the walls and ceilings. The public
apartments, which are in several suites opening into each other and
flanked by long corridors, are like a museum, so full are they of rare
works of art, chi