made of two stones. Then
we come to the baron's hall, of noble dimensions. On the walls are the
stone sculptured arms of the Marquis of Worcester. The chapel was a
narrow room; and, nearly concealed by ivy, are two effigies. The
south-west tower contained the apartments occupied by Charles I. after
the battle of Naseby, in 1645. The grand terrace is in tolerable order,
and you proceed to it by a bridge. We ascended the towers and gazed on
majesty in ruins. We saw nothing on the continent finer than Ragland
Castle. The prospect from the great tower is the finest that can be
imagined, and I almost fear to tell you its extent.

You may imagine that we felt unusually interested at this place, from
the fact that here the Marquis of Worcester invented the steam engine.

The castle was devastated by the parliamentary troops under Fairfax,
having surrendered in 1646. The defence was gallant, but unavailing.

The warder of the castle is a very gentlemanly man. He took us into his
apartments in one of the towers, and we found that he was a very
respectable amateur in painting. Some of his oil paintings were very
creditable. An infant girl, of great beauty, his daughter, answered to
the name of Blanche Castle May, and was the first-born child under that
roof since its desolation.

Here, as well as at Tintern Abbey, I obtained ivy roots for Mr. Hall,
and hope to see them flourishing on the walls of his beautiful stone
house in Rhode Island.

We retired slowly from this romantic ruin, and at the hotel found an
excellent dinner. One dish was fit for a king--sewen, young salmon, or a
species of salmon, for there is much dispute among naturalists as to the
identity of these fish. Any how, they are fine beyond any fish. They
were about two and a quarter pounds each, and are so delicate that they
do not well bear transportation.

We returned to Chepstow that evening, having a fine ride through a new
piece of scenery, and were quite ready for a sound night's rest. In the
morning we looked at the castle in Chepstow, which is remarkably fine,
and is of extreme antiquity; some of the arches of the castle chapel
indicating clearly a Saxon origin. One of the priestly legends is that
this chapel was built by Longinus, a Jew, and father of the soldier who
pierced the side of Christ. This was the belief of the ancient
population of this charming region.

All around this town Roman coins are frequently turned up; and I
obtained from a gent