DIALOGUE III.

On the Age of Queen ELIZABETH.

MR. DIGBY, DR. ARBUTHNOT, MR. ADDISON,

T happened, in the summer of the

IT

year 1716, that Dr. ARBUTHNOT and Mr. ADDISON had occafion to take a journey together into Warwickshire. Mr. DIGBY, who had received intelligence of their motions and was then at Coleshill, contrived to give them the meeting at Warwick; where they intended to pass a day or two, in vifiting the curiofities of that fine town, and the more remarkable of those remains of antiquity that are to be seen in its neighbourhood. These were matter of high entertainment to all of them; to Dr. ARBUTHNOT, for the pleasure of recollecting the ancient times;

to

to Mr. ADDISON, on account of fome political reflexions, he was fond of indulging on fuch occafions; and to Mr. DIGBY, from an ingenuous curiofity, and the love of feeing and observing whatever was most remarkable, whether in the past ages, or the present.

AMONGST other things that amufed them, they were much taken with the great church at Warwick. They entertained themselves with the feveral hifto. ries, which it's many old monuments recalled to their memory [f]. The famous infcription of Sir FULK GREVIL Occafioned fome reflexions; efpecially to Mr. DIGBY, who had used to be much affected with the fame and fortunes of the accomplished Sir PHILIP SIDNEY. The glory of the houfe of WARWICK was, alfo, an ample field of meditation. But

For the account of thefe Monuments, and of Kenelworth Castle, fee the plans and defcriptions of DUGDALE.

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what

what chanced to take their attention moft, was the monument of the great earl of LEICESTER. It recorded his titles at full length, and was, besides, richly decorated with fculpture, displaying the various enfigns and trophies of his greatness. The pride of this minister had never appeared to them fo confpicuous, as in the legends and ornaments of his tomb-ftone; which had not only outlived his family, but feemed to affure itself of immortality, by taking refuge, as it were, at the foot of the altar.

THESE funereal honours engaged them in some common reflexions on the folly of fuch expedients to perpetuate human grandeur; but at the fame time, as is the usual effect of these things, ftruck their imaginations very strongly. They readily apprehended what muft have been the state of this mighty favourite in his lifetime, from what they faw of it in this proud memorial, which continued in a

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manner to infult pofterity fo many years after his death. But understanding that the fragments at leaft of his fupreme glory, when it was flourishing at its height, were still to be seen at KENELWORTH, which they knew could be at no great distance, they refolved to visit them the next day, and indulge to the utmost the feveral reflexions which fuch scenes are apt to infpire. On inquiry, they found it was not more than five or fix miles to the caftle; fo that, by starting early in the morning, they might easily return to dinner at Warwick. They kept to their appointment fo well, that they got to Kenelworth in good time, and had even two or three hours on their hands to spend, in taking an exact view of the place.

It was luckily one of thofe fine days, which our travellers would most have wifhed for, and which indeed are moft agreeable in this feafon. It was clear

enough

enough to afford a diftinct profpect of the country, and to fet the objects, they wanted to take a view of, in a good light; and yet was fo conveniently clouded as to check the heat of the fun, and make the exercife of walking, of which they were likely to have a good deal, perfectly easy to them.

WHEN they alighted from the coach, the first object that prefented itself, was the principal GATEWAY of the Castle. It had been converted into a farm-house, and was indeed the only part of these vast ruins, that was inhabited. On their entrance into the inner-court, they were ftruck with the fight of many mouldering towers, which preferved a fort of magnificence even in their ruins. They amused themselves with obferving the vaft compass of the whole, with marking the uses, and tracing the dimensions, of the feveral parts. All which it was easy for them to do, by the very diftinct traces VOL. I. L

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