painted with the story of Neptune, and supported by columns and pilasters of Scagliola marble in imitation of porphyry, executed by Bartoli and Richter. The garden is neatly laid out; and at the upper end is a small column of Kilkenny marble, inscribed in memory of Margaret of Kildare, late Countess of Hillsborough, who died at Naples in 1767.

The whimsical congregation of buildings round this seat are composed of chalk and flints, and consist of a Convent, with the remains of a Chapel and Cloister, a Castle, a Bead-House, now an Inn, a Temple of Neptune, a small Fort, &c. Near the road leading to Margate, is also Harley Tower, a column so called from being dedicated to the honor of THOMAS HARLEY, Lord Mayor of London in 1768. This estate was bequeathed, by Lord Holland, to his second son, the late Charles James Fox, Esq., from whom it passed to the Roberts's in the same way as the manor of Quex, but some parts have been recently sold.

BROADSTAIRS, anciently called Brad-stow, has of late years become a very thriving and fashionable watering-place, and many new houses have been erected here, which, in the summer season, are inhabited by families of the first respectability. About the time of Henry the Eighth, a small wooden Pier appears to have been built here for the safety of the fishing craft; most probably by the Culmer family, who fortified the gate or way leading down to the sea-shore, by an arched portal, defended by a portcullis and strong gates. This was done to prevent the inhabitants being plundered by the sudden incursions of privateers: the arch still remains, it having been repaired in 1795, by Sir J. Henniker, Bart. now Lord Henniker. In Elizabeth's time, by two indentures, dated respectively in 1564 and 1586, the Culmers granted the Pier, and the way leading to it, under certain conditions, to the inhabitants and parishioners, to hold for ever, for the good of the commonwealth.' From the dues becoming insufficient to keep the Pier and Harbour in repair, an Act was obtained in the thirtysecond of his present Majesty, for granting public aid for that pur pose; yet the desired improvements have not yet been made, the trade to this Port having greatly decreased, through the war, and other causes.

Near the Pier are some remains of a small Chapel, now con verted into a dwelling-house, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and in which, says Lewis, was her image, called our Lady of Broadstairs, formerly held in so great veneration, that the ships, as they sailed by this place, used to lower their top-sails to salute it."* Some ship-building is carried on here, under the direction of the son of the late Mr. White, whose professional abilities have been highly extolled. Two good Libraries have been recently established here; and some other accommodations, as warm baths, &c. provided for the visitors who annually flock to this coast. "Here," observes Lewis, "as formerly, within my memory, after a great deal of rain, or frost, which has occasioned a fall of the adjoining cliff, have been found a great many brass coins, &c. of the Roman Emperors."+

- Near Broadstairs, says Kilburne, " on the ninth of July, 1574, a monstrous Fish shot himself on shore, on a little sand, now called Fishness, where, for want of water, he died the next day, before which time his roaring was heard above a mile. His length was twenty-two yards, the nether jaw opening twelve feet: one of his eyes was more than a cart and six horses could draw, and a man stood upright in the place from whence it was taken. The thickness from his back to the top of his belly, which lay upward, was fourteen feet; his tail of the same breadth: the distance between his eyes was twelve feet: three men stood upright in his mouth: some of his ribs were sixteen feet long; his tongue was fifteen feet long his liver was two cart-loads; and a man might creep into his nostrils." A large male Whale, of the spermaceti kind, was also found on this shore, in February, 1762. Its length was sixty-one feet; circumference, forty-five feet; perpendicular height of its sides, twelve feet; distance of the fins, eight feet, six inches; length of the fins, four feet, six inches; breadth of ditto, three feet; distance from the nose to the eye, one foot, three inches; extent of lower jaw, eight feet; distance from the tail to the navel, fifteen feet. EAST

Hist. of Thanet, p. 165.

+ Ibid. p. 164.

Survey of Kent, p. 215,-16.