Collection of exotics; and the grounds laid out with singular elegance and taste. Among the most striking of their embellishments is a circular temple or observatory, which commands a magnificent view of the metropolis and its vicinity, and contains the mechanical instruments of the late Mr. Ferguson, and the curious models in cork by Dubourg. A fountain and a cottage on the border of a spacious reservoir, exhibit a scene at once truly beautiful and picturesque. The cottage is supported by the trunks of eighteen oak trees, entwined with climbing evergreens, forming a kind of colonnade. Facing it is a statue of Venus rising from the water, by Locatelli; and over the door a representation in alto relievo of the history of Acis and Galatea, in statuary marble. The fountain is supplied by pipes from an ample spring issuing from the summit of the hill, and collected in a sheet of water or canal; and rising through the centre of an elegant composition in Portland stone forms the jet d'eau. From the spring which supplies the canal, the village of Camberwell derives its name; and the place where it rises tradition has marked as the spot where George Barnwell murdered his uncle; an incident which gave rise to Lillo's well-known tragedy.

Dulwich is a pleasant hamlet, in the parish of Camberwell, bordering upon Kent. The manor was purchased in 1606, by Edward Alleyne, Esq. *. This gentleman, some years afterH 2 wards,

Edward Alleyne was born in London, in 1566. Fuller says that he was bred a player; and it is certain that he went upon the stage at an early pe. riod of life, and acquired great celebrity in his profession. Baker speaking of him and Jurbage, declares, that they were two such actors as no age must ever look to see the like." Heywood also characterizes him as

Proteus for shapes, and Roscius for a tongue.

Alleyne was sole proprietor of the Fortune playhouse in White Cross Street, which he built at his own expense, and was partner with Philip Henslow (whose wife's daughter he married,) in a Bear Garden at Bankside, long be fore they purchased the office of master of the king's bears. The time and ocsasion of his retiring from the stage are alike unknown. Respecting the latter an

absurd

wards, began to erect on this estate a commodious building for a college, or hospital, from a design by Inigo Jones, and having with some difficulty obtained the king's letters patent for settling lands upon it, he executed a deed of trust, by which he conveyed the manor of Dulwich and other estates to the use of the college for ever. The chapel was finished in 1616, and the building being completed, and the members of the college appointed, the solemnity of the foundation took place September 13, 1619. This institution, to which Alleyne gave the name of God's Gift College, was founded for a master, warden, four fellows, six poor brethren, and six sisters, all of whom must be unmarried, twelve scholars, and thirty out-members. The endowment consisted of the manor of Dulwich, and lands and tenements there, also in Lambeth parish, and in the parish of St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, and the Fortune theatre, then producing a revenue of about 8001. per annum. The annual rents of these estates, in 1808, amounted to 37841.

According to the statutes the master and warden must be of the blood and surname of the founder, and for want of such, of his name only. On the death of the master, the warden succeeds, and a new warden duly qualified must be chosen by lot. The fellows are chosen in the same manner; the senior performs di

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absurd story is very gravely related by Aubrey, and other topographical writers, who say, that while personating the Devil, his Satanic Majesty, indignant at this profanation, appeared himself upon the stage, and terrified Alleyne to such a degree, that he immediately relinquished the profession, and made a vow to appropriate his fortune to charitable purposes, which he accomplished in the erection of Dulwich College. This tale seems to have been fabricated after Alleyne's time, for Baker, his contemporary, who was too fond of enlivening his history to let such a circumstance pass unnoticed, says nothing of it. Having formed the plan of his foundation, he retired to the manor-house on Dulwich Common, now called Hall Place. Here he superintended the erec tion of his college, and spent the remainder of his days in the management of its affairs; not as master, as it has been asserted; for he appointed his kinsmen Thomas and Matthias Alleyne to be the first master and warden. He died in November 1626, aged 60.

vine service in the chapel; two others officiate as schoolmaster and usher, and the fourth, who is a layman, as organist. The poor brethren and sisters must be sixty years of age at their ad. mission: a clause in the statute excludes persons infected with a noisome disease, or decrepit in their limbs; and if they marry, commit fornication, or adultery, they are to be expelled. These poor brethren and sisters are to be selected as vacancies occur from the thirty out-members, who must be of the parishes of St. Saviour Southwark, St. Botolph Bishopsgate, and St. Giles's Cripplegate, ten out of each, and for whom alms-houses were built by the founder in their respective parishes. The twelve poor scholars must be from six to eight years of age at their admission, and be educated till they are eighteen; when they are either to be apprenticed to some trade, or sent to the University, where, according to the statutes, there ought always to be four Dulwich scholars; but notwithstanding the injunctions of Archbishops Wake and Potter on the subject; the provisions for educating boys for the University have long been relinquished.

The churchwardens of the three parishes above-mentioned were constituted assistants in the government of the college, and to attend the audits; and the Archbishop of Canterbury was appointed visitor.

Dulwich College consists of a front and two wings, which form three sides of a quadrangle. In the centre of the front building is a long Latin inscription on black marble, recording the purposes and date of this foundation. The west end of the front contains the hall, kitchen, and offices on the groundfloor, and above are the apartments of the master and warden; the east end is occupied by the chapel: which is plain, and unornamented, except by the altar-piece, a copy of Raphael's Transfiguration by his pupil Julio Romano, presented to the college in 1796, by Thomas Mills, Esq. of Great Saxham, in Suffolk. In the west wing, the apartments of the sisters occupy the ground-floor, over which is the picture-gallery, 77 feet long, and 15 wide. The contents of this gallery, which were bequeathed

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