the walls, a mode of building that Mr. King, in his "Monumenta Antiqua," supposes to have been derived from the Phoenicians, or Syrians, and in this country only to be found in the Welch castles. It is very possible that the western style of building might have been introduced into Cornwall by some Phoenician settlers induced to remain there from the very great advantages they would obtain in their traffic for tin, by having resident agents.

Mr. King is also of opinion, that those ancient circular towers, such as Bumless and Tretur Castles, in Brecknockshire, and Launceston Castle, in Cornwall, are of Phoenician or Syrian origin; for it is well known that a castle did exist at Launceston previous to the Conquest, as William I. first deprived Othomanus de Knivet, the then hereditary governor, and Condorous, Earl of Cornwall, of their possessions, and bestowed the whole on Robert, Earl of Moreton; and, though a pointed arch in the outside of the gateway would imply this part to have been built since the time of the Earl of Moreton, there is on the inner side of the same gateway a circular arch of very much older date.

The castles abovementioned certainly possess much of the Asiatic style, which consists of a single tower of three or four stories, surrounded by a wall at a small distance from it, and often a second wall outside the first, constituting an inner ballium, with its keep, and an outer ballium, which, when compared with the magnificent fortresses of the Normans, certainly appear scarcely to merit the name of a castle. It is very likely that the towers occasionally mentioned in the Scriptures, as in Judges, the book of Judith, &c. were of this description; for the regular and evident progression and improvement of every art and science, from the creation of the world up to the present day, will not allow us to imagine that they could compare with any buildings of later times. As I can bear testimony to the accuracy of the Rev. W. Bingley's description of Beaumaris Castle, I shall transcribe his account of it verbatim—“ When it was in a perfect state, it consisted of an outer ballium, or envelope, surrounded by a broad ditch, flanked by several round towers; and it had on the east side an advanced walk, called the Gunner's Walk: within these was the body of the castle, which was nearly square, having a round tower at each angle, and another in the centre of each face. The area is a square, with the corners cut off, and measures about sixty yards on each side. In the middle of the north side is the hall, which is twenty yards long and twelve

broad, and has five elegant windows in front. There has been a communication round the buildings of the inner court, by means of a gallery, somewhat more than a yard wide, which is yet in a great measure entire. In recesses in the side of this gallery are several square openings, which seem to have been furnished with trap doors, as entrances to dungeons beneath. The use of these I have not been able to learn; they must have been descended by ladders, for there are no remains of steps to be discovered in any of them. The two eastern towers of this building served the purpose of dungeons for the confinement of prisoners. On the east side of the area are the remains of a very small chapel, arched and ribbed with pointing and intersected arches. Between each of the gothic pilasters is a narrow window, and behind some of them there have been small closets, gained out of the thickness of the wall."

THE KEEP OF GOODRICH CASTLE.

Herefordshire.

ON the distant brow of a woody hill, rising out of a luxuriant vale, are seen the towers of Goodrich, rearing their deserted heads above a thick mass of trees, and backed by the high swelling lands of the Forest of Dean, joined by the surrounding heights of Penyard Chase, and Bishop's Wood. The animated Wye, springing on its first appearance immediately from beneath a high bank, that screens its nearer approach, is seen to range through the whole, along a succession of green meadows. Then winding down a sylvan scene of inexpressible beauty, towards the deep recesses of the Forest of Dean, in a clear and rapid, but even course, it soon arrives at the majestic ruin of Goodrich Castle, one of the noblest ornaments of its banks, and one of those which gives it a claim to superiority over its sister streams. A high tongue of land, projecting into the valley, terminates precipitously over the river, which almost encircles the peninsula, whose sides are clothed with a hanging wood, and whose summit is crowned with the venerable castle that looks forth on the country around, and seems, in its stateliness, to offer protection to the lands, the cottages, and the holy fanes that lie around its mouldering walls. The luxuriance of the distant landscape, the verdure of the meadows, the elegance of the woods, the swift sparkling current of the river, the solemn majesty of the castle, combine to form a scene so fitting in all its colours, so associated in all its parts, its varieties so mingled in one whole, that, though profusely rich in subject, its first and strongest character is simplicity, and altogether it

has an effect so dignified, so calm, so deep, that the mind rests immoveably on the inimitable picture which is presented to the eye. The views from the tower, though partaking of the character of the landscape, just described, and though more extensive, are less impressive, as they want the noble centre, which is presented to the eye when the castle is seen from without. History does not inform us of the precise date of the erection of this fortress; but it is first mentioned in a grant of the castle and lordship made by King John to William Marshall, Earl of Strignil (1204); though the keep is built in a style that denotes a much earlier era for its foundation; and tradition ascribes its origin to one Godricus, in the time of Canute. It passed into the family of the Talbots, by the marriage of one of that family with the heiress of Goodrich, and long remained the baronial residence of the Earls of Shrewsbury. The last historical event connected with this place, was the siege that it sustained, for six weeks, against the parliamentary forces in the civil wars of Charles' reign.-The castle covers, and encloses, about one acre of ground in the form of a parellelogram, each angle being defended by a tower. On the south-west side is the keep, by much the most ancient part of the castle, being strongly built in the Norman style, with circular headed doors and windows, surrounded by a zig-zag moulding. The grand entrance, at the east angle, over a bridge of two pointed arches, across the deep fosse, gives a strong idea of the formidable means taken to secure the part that was more particularly liable to attack. A vaulted passage led to the inner court, under a series of pointed arches, strong groined, and defended by several portcullises, gates, bars, and other cautionary measures. Immediately on entering the court, to the left, is the chapel, and the remnant of a watch tower, and beyond on the same side, were the stables, and the soldiers' apartments. The south angle is defended by a strong tower, circular without, and angular within. The keep already mentioned, and formerly called Macbeth's Tower, strengthened by the curtain on the south-west. At the next angle is the great west tower, of remarkable strength and size. The large baronial hall occupies part of another side, on which were also the kitchen, and the ladies' tower; this last part is overshadowed by a noble ash that grows in the centre of the grassy court. This building claims particular attention from the perfect idea which it gives of the structure of a castle in

the earlier ages, with all its defences, and internal arrangements; and no less from its present picturesque forms, rich accompaniments of ivy, and forest trees, and the mellow colour of the walls, deepened and varied, with all the stains of age. Its situation, far from human dwellings, and the stillness which that solitude, insures to its precincts, leave contemplation to all the solemnity, that is inspired by the sight of grandeur sinking in dignity, to decay.