CHISWICK, in Middlesex, situated on the Thames on the south-west side of Hammersmith. Here are two manors, one belonging to the Prebendary of Cheswick in St. Paul’s cathedral, and the other call’d the Dean’s manor, from its belonging to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s. In this village there is a charity school, and it is adorned with several elegant seats, as the Earl of Shrewsbury’s, the Earl of Grantham’s now Col. Elliot’s, the late Lord Wilmington’s, &c. But the most remarkable of the kind is the late Earl of Burlington’s, which was a plain, commodious building, with good offices about it; but a part of the old edifice being some years ago destroyed by fire, his Lordship erected near it a beautiful villa, which, for elegance of taste, surpasses every thing of its kind in England. The court in the front, which is of a proportionable size with the building, is gravelled and constantly kept very neat. On each side are yew hedges in panels, with _Termini_ placed at a proper distance; and in the front of these hedges, are two rows of Cedars of Libanus, which, at a small distance have a fine effect, the dark shade of these solemn ever-greens affording a pleasing contrast to the whiteness of the elegant building that appears between them, the view of which from the road surprizes you in a most agreeable manner. The ascent to the house is by a noble flight of steps, on one side of which is the statue of Palladio, and on the other that of Inigo Jones. The portico is supported by six fine fluted columns of the Corinthian order, with a pediment very elegant, and the cornice, frize and architrave, as rich as possible. This magnificent front strikes all who behold it with an uncommon pleasure and surprize. The octagonal saloon finishing at top in a dome, through which it is enlightened, is also very elegant. The other rooms are extremely beautiful, and are finely furnished with pictures of the great masters; an account of which is here annexed. It were to be wished this house had been built to a larger scale, that the grandeur might have equalled the elegance. Though the other front towards the garden is plainer, yet it is in a very bold, noble and masterly stile, and has at the same time a pleasing simplicity, as hath also the side front towards the serpentine river, which is different from the two others. In making the drawing of this house, it was viewed by the angle, by which means the print here given of it, shews it more perfectly than if only the principal front had been given. The inside of this structure is finished with the utmost elegance; the ceilings are richly gilt and painted, and the rooms adorned with some of the best pictures in Europe. In the gardens, which are very beautiful, the vistos are terminated by a temple, obelisk, or some such ornament, which produce a most agreeable effect.