This palace, which was afterwards the prison of King Charles I. is, with the parks, encompassed in a semicircle by the Thames. King William and Queen Mary were so greatly pleased with its situation, which rendered it capable of great improvements, and of being made one of the noblest palaces in Europe, that while the former was causing the old apartments to be pulled down, and rebuilt in the more beautiful manner in which they now appear, her Majesty impatient to enjoy so agreeable a retreat, fixed upon a building near the river, called the Water Gallery, and suiting it to her convenience, adorned it with the utmost elegance, though its situation would not allow it to stand after the principal building was completed. Since the pulling down of the Water Gallery, which stood before the fine stone front that faces the river, the ground to the south west received considerable improvements. This spot is laid out in small inclosures, surrounded with tall hedges, in order to break the violence of the winds, and render them proper for the reception of such exotic plants as were moved thither in summer out of the conservatories. Here are two basons constantly supplied with water, for the support of these plants in dry weather; and as these are situated near the great apartments, most of the plants may be viewed from the window. At a small distance to the west, stood a large hot house, for preserving such tender exotic plants as require a greater share of warmth than is generally felt in this climate. Of this part of gardening Queen Mary was so fond, that she allowed a handsome salary to Dr. Plukenet, a very learned botanist, for overlooking and registering the curious collection of plants she caused to be brought into the garden; but since her Majesty’s death they have been much neglected, and very few of the most curious plants are now to be found there. The park and gardens, with the ground on which the palace now stands, are about three miles in circumference. On a pediment at the front of the palace on this side, is a bas-relief of the triumphs of Hercules over Envy; and facing it a large oval bason, answering to the form of this part of the garden, which is a large oval divided into gravel walks and parterres, laid out in an elegant manner, by those two eminent gardeners, London and Wise.