to the palace in question than to a Gothic castle. Treasures of art I saw none: the best was a middling picture by West. All the magnificence lay in the gorgeous materials, and the profuse display of money. The drawing-room or library, would, for size, make a very good riding-school. The large portraits of the possessor and his wife, in the dining-room, have little interest, except for their acquaintances. A number of 'affreux' little Gothic temples, deface the pleasure-ground, which has, moreover, no fine trees: the soil is not very favourable, and the whole seems laid out in comparatively recent times. The country is rather pretty, though not picturesque, and too flat. As we had time to spare, we visited the royal castle of Chester which is now converted into an excellent county gaol. The whole arrangement of it seemed to me most humane and perfect. The view from the terrace of the 'corps de logis,' in which are the Courts of Justice, down upon the prisoners in their cells, is extremely curious and surprising. Imagine a high terrace of rock, on which stands a castle with two wings. The 'corps de logis' is, as I said, dedicated to the courts, which are very spacious; and the wings, to the prisoners for debt. The court-yard is laid out as a little garden, in which the debtors may walk. Under the court are cells in which the criminals are confined; the further end on the right is appropriated to the women. The cells are separate, and radiate from a centre; the little piece of ground in front of each is a garden for the use of the prisoner, in which he is permitted to walk; before trial his dress is gray; after it, red and green. In each division of the building behind the cells is a large common-room, with a fire, in which the prisoners work. The cells are clean and airy; the food varies with the degree of crime,--the lowest is bread, potatoes and salt. To-day, being new-year's-day, all the prisoners had roast-beef, plum-pudding, and ale. Most of them, especially the women, became very animated, and made a horrible noise, with hurrahs to the health of the Mayor who had given them this fête. The view from the upper terrace, over the gardens, the prison, and a noble country, with the river winding below, just behind the cells;--on the side, the roofs and towers of the city in picturesque confusion; and in the distance, the mountains of Wales,--is magnificent, and 'a tout prendre' our country counsellors of justice (_Oberlandes gerichtsrathe_) are seldom lodged so well as the rogues and thieves here. Thank Heaven, we set out on our return to-morrow, for I am quite weary of parks and sights. I am afraid you will be no less so, of my monotonous letters; but as you have said A you must say B, and so prepare for a dozen parks before we reach London. Meanwhile I send my epistle thither, to afford you at least an interval, and pray God to have you in his merciful and faithful keeping. Your ever devoted L----. LETTER X.