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STANMOREHILL,MIDDLESEX. ffHJBAS!E€I©Eir"HOTiBIi, JO miles from Marble Arch , by road . 2 mile" from Edyware Station . G . N . M . - i \ miles from the Harrow Station , X . & jy . IT . fi . 3 | miles from Mill Hill Station , Midland Railway . THIS old established Hotel is very retired , healthy , nnd cbarminsrly situated , it offers great inducements to private families , nnd a large Asseni hly Room has lately been added for Meetings , Balls , Wedding Breakfasts , Dinners , Masonic Lodges , Banquets , & c . Arrangements can be made for conveyances . CHARLES VEAL , Proprietor . The Abercorn Lodge , 1549 ; Sub-Urban Lodge , 1702 : and . the Stanmore Chapter , are held here .

Ad00903

Just Published , Price Sixpence . MEASURING THE PATTERN , " A SERMON , Preached before the Provincial Grand Lodsre of Norths and Hunts , at Northampton , by tho VV . Bro . Rev . S . J . W . SANDERS , M . A , and M . L ., & c , Prov . Grand Chaplain . Northampton : Henry Brown & Co ., G-old Street .

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Holiday Haunts.

HOLIDAY HAUNTS .

— : o : — KEW , RICHMOND , & c . IT wonld indeed be difficult , if not almost impossible , tosny anything new abonfc Kew and its surroundings , about Richmond , Bnshey Park , Hampton Coort , and Twickenham . We can only arrange old familiar faces and figures , clothe them it may be with

fresh garments , adding a little colour here and there by way of variety . The bonndless attractions of these places , their ass relations , thpir picturesqueness , and especiall y the unrivalled view from Richmond Hill , are universally admitted . There is no difference of

opinion as to the beauty of the whole ; iho only question is—how can saoh wealth of Nature be beat enjoyed ? Tho peet Thomson li ed and died at Richmond , frrmerly called Sheen , and his remains were interred in the parish church . In his " Seasons" he says : " Sav , shall we ascend

Thy hill , delightful Sheen ? Hero let us sweep The bonndless landscape ; * * * » * Heavn ' s ! what a goodly prospect spreads aronnd , Of hills , and dales , and wonds » , and 1 iwns , and spires , And gfftfc ' ring towns , and gilded streams till all The stretching landscape into smoke decays . "

A native poet may be pardoned for allowing his imagination top ' ay tri ks with facts on a theme dear to hia heart , although in this ease Thomson ' s description falls short of the realitj . The Germans dn not usuall y go into raptures about trifles , they are slow to move , and phlegmatic in judgment , but Mr . 0 . P . Morit / . , oP Berlin , could not

resist the charms of Richmond . His soul was fired when ho saw it . and he was impelled to speak of it as " assuredl y one of the first sitnations in the world , " possessing a " fresh , even , and soft verdare . which is only to be seen in England . " He concludes his praise with tbo following apostrophe : "Sweet Richmond ! Never no never

shall I forgft that lovely evening , when from thy fairy hills thon didst so hospitably smile on me , a poor , lonel y , insignificant stranger , as I traversed to and fro thy meads , thy little swelling bi'ls . and flowery dells ; and above ail , that qneeu of all rivers , thy ' own majestic Thames . I forgot all sublunary caresand thonght onlof

, y heaven and heavenly things . Happy , thrice happy am I , I again and again exelaimed , that I am here , in Elysinm , in R ehmond !" After that what Englishman need be afraid of enthusiasm ? And yet Mr . Moritz did nofc exaggerate one whit . Natut'o has been b"untiful all round Richmond , and what is moro , an historic halo

surrounds the past of that , part of tho country . p centuries kinns ami queensrleligbted in Sheen , and monks and nuns lived aud enjoyed J '' e amidst its beauties . The litt ' e old theatre that stood ou the Ween was a real as well as a mimic stage , and could its walls speak what tales wonld be unfolded ! Edmund Kean died at Richmond , Wiere he had often figured—a real histrionic ! k ' ni"reproducing the

, masterl y creations of poets , and stamping upon them his own genius e n ° d ^ ell for pages on the people who fli'ted across life ' s stao- [ Who were associated with Richmond , who fmnd thero peace , enj . " - - ^ ont and beauty ; we could enlarge upon the many charms ' of the *>< -k , the Green , and the river , but after all we cannot add to what

mature has alread y done . We can onl y whet the appetite of our 'eariers , give a spur to their desires . When Richmond is exhausted there are Bushey Park and Hampton onrt There is no more lovely sght , i „ Great Britain that , the ™ -irt avenue of the former presents wh -u the Chesunt trees are in essoin , and few retreats more refreshing in snmmer , As for "oisey 3 palace , ib i < j unique and a never-failiug source of pleasure

Holiday Haunts.

and edification . The reflective mind will find food enough there to engage his thoughts , and if he wonld seek mental diversion he might turn his mind to pretty Twickenham , and people it again with the intellectual giants of the past . Then there is Islesworth , and even lone : dirtv Brentford , with its numberless inns and beershops , and

mean buildings , its factories and mills and their accompanimentssmnt and dirt . The contrast is great , yet both scenes are real . Nature in all her charms reigns round Richmond ; it takes a more vulgar and human form at Brentford . There men toil and labour to supplement natnre ' s bounties ; they exemplify the practical ia

contradistinction to the sentimental . But Brentford has a history nnd record worthy of a passing notice at least . Ifc may now serve to illnstrate the story of tbe beauty and the beast . The beast , however , is onlv humanity in dusky clothes . Both the past and the present hear evidence that the people of Brentford are very much

like peoplo elsewhere . There have been some stirring scenes afc the old county town of Middlesex , and if Foote did satirise the residents by the burlesque Major Sturgeon in " The Mayor of Garratt , " some sturdy sons have witnessed to the possession of real courage . Afc any rate it is the centre of busy commerce , and if it be not lovely to

the eye , it is so closely allied to its neighbours as fco share somewhat in reflected glory . Brentford affords just the requisite contrast to show up the charms by whioh it is surrounded , and supplies the necessary alloy to prevent an excels of delight palling upon the senses . There is danger of this on the opposite shore . The walk

along the bank of the river from Kew to Richmond is a delightful ramble , but the pleasures within the boundaries of tho gardens are bevond description . It is worthy of remark that visiters never tire of Kew G lrdens . They go again and again , and still they continue to sound their praises and to long for a renewal of the trip . We can

understand this feeling among botanists , because nowhere else can be found so rich a school for study , nowhere is there ombi-ifd o m oh thafc is rare and valuable . But tho popularity of Kew , in it- b'oader sense , most be sought for in another direction . It is easy i f a 0 -sa bv river , road , and rail ; the gardens are open on Sundays , and

although the example may be questioned by some , there can b ? no donbfc as to the value of this place of resort over many others , Nature dwells there , accompanied only by art ; fche coarser food necessary for animal enjoyment is beyond the gates . If the visitora

therefore do not realise all , or muoh , or even none at all of nature ' s lessons , they are free from the intrusion of vulgar tastes and from the exercise of vulgar habits . If there are few exalted hei ghts , there are also few depressing hollows . Bufc we must leave Kew and its attractions , and turn to other matters .

The places we have but vpry imperfectly dwelt upon have ^ the great advantage of being easily accessible . A jaunt up the river , when the water is high , is very enjoyable . This mode of travelling is always available to Hammersmith . From thence the walk is pleasant on either side of tho bridge . On the Surrey side are Barnea

n » cl Mor'lake , and on the MiddKsex side pretty Chiswick and Turn , ham Green . A tramwav runs from Hammeismith to the Star and Garter , Kew B'i Ige , whilo railways in abundance convey the pnblic lo any spot in tho loraMfcy they can desire . As a kind of halting honse , where rest and refreshment can be obtained , where a foretaste

of the beanty that is concentrated further on cm be had , there is nothing equal to the Star and Garter already alluded to . It stands like a guard afc the entrance of treasure caves , and has cells of its own in which to dispense hospitality to the traveller . A huge traffic meets afc this p ^ int , and those who need to rep ' enisb the

inner man will find fche house we have indicated jnst what , they require . We knew thafc fche St . Mary ' s and Rose of Denmark Chapters , the Roval Alfred and Loyalty and Charty Lodges , and the Chiswick Mark Masters met at the Star and Garter , but we were not prepared r or tho extensive accommodation the house and grounds afford for

large and small parties . The ordinary public are served at the common bar , the visitors get attention in the hotel department , which is so arranged that luncheons and home comforts for residents ran he secured with the necessary privacy . A large and beautiful howling green rnns at the back of the hotel . Adjoining is a splendid

open-air swimming bath , with a master in constant attendance . The bather is secured from intrusion by a canvas screen , the dressing accommodation is complete , and he depth of the water varies to suit swimmers and non-swimmers . On the other side of tho bath is another lawn of a more general character . Ifc contains a small

rifle range , a miniifcure rabbit warren , and a cage or two for animals . We noticed a sly old fox in one corner , eyeing fche fowls with tho longing of his species . Behind lawns and bath are the vegetable garden and outhouses , pleasantly studied with tr"es . The holly trees on the bowling green are worthy of especial

notice ; thev aro the finest wo have over seen . Brill and baths are names well known arid associated together at Brighton , and ifc seems quite natural thafc the nephew of the older Brill , who is fche c mrteons host of tho S ^ ar and Garter at Kew Bridge ., should keep up tho ainUy corn ec'ion . We were less surprised , therefore , than wc other .

wise mi"ht h'vo been , at the unta ' ory advantages offered at tho hotel . Tho indoor arrangements are as complete as possible , and for Masonio purposes nothing could be better . Secrecy , convenience , a » d comfort are secured , while ihe banquet'ing hall is really a noble inartment . capable of seating a hundred guests and leave elbow room .

On the < Cca « ion of onr visit , the ermdovtis of a City printing office , the heads of which aro personally known to us , wore to dine at tho Star and Garter . We were informed that that was the third lime 'heV had dined at the same place , so pleased were they with Bro . Brill ' s catering . As tbe party mustered eighty in number , it was

a fair test of the oaoaoity of tho ho'e ' . We mention this circumstance b"cause it is a practical illustration of what , can be done at the establishment over which Bro . Brill so ably pre-ides , and in addition -vp cm add our personal experience , which has been most agreeable .

We know of no hotel so near town , so easy and cheap ot access , where so mnch of th > country can be enjoyed with all the accessories of a first-rate hotel , and where so much real pleasure can be had , from riyer , gsrdec , and park ,