_The Royal Parks._
"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in Hampton Court
Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must have been of an
enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring twenty-eight feet in
circumference.
"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two large
ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy Park, of a
very large size, and apparently as hardy as any other tree there. The
avenues in that park are perhaps the finest in Europe. There are nine of
them altogether, the centre one, formed by two rows of horse-chestnut
trees, being the widest. The side avenues, of which there are four on
each side of the main avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length,
including the circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty
yards.
"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish chestnut
tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to have been the
first which was seen in this country.
"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of Greenwich Park
were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them he would call them
'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The chestnuts, however, though
they produce some fine fruit, have not thriven in the same proportion
with the elms. In noticing this park I should not forget to mention that
the only remaining part of the palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the
front of Lord Auckland's house looking into the park. It is a circular
delft window of beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of
preservation. There are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper
part of the park, all of which appear to have been opened."
"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one thousand
six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is generally a stock
of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag was so powerful, and
offered so much resistance, that two of his legs were broken in
endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged to be killed. One who had
shown good sport in the royal hunt, was named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late
Majesty, in consequence of Sir Edmund Nagle having been in at the
'_take_' after a long chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in
the park; and its a curious fact that he died the very same day on which
Sir Edmund Nagle died."
The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries respecting
Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by a Bungler.
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