THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| VOL. XVII, NO. 475.] | SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1831. | [PRICE 2d. |
THE PRINCESS ELIZABETH'S COTTAGE, WINDSOR.
They who draw their notions of royal enjoyment from the tinsel of itsexternal trappings, will scarcely believe the above cottage to have beenthe residence of an English princess. Yet such was the rank of itsoccupant but a few years since, distant as may be the contrast of courtsand cottages, and the natural enjoyment of rural life from theartificial luxury—the painted pomp and idle glitter of regal state.
The above cottage stands in the grounds of Grove House, adjoining thechurchyard of Old Windsor. It was built under the superintendent tasteof the Princess Elizabeth,1 second sister of the present King, and nowknown as the Landgravine of Hesse Homburg. To the decoration of thiscottage the Princess paid much attention: it is quite in theornée style; and its situation is so beautiful as to baffle allembellishment.
Grove House, the seat of Lady Dowager Onslow, of whom the Princesspurchased the whole property, was built by Mr. Bateman, uncle to theeccentric Lord Bateman. This gentleman made it a point in his travelsto notice everything that pleased him in the monasteries abroad; and,on his return to England, he built this house; the bedchamber beingcontrived, like the cells of monks, with a refectory, and every otherappendage of a monastery; even to a cemetery, and a coffin, inscribedwith the name of a supposititious ancient bishop. Some curious Gothicchairs, bought at a sale of the curiosities in this house, are now atStrawberry Hill.
Old Windsor gives rise to many more interesting reminiscences; and fewwho "suck melancholy from a song" would exchange its sombre churchyardfor the gayest field of fancy. We may be there anon.
ENGLISH SUPERSTITION.
Sir Walter Scott, in his history of Demonology and Witchcraft,has omitted a tradition which is still popular in Cheshire, and whichfrom its close resemblance to one of the Scottish legends related bythat writer, gives rise to many interesting conjectures respecting theprobable causes of such a superstition being believed in countries withapparently so little connexion or intercourse, as Cheshire and Scotland.The facts of Sir Walter's narration are as follow: vide Demonologyand Witchcraft, p. 133.
"A daring horse jockey having sold a horse to a man of venerable andantique appearance, had a remarkable hillock on the Eildon Hills, calledLucken Hare, appointed as the place where, at twelve o'clock at night,he should receive the price. He came, the money was paid in an ancientcoin, and he was invited by the purchaser to view his residence. Thetrader followed his guide through several long ranges of stalls, in eachof which a horse stood motionless, while an armed warrior lay equallystill at