File:Aedes Althorpianae; or, Account of the mansion, books, and pictures, at Althorp; the residence of George John, earl Spencer, K.G. To which is added a supplement to the Bibliotheca Spenceriana (1822) (14765824304).jpg

Identifier: aedesalthorpiana01spen (find matches)
Title: Aedes Althorpianae; or, Account of the mansion, books, and pictures, at Althorp; the residence of George John, earl Spencer, K.G. To which is added a supplement to the Bibliotheca Spenceriana
Year: 1822 (1820s)
Authors: Spencer, George John Spencer, Earl, 1758-1834 Dibdin, Thomas Frognall, 1776-1847
Subjects: Althorp (Northampton, Northamptonshire) Rare books Incunabula
Publisher: London : Printed by W. Nicol, Shakespeare Press (etc.)
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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al, which is hung over thefire-place. This is said to have been the favourite portrait ofthe Duchess. It represents the Duke, as the opposite engrav-ing shews, shortly after his return from one of his continentalcampaigns. His countenance has a browner tint than is usuallyseen in his portraits; but tlie Duchess, having before had her hus-bands likeness taken as the handsomest fair man, declared thatthe present should represent him as the handsomest brownman—in England. It has never been before engraved. Ofthe Painter, nothing is known with certainty ; and it must beallowed that this countenance of the Duke differs much from theusually received portraits of that great man. I cannot also butconsider it as the most genuine one; and as most worthy of thereputed beauty of the original. This room is precisely of thedimensions of the Raphael Library, and is commonly used asan Evening Drawing Room for the family when they are alone.The class of books contained in it, are chiefly Voyages and
Text Appearing After Image:
del. .-. ortnington ,uLr^ ©ifflSLE ■■ ^-■■OIK.OIOGH, THE LIBRARY. 27 Travels, and History. Among the latter, the curious will notfail to notice one of the completest sets in England of that rareand truly wonderful work called the Acta Sanctorum, in fifty-fivefolio volumes. Thus far the visitor has been conducted over what may becalled the old suite of apartments, devoted to the Library; al-though it is scarcely six years since this last room—hereto-fore his Lordships bed-chamber—was thrown open for thereception of the overflowings of such a progressively increasingCollection. We have now to tread neiv ground. Previously tohis Lordships leaving England for Italy, in 1819, a plan wasprojected for building a ne%v room, of the Gothic form, for thereception of more books—and which was to communicate to theroom, just described, by means of a Corridor. This plan wascan-ied into effect during the year of the absence of the Earland Countess; and in the following year, 1820, the

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