The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

i68s JOHN EVELYN I?7

Master of the Ordnance, and one of the grooms of the
bedchamber; a great favorite of the Duke's, an active
and understanding gentleman in sea affairs.

13th June, 1683. To our Society, where we received
the Count de Zinzendorp, Ambassador from the Duke of
Saxony, a fine young man; we showed him divers ex-
periments on the magnet, on which subject the Society
were upon.

16th June, 1683. I went to Windsor, dining by the
way at Chiswick, at Sir Stephen Fox's, where I found
Sir Robert Howard (that universal pretender), and Siguor
Verrio, who brought his draught and designs for the
painting of the staircase of Sir Stephen's new house,

That which was new at Windsor since I was last there
and was surprising to me, was the incomparable fresco
painting in St. George's Hall, representing the legend of
St. George, and triumph of the Black Prince, and his
reception by Edward III.; the volto, or roof, not totally
finished; then the Resurrection in the Chapel, where
the figure of the Ascension is, in my opinion, com-
parable to any paintings of the most famous Roman
masters; the Last Supper, also over the altar. I liked
the contrivance of the unseen organ behind the altar, nor
less the stupendous and beyond all description the in-
comparable carving of our Gibbons, who is, without contro-
versy, the greatest master both for invention and rareness
of work, that the world ever had in any age; nor doubt
I at all that he will prove as great a master in the statuary
art.

Verrio's invention is admirable, his ordnance full and
flowing, antique and heroical; his figures move; and, if
the walls hold (which is the only doubt by reason of the
salts which in time and in this moist climate prejudice),
the work will preserve his name to ages.

There was now the terrace brought almost round the
old castle; the grass made clean, even, and curiously
turfed; the avenues to the new park, and other walks,
planted with elms and limes, and a pretty canal, and
receptacle for fowl; nor less observable and famous is the
throwing so huge a quantity of excellent water to the
enormous height of the castle, for the use of the whole
house, by an extraordinary invention of Sir Samuel Mor-
land. and these were collected by officers called purveyors* whose