The Mirror, 1828.07.05, issue No. 321 | Page 3

years; kings, princes
of the blood, and most of the nobility, and among the gentry, Chaucer,
the poet, gave evidence on the trial. "The sentence," says Pennant, "was
conciliating; that both parties should bear the same arms; but the
_Grosvenours avec une bordure d'argent_. Sir Robert resents it, and
appeals to the king. The judgment is confirmed; but the choice is left to

the defendant, either to use the bordure, or bear the arms of their
relations, the ancient Earls of Chester, _azure, a gerb d'or_. He rejected
the mortifying distinction, and chose a _gerb_: which is the family coat
to this day."
Hitherto we have only spoken of the artificial splendour of Eaton. The
natural beauties with which it is environed will, however, present equal,
if not superior, attraction for the tourist. The stiff, formal walks of
Vanbrugh no longer disfigure the grounds, which are now made to
harmonize with the contiguous landscape, and are enlivened by an inlet
of the Dee, which intervenes between the eastern front of the mansion,
and the opposite plantations. These alterations have, however, been
made with great judgment, and a few of the venerable beauties of the
park remain. Thus, a fine aged avenue extends westward to a Gothic
lodge in the hamlet of Belgrave, about two miles distant from the Hall.
Another lodge, in a similar style of design, is approached by a road,
which diverges from this avenue towards Chester, and crosses the park,
through luxuriating plantations, which open occasionally in glade
views of the Broxton and Welsh Hills. The most pleasing approach to
this noble mansion is one which has been cut through the plantations,
towards the north-east angle of the house, so as to throw the whole
building into perspective.
Viewed from either of the beautiful sites with which the park abounds,
Eaton is a magnificent display of towers, and turrets, pinnacles and
battlements, partly embosomed in foliage, and belted with one of the
richest domains in England. Indeed, its splendour seldom fails to strike
the overweening admirer of art with devotional fondness, which is not
lessened by his approach to the fabric.[1] The most favourable distant
views are from the Aldford road, and from the romantic banks of the
Dee, whence there is a proud display of architectural grandeur. In every
point, however, the grounds and mansion of Eaton will abundantly
gratify the expectations of the visiter. Altogether, they present a rich
scene of nature, diversified and embellished by the attributes of art; and
the admiration of the latter will be not a little enhanced by the
reflection that the building of this sumptuous pile provided
employment for a large portion of the poor of Chester during one of the

most calamitous periods of the late war.
[1] One view from the interior deserves special mention: viz. from the
saloon, upon a terrace 350 feet in length, commanding one of the
richest landscapes on the banks of Dee. The boasted terrace at
Versailles is but 400 feet in length; yet, how many Englishmen, who
have seen the latter, are even ignorant of that at Eaton.
The noble founder of Eaton has indeed learned to "build stately," and
"garden finely;" and has thus made the personal fruition of his wealth
subservient to its real use--the distribution.
* * * * *
ORIGIN OF CHESS.
(To the Editor of the Mirror.)
SIR,--In vol. 3, page 211, of the MIRROR, is an account of the origin
of the scientific game of chess, the invention of which, your
correspondent _F. H. Y._ has attributed to a brahmin, named Sissa. But
I believe it is entirely a matter of doubt, both as to where, and by whom
it was invented; it is evidently of very high antiquity, and if we recur to
the original names of the pieces with which it is played, we shall
readily be convinced it is of Asiatic original. The honour of inventing it,
is contended for by several nations, but principally by the Hindoos, the
Chinese, and the Persians. In support of the first, we are told, by Sir
William Jones, in the 2nd vol. of his Asiatic Researches, that the game
of chess has been immemorably known in Hindostan, by the name of
Chaturanga, or the four members of an army, viz. elephants, horses,
chariots, and foot soldiers. And yet, the same learned author observes,
that no account of the game has hitherto been discovered in the
classical writings of the brahmins. Mr. Daines Barrington supposed the
Chinese to be the inventers, and in this he is supported by a paper
published in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, for 1794,
vol. 5, by Mr. Eyles Irwin. It states, that when Mr. Irwin was at Canton,
a young mandarin, on seeing the English chess-board, recognised its
similarity with