MELFORD
SCARBOROUGH, July 1.
To Dr LEWIS.
I have not found all the benefit I expected at Scarborough, where
I have been these eight days -- From Harrigate we came hither by
the way of York, where we stayed only one day to visit the
Castle, the Minster and the Assembly-room. The first, which was
heretofore a fortress, is now converted to a prison, and is the
best, in all respects, I ever saw, at home or abroad -- It stands
in a high situation, extremely well ventilated; and has a
spacious area within the walls, for the health and convenience of
all the prisoners except those whom it is necessary to secure in
close confinement. Even these last have all the comforts that the
nature of their situation can admit. Here the assizes are held,
in a range of buildings erected for that purpose.
As for the Minster, I know not how to distinguish it, except by
its great size and the height of its spire, from those other
ancient churches in different parts of the kingdom, which used to
be called monuments of Gothic architecture; but it is now agreed,
that this stile is Saracen rather than Gothic; and, I suppose, it
was first imported into England from Spain, great part of which
was under the dominion of the Moors.
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