PLYMPTON.

THE borough of Plympton Earl, situate in a pleasant valley about a mile from the river Plym, was once the capital seat and head of the Barony of the family of Redvers or Rivers, Earls of Devonshire. The remains of their ancient castle consist of a part of the Keep at the summit of an artificial mound. It retains also some of its ancient privileges as a stannary town, the court of the vice-warden of the stannaries being occasionally held here. In more recent times this town became interesting as the birth-place of the founder of the English School of Painting. Sir Joshua Reynolds was born at Plympton, July 16, 1723, the same year in which Kneller died. The Rev. Samuel Reynolds, his father, was Master of the Grammar School at this place, and took upon himself the education of his son, whose early attempts, in that art of which he became so illustrious a professor, he greatly encouraged. At eight years of age, young Reynolds executed according to rule, a drawing of the Grammar School, which is still preserved; and many other juvenile efforts of his are to be found in this part

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of the country, where the remembrance of his extraordinary merit is cherished with enthusiastic admiration. At seventeen he was placed as a pupil under his countryman, Hudson, the most distinguished artist of his day, and was first brought into notice by a portrait of Captain Hamilton, the father of the Marquess of Hamilton, painted about the year 1746; soon after which, he embarked for Italy with Commodore Keppel, and gradually attained the highest rank in his profession, as President of the Royal Academy, by meritorious exertion. His portrait, painted by himself, adorns the Guildhall of his native town. He died February 23, 1792, at the age of sixty-nine.