,,picturesque ,,london4 ,,inscribed ,,with ,,much ,,regard ,,to ,,the ,,right ,,hon4 ,,david ,,plunket1 ,m4,p41 ,,first ,,commissioner ,,of ,,works ,illustration ,picturesque ,london ,,by ,percy ,fitzgerald1 ,m4,a41 ,f4,s4,a4 ,,illustrated ,,by ,w4 ,,hatherell1 ,a4 ,w4 ,,henley1 ,w4 ,c4 ,,keene1 ,,hume ,,nisbet1 ,,herbert ,,railton1 ,g4 ,,seymour1 ,w4 ,f4 ,,young1 ,,etc4 ,with a ,frontispiece in ,photogravure of 8,,the ,,houses ,,of ,,parliament40 7,from a ,drawing by ,,hume ,,nisbet47 ,london3 ,,ward ,,downey1 #ahij4 ,,preface4 ,in the following pages ,i have attempted to describe the numerous artistic treasures and beauties of ,london4 ,these attractions are so abundant and varied1 that ,i have not been able to do more than select specimens1 as it were1 of each class2 but enough has been given to inspire the reader with an eagerness to set out1 and make these discoveries for himself4 ,the aim throughout has been to show that the ,metropolis is as well furnished with 8the picturesque0 as any foreign city1 and that there is much that is romantic and interesting1 which1 without a sympathetic guide1 might escape notice4 ,there are various modes of 8seeing sights40 ,one1 the most common1 is the regular official method 8the ,guide ,book20 when the stranger goes round1 and stares1 and takes care that he sees each object set down in his ,book4 ,no fruit or profit comes from this process1 which leaves a feeling of tediousness4 ,how welcome1 on the other hand1 is some living guide1 the friend that knows the subject1 that can point out the special merits and beauties with sympathy1 describe in a few words why this or that is attractive1 or admired4 ,what was before a mere blank mass of details1 now becomes vivified1 and has meaning2 something of this kind is1 in a small way1 attempted here4 ,these 8,travels in ,london0 have been the result of many years' exploration4 ,i have always found a never-failing pastime to observe as ,i walked1 and made expeditions into far off and little known quarters1 rarely without discovering something novel and unexpected4 ,i must add1 however1 that these records do not pretend to be at all in the nature of a 8guide10 or to supply historical or archological information4 ,they simply register impressions4 ,in the same spirit the ,illustrations have been selected1 so as to convey the artistic feeling with which the various scenes impress us4 ,i am conscious too of shortcomings1 especially when ,i think of the conscientious labours of ,peter ,cunningham1 ,thornbury1 and ,walford1 though in another department of the subject2 but these1 ,i trust1 will be excused in consideration of the goodwill and enthusiasm1 in which the work has been carried out4 ,p4 ,f4 ,athenum ,club1 ,september1 #ahij4 ,,contents4 ,i4--,,st4 ,,margaret',s ,,church1 ,,westminster #a ,,ii4--,,the ,,westminster ,,tobacco-,,box--,,the ,,westminster ,,play #i ,,iii4--,,ashburnham ,,house--,,the ,,houses ,,of ,,parliament1 c4 #af ,,iv4--,,westminster ,,abbey #bf ,v4--,,the ,,adelphi ,,and ,,the ,,strand #ch ,,vi4--,,the ,,roman ,,bath--,,covent ,,garden #di ,,vii4--,,the ,,national ,,gallery #eg ,,viii4--,,sir ,,john ,,vanbrugh ,,and ,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,lane #fh ,,ix4--,,piccadilly1 ,,bond ,,street1 ,,and ,,albert ,,gate #gh ,x4--,,lincoln',s ,,inn ,,fields #ib ,,xi4--,,the ,,old ,,inns--,,clifford',s1 ,,staple',s1 ,,barnard',s #ii ,,xii4--,,dickens ,,in ,,london #aad ,,xiii4--,,waterloo ,,bridge1 ,,the ,,law ,,courts1 ,,st4 ,,paul',s1 ,,etc4 #abb ,,xiv4--,,old ,,suburban ,,mansions #ade ,,xv4--,,old ,,town ,,mansions #aed ,,xvi4--,,old ,,squares #agj ,,xvii4--,,the ,,old ,,taverns #agf ,,xviii4--,,taverns #ahc ,,xix4--,,city ,,walks #aie ,,xx4--,,the ,,old ,,city ,,halls #bjf ,,xxi4--,,allhallows1 ,,st4 ,,olave',s1 ,,ely ,,chapel1 ,,etc4 #baa ,,xxii4--,,old ,,st4 ,,bartholomew',s1 ,,st4 ,,helen',s ,,other ,,churches #bba ,,xxiii4--,,wren',s ,,churches #bcb ,,xxiv4--,,modern ,,churches #bdj ,,xxv4--,,the ,,charterhouse--,,the ,,new ,,river #bdi ,,xxvi4--,,canonbury ,,tower #bec ,,xxvii4--,,the ,,queen ,,anne ,,style--,,old ,,doorways #beh ,,xxviii4--,,chelsea ,,and ,,fulham #bff ,,xxix4--,,putney--,,fulham #bgb ,,xxx4--,,chiswick1 ,,kew1 ,,richmond1 ,,and ,,their ,,suburbs #bgg ,,xxxi4--,,willis',s ,,rooms--,,the ,,palaces #bic ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,houses of ,parliament ,frontispiece4 ,garden of ,ashburnham ,house facing p4 #ah ,adelphi ,terrace 8 #ch ,entrance to the ,roman ,bath 8 #di ,the ,old ,roman ,bath1 ,strand 8 #ej ,covent ,garden 8 #ec ,st4 ,etheldreda's ,church 8 #bag 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,cloisters1 ,westminster ,abbey #b ,lambeth ,palace #h ,in ,little ,dean's ,yard #ac ,tablet1 ,emanuel ,hospital #ae ,the ,staircase1 ,ashburnham ,house #ag ,the ,blewcoat ,school1 ,westminster #ai ,emanuel ,hospital #ba ,westminster ,abbey #bg ,the ,nightingale ,monument #cb ,the ,water ,gate #df ,the ,national ,gallery #eg ,statue of ,general ,gordon in ,trafalgar ,square #fi ,st4 ,anne's ,church1 ,soho #gb ,across the ,hall1 ,dorchester ,house #hb ,the ,red ,drawing ,room1 ,dorchester ,house #hd ,statue of ,sidney ,herbert1 by ,foley #ij ,sir ,john ,soane's ,museum #id ,old ,gateway1 ,lincoln's ,inn #ig ,a ,corner of ,lincoln's ,inn #ih ,old ,doorway1 #bd1 ,carey ,street #ajj ,gateway1 ,staple ,inn #ajb ,king's ,bench ,walk #ajc ,barnard's ,inn #ajf ,clifford's ,inn #ajg ,gray's ,inn #ajh ,the ,fountain1 ,middle ,temple #aji ,fountain ,court1 ,temple #aaj ,hall and ,library1 ,gray's ,inn #aaa ,gray's ,inn ,hall #aab ,garden ,gate1 ,gray's ,inn #aac ,doughty ,street #abj ,the ,law ,courts #aca ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral #ace ,chimney ,piece1 by ,steevens #adj ,the ,duke of ,wellington's ,monument1 ,st4 ,paul's #ada ,cromwell's ,house1 ,highgate #adg ,fairfax ,house1 ,putney #adh ,raleigh ,house #aea ,room in ,the ,sir ,paul ,pindar ,tavern #aeh ,sir ,paul ,pindar's ,house #aei ,room in ,sir ,paul ,pindar's ,house #afj ,berkeley ,square #agc ,mansion in ,cavendish ,square #age ,the ,white ,hart #agh ,the ,george ,inn1 ,borough #ahj ,the ,old ,cock ,tavern #ahg ,the ,magpie and ,stump1 ,portsmouth ,street #aid ,fresh ,wharf and ,st4 ,magnus' ,steeple #aih ,college ,hill--,whittington's ,house #aii ,view of the ,tower from ,london ,bridge #bja ,st4 ,giles'1 ,cripplegate #bjc ,old ,doorways1 ,laurence ,pountney ,hill #bje ,brewer's ,hall ,courtyard #bjg ,allhallows1 ,barking #bab ,st4 ,olave's1 ,hart ,street #bac ,the ,savoy ,chapel #bad ,the ,savoy #bae ,the ,crypt1 ,st4 ,etheldreda's #baf ,old ,roman ,font in ,crypt of ,st4 ,etheldreda's #bag ,doorway1 ,st4 ,helen's #bba ,st4 ,helen's #bbc ,st4 ,etheldreda's #bbe ,gateway to ,great ,st4 ,helen's and ,almshouses #bbg ,belfry1 ,st4 ,helen's ,church #bbi ,monument of ,sir ,william ,pickering #bcj ,steeple of ,st4 ,mary-le-,bow #bcc ,steeple of ,st4 ,james #bce ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,walbrook #bcf ,st4 ,mary ,woolnoth #bch ,interior of the ,oratory #bdc ,confessional in the ,oratory #bdd ,our ,lady's ,altar in the ,oratory #bde ,the ,sanctuary1 ,farm ,street #bdg ,old ,charterhouse #bea ,doorway1 #gj1 ,grosvenor ,street #bfj ,doorway1 ,painter ,stainers' ,hall #bfb ,extinguishers1 ,berkeley ,square #bfc ,old ,doorway1 ,whittington's ,house #bfd ,cheyne ,walk #bfg ,old ,putney ,bridge #bgc ,hogarth's ,house1 ,chiswick #bgh ,maid of ,honour ,row1 ,richmond #bha ,church ,row1 ,hampstead #bhi ,grand ,staircase1 ,buckingham ,palace #bie ,millais's ,studio #big ,alma ,tadema's ,former ,studio #bii ,herkomer's ,studio #cja ,,introduction4 ,the subject of ,london1 old and new1 has ever offered a charm and even fascination1 attested by the countless works which crowd the shelves of the library4 ,the entries under the word 8,london0 fill nearly a volume of the ,british ,museum catalogue4 ,these old folios and quartos1 grey and rusted like the churches and halls they celebrate1 have a dilapidated1 decayed tone1 as though they also wanted 8restoring02 and there is a welcome quaintness and sincerity in the style of such antiquaries as ,northuck1 ,strype1 ,stowe1 ,pennant1 and others1 which contrast with the more prosaic tone of the modern handbooks4 ,these old scribes belonged to that amazing and unrequited class1 8the county historian03 such were honest1 laborious ,whitaker and ,plot4 ,there is nothing more pathetic than the record of these unselfish enthusiasts1 who1 after collecting subscriptions and devoting their lives and life-blood to these huge quartos1 generally ruined themselves by the venture4 ,now1 long after they have mouldered away1 their huge tomes fetch large prices at auction2 or some dapper editor of our day re-issues them1 with airy notes of his own1 taking care to point out the various 8blunders0 of the poor departed ,dryasdust who laboured so faithfully and so modestly4 ,an interesting speculation might be found in considering the different ways persons have looked on the great aggregate of ,london4 ,for those of fashion it is little more than an enlarged ,grosvenor or ,belgrave ,square3 it has few associations1 historical or otherwise2 while its 8curios0 may be useful as a sort of raree-show for the crowd4 ,as the excellent ,boswell put it1 8,i have often amused myself with thinking how different a place ,london is to different people4 ,they whose narrow minds are contracted to the consideration of some one particular pursuit1 view it only through that medium4 ,a politician thinks of it merely as the seat of government in its different departments2 a grazier as a vast market for cattle2 a mercantile man as a place where a prodigious deal of business is done upon ',change2 a dramatic enthusiast as the grand scene of theatrical entertainments2 a man of pleasure as an assemblage of taverns1 etc41 etc42 but the intellectual man is struck with it as comprehending the whole of human life in all its variety1 the contemplation of which is inexhaustible40 ,stowe1 ,maitland1 ,grose1 ,pennant1 ,brayley1 ,leigh ,hunt1 with ,j4 ,t4 ,smith1 the author of 8,walks in ,london10 the invaluable ,peter ,cunningham1 and other 8guides and friends10 in their dealings with ,london town seem to have been fascinated by one particular mode of treatment1 viz43 the tracking out of all the personages and the social and historical incidents that are connected with particular spots4 ,so diligently has this sort of investigation been pursued that some sort of connection has been established between every modern spot and corner and some great memory4 ,old houses1 old inns1 old streets and chambers1 have all been thus registered and illustrated by quotations from books of their time4 ,as ,leigh ,hunt says1 8,nor perhaps is there a single spot in ,london in which the past is not visibly present to us1 either in the shape of some old buildings1 or at least in the names of the streets1 or in which the absence of more tangible memorials may not be supplied by the antiquary4 ,in some parts of it we may go back through the whole ,english history1 perhaps through the history of man1 as when we speak of ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard1 a place in which you may get the last new novel1 and find remains of the ancient ,britons and of the sea4 ,there also1 in the ,cathedral1 lie painters1 patriots1 humorists1 the greatest warriors and some of the best men2 and there1 in ,st4 ,paul's ,school1 was educated ,england's epic poet1 who hoped that his native country would never forget her privilege of #8teaching the nations how to live4'0 ,elia seems to touch a more sympathetic note4 ,he was1 indeed1 an idolater of the city4 8,london10 he cried1 8whose dirtiest ,arab-frequented alley1 and her lowest-bowing tradesman ,i would not exchange for ,skiddaw1 ,helvellyn1 ,james1 ,walter1 and the parson into the bargain4 ,oh6 her lamps of a night1 her rich goldsmiths1 print shops1 toy shops1 mercers1 hardwaremen1 pastrycooks1 ,st4 ,paul's ,churchyard1 the ,strand1 ,exeter ,change1 ,charing ,cross1 and the man upon a black horse4 ,these are thy gods1 ,o ,london6 ,all her streets and pavements are pure gold1 ,i warrant you4 ,at least ,i know an alchemist that turns her mud into that metal--a mind that loves to be at home in crowds40 ,this is pleasant rapture4 ,in another place he grows almost wanton over what he calls 8the furniture of his world10 that is1 8streets1 streets1 streets1 markets1 theatres1 churches1 ,covent ,gardens1 shops sparkling with pretty faces of industrious milliners1 neat seamstresses1 ladies cheapening1 gentlemen behind counters lying1 authors in the streets with spectacles 444 lamps lit at night1 pastrycooks' and silversmiths' shops1 beautiful ,quakers of ,pentonville1 noise of coaches1 drowsy cry of mechanic watchmen at night1 with bucks reeling home drunk4 ,if you happen to wake at midnight1 cries of #8,fire6' and #8,stop thief6' ,inns of ,court with their learned air1 and halls and butteries1 just like ,cambridge colleges2 old bookstalls #8,jeremy ,taylors1' #8,burtons on ,melancholy1' on every stall4 ,these are the pleasures of ,london 444 for these may ,keswick and the giant brood go hang40 ,and his humorous penchant for the city was so strong that he would call aloud1 8,give me ,old ,london at fire and plague times10 rather than 8healthy country air0 and 8purposeless exercise40 ,the mutations in the aspect of ,london are taking place with an almost alarming rapidity1 so that it becomes difficult even to note them4 ,hardly a week passes without some old street or mansion being menaced1 and marked for destruction4 ,of a morning we see the new and significant 8hoarding0 set up3 in a week or two we pass again1 and the 8housebreakers10 as they are called1 are hard at work with their pickaxes1 shovelling down the old ,queen ,anne bricks in showers of dust4 ,from year's end to year's end this goes on4 ,the hungry eyes of the speculator1 or of the thriving man of business1 are often fixed upon the old ,wren churches1 which1 in his view1 so idly cumber space that might be covered with useful warehouses at enormous rents4 ,it is sad to think that eventually it will be found impossible to resist this never-relaxing pressure1 and that within a few years the clearing away of these venerable memorials will have set in4 ,the recent clamour about ,st4 ,mary's in the ,strand is truly significant1 the spoilers knowing well that if they can insert their wedge or pickaxe here1 a happy beginning will have been made4 ,these old buildings have few authorized friends or guardians beyond the amiable amateur4 8,london10 as a writer in ,the ,builder says1 8is still1 in spite of all pullings down1 and removals of the so-called worn-out and out of date buildings1 full every here and there of quaint spots1 and bits of architecture1 and even of poetic remembrances in dreary nooks and corners4 ,many of the antique streets are yet in existence1 as far as the plans of them go2 and the irregularity of house pulling down and improvement necessitates differences in the size and height of the houses1 which make up the crooked street1 and leave the idea of it1 as it was1 almost intact40 ,it is fashionable to abuse the old city1 to be ashamed of it1 when comparing it with foreign towns4 ,dr4 ,waagen1 who was in ,london in #ahch1 took away a not very favourable impression of ,london architecture4 8,the outside of the brick houses10 he says1 8in ,london is very plain1 and has nothing agreeable in the architecture1 unless it be the neat and well-defined joints of the brick-work4 ,on the other hand1 many of the great palace-like buildings are furnished with architectural decorations of all kinds1 with pillars and pilasters4 ,there are two reasons why most of them have a rather disagreeable effect4 ,they are destitute of continuous simple main lines1 which are indispensable in architecture to produce a grand effect1 and the decorative members are introduced in a manner entirely arbitrary1 without any regard to their original meaning4 ,this absurdity is carried to the greatest excess in the case of columns1 ranged here1 as wholly unprofitable servants1 directly before a wall4 ,this censure applies in an especial manner to most of the works of the deceased architect1 ,nash4 ,in truth1 he had a peculiar knack of depriving masses of considerable dimensions of all meaning1 by breaking them into a number of little projecting and receding parts40 ,he is even more severe on some of the churches2 for instance1 ,all ,souls1 in ,langham ,place1 8a circular building in two stories1 with ,ionic and ,corinthian columns1 surmounted by a pointed sugar-loaf40 8,if the immense sums expended in architectural abnormities had always been applied in a proper manner1 ,london must have been the handsomest city in the world40 ,exceptions1 however1 to this general blame1 he admits1 are ,somerset ,house1 which has the air of a regal palace1 and the 8new ,post ,office10 which has quite 8a noble effect40 ,it is interesting to reflect how the thoroughfares have affected eminent persons4 ,when ,leigh ,hunt saw a house with flowers in the balcony1 or otherwise prettily disposed or arranged with taste1 he was seized with an irresistible longing to knock at the door1 ask for the proprietor1 and formally thank him for the pleasure he had given to a careless passer-by6 ,it might be curious to see this graceful appreciation pass from theory to action2 and conjure up the face of1 say1 some retired cheesemonger as he came down to receive the compliment4 ,his natural sense would be--and would be in the case not merely of a retired cheesemonger1 but of an average person--an idea of affront4 ,johnson1 as we have been told again and again1 enjoyed ,fleet ,street1 though it must be confessed the removal of ,temple ,bar has somewhat spoiled this association4 ,there was the idea of formal entrance to the ,city--much as one would pass under the portals of an old castle to gain the courtyard4 ,the not unpicturesque oval where the ,law ,courts stand has gained1 but ,fleet ,street has lost4 ,nay1 there was a pleasure1 when vulgarly reared aloft on an omnibus1 in rumbling under that archway4 ,it was like entering an old fortified town4 ,one might be inclined to think that a few reflections1 new or old1 could be suggested by the streets1 where custom has so much staled any variety that existed4 ,leigh ,hunt again declares that there is not a single ,london street--that endless world of flagging1 stone1 and brick--from which the pleasant vision of a tree is not to be seen4 ,i believe the fact to be true in the main--certainly was true in his day4 ,what curious survivals still remain to us--such as would make the foreigner stop and look back at long and eagerly1 and go unheeded by the careless resident6 ,to give an instance or two3 ,on a ,sunday morning the early promenader is likely to meet a little procession passing through the ,mall of ten or a dozen boys1 gorgeously clad in scarlet coats of antique cut1 richly and profusely laced with gold1 with black hose and shoes with buckles1 college caps with gold tassels4 ,few even in ,london have encountered these little gentry1 and if they did would wonder exceedingly4 ,they belong to the ,court1 and are the singing boys of the ,royal ,choir4 ,again1 to pass by ,newgate ,street and look in between the railings at the boys of the old foundation of 8,christ's0 busily engaged enjoying football--what a quaint costume1 the orange stockings1 the monastic gown confined with a leather strap--like a 8,frere0--and the curious rule which interdicts wearing hat or cap1 apparently without injury4 ,and we have still left the 8,beefeaters0 or ,yeomen of the ,guard4 ,indeed1 few can conceive how many interesting streets1 houses1 corners1 churches1 and general 8surprises0 are to be found by those who know where to look for them4 ,there are people who have been brought up1 8man and boy10 as it is called1 in ,london1 and lived there all their life long1 and who think it is little more than a repetition of the ,strand and ,fleet ,street1 and that the ,city is all like ,lombard ,street4 ,what ,london abounds in is the picturesque and the poetical3 there is really an abundance of charming 8bits10 of artistic buildings1 and of relics as noteworthy as any in a foreign town4 ,some of them we pass every day1 but familiarity obscures their merit4 ,others1 too1 we pass every day1 but they are hid behind screens and walls1 or locked in behind old rusty gates4 ,often thinking of these ignored treasures1 ,i determined to explore for myself1 and see if ,i could do something in a humble way to introduce to better notice this 8,picturesque ,london10 or the picturesqueness of ,london4 ,prompted by this sympathetic impulse1 ,i have for years made regular1 diligent 8travels in ,london0 as an explorer1 and have been astonished at all ,i saw4 ,it was true1 no doubt1 that many of these things were described in the official guide-books1 but after the appraising1 registering fashion of such works4 ,what one has looked for was some one with sympathy to point out the merits and beauties4 ,i pursued my new calling with a growing relish1 often directed to inspect curiosities by a friendly counsellor1 more often stumbling on them by accident4 ,in time it was amazing what a number of old houses1 old doorways1 old churches1 old corners1 ,i was thus introduced to1 what unsuspected treasures were laid open1 and above all what a new fund of entertainment was provided for a simple street promenader4 ,i shall now proceed to share my enjoyment with the courteous reader1 and we shall make our wanderings in rather a fitful way1 chiefly as the explorer made them1 almost without system1 dealing with these objects as they lie grouped together within compass of a day's travelling4 ,,picturesque ,,london4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,st4 ,,margaret',s ,,church1 ,,westminster4 ,we shall commence our pilgrimage at that striking and imposing scene1 the old 8,broad ,sanctuary10 ,westminster4 ,few may have noted the quaint obelisks which at intervals help to form the inclosure6 ,lately the churchyard was laid down in grass1 and the flagging removed2 but it may be doubted if this be a real improvement4 ,the air of space seems diminished4 ,a sward of this kind is becoming in a genuine close1 as at ,salisbury1 where the cathedral is in the country2 but here the minster is in the heart of the town--in the streets--and the grass seems to have an artificial air4 ,sixty years ago this inclosure displayed a number of fine old trees1 which would have been in admirable keeping1 and a picturesque adornment4 ,but when the coronation of ,george ,,iv4 was at hand1 the obsequious ,dean and ,chapter determined to erect scaffolding and ample theatres to view the procession2 and the trees were cut down4 ,as ,mr4 ,croker said1 they had been so ill-advised or so greedy as to take this step1 and the 8loss of this ornament to the public was great1 while the profit to the ,chapter did not perhaps amount to #aj40 ,one solitary altar-tomb1 carefully railed round1 will be noted in this large inclosure1 and we may speculate as to the reasons for this toleration1 where all the rest have been swept away4 ,the inscription is almost illegible2 but it is the memorial of a certain wealthy ,mr4 ,davies4 ,he was the owner of all the estate where are now ,grosvenor ,square and the adjoining streets2 from him this enormous property passed to the ,grosvenor family1 and ,davies ,street was so named in his honour4 ,no doubt it was owing to this august connection that his tomb was allowed to remain4 ,but his heritors might have the inscription re-cut4 ,illustration3 ,from a ,drawing by ,,herbert ,,railton4 ,the group of buildings--the ,abbey1 ,westminster ,hall1 the ,houses of ,parliament1 the bridge beyond1 the ,westminster ,school--might be set off with prodigious effect were there one of real artistic instincts to undertake the task4 ,nothing1 for instance1 can be meaner or more ineffective than ,palace ,square with its statues4 ,it is obvious that this should be treated as a place1 with an imposing and attractive object as its centre2 instead of which we find it divided in two by a broad walk1 and the whole effect is frittered away4 ,there is something grotesque in the statues ranged round dos dos1 huddled together with a commercial view to convenience4 ,a single statue1 it may be said1 needs an area to itself to have proper effect2 as we may see in the ,place ,verte at ,antwerp1 where that of ,rubens is sufficient to give point to the whole area4 ,in the shadow of ,westminster ,abbey stands a homely-looking edifice of ,churchwarden's ,gothic4 ,uninviting as is the exterior of ,st4 ,margaret's1 its interior is most interesting and suggestive4 ,restored not many years ago with excellent taste and reserve1 it has been gradually beautified under the direction and encouragement of the rector1 ,archdeacon ,farrar2 so that1 small and unpretending as it seems1 a couple of hours may be profitably spent in viewing it4 ,the interior is of the collegiate pattern1 with a flat panelled roof supported by airy and elegant columns with delicate mouldings4 ,the walls have been judiciously allowed to display the outlines of their stones1 which furnish good detail and background4 ,no church of its size1 perhaps1 is so rich in tombs and tablets1 all of which are more or less interesting2 and they are disposed so as to heighten the general effect4 ,some are fitted on to the light columns1 shield-like1 and bent to the mouldings4 ,most of the memorials are of one formal kind2 a bust or medallion in the middle1 a pediment above1 and below a black marble slab or tablet with the inscription4 ,the marbles are mostly of rich russet tones1 or of a plum tint4 ,the idea of making the painted windows illustrate the story of eminent persons connected with the place or parish is a happy one2 for it enriches as well as beautifies the church4 ,the legends1 moreover1 have been supplied by distinguished poets4 ,one great window1 which displays its brown and amber glories in honour of ,queen ,elizabeth and ,sir ,walter ,raleigh1 is a present from the ,americans2 and ,mr4 ,lowell has written these lines for it3-- ,the ,new ,world's sons1 from ,england's breast we drew ,such milk as bids remember whence we came2 ,proud of the ,past from which our ,present grew1 ,this window we erect to ,raleigh's name4 ,the window is a handsome one1 and is richer and deeper in its tones than its fellows4 ,long ago a meagre white tablet with a bold inscription was placed here by 8,the ,roxburghe ,club10 to commemorate ,caxton4 ,over the tablet a painted window has recently been fitted1 the gift of the printers of ,london--a happy and becoming tribute2 while the ,laureate1 who has given abundant work to printers all over the globe1 has supplied these lines3-- ,thy prayer was 8light1 more light while time shall last20 ,thou sawest a glory growing on the night1 ,but not the shadows which that light will cast ,till shadows vanish in the light of light4 ,some of the side windows are poor and thin in tone1 as if done in water-colour2 but the rich depth and gorgeousness of the great window--as of old wine seen deep down in the glass--eclipses the rest4 ,there is also a window to the memory of the ill-fated ,lord ,frederick ,cavendish4 ,the inscription is not particularly happy1 and his fellow-victim is described as 8,mr4 ,t4 ,n4 ,burke40 ,another commemorative window which seems prosaic is that of the ,jubilee1 the ,queen in the centre1 in full view of her great ancestor ,elizabeth4 ,here ,mr4 ,browning furnished the verse3-- ,fifty years' flight6 ,where should he rejoice ,who hailed their birth1 who as they die decays8 ,this--,england echoes his attesting voice1 ,wondrous and well1 thanks1 ,ancient ,thou of days6 ,a regular riddle or crux1 which strains the wit1 as we ponder over the meaning4 ,merriment and wonder were alike excited by the last line1 with its odd punctuation3-- 8,wondrous and well1 thanks1 ,ancient ,thou of days60 ,there is also the ,milton window--the ,poet's wife and daughter are buried here--given by another amiable ,american1 ,mr4 ,childs1 with an inscription by ,whittier3-- ,the ,new ,world honours him whose lofty plea1 ,for ,england's freedom1 made her own more sure2 ,whose song1 immortal as its theme1 shall be ,their common freehold while both worlds endure4 ,the last line seeming rather prosaic1 the author good-naturedly offered to substitute 8heirloom0 for 8freehold40 ,but 8freehold0 stands4 ,another window celebrates ,sir ,erskine ,may1 whose severe1 thoughtful face is portrayed in various ,scriptural attitudes--e4g41 as the ,faithful ,steward1 with the legend 8,well done1 thou good and faithful servant40 ,another interesting memorial was set up on ,december #ahth1 #ahhh1 thus further enriching the associations of the church4 ,this was in honour of the gallant ,admiral ,blake1 and takes the shape of a three-light window in the north aisle4 ,the upper portions are of an allegorical kind2 the lower depicts incidents from ,blake's life1 such as the indignity of the ejection of his body from the ,abbey in #affa1 after the ,restoration4 ,mr4 ,lewis ,morris1 another of the poets of our time1 has furnished spirited verses1 and sings3-- ,strong sailor1 sleeping sound as sleep the just1 ,rest here3 our ,abbey keeps no worthier dust4 ,this fashion is interesting1 and original too4 ,for1 as we pass from window to window1 we can review our history1 and the striking lines attached to each will linger in the memory4 ,thus we have five poets contributing to the glories of these windows4 ,the old tablets with which the walls are incrusted have an interest from the originality of the style and the richness of material4 ,here we find the rather grim likeness of the worthy ,palmer1 and of ,emery ,hill1 whose almshouses and schools are still to be seen in ,westminster4 ,many ,court ladies find rest in the church3 such as ,lady ,dorothy ,stafford1 8who served ,queen ,elizabeth forty years1 lying in the bed-chamber20 or ,lady ,blanche ,parry1 8chief gentlewoman of ,queen ,elizabeth's ,privy ,chamber1 and keeper of her ,majesty's jewels1 whom she faithfully served from her ,highness's birth20 or ,anne ,ellis1 8who was born in ,denmark1 and was ,bedchamber ,woman to ,queen ,anne40 ,we come on a record 8,to the memory of the right virtuous and beautiful gentlewoman1 ,mistress ,margaret ,ratcliffe1 one of the maids of honour to ,queen ,elizabeth1 and who died at ,richmond40 ,many of the men1 too1 have served their ,king1 like ,cornelius ,vandam1 8souldier with ,king ,henry at ,turney1 ,yeoman of the ,guard1 and ,usher to ,prince ,henry1 ,king ,edward1 ,queen ,mary1 and ,queen ,elizabeth20 or ,peter ,newton1 8who served ,king ,james and ,king ,charles1 and was ,usher of the ,black ,rod40 ,some of the inscriptions are quaint and touching1 like that which celebrates 8the late deceased ,virgin ,mistress ,elizabeth ,hereicke03-- ,sweet ,virgin1 that ,i do not set ,thy grave verse up in mournful jet ,or dappled marble1 let thy shade ,not wrathful seeme1 or fright the ,maid ,who hither1 at the weeping ,howres1 ,shall come to strew thy ,earth with ,flowres4 ,no3 know1 blest ,soule1 when there's not one ,reminder left of ,brasse or ,stone ,thy living ,epitaph shall be1 ,though lost in them1 yet found in me4 ,deare1 in thy bed of ,roses then1 ,till this world shall dissolve1 as ,men ,sleepe1 while we hide thee from the light1 ,drawing thy curtains round--,good night4 ,with much simplicity another lady1 ,dame ,billing1 frankly tells us of the happiness she enjoyed with her three husbands1 whom she sets down in their order1 8garnishing the tablet with their armes40 ,another widow records on an old battered 8brass0 the merits of one ,cole1 her latest partner1 at great length2 whereof an extract3-- ,in ,parliament1 a ,burgesse ,cole was placed ,in ,westminster the like1 for many years2 ,but now1 with ,saints above1 his soul is graced1 ,and lives a ,burgess with ,heaven's ,royal ,peers4 ,there is also seen here ,pope's well-known epitaph on ,mrs4 ,corbett1 which won ,dr4 ,johnson's highest praise1 though he takes the objection that her name is not mentioned in the lines themselves4 ,it is well worth quoting3-- ,here rests a woman1 good without pretence1 ,blest with plain reason1 and with sober sense2 ,no conquest she but her own sense desired1 ,no arts essayed1 but not to be admired4 ,of this line the ,doctor says with grim humour3 8,i once heard a lady of great beauty and excellence object that it contained an unnatural and incredible panegyric--of this let the ladies judge40 ,passion and pride were to her soul unknown1 ,convinced that virtue only is our own3 ,so unaffected and so composed a mind1 ,so firm1 yet soft1 so strong1 yet so refin'd2 ,heaven as its purest gold1 by tortures tried1 ,the saint sustained it1 but the woman died4 ,of a quaint sort is the following to a ,westminster boy3-- ,richard ,nott1 aged #aa years4 ,his ,schoolfellow ,walter ,thomas made his ,epitaph4 ,dear to his parents here doth lye1 ,a youth admired for ,piety1 ,his years eleven1 yet knew more ,of ,god than many of threescore4 ,another monument is that of ,mrs4 ,barnett1 who died in #afgd1 leaving #dj yearly for poor widows4 ,a large oatmeal pudding is1 or used to be1 given at the 8,feast10 to commemorate that this 8worthy lady0 sold oatmeal cakes at the church doors4 ,skelton1 the poet1 is interred here3 also ,thomas ,churchyard1 ,hollar1 the famous engraver1 and ,colonel ,blood of regalia memory4 ,there can be read here the entry of ,milton's marriage with ,mrs4 ,catherine ,woodcocke1 and of ,edmund ,waller to ,ann ,bankes4 ,there is also recorded the baptism of ,thomas ,betterton1 the actor1 in #afce4 ,titus ,oates1 ,jeffreys1 and ,bishop ,burnet's children were baptized here4 ,these are interesting associations4 ,but the glory of the whole is the wonderful window over the ,communion-table1 with its fine depth of blue1 a treat for the eye1 and satiating it with colour4 ,this impoverishes1 as it were1 all the modern performances near it4 ,a great authority on painted glass1 ,mr4 ,winston1 declares it to be 8the most beautiful work in this respect1 of harmonious colouring10 he was acquainted with4 ,the subject is the ,crucifixion4 ,it is divided into five compartments1 three of which are filled by pictures of our ,saviour and the two thieves4 ,below them are the holy women1 a crowd of ,roman soldiers1 etc42 over the good thief a tiny angel is seen1 bearing off his soul to ,paradise1 while a little demon has the impenitent one on his back4 ,on one side is the portrait of a young king at his prayers1 arrayed in crown and mantle1 with the armed ,st4 ,george overhead2 on the other side a lady1 also kneeling1 over whom watches ,st4 ,catherine4 ,this window had quite a strange course of adventures4 ,according to one account1 it was a present to ,king ,henry ,,vii4 from the ,dutch ,states-,general1 and was intended for his beautiful chapel4 ,another version runs that it was a present from the ,king and ,queen of ,spain1 ,ferdinand and ,isabella4 ,it took five years to make1 and by that time ,king ,henry ,,viii4 had succeeded4 ,whether his religious views had altogether changed1 or he had other reasons1 the window was not set up1 and he made it a present to the abbey at ,waltham4 ,on the ,dissolution it was bought by ,general ,monk1 who brought it down to ,new ,hall1 where it was well protected during the ,civil ,war4 ,from ,new ,hall it passed to a ,mr4 ,john ,olmius1 who sold the window to ,mr4 ,conyers1 of ,copt ,hall1 where it was set up2 and there it seemed likely to remain4 ,unluckily it entered into the minds of the ,churchwardens' ,committee of ,st4 ,margaret's1 in #ageh1 to have a thorough restoration of their old church4 ,dreadful windows1 the same that were to be seen about twenty years ago1 were put in3 a common 8household parapet10 as it was called1 was added1 with the homely porch4 ,but now they bethought themselves of ,mr4 ,conyers's beautiful window1 and bought it for #djj guineas4 ,thereupon the ,chapter1 offended by its 8,popish0 character1 commenced a lawsuit to have the window removed2 but the action was decided against them4 ,there is a loving cup which celebrates this victory4 ,thus this rich and glowing feast of colour was retained4 ,below it there is a curious oaken reredos1 elaborately carved into the shape of a large picture--the ,supper at ,emmaus--the work of a ,soho artist some #abj years ago4 ,the pulpit is a rather fantastic thing1 coloured like a sugar-plum4 ,there is an antique bench in the porch1 used at the distribution of the weekly dole of sixpences and bread to a number of poor widows4 ,archdeacon ,farrar1 the ,rector1 takes jealous care of ,st4 ,margaret's1 and has excited public interest in the church by his improvements and reforms4 ,he has opened it regularly for some hours in the day2 numbers are seen gazing in astonishment at the unexpected monuments and curios4 ,the churchyard that encompasses it is1 however1 associated with a degrading history4 ,there is somewhere in the inclosure 8a nameless and promiscuous pit10 as ,archdeacon ,farrar calls it1 into which were flung1 shortly after the ,restoration1 the remains of some twenty ,republicans who had been interred in the ,abbey4 ,the bodies of ,cromwell1 ,ireton1 and ,bradshaw were hung up at ,tyburn1 and their heads fixed on pikes on the top of ,westminster ,hall4 ,but into the pit was cast the body of the ,protector's mother1 who was ninety years old at her death1 the great ,admiral ,blake1 ,dr4 ,twiss1 and others of less note4 ,it is fair1 however1 to say that the ,royal warrant did not order this outrage1 and has a specious reasonable air4 ,it ran3-- ,it is his ,majestie's express pleasure and command that you cause the bodies of the severall persons undernamed w have been unwarrantably interred in ,henry the #gth and other ,chappels and places w in the collegiate ,church of ,westminster since the year #afda to be forthwith taken up and buried in some place of the ,churchyard adjoining to y said ,church1 whereof you may not faile1 and for so doing this shall be y warrant4 ,dated at y ,court of ,whitehall1 ,sept4 #i1 #affa4 ,illustration3 ,,lambeth ,,palace4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,the ,,westminster ,,tobacco-,,box--,,the ,,westminster ,,play4 ,in other ways our 8,parish of ,westminster0 offers much that is still quaint and old-fashioned and picturesque4 ,a stranger seeing the view from the ,sanctuary for the first time will be moved to surprise and admiration4 ,the very irregularity1 the straggling shape of the ground1 is original and pleasing4 ,what a number of striking objects are here congregated6 ,standing at the bottom of ,victoria ,street we see to the right the ,gothic ,westminster ,chambers1 with the not ungraceful commemorative pillar to the scholars who fell in the ,crimea4 ,beyond is the venerable ,abbey1 beside which is ,st4 ,margaret's ,church and ,churchyard4 ,beyond these is seen ,westminster ,hall and the elaborate faade and towers of the ,houses of ,parliament4 ,between is the square with the statues4 ,to the left the old ,sessions ,house1 and in the distance ,westminster ,bridge1 ,lambeth ,palace1 and the ,river4 ,all this is made animated by the ceaseless procession of vehicles1 for here runs the tide of life and business very strongly2 and the long train of persons making for the ,strand from ,pimlico passes by this route4 ,all here is interesting1 and the foreigner could spend a day or two examining what is grouped in this spot4 ,few are aware of the existence of a worthy society1 8,the ,past ,overseers of ,st4 ,margaret and ,st4 ,john1 ,westminster10 who have been in the habit of dining together at one of the taverns in the district for over #aej years4 ,this body1 not otherwise remarkable1 are custodians of a singular 8curio10 which from small beginnings has1 like the 8deputy shepherd10 been 8a swellin' wisibly0 from year to year4 ,this is 8the ,westminster ,tobacco-,box10 which is also an extraordinary1 bizarre1 historical calendar of ,london during the long period of its existence4 ,it seems that in the year #agac one of the 8past0 overseers1 ,mr4 ,henry ,monk1 was in the habit of bringing to the tavern dinners his own private tobacco-box1 which he had bought for #d;d4 at a horn fair1 and which he good-naturedly placed at the service of his friends4 ,in so cordial a spirit was this little attention received1 that he presented the company with a tobacco-box for its own use when he should have passed away4 ,as a reciprocal attention the society had a silver rim placed on the box1 whereon were recorded the donor's name and merits4 ,this imparted a value to the box1 and it was intrusted to the charge of the overseer for the time being4 ,the next overseer--not to be outdone in liberality--embellished the box with a silver plate1 on which his name and achievements were set out4 ,the overseer succeeding followed suit2 and thus grew up the rule or custom that every overseer should add a silver plate or decoration suitably inscribed4 ,after a few years the box became overlaid with silver plates4 ,space failed1 and it was now fitted into an inclosing box1 upon which the same process was repeated4 ,figures and pictures came to be engraved on the plates2 the notable event of the year1 whether battle1 royal marriage1 procession1 or celebration1 was duly emblazoned2 and still the box1 or boxes1 kept growing4 ,as a result1 the box has become enormous1 and has now the aspect of a massive hexagonal silver-covered chest1 which resolves itself into some half-dozen boxes1 one enclosed in the other1 and all glittering with the accumulated silver plates of #aej years4 ,the outer chest or casket is made from an old oaken beam that belonged to the ,abbey4 ,the general aspect of the box is rather bewildering1 with its pictures1 portraits1 scrolls1 odd costumes1 dates1 and inscriptions4 ,at the annual dinner there is a ceremonial of handing over the box to the new overseer1 who is solemnly enjoined by the senior churchwarden to take all care of the article4 ,he is to have and to hold it on the condition that it be produced at all parochial entertainments he shall be invited to1 or have a right to attend1 when it must be furnished1 with tobacco sufficient to fill three pipes at least1 under forfeiture1 in case of failure1 of six bottles of claret4 ,moreover1 security in the sum of #bjj guineas has to be found4 ,the box has passed through some critical situations3 once1 in #aghe1 when some thieves carried off from the dinner-table all the portable silver2 but1 fortunately1 the overseer had the precious box 7or boxes7 in safe custody4 ,in #agic an unworthy overseer1 named ,read1 having a claim on the parish1 actually detained the box till he was satisfied--nay1 threatened to destroy the box if he were not satisfied4 ,thereupon a ,chancery suit was actually commenced to recover this ,palladium of ,westminster2 and the case was heard before ,lord ,chancellor ,loughborough1 who decreed that the box be restored and the costs paid by the degenerate 8past overseer10 ,read aforesaid4 ,there was general joy2 the solicitor who conducted the suit was made free of the society1 that 8he may often0 7so it runs in the books7 8have an opportunity of contemplating the box and its recovery40 ,in #ahbe some odd regulations connected with the box were introduced4 ,the dinner which ushered it in was to be served by five o'clock1 on the actual striking of ,st4 ,margaret's clock2 the landlord1 on failure1 to be fined two bottles of wine4 ,he was to produce his bill at half-past eight1 under penalty of another bottle4 ,when the ,westminster tobacco-boxes are opened out there is a glittering show indeed4 ,hours might be spent deciphering their scrolls and records4 ,there we may see and read of the ,king and ,queen and of ,mr4 ,wilkes1 the gallant ,nelson1 ,pitt and ,fox1 and ,wellington1 together with pictures of a 8scratchy0 kind of the new prison1 the trial of ,queen ,caroline1 and other interesting scenes4 ,in #agdf ,hogarth engraved a portrait of the ,duke of ,cumberland inside the lid4 ,what is to become of the box when it bourgeons beyond manageable proportions8 ,by-and-by it will have the dimensions of a plate-chest4 ,before long1 however1 it is not unlikely that some too practical past overseer will move 8,that this society do hereby for the future suspend their practice of adding silver plates to the tobacco-box2 and that in lieu thereof ten guineas be subscribed annually to the funds of ,westminster ,hospital4 ,and that the box or boxes be deposited in the ,town ,hall40 ,in ,westminster1 as in other districts of ,london1 there is a certain local tone--healthy and independent1 as though it were a separate town4 ,chelsea1 ,islington1 ,holborn1 all these have their ,town ,halls1 some built in rather imposing style4 ,in each there is the ,concert room1 where shows and entertainments are given to the lieges4 ,at ,westminster there is the ,choral ,society1 which has its capital concerts1 singing1 and orchestra--all to the glory of local ,westminsters1 who have great repute among their own people4 ,there is something ,flemish in this spirit1 and no doubt it will develop4 ,a few years ago there was a cluster of mean and squalid streets on the ground where the ,aquarium stands--with others of the ,seven ,dials pattern leading to it4 ,these have been cleared away with extraordinary rapidity1 and quite a new quarter has been formed1 of which the ,town ,hall is the centre4 ,not unpleasing1 and effective also1 is the large group of buildings in irregular broken order that gather round it4 ,there is ,christ ,church and churchyard1 across which a path has been made from ,victoria ,street1 and which is flanked by the new and grand 8,iddesleigh ,mansions10 with its stained glass and outside galleries4 ,then on the other side rise the enormous 8,st4 ,ermine's ,mansions10 rival to the 8,queen ,anne's40 ,the visitor should note the extraordinary decorations over the doorways--two boys seated in a dgag attitude1 their legs projecting airily1 projections not likely to remain long in situ4 ,we should note1 however1 the pleasing ,vicarage just erected in the churchyard1 a compact and snug and picturesque little edifice4 ,the church is rude and bald enough1 but a project is on foot for completing the steeple4 ,then the place will be complete4 ,yet1 strange to say1 fringing these pretentious edifices1 meant for the opulent1 are the most squalid dens and alleys filled with cellars and 8shanties10 with such significant names as ,king's ,head ,court1 ,smith's ,rents1 ,horse ,shoe ,alley1 and the like1 where poverty reeks and flourishes well1 as it might be said1 and where from half a crown to four shillings is paid weekly for some crazy dilapidated chamber4 ,the performance of the ,westminster ,play1 which takes place about a week before ,christmas1 furnishes the ,londoner with an opportunity for dreaming himself away into old ,university or ,cathedral life4 ,once within ,dean's ,yard a very pleasing delusion steals over him2 and so appropriate are the calm associations of the place that he will fancy himself hundreds of miles away in some scholastic retirement1 instead of being close to the rattle of streets1 of passing omnibuses and cabs and the busy hurly-burly of ,westminster4 ,the pleasant old custom of the ,westminster ,play still flourishes in all its vitality1 and should be cherished as one of those survivals which usefully keep green the few romantic associations that are known to the capital4 ,it is evening at ,christmas-tide as we come to the ,sanctuary--quaint name for the open space in front of the ,abbey--the traffic seems at its very busiest4 ,the ,aquarium hard by is getting ready for a busy night2 its electric arc lights are blazing4 ,beyond1 the fierce light at the top of the ,clock ,tower gives token of busy work within1 for a so-called 8autumn session0 is going on4 ,everything betokens din1 bustle1 and hard work4 ,passing under the archway we are in 8,dean's ,yard10 and what a sudden change6 ,it almost seems a monastic inclosure4 ,the moon is at the full2 the noise of the streets is suddenly hushed4 ,here are the old-fashioned buildings1 low and antique1 with the entrance to the ,cloisters of the ,abbey4 ,the chimes from the ,clock ,tower are giving out eight4 ,here1 too1 is the ,dean's ,house1 quaint1 low and spreading1 with a deceptive air of ruin1 mullioned windows1 and the ,canons' residences beside it2 the ,head ,master's house1 too1 all such as would be found in a ,cathedral ,close4 ,here are small peaked windows1 the walls bearing a look of rust and ruin1 but very sound4 ,passing through a dilapidated little archway1 we reach the square1 where on the left is made out ,ashburnham ,house1 lost in shadow2 but its elegant iron gate is distinct enough2 while in front there is the old-fashioned and heavy irregular buildings of the ,westminster ,school1 with its old-fashioned porch and steps1 and straggling doorways4 ,a crowd of persons are entering--the youths1 fine lads1 stand about in their caps and gowns4 ,we pass up some cramped stairs and find ourselves in the great dormitory1 with alcoves on each side1 while overhead are seen the beams of the sloping platform which support the spectators' seats4 ,for in this vast hall the performance is given4 ,it is a gay and festive scene enough1 brilliantly lit up1 with a handsomely painted proscenium at the end1 while the huge sloping platform is crowded4 ,on the right the ladies of the audience are grouped together in ascetic seclusion1 much as ladies are placed in the ,palchi during the ,holy ,week at ,rome4 ,young scholastic aides-de-camp in cap and gown distribute bills and show us to our proper places4 ,the ,head ,master1 the cordial and energetic ,dr4 ,rutherford1 enters in state1 and with him the personages invited1 who sit in rows in the centre4 ,on the right and left are the scholars1 and dressed in the best ,west-end style2 a brave company4 8,alas60 said ,charles ,lamb's brother1 8to think that these fine1 bright young fellows will one day become stupid ,members of ,parliament40 ,illustration3 ,from a ,drawing by ,,herbert ,,railton4 ,the great thick walls on each side display their blackened stones1 and are pierced at the top with small1 prison-like windows4 ,these old walls seem to speak1 for they are covered over as closely as possible with names--names of scholars1 in large1 well-cut1 and very legible letters4 ,there is something very significant in these records1 some of very well known persons4 ,the eye1 almost at first1 falls upon a bold1 big-cut 8,e4 ,,impey0--a boy who was to become ,sir ,elijah1 and to figure so prominently with ,warren ,hastings4 ,formerly the boys used to climb up and cut their names anyhow and every how2 now it is reduced to a prosaic and regular system3 a payment of five shillings is made1 and the appointed officer arrives with his tools and ladder1 and does the job1 which rather destroys the poetry of the thing4 ,some pretty music is being played of a soft1 winning kind--the performers unseen--which lends a regular theatrical tone to the place4 ,a lad in cap and gown and white tie and kid gloves emerges from the curtain and bends down to whisper to the ,head ,master1 it is presumed to obtain formal leave to begin4 ,this ceremony was repeated at the beginning of every act4 ,then the curtains are drawn aside1 revealing the beautiful view of ,athens1 painted with much grace and skill by ,mr4 ,cockerell1 a combination between interior and exterior1 which ,i believe to be the true mode of presenting a drama4 ,nothing could be better1 more correct or realistic than the dresses4 ,with the discoveries of pictures1 mosaics1 medals1 etc41 we can really now dress a ,greek or ,roman with the minutest accuracy and faithfulness4 ,the hair1 beards1 etc41 are trained with such wonderful accuracy so as to suggest the true antique type of face4 ,the style of declamation was spirited and animated1 much beyond what might be expected from youths4 ,there was a solidity and gravity1 and a total absence of fear and shyness4 ,it would be affectation to say the meaning was followed by the audience1 though at professedly humorous passages volleys of applause came from above1 betokening the presence1 even here1 of a disciplined claque1 who must have applauded upon signal4 ,there were some grave and reverend pundits1 who really understood and followed every word--masters en retraite1 perhaps--and who were convulsed at every jest--though these seemed mild enough4 ,at the close there was the epilogue1 full of allusions to current topics4 ,altogether a very pleasing and interesting entertainment4 ,there was a suggestion1 throughout of collegiate associations1 from the presence of the many gowned professors1 canons1 and others1 who had only to walk across from their numerous little quaint old residences either in 8the quad10 or the antique ,college ,street or ,dean's ,yard4 ,as the crowd poured out we crossed the courts once again under the moonlight1 everything still and remote1 the great ,tower of the ,abbey dimly outlined1 the huge ,victoria ,tower beetling over all1 the many clocks1 ,st4 ,margaret's1 the ,abbey1 8,big ,ben10 and others of smaller degree1 chiming vigorously one against the other4 ,ashburnham ,house1 fast closed1 was sleeping placidly in the moonlight4 ,we passed the slow1 old-fashioned rooms of the ,head ,master1 where there was a cheerful restorative supper1 not at all unwelcome after the long course of rather perplexing ,latin1 where the guests were hospitably entreated by this cordial host4 ,towards midnight1 as we came out from ,dean's ,yard through the great entrance1 and were once more greeted with cab and omnibus clatter and general hurly-burly1 it really seemed again as though we had suddenly emerged from the tranquil ,university cloister4 ,the gowns1 plays1 cloisters1 old ,latin1 music1 canons1 etc41 seemed part of a collegiate dream--now rudely broken4 ,illustration3 ,this is ,,emanuel ,,hospital of the ,charitable ,foundation of the ,late ,,lord and ,,lady ,,dacres ,for the ,maintenance of ,ten ,poor ,men1 ,ten ,poor ,women1 and ,twenty ,poor ,children ,under the ,government of the ,,lord ,,mayor ,,aldermen of the ,city of ,,london ,anno #ahba ,resolved that the ,boys ,girls be increased to the number of ,twenty each to be educated maintained in the ,hospital4 ,that a proper ,school ,room a ,dormitory over the same1 for the ,boys1 be erected4 ,anno #ahdd ,ten additional ,boys ,admitted4 ,anno #ahde ,ten additional ,girls ,admitted4 ,anno #ahdg ,the ,establishment no ,consists of ,sixty4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,ashburnham ,,house--,,the ,,houses ,,of ,,parliament1 ,,etc4 ,passing from ,dean's ,yard1 through a ,gothic arch which leads through the ,canons' houses1 we find ourselves in a large court1 round which run the old buildings of the ,westminster ,school and its familiar dormitory4 ,facing the school is a low building1 within an inclosure1 known as ,ashburnham ,house1 an old ,tudor structure of much interest1 which a few years ago was in serious peril4 ,the valuable ground was coveted1 and it was proposed to level it and erect large modern buildings in its stead4 ,happily public interest was aroused1 pictures and sketches appeared in the illustrated papers1 and the plan was arrested4 ,the interest lay in the beautiful and elegant design of its interior1 which though of modest scale is so exquisitely laid out and designed as to suggest an air of spaciousness4 ,there is no doubt that it is the work of ,inigo ,jones1 who is also credited with having designed the older dormitory of the school4 ,on entering1 a low hall presents itself1 with a door facing us1 through which can be seen a glimpse of the old garden behind4 ,standing in the airy hall1 which though of small size yet appears spacious1 and is panelled round with delicately indicated mouldings1 we see on the left a low arch over a slightly inclined stair of three or four steps1 and beyond which the regular stair with its balustrade is seen4 ,this of itself offers a highly original effect4 ,the staircase itself has the most gentle ascent4 ,the walls1 generally white1 are broken up by delicate mouldings and pilasters crowned at the top by an oval lantern of elegant shape1 and there is a general architectural effect produced of the most pleasing kind4 ,neither is there anything elaborate1 nor are the surfaces too much loaded4 ,we feel that the groundwork is panelling1 and therefore only suited to the lightest treatment4 ,with the mouldings are combined stucco tracery of the best school4 ,in the same spirit are the two beautifully proportioned rooms treated1 door cases presenting rich borderings and the ceilings rich embroideries of stucco4 ,even the shape of the windows is worthy of study1 as they let in the proper amount of light1 and no more1 and are exactly proportioned4 ,illustration3 ,the ,staircase in ,ashburnham ,house4 ,from a ,drawing by ,,herbert ,,railton4 ,the exquisite proportion of the lines1 and the general air of space and room1 the rich1 elaborate stucco and carving1 all displayed in its proper place1 and yet not too rich1 will give delight to the trained architectural mind4 ,one feature is the simple1 unadorned panelling exhibited near the ground1 and which contrasts with the decoration on the higher portions4 ,the rich swelling stucco border of the oval lantern at once recalls that of the room in the ,barbers' ,hall1 which is confessedly from the same hand4 ,the whole is really a gem1 and again suggests the strange failing of modern architects1 who1 in our day1 seem to neglect the laws of classical proportion which lent such a grace to works of architecture at so late a period as one hundred years ago4 ,as for stucco1 it seems hopeless to look for any comprehension of its principle4 ,the latest elaborate expression is seen on the ceilings of the new ,constitutional ,club1 which offers a mass of heavy details1 suggesting such contours as the familiar 8porridge0 assumes on cooling4 ,the charming way in which the few remaining rooms--all that are left--open off the landing1 is another of the attractions of this gem1 about whose future one feels a little anxious4 ,there is no doubt it is in a precarious state1 if not rickety1 and is unsuited for the requirements of the school which is carried on there4 ,the landing might be a room itself1 so airily is it treated2 quite in keeping1 too1 is the view from the windows1 original in its way1 unsuspected perhaps by those familiar with the ordinary aspect of the old ,abbey2 for there rises before us the grim old and much-neglected flank of the fane1 with its mouldering buttresses and decayed windows1 which the restorers have1 fortunately1 not thought worthy of their attention1 as being too retired to meet the public eye4 ,some judicious restoring1 cleaning1 and repairing might be expended on the old house1 which has an air of slight dilapidation4 ,the present general tone of white certainly adds to the effect of lightness1 and it is questionable whether the effect would be improved by exposing the old oak panelling4 ,on passing out at the other end of ,dean's ,yard1 we find ourselves in a tranquil1 old-fashioned street1 ,college ,street4 ,this might be a portion of a close in an old cathedral1 so placid and silent is it2 the houses being of that small1 unpretending order in which canons and choristers might reside4 ,there are carved doorways1 there is cheerful red brick1 while a few houses are overgrown from top to bottom with a rich clothing of greenery4 ,at the end we have a glimpse of the river and barges passing lazily by4 ,in front stretches the old cobble wall of the ,abbey gardens1 full of old trees3 the iron-grey walls of the schoolhouse1 capped with the old richly-cut cornice1 are seen within1 ,lord ,burlington's work--while over all rises the huge and solemn tower1 the great ,victoria--offering quite a suggestion of ,canterbury ,cathedral4 ,in the wall are little unassuming portals1 with the name of a canon or two inscribed on them1 and cart or carriage rarely disturbs the solitude4 ,in short there is scarcely anything in town more grateful1 or more in tone with the ,abbey itself than this little street1 or indeed the region in which it is4 ,taken with the ,cloisters1 the old houses and little courts in the ,dean's ,yard1 and the ,school ,square and ,ashburnham ,house1 all is perfectly in keeping4 ,the district round seems to partake of this conventual and retiring character4 ,going on a little farther we come to the massive1 curious church which stands in ,smith ,square1 the houses running round being of an odd1 old fashion1 unlike anything in ,london4 ,it might be in a country town4 ,this quarter1 too1 is one of those which has a distinct character1 even in its squalor4 ,but it is still pervaded by the ecclesiastical1 cathedral flavour of the ,abbey adjoining4 ,we scarcely expect to find lessons in art among the slums and squalid streets of ,westminster1 nor could we hope to light on much in ,illustration3 ,,garden ,,of ,,ashburnham ,,house 7page #ah7 ,illustration3 ,,the ,blewcoat ,school ,built in the ,year #agjj the way of antique survival4 ,yet here we come on at least three interesting old edifices--almshouses and schools--which in their aspect and surroundings offer a charming sort of surprise4 ,passing out of ,victoria ,street1 where there is much crush and noise at 8,the ,stores10 and down a small alley1 we come to a little gem of its kind1 as it will seem to the true artist1 a small charity school1 standing in its walled inclosure4 ,it is of ,queen ,anne date and pattern1 and is no more than a simple square little hall4 ,but how quaint and varied is it6 how admirably are its surfaces broken6 while every side offers a different pattern4 ,the honest brick is of a fine plum colour2 the wall is daintily divided by pilasters2 delicate1 unobtrusive cornices run around2 the windows are shaped in proportion1 and the four doorways are of such varied elegance that it is difficult to decide between them4 ,the whole approach in front1 the gateway and its piers1 iron work1 the flight of steps1 the door itself--all strike one as being the work of a tasteful artist4 ,over the door is the pleasantly rococo figure of 8,the ,blew ,coat ,boy0 in his niche4 ,there is a little garden behind1 with steps leading down1 and a sort of ddendance attached1 similar in style1 but acting as a kind of foil4 ,there is a charm about the little unpretentious building that is extraordinary4 ,unhappily it needs repair and restoration1 though it is not dilapidated4 ,no one1 however1 seems to care for it1 and a builder has been allowed to construct a sort of 8lean to shed0 beside it4 ,by-and-by it is likely enough to pass away and to be swept off so coveted a piece of ground4 ,all who appreciate the grace and charm of architecture must admire it4 ,passing by this interesting structure and walking down a little farther in the direction of ,james ,street1 we come to a bit of almost rural life--a perfect picture1 which few would suspect could be found so close to the busy haunts of men4 ,this is a group of old almshouses known as ,lady ,dacre's--a large square1 covered on three sides by the buildings4 ,they are exactly of the pattern that would have delighted the late ,frederick ,walker1 and might be found in the outskirts of some old country town4 ,in front there is a high railing of good old florid iron1 with a handsome gateway in the middle4 ,through the rails we can see the forlorn garden1 offering an air of 8large desolation0 and neglect1 with a look of tranquil abandonment4 ,in the centre there is a low block of buildings with a quaint cupola1 or lantern1 rising over a pediment filled with decayed sculptures4 ,at the side are two pretty little gates by which you can enter and walk round1 and play 8the contemplative man10 past the low doorways1 over each of which are faint characters with the name of a parish4 ,a dim-faced clock gives hoarse and wheezy note of time2 but there is no one to be seen4 ,retracing our steps and crossing ,victoria ,street by 8,the ,stores10 we pass into ,rochester ,row4 ,near the ,westminster end we come to a large old house of a delightful pattern1 with vast inclosed gardens or grounds behind4 ,this is the 8,grey ,coat0 ,school1 with its fine tiled roof1 central block1 and wings4 ,nothing can be better than the rare solid brick-work and the air of solidity and comfort4 ,some directing ,goths have1 however1 erected a barbarous sort of colonnade or passage exactly before the door of entrance1 thus spoiling the effect of the faade4 ,everything is in excellent keeping1 even to the high substantial wall round it4 ,but the fair expanse of ground behind is coveted1 and already a slice has been taken off for a large factory4 ,in front there used to stand1 not long since1 another group of almshouses1 which the worthy ,palmer and ,emery ,hill1 erst citizens of ,westminster1 had erected4 ,these were pulled down1 and an attempt has been made to erect something of the same genre1 but with indifferent success4 ,as we survey the so-called improvements of ,london1 the thought often recurs--how much a little more taste would have beautified the changes6 ,but we seem helpless in this matter4 ,no one appears to have a conception of what the requirements or opportunities are of a particular situation4 ,there is1 for instance1 a statue of ,cur de ,lion1 by ,marochetti1 before the ,house of ,lords--which is flamboyant enough to be effective--yet how feebly disposed is it6 ,it seems to shrink1 or to be huddled away in a corner4 ,we have so few equestrian statues1 we ought to make the most display we can with them4 ,note the poorish pedestal1 only a few feet high4 ,this statue ought to be in the centre of a place1 on a high commanding pedestal2 and there1 would really have effect4 ,illustration3 ,emanuel ,hospital ,hume ,nisbet ,people often lament that the old ,cathedrals1 both in ,england and abroad1 are so crowded up1 and incrusted by mean buildings and streets2 but do they gain when these are cleared away8 ,one of the most picturesque glimpses of the ,abbey is to be obtained from a point vis--vis to the ,peers' entrance1 near the equestrian statue4 ,there is a perfect old-world charm over this little corner1 at the end of which the great arched buttress of the ,chapter ,house--a happy bit of restoration--shows itself4 ,the air of repose and tranquillity is extraordinary4 ,you would think you were in an old rural town4 ,we are so familiar with the great ,westminster group of buildings1 the ,houses of ,parliament and ,westminster ,hall1 that we scarcely can appreciate the imposing magnificence of the site and disposition4 ,but foreigners are often struck with astonishment and admiration at the vast elaborate workmanship and detail2 and certainly for a modern work the ,parliament ,house is singularly successful in the effort to reproduce the old ,gothic4 ,the irregularity and originality of the treatment of the two towers1 the flche1 etc41 is worthy of all praise4 ,of course faults may be detected1 and it is said there is a monotony in the repetition of the panelling1 which suggests wood-carving1 as though wrought by machinery4 ,when the plans were discussed it was proposed to raise the platform on the river side to the full level of the ground in ,palace ,square1 or rather to that of the ,bridge1 and this would certainly have had an imposing effect4 ,but the difficulty was what to do with ,westminster ,hall4 ,there was an angry controversy between ,pugin and ,sir ,charles ,barry1 and between those who represented them1 as to their respective shares in the design1 a point which the impartial spectator will have little difficulty in deciding4 ,pugin's spirit is to be recognized everywhere and in all the details1 and it was impossible that so pervading an influence should not have its effect in the constructive portions also4 ,barry's other works offer nothing like this--nothing so free or fanciful4 ,the luxuriance of florid details is indeed extraordinary1 and the lavish profusion of ornament seems to belong to some gem of a private chapel rather than to the surfaces of so vast a building4 ,but it is melancholy to note the evidence of decay1 and this delicate tracery1 though apparently preserving its shape and form1 is mouldering away4 ,any 8under-cutting0 in this climate is doomed4 ,the general decay of the main stone-work which caused such alarm many years ago has happily been arrested2 a vast quantity of the decayed material has been cut out and renewed4 ,but there is a constant repair going on1 and little 8crow's nests0 are to be always seen crusted round one or other of the delicate 8finials40 ,some palpable mistakes1 due to economy1 can be detected at once4 ,the intention of the architect in designing so long and so low a structure was to relieve it by the two ,towers1 which were to 8carry up0 the eye--like spires4 ,the great ,victoria ,tower1 whose enormous proportions can only be appreciated when we are close to it1 seems as vast and massive as the ,tower of the ,town ,hall at ,ypres--that wonder of the world4 ,yet the whole idea of its imposing height has been sacrificed3 it is indeed difficult to believe that it is as high as the dome of ,st4 ,paul's4 ,as ,fergusson says1 8the ,victoria ,tower partly dwarfs the portion of the building near it4 ,yet in the original design it was intended to be six stories in height1 which increase would have lessened the sense of breadth1 making it more airy4 ,unfortunately the architect had the weakness of often changing his original purpose1 consequently the entrance1 instead of being only of the height of two stories of the building as at first proposed1 now runs through and makes the adjacent ,house of ,lords ridiculous4 ,if the size of the gate is appropriate the ,lords are pigmies4 ,worse than this1 at the back of the great arch is a little one1 one fourth its height1 through which everything must pass4 ,the counterpart of all this is the ,house1 which looks much smaller than it really is40 ,the fact is1 that when the ,tower was approaching completion the ,house of ,commons1 in a fit of economy1 interposed and refused to allow it to be carried to its proper height4 ,it is now therefore some thirty or forty feet too short4 ,its proportions seem clumsy and stinted1 and it is really unpleasant to contemplate4 ,the flche that rises from the centre of the building is really beautiful and elegant1 covering 7which few would suspect7 the great central ,hall1 and1 with these various towers and spires forms a charming assemblage1 to which the ,abbey unhappily does not contribute1 for its central tower ought to be furnished with a flche1 or an octagonal lantern1 like the one at ,st4 ,ouen at ,rouen4 ,wren1 it is known1 prepared a design1 which however was laid aside4 ,as we look up at the ,clock ,tower1 it suggests some curious recollections--first1 associated with the 8,big ,ben0 within1 which has its history4 ,few may recollect that it was so named after ,sir ,benjamin ,hall1 then ,commissioner of ,works4 ,unnoticed too1 perhaps1 by the incurious is the fact that 8,big ,ben0 has long been cracked1 but has done his work effectively for years4 ,yet the hoarse1 rather jarring tone betrays this damage hourly4 ,forgotten also that it was designed by a bell amateur1 ,mr4 ,becket ,denison1 and that there was a controversy and discussion which long raged fiercely about the bell4 ,it could not be even settled what note it uttered4 ,it is astonishing to think that the large hand of the clock is over fourteen feet long4 ,from the elaborate open-work character of the 8cap10 or head1 of the clock-tower1 as well as from its function of holding a number of bells large and small1 for which there is no room save in the body of the tower itself1 it was intended that the whole should be pierced1 and have an airy1 open treatment like a church spire4 ,this was actually the architect's design1 as will be seen from the slits that run all the way up4 ,these1 however1 he was forced to 8glaze10 and fill in with windows1 which gives the whole a heavy1 clumsy air1 instead of a lightness and elegance4 ,the system of lighting the dials is elaborate1 and the cost enormous4 ,there is quite a fire-chamber behind4 ,offenders against ,parliamentary discipline have been consigned to the ,clock ,tower for custody2 and1 as may be imagined1 the chief portion of their sufferings1 night and day1 must have been the alarming booming of the bells1 which were quite close to their ears4 ,the great embarrassment for the architect of the ,houses of ,parliament was ,westminster ,hall1 which stood in the way and seemed really irreconcilable4 ,if left detached1 with a space between it and the new building1 there would be little room for the latter between it and the river2 if combined with it1 it was incongruous1 being of a totally different style4 ,the latter course was adopted1 and it was turned into a sort of vestibule or entrance hall to the two ,houses4 ,on sthetic grounds this was a blunder1 for it has lost its significance as a separate work1 and has always been in protest1 as it were1 against its degradation4 ,from the outside everyone may conclude that here are two distinct buildings1 yet on entering it is found to be merely a passage or approach for the other4 ,barry was so sensible of this that he determined to hide or screen it altogether1 and he left designs for a building to be carried in front1 and which was to go round the whole yard4 ,there was to be a grand imposing tower1 with arched entrance gate at the corner1 facing ,parliament ,street4 ,this costly scheme was never carried out1 and instead1 the ,hall has been taken in hand by ,mr4 ,pearson1 fitted with a cloister and buttress1 battlements1 etc41 after its own style4 ,this of course only imparts a more general discrepancy1 for its general plainness and rudeness of treatment make the details of the new building appear trivial2 while in return their minuteness and delicacy causes the ,westminster ,hall to appear yet more rude and rough4 ,what shall be said of the magnificent interior of the ,hall1 its unique open and bewildering roof1 a marvel of construction1 with its history and traditions and trials8 ,but it is curious1 as we walk through it1 to see how completely the effect has been destroyed4 ,by opening out the end and adding ascending steps1 with a passage beyond1 its purpose has been changed1 and the sense of space and size abolished4 ,you merely pass through it1 instead of entering it and staying there4 ,it is no longer a great chamber4 ,there is a handsome stained glass window seen beyond1 of the style called 8,perpendicular10 a portion of which1 strange to say1 is cut off by the beams of the roof4 ,it was1 however1 ,barry's intention to raise the roof all through by hydraulic machinery--an intention that never will be carried out1 and so the blunder or eyesore remains4 ,it is curious what uncertainty exists as to the roof of this fine ,hall4 ,it is generally supposed to be made of ,irish oak1 as stated by ,macaulay in his account of the trial of ,warren ,hastings4 ,others maintain that it is of ,normandy chestnut1 others again that the roof alone is of chestnut and the ribs of oak4 ,everyone is familiar with the two ,chambers1 with their fine and gorgeous decorations1 enriched brass and iron work1 carvings1 paintings1 etc4 ,the ,house of ,commons originally had an elegant open roof1 elaborate to a degree1 and furnishing the leading 8note0 of the chamber4 ,it was found at once that the speeches were inaudible1 and the architect was allotted the ungrateful office of destroying his own work--having to set up a flat panelled ceiling many feet below his tracery and ,gothic work4 ,this has answered perfectly1 and the space between is utilized for lighting purposes4 ,it may be added that when it was determined not to proceed further with ,barry's designs1 the ,palace was completed by his son1 a low colonnade being added1 the ornamental details of the ,clock ,tower being continued to the ground4 ,the grilles and railings which were also added seem like the colonnade1 but have not the same elegance as the building1 and offer a different treatment4 ,the ,gothic clock-face caused the architect a vast deal of thought1 and it was only after many experiments that the existing mode of attaching it to the tower was devised4 ,it is considered very successful4 ,prince ,albert1 it is said1 insisted that the whole upper portion should be of metal4 ,the tower has1 within the last few years1 been turned into a sort of beacon or gigantic lamp-post--not1 indeed1 to give light or a warning of danger--but to announce to whom it may concern that the ,house is not up4 ,this acts as a pernicious schoolmaster1 and insensibly preaches what is mean and degrading4 ,the tower was a useful and faithful servant1 8,big ,ben0 booming out--albeit a little hoarse and cracked--the hours by day1 the huge illuminated dial telling the hour by night4 ,but a gap was made in the fretwork over the dial1 and an ugly semicircular lantern thrust out1 which gives out a fierce glare while the ,house is sitting4 ,the handsome ,clock ,tower is now present to our minds as a sort of gigantic candlestick1 with the associations of smoke1 fierce heat1 flare1 and glare4 ,the light is not hung out from the tower beacon-wise1 but the tower itself is the beacon4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,westminster ,,abbey4 ,for the casual sightseer1 however eager1 the visiting of the 8official shows0--whether in public picture galleries1 museums or cathedrals--is often a weary business enough4 ,after the first surprise he passes from object to object1 staring1 and gradually subsiding into a kind of dumb indifference1 and troubled with the feeling that so much more remains to be seen and reviewed4 ,he really knows not what is to be admired or distinguished from its fellows4 ,but if1 by a happy chance1 there were at his elbow some guide who could select and illustrate for him by a few observations what was remarkable1 and 8the why and wherefore0 of its merit1 what was singular1 and this without show and pedantry or lecturing1 how happy and comfortable would be his situation6 ,one of these days we shall have guide-books on this principle instead of the heavy treatises stored with historical and other information1 and which require hard study at home4 ,such 8shows0 as the ,national ,gallery1 the ,british ,museum1 ,westminster ,abbey1 and ,st4 ,paul's1 eminently require some such mode of illustration4 ,the ,abbey itself is one of the most interesting and richly stored places of the kind in the world1 and an entertaining hour or two can always be spent there1 even by the hackneyed ,londoner4 ,that exquisite gem and 8perfect chrysolite10 ,henry ,,vii4's ,chapel1 may be visited again and again with ever increasing wonder and delight4 ,so too with the wonderful irregularity of the chapels1 which seem to grow out of the main structure4 ,we are amazed at the rich and costly tombs1 scattered about in profusion1 and perfectly astonishing in their welcome variety of design4 ,these are indeed buildings in themselves2 each teeming with suggestion and stored with ideas4 ,there are many ,londoners who have never visited the 8wonder of the world10 as it has been styled1 ,henry ,,vii4's ,chapel1 and which it is impossible to enter without being oppressed with a sense of overpowering astonishment and admiration4 ,as we lift our eyes1 the beautiful roof overpowers us with its exquisite forms and delicate ornamentation1 its wealth of details that seem to float so airily1 and appear to be crystallized foam1 or lace work4 ,the architect is confounded at the combination of enormous weight and solidity with infinite delicacy1 and notes the art with which the burden is distributed4 ,illustration ,hume ,nisbet4 ,the wonderful miscellany of posturing figures in the ,abbey1 the men1 women and children1 gods1 goddesses1 cupids1 river gods1 smirking bishops leaning comfortably on their elbows1 warriors ascending to ,heaven1 sea fights1 marble firmaments1 c41 have been often described and ridiculed4 ,still they are curious as an expression of the feeling of their day1 and1 as progressive changes in treatment1 are of value as signifying the tone of social and public thought4 ,as ,professor ,westmacott has shown in one of his lectures1 even the early reposing figures in the chapels betoken the religious feeling of the time4 8,the recumbent effigies10 he says1 8with uplifted hands and serious expression1 arrest attention1 and are aids to reflection4 ,but the time came when the mere personal honour and glorification of the subject was to be illustrated4 ,the figures are now found turned on their side and leaning on their elbow1 and look out from their resting-place as if inviting the notice and admiration of the passers-by40 ,this contrast is perfectly just1 but is it not the effect of the change of religion1 and in the national feeling towards the dead8 ,the old pre-,reformation monuments are plastic reminders to pray for the dead--their images are displayed with a grave and sad solemnity2 they are shown kneeling or in tranquil repose4 ,on the other hand1 the obstreperous displays of warriors crowned by pagan 8,victories0 betoken a time when the nation was engaged in wars and desperate struggles4 ,the bishop on his elbow conveyed the idea of stalled and comfortable ease at a period when little was expected from the pastoral office4 8,how revoltingly misplaced too10 says another writer1 8is the shouldering1 elbowing strife1 with which1 like advertising placards or rival shops with every trick that can be devised for glaring prominence1 they struggle to outstare each other1 as if the very well-being of the defunct depended upon whose statue shall be seen first1 or whose epitaph read oftenest6 ,how calmly1 amid all this feverish strife1 lie the modest retiring memorials of the mighty or the worthy of old1 from the dignified reposing figures of the royal ,plantagenets to the unpretending brasses of the untitled and humble1 if indeed modern selfishness has left any uncovered60 ,every ,monday and ,tuesday1 as is generally known1 the whole ,abbey is thrown open to sightseers1 who may range unguided1 and as they list1 through the beautiful ,henry ,,vii4 ,chapel and the side chapels4 ,the shrine of the ,confessor is in a very shattered and mouldering state1 but the wonder is that everything is in such excellent preservation4 ,a reason is given for this state of decay4 ,once1 when they were putting up ,lord ,bath's monument1 in presence of a great crowd1 a mob broke in1 so that a number of gentlemen who were standing on the ledge at the back of one of the royal tombs were seized with a panic and tore down the canopy of the tomb to defend themselves with the fragments4 ,there is an odd bit of economy1 by-the-way1 in the direction of showmanship which might be remedied1 and which has an air of shabbiness1 viz41 the setting out the names of the tombs and chapels on dirty cards in pen and ink4 ,as we make our careless and perhaps superficial promenade from chapel to chapel1 we are almost bewildered by the number and variety of the huge edifices1 rather than monuments1 which record the memory of the great seigneurs who repose below4 ,these are all of grand and solemn proportions--great gloomy pillared archings and entablatures--huge altars below1 tiers and galleries1 and angelic or kneeling figures4 ,the materials are of the richest--costly deep-toned marbles and bronzes4 ,connected with each there is a regular history1 which chroniclers like ,dean ,stanley have set out at great length4 ,indeed1 a full history of ,westminster ,abbey would fill many a portly volume4 ,we may1 without following in the laborious steps of these historians1 take a few glimpses at the more striking1 and that without any order4 ,these vast structures1 often of a solid and massive pattern1 rising to sixty or seventy feet1 with columns1 arches1 carvings1 bronzes and rich onyx-like marbles1 could not have been reared in our time under some twenty thousand pounds1 the ,wellington monument1 not nearly so elaborate1 costing some twenty-seven thousand4 ,here1 for instance1 in ,st4 ,john the ,baptist's ,chapel1 we find ourselves before ,lord ,hunsdon's enormous monument1 which is truly imposing1 and considered by ,fuller 8the most magnificent0 in the ,abbey4 ,as ,dean ,stanley points out1 its sumptuousness was intended as an amende for the earldom three times granted and three times revoked1 the ,queen herself coming to him when he was dying and laying the patent on his bed4 8,madam10 was his reply1 8seeing you accounted me not worthy of this honour whilst ,i was living1 ,i count myself unworthy of it now that ,i am dying40 ,it is worth while thinking of this scene1 as we gaze on its stupendous and stately proportions1 and learn that it is the loftiest in the place4 ,but what a point this little story gives to this spectacle of empty magnificence6 ,in ,st4 ,nicholas' ,chapel we are struck by another of these vast and overpowering tombs1 reared aloft1 rich in its copper tones and decorations1 crowned at the top by a wrought picture4 ,this is in honour of a high dame1 ,mildred1 ,lady ,burleigh--8a very expensive monument10 as it is described4 ,it is divided into two compartments1 one elevated over the other4 ,in the lower lies ,lady ,burleigh1 in a recumbent posture1 with her daughter1 ,lady ,jane1 in her arms1 and at her head and feet are her children and grandchildren1 kneeling4 ,in the upper compartment is the figure of a venerable old man1 supposed to be ,lord ,burleigh1 on his knees1 as if in fervent prayer4 ,in this chapel1 also1 are 8two beautiful pyramids dedicated to children0--one a child of two months old1 8overlaid by his nurse2 he was the son of ,mr4 ,nicholas ,bagnal20 the other1 a child of a year old1 daughter to ,harlay1 the ambassador1 who had 8her heart inclosed in a cup and placed at the top of the pyramid60 ,one of the aisles of the north transept is crowded up with some very striking1 interesting1 and original tombs1 and here an hour might be spent profitably if the reader cared to trust himself to judicious guidance for a few minutes1 instead of being led sheep-like by the guide1 or wandering vacantly about1 depending on his own resources4 ,it is customary to speak of 8,the ,poets' ,corner0 as the most interesting or most popular portion2 but the one ,i am speaking of is more dramatic4 ,here1 one of the first things that strikes us is a ,roman general1 perched on a pedestal as though he were going to topple over1 and which is said to have been the first monument set up in the ,abbey proper4 ,but the eye is more attracted by a striking monument in ,st4 ,john's ,chapel--a great slab or table1 supported on the shoulders of four kneeling knights1 whilst on the table is the armour of the knight himself1 who is reposing below4 ,the grace and chivalry in these warriors is remarkable--they have no air of subservience4 ,the knight himself was ,sir ,francis ,vere1 a famous warrior4 ,it was erected by his widow1 but it is said to have been imitated from the ,count of ,nassau's tomb at ,breda4 8,hush6 he will speak presently10 ,roubiliac was heard to say1 in rapture1 as he gazed on one of the figures4 ,but more striking is the ,norris tomb in ,st4 ,andrew's ,chapel--dark1 embrowned1 rich and stately3 ,lord ,norris1 a stout warrior1 reposing1 while round him kneel his six sons2 their faces1 attitudes1 etc41 are worthy of long study4 ,of the six1 four fell in battle--8that right valiant and warlike progeny of his1 a brood of martial-spirited men10 says ,camden4 ,what an interest this imparts as we look on this memorial6 ,one figure will be noted as looking cheerfully upwards1 as if to heaven4 ,as we gaze on the sleeping warrior and his valiant sons kneeling round him1 the whole becomes a living family picture4 ,one of the many impressions left on us1 after a promenade through the ,abbey1 is admiration for the fertility and plastic vivacity1 if one may so style it1 of ,roubiliac4 ,in all the fantastic shapes in which this gay ,frenchman displays his talent1 he is never conventional or monotonous1 or repeats himself2 he is always dignified1 and if extravagant and theatrical1 rarely departs from correctness in his modelling4 ,this extraordinary man seemed 8to do what he pleased0 with his clay4 ,his draperies particularly1 though too elaborate and multiplied in folds for strict sculpture1 add a richness to the detail1 and indeed suggest a treatment that is usual in bronze2 though time1 by softening away sharp edges and mellowing the natural colour into a rich tawny yellow1 has really imparted a metallic tone4 ,it is said that his fashion of working these draperies was to arrange the linen1 fixing it with starched water2 he thus carved the marble directly1 unassisted by a model1 as was the practice of ,michael ,angelo4 ,all his groups have what artists term bravura--a quality which1 though not correctly classical1 is always evidence of talent4 ,would indeed that in our time our formal sluggish sculptors indulged oftener in his sort of 8dash60 ,roubiliac's limbs offer a display of muscle and sinew extravagant enough1 but showing much life and action4 ,there are two of his works which have extraordinary merit3 that to the ,duke of ,argyll1 and the more melodramatic one to ,lady ,e4 ,nightingale4 ,the former is really noble1 full of movement and suggestion4 ,fame is seen writing the hero's name and achievements on the wall behind1 though the writer has only got as far as 8,duke of ,argyll and ,gr----10 the 8conceit0 being that this latter title did not descend to his heirs1 and expired with him4 ,the grace and earnestness of this figure is remarkable2 but the one stooping forward in front as ,eloquence1 the arm outstretched1 the robe gathered up on it1 the body bent1 the head eager1 has always commanded admiration4 ,canova was quite astonished at its beauties1 and after surveying it for some minutes declared that it was the noblest thing he had seen in ,england4 ,it is a characteristic work of the time1 and shows the great powers of ,roubiliac in invention and execution1 but1 like all his works1 it is deficient in the repose necessary in a place of worship4 ,the same criticism applies to his monument of ,handel close by4 ,the expression of rapt attention with which he appears to be listening to celestial music is admirable1 and the execution is1 as usual1 good2 but the whole design is too theatrical for a church4 ,the well-known ,nightingale monument is a wonderful tour de force1 and every sculptor must admire it for its extraordinary 8cleverness0 in every point of view4 ,it is of course altogether melodramatic1 and no doubt travels outside the bounds of plastic art4 ,above is seen1 in a sort of arched recess1 the dying wife1 supported by the arm of her husband1 who is starting back in terror from what he sees below4 ,a sort of iron door1 as of a vault1 has opened1 and a grisly awful skeleton1 in a sheet1 half out of the vault1 is about to launch his dart at the lady4 ,there is a contrast of pictorial effect1 for the arch is bluish grey1 the iron door black1 and the skeleton yellow4 ,it has been a stock show for a hundred years or so4 ,here is bravura indeed2 but the reckless extravagance is redeemed by the amazing cleverness and poetry and even pathos of the show4 ,nor is dignity wanting4 ,the dying wife is a graceful figure1 which1 says a good judge1 8would do honour to any artist4 ,her right arm and hand are considered by sculptors the perfection of pure workmanship4 ,life seems slowly receding from her tapering fingers40 ,a tradition of the place runs that a burglar1 who had got into the ,abbey by night1 was so scared by the figure of ,death that he incontinently dropped his tools and fled4 ,the crowbar is still preserved and shown6 ,this monument1 generally associated with ,lady ,nightingale1 the daughter of ,lord ,ferrers1 also commemorates her husband1 ,joseph ,nightingale1 and was erected according to a direction in the will of their son4 ,the lady died in #agcd1 aged twenty-seven2 the husband in #ageb1 aged fifty-six4 ,this survival of eighteen years1 during which time the sorrowing spouse had erected no monument1 somewhat impairs the dramatic force of the picture4 ,illustration3 ,the ,nightingale ,monument ,our sculptor used to grumble at the injustice done to the position of what he considered his best work1 that of ,wade4 ,the marshal's profile is displayed upon a medallion over which a female figure with wings is springing upwards with much spirit and animation to drive back ,time with his scythe1 etc4 ,the figures are almost as vivacious as some of those by ,rude1 on the ,arc de l',etoile1 including a mourning ,hibernia 7whose child he was7 with a derelect harp1 stringless4 ,nearly as entertaining is ,roubiliac's memorial of an obscure ,general ,hargrave1 close by3 a wonderful piece of execution1 and which would be as attractive as the ,nightingale one were it placed lower4 ,the general1 an excellent1 spirited figure1 but grotesque1 is seen starting out of his bath we had almost said--but it is his tomb1 his sheet falling away from his naked form1 one attenuated leg lifted timorously over the edge4 ,he has been roused by the ,judgment3 a little angel is sounding the trump aloft in the marble clouds4 ,there are drums and cannon1 a marble flag2 whilst1 on the right1 a spirited ,time is seen thrusting down ,death1 holding him in fact on the ground1 a grisly skeleton1 done with infinite art and reality--bones1 cartilage1 etc41 all complete4 ,as a sort of pictorial background1 we see the ,pyramids1 dislodged and tumbling to pieces1 the stones falling in all directions3 altogether one of the most elaborate tours de force in marble existing4 ,but the whole is placed so high that details are lost4 ,it is astonishing to think that an artist of such power and taste should have condescended to this vulgar and ineffective realism1 which was1 moreover1 beyond his material4 ,near is ,fleming's1 another military tomb2 two figures1 one seated on an arch1 with a pyramid behind1 over which are spreading trees with a cleverly imitated drum and a flag4 ,the memorial to ,sir ,peter ,warren1 in the north transept1 has great merit4 ,it consists of a spirited bust of the admiral1 bluff and dogged1 yet good-natured1 in which 8realism0 is carried so far as to furnish marks of small-pox on the cheeks6 ,the mourning female figure beside him has been admired1 and is graceful enough2 whilst a vigorous ,hercules bends over him4 ,the legs and arms may be noted for their muscularity1 and it is said the sculptor obtained his pattern legs from those of a stalwart ,irish chairman2 the arms were compounded from another herculean specimen of the same race4 ,roubiliac 8cut10 as the vergers would call it1 seven or eight monuments in the ,abbey3 ,lady ,nightingale's1 the ,duke of ,argyll's1 ,sir ,peter ,warren's1 ,hargrave's1 ,fleming's1 ,admiral ,wade's1 and ,handel's4 ,some of these are inferior works1 or are perched so high as to be beyond our appreciation4 ,the sculptor was dreadfully put out at being thus 8skied10 but he could not always look for so fine a position 8on the line0 as he had for his ,duke of ,argyll4 ,not long before his death the ,abbey had become somewhat crowded1 and the practice of building up monuments against the windows had set in1 with shocking results4 ,nearly all the nave windows have been thus encroached upon1 built up with supporting screens4 ,after a careful examination ,i find that these amount to about a dozen1 which could readily be cleared away1 to the enormous advantage and beauty of the fane4 ,no more important improvement than this could be conceived1 or more popular if effected1 for here the barbarous ignorance of our forefathers is displayed to the coarsest extent4 ,the best of the monuments would gain by being brought low down3 they might be set up in the cloisters1 for instance1 or made a present to ,st4 ,paul's4 ,roubiliac had a pupil1 one ,read1 who on his death 8carried on the business20 concluding that by occupying his studio1 it would be assumed he could supply the same article to the public4 ,strange to say1 this theory was accepted1 and he was employed for large and important works4 ,many have seen or heard of the famous 8,pancake0 monument1 put up to celebrate a now forgotten ,admiral ,tyrrel1 who in some engagement abroad1 aboard his good ship the 8,buckingham10 met his death4 ,he died on shore1 but was consigned to the deep4 ,furnished with these heroic materials1 ,mr4 ,read set to work4 ,room being scarce he was given half of a deeply embayed window1 and determined to excel all other efforts4 ,his master himself had made a strange prophecy which seemed to point to this very monstrosity1 for on the pupil boasting that when he was out of his time he would show the world what a monument ought to be1 8the other looked at him scornfully and said3 #8,ven you do de monument1 den de vorld vill see vot d--d ting you vill make4'0 ,and so it proved4 ,there is to be seen on the left an enormous 8practicable0 flag of white marble1 with all the folds1 etc41 balanced on the right by the ship 8,buckingham10 about the size of the flag4 ,all the intervals are filled in with what seem to be corals1 waves1 etc41 an extraordinary jumble1 whilst in the centre was seen ascending from the sea the figure of the deceased admiral going up to heaven--which ,nollekens always declared was like a man swinging from a gallows with a rope round his neck4 ,unluckily the reforming ,dean ,stanley deprived us of this entertainment1 and strangely cut away the admiral altogether1 yet leaving the other monstrosities4 ,as the ,dean said1 humorously1 the artist's object seemed to be 8to present the ,resurrection under difficulties40 ,in the south transept there is a monument to ,garrick1 representing the actor standing in a fantastic attitude1 having suddenly drawn aside a pair of curtains to reveal himself4 ,this excited the derision of ,elia1 and yet it is effective enough1 and expresses ,garrick's humour fairly4 ,notwithstanding all ,mrs4 ,garrick's doting affection for her spouse1 it is said this had to be put up by other hands1 and the donor declares that he appealed in vain to her for her approbation or aid4 ,close by is a very quaint and original monument to the learned ,grvius1 who is shown seated in an easy attitude on the side of his sarcophagus1 looking at a book in a careless happy mood4 ,there is a quaintness about this that causes a smile4 ,of sculptors so eminent as ,flaxman and ,chantrey there are few examples1 and these not particularly remarkable4 ,in the north transept is the ambitious monument to ,lord ,mansfield1 who is presented seated aloft in a judicial chair1 on a ponderous circular base1 on whose various tiers are found ,justice and the other unavoidable attendants4 ,this has been admired1 but the effect is grotesque1 the ,chief ,justice1 with a very homely air1 appearing as if he was about to call on 8,brother ,buzfuz40 ,but we go round to the back1 and find an exquisite female figure1 in the best style of sculpture1 with much grace of attitude1 refinement of curves and softness and delicacy of the skin4 ,here we come upon those tremendous piles of masonry which ,westmacott and ,bacon introduced1 enormous pyramidal screens on which flounder as it were huge marble figures1 ,neptunes and other gods and goddesses1 while the suffering hero reposes in the middle nearly naked1 with weeping nymphs bent over him4 ,these vast efforts were no doubt owing to the great sums given by public grant2 ,bacon receiving for his 8,lord ,chatham0 #f1jjj1 ,nollekens for the 8,three ,captains10 much more4 ,chantrey1 the foremost of modern sculptors1 is scarcely represented here at all4 ,there is a pleasing figure of ,horner1 full of character in the face and eyes1 with an almost pictorial expression4 ,by what must have been some miscalculation the scale is too small1 and as we turn from the huge ,sir ,william ,follett--a plain1 roughly-finished work of ,behnes'--it seems the likeness of a half-grown youth4 ,the two ,pitts1 father and son1 are here3 the great earl in the north transept--his monument wrought on the most tremendous scale--a vast screen or pyramid of stone filling in the span between two pillars4 ,below are enormous reclining gods4 ,but raising one's eyes aloft we see a small dapper figure set in a niche1 and stooping forward to address the public4 ,it is the great earl in a court dress4 ,far away at the west end1 and actually perched over the door1 is his gifted son1 treated in the usual heroic style2 the statesman standing aloft and airily on a huge base of marble1 8arrayed in his parliamentary robes as ,chancellor of the ,exchequer4 ,history1 in a kneeling posture1 is recording his words2 and on the opposite side ,anarchy seated in chains40 ,there is also a kneeling negro4 ,close by him1 but on the ground1 is one of the most singular yet amusing effects in the ,abbey1 a memorial to the lamented ,charles ,james ,fox4 ,the deceased statesman is shown in a recumbent attitude1 with a rueful face1 on a mattress1 8expiring in the arms of ,liberty10 his enormous figure as fat as marble can make it1 at his feet1 ,peace1 reclining languidly2 an ,african on one knee1 with his arms clasped to his breast as if in gratitude4 ,the whole effect is gross1 and suggests a corpulent man who has just had1 or is about to have1 his bath4 ,fox's physique was untreatable for poetical purposes2 yet we are assured that when ,canova was taken to inspect this figure in ,westmacott's studio1 he declared to ,lord ,holland 8that neither in ,england nor out of it had he seen anything that surpassed it40 ,the king gave a subscription of #a1jjj guineas1 a handsome tribute considering his ,majesty's known feelings towards ,mr4 ,fox4 ,on each side of the arched doorway of the screen we find two imposing monuments which seem to fill their places in a satisfactory way1 and are in harmony with the situation4 ,that on the left of the spectator commemorates ,sir ,isaac ,newton4 ,the pendant to ,newton's is ,lord ,stanhope1 a warrior4 ,both are conceived in a fantastic vein4 ,newton's was designed by an architect1 ,kent1 who also conceived the well-known1 familiar figure of ,shakespeare1 leaning in a graceful attitude on an altar1 and which is almost accepted as a portrait1 so familiar has it become4 ,the figure of ,newton is exceedingly good1 dignified1 and well executed4 ,he is seen reposing on a couch1 leaning on his elbow1 an uncomfortable support4 ,over him is an enormous sphere1 8projecting from a pyramid behind10 which seems to fill the whole space1 and which is scored deeply with erratic lines delineating1 we are told1 8the course of the comet in #afhi1 with the signs1 constellations1 and planets40 ,but then comes a singular conception3 on the sphere is seated ,astronomy1 a huge female figure1 with her book1 in a very thoughtful1 composed1 and pensive mood4 ,the inevitable chubby cherubs are of course present1 employed suitably to their strength in supporting or struggling with a scroll4 ,this combination leaves a singular impression4 ,the military memorial on the other side seems by its treatment to have been intended to correspond4 ,a robust ,roman warrior is reposing after his labour1 leaning also on his elbow1 but holding in one hand a marshal's staff1 in the other 8a scroll40 ,before him stands 8a cupid resting upon a shield40 ,behind him rises a marble tent1 the canvas folds portrayed minutely1 and then1 marvel of marvels6 on the top of this is seen perched a large lady1 ,minerva6 ,behind is a slender pyramid4 ,this wonderful combination must be seen to be appreciated4 ,rysbraeck1 a ,dutchman1 the author of this composition1 was another of the ,abbey sculptors who was in fashion4 ,he worked somewhat after the pattern of ,roubiliac2 but he had not the easy grace and versatility of the ,frenchman4 ,there are many whimsicalities1 as they may be called1 to be seen in the ,abbey1 witness the huge table tomb1 with accommodation on its broad black marble slab for three persons1 ,lord ,exeter's1 who had prepared this roomy accommodation for himself and his two wives1 one to repose on each side of him4 ,there1 accordingly1 he lies1 arrayed in state1 in the centre2 on his right his first lady1 a beruffled dame1 but on his left--a blank space4 ,it seems his second lady was offended at the place of honour being given to her predecessor1 who was of somewhat lower degree1 and flatly refused to be laid there4 ,a favourite show with the guides is that of the lady 8who died from a prick of a needle0--,lady ,elizabeth ,russell1 in white alabaster4 ,she is holding out her finger1 indeed1 but is really pointing to the death's-head at her feet4 ,the ,duchess of ,newcastle's tomb will be looked at with interest by admirers of ,elia1 who will recall his praise of the 8high fantastical lady40 ,we should note her ink-bottle and book1 showing her literary taste1 for she was the authoress of thirteen folio volumes4 ,her husband is beside her1 who once made the remark that 8a very wise woman is a very foolish thing40 ,the row of modern full-length statues of patriots1 orators1 and politicians in the north transept has an odd effect1 and suggests a visit to the waxworks4 ,some are very inferior4 ,by-and-by1 when they are toned down1 they will look better and less offensive4 ,modern coats1 trousers1 shoes1 etc41 are unsuitable for treatment in marble4 ,there is a very striking cluster of the three brilliant ,cannings4 ,an excellent coup de thtre1 this placing the trio together--,george1 the statesman2 ,earl ,canning1 ,governor of ,india2 and the 8great ,eltehi10 ,sir ,stratford4 ,the first is ,chantrey's work--though it has rather the air of an actor with his toga2 and it is curious to contrast with this attempt at spiritualizing the realistic style of the other two by ,foley4 ,if we turn to some of the inferior ones close by1 we shall feel at once the want of a cultivated artist4 ,lord ,beaconsfield1 for instance1 by ,raggi1 lacks poetry and expression1 and1 indeed1 proportion1 for the head is surely too small for the trunk4 ,the robes droop ponderously1 and do not reveal or indicate the figure4 ,peel1 by ,gibson1 meant to be highly oratorical1 is of a rather conventional sort4 ,lord ,palmerston1 on the other side1 in his ,garter dress1 looks a ,merry-,andrew4 ,there is an absurdly homely expression on his face4 ,it is1 indeed1 a most extraordinary spectacle1 and not to be matched in any country1 this row of marble men2 but it were to be wished that they had been allowed to assume the proper yellowish or tawny hue1 instead of being diligently scrubbed at intervals4 ,note the downcast1 doomed look in the eyes of ,castlereagh--a forecast of his sad fate1 death by his own hand1 and a burial here amid the howls and execrations of a furious mob4 ,so much for this wonderful temple and its extraordinary treasures and curios4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,adelphi ,,and ,,the ,,strand4 ,the little streets that descend from the ,strand to the ,embankment are mostly old-fashioned and picturesque in their way--perhaps from the contrast they offer to the noise and 8sea-shell roar0 of that busy thoroughfare4 ,many end in a cul de sac with an open arial gallery as it were1 whence we can look down on the silvery ,thames below1 with all its noble bridges4 ,all these quiet alleys have some interesting or suggestive memorial to exhibit2 their houses seem of the one pattern--sound and snug--of the early ,georgian era1 and mostly given over to the 8private hotel0 business4 ,it may be conceived how much more interesting and piquant it was when these alleys led straight down1 as many did1 to the water's edge1 now set far off by the ,embankment4 ,the curious mixture of associations1 as we wander up and down2 the strange incredible squalor of some portions1 the comparative stateliness and imposing air of others1 the pretty gardens1 the way in which memories of ,garrick1 ,franklin1 ,peter the ,great1 the ,romans1 ,charles ,dickens1 and many more1 are suggested and jumbled together at every turn1 make the old familiar ,strand one of the most interesting quarters in ,london4 ,this may seem a puzzling statement4 ,as all the world knows there is little or nothing of pretension about the streets--the houses are mean1 the shops poor4 ,there are no stately buildings--save indeed one theatre1 handsome enough2 and the church of ,st4 ,mary-le-,strand1 lately in a precarious way1 is threatened with removal4 ,for all that it will be seen that a person who starts to explore the ,strand and its 8dependencies10 with instructions what to look for1 will have a very enjoyable pilgrimage4 ,the ,adelphi and the ,adelphi ,terrace are familiar enough2 but it is not so familiarly known to the passing crowd that they were named after certain 8,brothers0--an eminent family of architects--the brothers ,adam4 ,these remarkable persons have left the most enduring marks of their talent and influence all over ,london4 ,it is a sign of ability1 and even of ,illustration3 ,,adelphi ,,terrace genius1 thus to make a strong impression on one's generation4 ,the ,adam style is felt and appreciated to this hour1 and as we walk about ,london it constantly forces itself on us for recognition4 ,we know it by its grace and delicacy1 and generally dignified treatment2 above all1 by a proportion that triumphs over inferior means and materials4 ,as we walk it is possible to stop and say 8,yonder is an ,adam house40 ,all their effects are nicely calculated2 such as the depth of a pilaster1 the size of a window1 the relation of the stories4 ,the late ,mr4 ,fergusson notes particularly 8their peculiar mode of fenestration40 8,they frequently10 he says1 8attempted to group three or more windows together by a great glazed arch above them1 so as to try and make the whole side of a house look like one room40 ,the leading and inspiring member of the family1 ,john1 went to ,italy to study4 ,he devoted himself to a single building1 the famous ,palace of ,diocletian1 which he selected for the sensible reason that it presented a unique pattern of the dwelling-house of the ancients1 whereas attention had mostly been concentrated on their public buildings4 ,these studies bore fruit in a perfect system4 ,the enthusiastic ,scot1 having conceived this idea1 betook him to ,spalato1 taking with him a skilled ,french artist to make the drawings1 while he himself took all the measurements4 ,as we turn over the sumptuous atlas-folio tome which embodied his labours1 we wonder at the energy and magnificence which then directed such projects4 ,it was published by subscription1 and the roll of distinguished names1 from the ,king down1 shows what patronage he enjoyed4 ,the work is one of the most pleasing and romantic of such records4 ,the arrival of the two dilettante strangers in the ruined and deserted town excited suspicion1 and it being assumed they were making drawings of the fortifications1 they were ordered to desist4 ,but these and other difficulties were overcome4 ,interest in this extraordinary and astonishing ruin has lately been revived by ,mr4 ,jackson's charming book2 and from the beautiful drawings made in ,adam's work we see that it was a picturesque1 rather forlorn1 town with dilapidated fortifications round it on the sea-shore4 ,there were to be seen the remains of the superb galleries of the ,emperor1 the temples and the banqueting halls1 with the richly carved capitals1 colonnades1 friezes1 etc41 all in sound and excellent condition4 ,even the turning over of these pictures seems like being in a dream1 with the ,claude-like ,italian shore before us1 the splendid ruins1 which appear to want little more than roofing1 stretching high above the coast1 so as to have the finest view of the sea4 ,more than a century has gone by since that visit1 and some strange changes have taken place2 the inhabitants have been reverent1 but1 straitened for room1 have built their houses through the palace4 ,as the stranger wanders through the streets he comes on columns and arches embedded in modern walls1 while the two pagan temples which the ,emperor built have since been converted into a cathedral and church1 without any rude violence being done4 ,no words could give an idea of the size1 the richness of details1 the comparative preservation of this amazing structure4 ,most notable was the beautiful arched terrace or gallery1 which was raised up1 overhanging the sea1 and which stretched along for many furlongs4 ,the splendid courtyard1 with its rich friezes1 capitals1 pillars1 and embroidery1 all in capital condition1 save the roof1 shows what the old ,roman work was4 ,but it was the terrace that struck the imagination of the young student4 ,on his return1 commissions came pouring in1 but the family had conceived a bold1 ambitious scheme1 which was1 indeed1 the fruit of the ,dalmatian studies4 ,the terrace just alluded to filled the mind of the traveller4 ,in the ,strand1 at ,durham ,yard1 the ground seemed to take much the same shape1 and his dream was to rear1 on double and triple rows of arches1 just such a terrace1 which should look down on the ,thames4 ,such was clearly the origin of our familiar ,adelphi ,terrace4 ,no sooner was the scheme conceived than it was taken in hand in an ambitious style4 ,money was wanting1 but1 being ,scotchmen1 the brothers1 ,robert1 ,john1 ,thomas and ,william1 found a patron in their countryman1 ,lord ,bute1 without whom they could not have hoped to obtain the ,act of ,parliament they desired4 ,they began their works in the ,adelphi in #agfh1 leasing the ground from the ,duke of ,st4 ,albans4 ,a steep incline1 which may be seen now in ,buckingham ,street1 descended from the ,strand to the ,thames1 and their plan was to raise on a series of massive arches quite a new quarter of streets1 fronted to the ,thames by a handsome terrace4 ,the brothers calculated that their vaults would be used as ,government storehouses1 but in this they were disappointed4 ,they also found themselves engaged in a lawsuit with the ,corporation1 as they had encroached on the foreshore of the ,thames1 and these checks led to serious pecuniary embarrassments in prosecuting the enterprise4 ,in #aggc they found themselves obliged1 after mortgaging their property1 to take the unusual course of raising funds by lottery4 ,they obtained an ,act of ,parliament allowing the issue of tickets for the scheme4 ,in this way they raised some #bah1jjj1 and the houses to be built appear in some way to have been the prizes4 ,the whole enterprise was brought to a conclusion in a very short time1 the buildings1 arches1 etc41 all being completed by #agge1 having taken only about five years4 ,the stately mansions on the terrace were eagerly sought4 ,garrick established himself at ,no4 #d4 ,indeed1 a volume might be written on the lives and adventures of the tenants of the ,adelphi or those associated with it--the hapless ,barry the painter2 ,dr ,graham1 the quack1 and his 8celestial bed02 ,lady ,hamilton1 who was his subject2 ,topham ,beauclerk1 the man about ,town1 and ,johnson's friend2 old ,mrs4 ,garrick1 who was there so lately as #ahbb2 with ,mr4 ,blanchard1 the amiable and popular littrateur and dramatist1 who lately resided there4 ,he declared that he was but 8two shakes of the hand0 away from ,david4 ,lord ,beaconsfield1 it was believed1 was born on the terrace1 though this is doubtful2 while 8,tommy0 ,hill1 the friend of ,theodore ,hook1 and the ,paul ,pry of ,poole1 resided here4 ,mr4 ,attenborough has long occupied the gracefully decorated houses that lead from the ,strand1 and his books and records could unfold some strange stories of adventure4 ,and finally1 to bring in 8the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice10 the great banking house of ,coutts spreads away in different directions over the quarter4 ,mr4 ,h4 ,wheatley1 who has written much that is curious and interesting on the ,adelphi1 tells us the history of the bank3-- 8,it is not known when the business was removed to the ,strand1 or the exact locality to which it was so removed1 but the house is described as ,the ,three ,crowns1 next the ,globe ,tavern1 and it is believed that ,john ,campbell1 the founder of the bank1 was there in #afib4 ,campbell was succeeded by ,middleton1 who was succeeded by ,george ,campbell4 ,the firm was then known for a time as ,campbell and ,bruce2 from #agea to #agee ,george ,campbell was sole partner4 ,at the latter date ,james ,coutts1 who married a niece of ,george ,campbell1 was taken into partnership1 and the firm became ,campbell and ,coutts4 ,in #agfj1 ,james ,coutts1 the sole partner1 took his brother ,thomas into partnership4 ,he died in #aggh1 and the sole charge of the bank devolved upon ,thomas ,coutts1 and from that time to this the style of the famous house has been ,coutts ,co4 8,although the houses built on the site of the ,new ,exchange were not old when the ,adelphi was planned out1 the ,brothers ,adam1 who were known to ,coutts1 were employed to build a new house4 ,this they did with a slightly architectural elevation1 the symmetry of which has been somewhat injured by alterations of late years4 ,in the house built by the ,adams1 ,thomas ,coutts lived for many years1 and his dining-room and drawing-room1 with their handsome marble chimney-pieces and fine mahogany doors1 are still unoccupied4 ,when ,lord ,macartney was on his embassy to ,china1 he sent over some ,chinese wall-paper to ,coutts1 which was hung on the walls of one of these rooms1 and there it still is40 ,garrick1 when he came to ,london and set up with his brother as a wine merchant1 opened their small place of business near here1 perhaps where ,durham ,street now stands4 ,towards the end of his life1 after an interval of nearly forty years1 he returned to this humble spot to inhabit a stately mansion on the terrace4 ,we can see now the imposing and floridly painted ceiling1 and admire the spaciousness and grace of the apartments4 ,these houses are all well designed1 the rooms of noble proportions--particularly the drawing-rooms4 ,they have a unique feature of a basement in two stories1 and you seem to descend into the bowels of the earth4 ,now they are given up to offices and public purposes1 but when richly furnished1 decorated1 and inhabited by persons in ,garrick's position1 the effect must have been admirable4 ,once after a dinner-party on a summer's eve1 the company adjourned to the noble terrace1 looking down at the shipping and the bridges1 and ,boswell1 who was present1 describes the scene4 ,it is curious that the brothers should--unconsciously1 no doubt--have renewed the old family street names of one hundred years before4 ,just as they found streets named after ,george ,villiers1 ,duke of ,buckingham--so they christened their work1 as we can see1 ,robert1 ,john1 ,william1 ,james1 and ,adam4 8,off0 ,alley not long ago ran between ,buckingham and ,villiers ,streets--but the name has been changed of late years4 ,still1 the wonderful work underground almost excites more interest and astonishment than what is on the surface4 ,the busy passers-by in the ,strand will note a huge yawning archway at the bottom of a short inclined street which leads into these catacombs4 ,the work is of a massive cast1 the arches being regularly groined in ,gothic fashion4 ,mr4 ,wheatley1 who has explored them1 tells us3 8,the arches below form one of the most remarkable sights in ,london1 but it is a sight that only a few are privileged to see4 ,i have wandered through these arches with wonder1 under the obliging guidance of the custodians4 ,below you there is a very town1 much of it filled with bottles of old vintages4 ,the arches were many of them open for years1 and formed subterranean streets leading to the wharves on the ,thames4 ,they were constructed 7as stated on an old engraving7 so as to keep the access to the houses level with the ,strand1 and distinct from the traffic of the wharves and warehouses4 ,they extend under the whole ,adelphi1 including ,adam ,street1 from ,york ,buildings1 and were also carried under the additional buildings at the end of ,salisbury ,street4 ,in many places there are double tiers of arches4 ,some twenty years ago the ,dark ,arches had a bad name on account of the desperate characters who congregated there and hid themselves away in the innermost recesses1 but at last the place was cleared out1 and the greater portion of it closed in4 ,the extensive cellarage of ,messrs4 ,tod-,heatly gives evidence of the former state1 for one of the alleys is styled ,jenny's ,hole--and the arch above was known as the ,devil's ,bridge4 ,the disgraceful condition of the arches could not have existed for any length of time1 as1 some forty years ago1 the place was well cared for by the wharfingers1 and at nine o'clock at night a gun gave a signal for the gates to be closed40 ,one of the most singular incidents in this stupendous undertaking is the short lease which was given and accepted4 ,the result was that it expired in the year #ahfg1 and the whole fee1 with streets1 houses1 etc41 passed into the hands of ,messrs4 ,drummond4 ,this was a fine property to gain in such a way4 ,it was1 however1 rather dilapidated1 and there were signs of sinking in the terrace or of failure in some of the arches1 but this proved to be merely a trifling matter4 ,the whole was thoroughly repaired and restored4 ,unfortunately it was thought proper to plaster over the faade of the terrace1 which destroyed the graceful arabesques1 which are1 however1 left on the flanking houses behind2 though ,walpole humorously declared that the embroidered pilasters reminded him of 8warehouses laced down the seams1 like a trull in a soldier's old coat40 ,among their other plans the brothers did not forget a chapel4 ,this was built at the corner of ,james and ,william ,street1 which the bankers1 however1 soon absorbed into their premises4 ,to join this1 however1 a covered bridge was necessary1 for which the firm had to obtain an ,act of ,parliament4 ,the old banker 8did not wish10 says ,mr4 ,wheatley1 8the view from his drawingroom window to be spoiled10 so he built a low house in ,john ,street1 and arranged with the ,adams that the opening1 now ,robert ,street1 should be opposite this1 so as to form a frame for his landscape4 ,every one knows the 8,adam0 work--the long pilasters and medallions on a brick background1 each enriched with arabesques and garlands of a delicate character4 ,they sought1 too1 the beauties of proportion and space1 regulated by principle and calculation4 ,in many an old house we recognize their ceilings2 a great circle in the centre1 filled in with tracery in very low relief4 ,their designs have been published1 and display fancy and variety4 ,portland ,place and its stately mansions1 with their broad surfaces of brick1 have a certain dignity2 but the houses have been sadly disfigured by additions4 ,the pleasing old-fashioned-looking ,fitzroy ,square seems like a bit of ,bath4 ,the brothers are said to have been the first1 in ,london at least1 who attacked the difficult problem of imparting to a number of detached mansions the air of being portions of one whole1 which in architecture is a deception most intolerable and not to be endured4 ,for there is a perpetual struggle of assertion between the two principles going on--the separate houses making protest1 as it were1 by their individuality against being considered one great expression--while the long faade in its turn contradicts and overpowers the individuality4 ,there are also some ,adam houses in ,york ,place1 easily recognizable4 ,finsbury ,square is their work1 though ,finsbury ,circus staggers one4 ,there is a terrible monotony in the place1 though the line of the circus is graceful4 ,it was probably a 8job0 akin to a painter's 8potboiler10 and to be done cheaply4 ,it is to be suspected that ,gwydir ,house1 in ,whitehall1 which has been defaced by alterations1 was their work4 ,plaster and delicate stucco-work--the patterns apparently taken from arabesque work--light garlands and vases wrought in very slight relief1 these were all combined with yellow brickwork4 ,ceilings1 chimney-pieces1 furniture1 carriages1 garde-vins1 plate-boxes1 were also designed by the brothers on these principles4 ,some of the most imposing and effective work of the architects is to be seen at ,sion ,house1 ,isleworth4 ,the great library displays all the resources of the school in the way of bold treatment with beautiful1 elaborate work1 garlands1 ,cupids1 pilasters1 embroidered in low relief4 ,the chimney-pieces1 ceilings1 and all display this elegance and charming variety4 ,it may be mentioned in proof of the elaborate study and pains devoted to their profession by these brothers1 that in the ,soane ,museum all their minutely elaborate designs are to be seen4 ,but would we have a really good idea of the brothers' work1 let us set out for ,oxford ,street1 and pause in front of ,stratford ,place4 ,here we see a perfect architectural arrangement--the two terraces stretching down1 the ends turning into ,oxford ,street1 forming ornamental flanks1 while the end is closed by a graceful classical mansion rising in the air with its pediment and pillars4 ,the eye rests on it with comfort and satisfaction1 and we admire the perfect ease and proportion of the lines4 ,we turn and go our way1 having gained a sense of general refinement4 ,it should be recollected that the work of the brothers has not received fair treatment4 ,their idea was a combination of stone with yellow brick1 and their two tints were intended to harmonize4 ,in almost every instance the stone pilasters have been painted over1 which gives a hard1 artificial effect--the loftiness as well as the divisions of the stone are lost2 the brickwork1 too1 has been coloured1 and so the intention of the architects has been lost4 ,in ,mansfield ,street1 which lies westward of ,portland ,place1 there is a broad1 stately mansion1 with spacious1 lofty chambers1 a goodly specimen of the nobleman's house4 ,it is worth looking at1 for the attempt to 8spiritualize0 the stables by adorning them with ,adam crescents and decorations4 ,horace ,walpole noted in his copy of ,pennant that this house was built on the model of a ,french ,htel4 ,close to it are some highly elaborated bride-cake doorways in the best ,adam style4 ,the screen that runs in front of the ,admiralty1 in ,whitehall1 was also the work of the brothers1 and there is a little history connected with it4 ,the hideous portico within is said to be constructed in defiance of all laws of proportion or architectural decorum4 ,the pillars were1 in fact1 intended for a much larger edifice1 and were found 8handy0 by 8my lords0 for this building4 ,they1 however1 presented such an odd spectacle that the ,messrs4 ,adam were called in1 and devised the screen in front4 ,the passer-by may now deem it singular that this structure should have been hailed with delight as a beautiful and classical work2 it was engraved1 and even in architectural books high praise has been given to it for its 8chasteness0 and perfect adaptation to the purpose intended4 ,this has often been a puzzle to persons of taste2 for there is a curiously dilapidated air1 a sort of ramshackle look1 which seems to exclude it from such a category4 ,the present writer one day found out the reason of this failure4 ,it had been mauled and altered1 and with completest success so far as the destruction of the motive and purpose of its erection4 ,as it originally stood it was a screen with a central arched entrance1 on each side of which were two short recessed colonnades1 which made an agreeable and original break in what would otherwise have been a blank wall4 ,but the spoilers came presently4 ,the ,first ,lord desired to have one gate to enter by1 another to drive out when crowded parties were given4 ,two such were accordingly broken in the colonnades to the right and left4 ,the centre arch became useless1 the whole ceased to exist as a screen1 and1 pierced with so many openings1 lost all character4 ,few mutilations have been so characteristic and ignorant4 ,at every turn in ,london the amateur of ,adam work will find abundant evidence of their taste4 ,in ,berkeley ,square there is ,lansdowne ,house1 built after a favourite ,adam pattern4 ,even the gate and walls show the same grace and proportion1 and the elegance of the little ornament on each pillar will attract observation4 ,in ,harewood ,place there is a fine ,adam house1 and a few in ,dover ,street4 ,buckingham ,street is another of the quaint1 bright streets in the ,adelphi1 leading down to a cheerful opening1 whence1 as from a balcony1 we look down on the animated ,thames below1 with its passing barges1 tugs and river steamers3 a scene which at first sight must impress the foreigner4 ,here is the sequestered little mall1 with its dozen trees1 once a charming little promenade when the river ran beside it4 ,this scene has been painted by ,canaletti1 and there are old engravings from the picture1 representing promenaders in the costume of the day4 ,the river1 covered with ships and wherries1 washes the walls2 the old trees display their luxuriant foliage3 but they are now stunted and decayed1 and the whole has a dingy1 forlorn aspect4 ,it was once one of the gayest1 brightest spots in ,london4 ,for at the end stands the famous and much admired water-gate1 or ,york ,stairs1 as it was called3 it could be seen from the ,strand1 and persons eager to go on the water1 hurried down here to embark4 ,owing to the construction of the ,embankment1 the gate has lost all meaning and purpose to an almost ludicrous extent4 ,instead of the water washing the steps1 as it did not many years ago1 the gate is sunk down1 all awry1 in a pit1 and the ground is raised high about it4 ,it is a pity that a little public spirit is not forthcoming to shift it again to the water's edge1 its proper position4 ,unhappily the monument is in a sadly decayed condition--all the square edgings worn round and smooth1 and the sculptures almost obliterated--so1 abundant restoration would have to attend the removal4 ,this interesting approach from the ,strand has yet more associations to increase its value4 ,we note the remains of former state and dignity1 at the bottom of the street4 ,on the left hand is a remarkable house of some antiquity1 which1 as one of the useful medallions of the ,society of ,arts tells ,illustration3 ,,the ,,water ,,gate4 us1 was occupied by the ,czar ,peter on his visit to ,london4 ,its various chambers are now given over to the ,charity ,organisation ,society1 to a maternity association1 etc42 but on going up the stairs we see palpable vestiges of the magnificence of the place1 which must have had some connection with old ,york ,house4 ,for we find ourselves in a spacious and imposing drawing-room1 of which the entire walls are oak as well as the flooring1 while the two elegant doorways are embroidered round with a rich carved flowering border4 ,but it is the unique ceiling that will excite admiration1 consisting of a thick wheel-like border1 filled in with the boldest and richest stucco-work1 presenting solidly wrought roses and leaves4 ,this encircles a painted allegorical piece1 but so grimed with dirt that the subject cannot be clearly seen4 ,it is but little damaged4 ,one could fancy this room restored and furnished1 and the rude ,muscovite seated in congenial proximity to his favourite river4 ,the side of the house that looks over the ,embankment1 though covered with whitewash1 displays a tall elegant central window of a decorated kind1 showing that the whole must in its best days have been of a spacious and imposing character4 ,the view from this window1 as indeed it is from all these corner houses giving on the river1 is charming4 ,on the opposite side of the street1 a few doors higher up1 is another old mansion of some pretence--also given over to offices--and noteworthy for the twenty or so grotesque heads1 one of which is set over every window4 ,it is hard to account for this odd form of adornment1 unless it came with the ,dutch4 ,they are found in many quarters of ,london1 some putting their tongues out to the spectators1 others crying1 laughing1 etc4 ,this mansion is believed to have been the one occupied by ,mr4 ,secretary ,pepys1 and so we look at it with interest4 ,but this does not exhaust the associations of the ,adelphi4 ,there we lately saw the 8house breakers0 hard at work levelling what has some very pathetic associations with the early life of ,dickens4 ,for many generations now1 a dilapidated miscellany of shanties has been visible from the terrace2 a shed1 outhouses1 a small mean-storied thing in the last stage of decay1 with an ancient cart or two lying up in ordinary4 ,across the wall ran a faded half-effaced legend1 in what were once gold letters on a blue ground3-- ------------------------- ,,the ,,fox-,,under-,,the-,,hill4 ,,hoare ,,co',s ,,entire1 ,,and ,,brilliant ,,ales4 ------------------------- ,it was hard to conceive of anything 8brilliant0 in such a place1 save the little half-starved boy employed at the blacking factory in ,hungerford ,market1 who used to make his way thither4 8,one of his favourite localities10 says ,mr4 ,forster1 8was a little public-house by the water-side called the ,fox-under-the-,hill1 approached by an underground passage1 which we once missed in looking for it together2 and he had a vision1 which he has mentioned in #8,copperfield1' of sitting eating something on a bench outside and looking at some coal-heavers dancing40 ,this memorial has for years borne a dismal forlorn aspect1 very suggestive of this despairing season in ,dickens's childhood4 ,within these few months1 therefore1 it was like losing a friend to find the 8brilliant ales0 gone and the house all but levelled4 ,on the higher level of the terrace1 facing the ,strand1 are some gloomy-looking hotels1 of many windows1 8,the ,caledonian0 and 8,the ,adelphi40 ,there is here the air of dingy old fashion1 so well suited to ,pickwick1 and we know that this ,adelphi ,hostelry is the 8,osborne's ,hotel10 where ,wardle and his daughter ,emily put up1 and where the droll scene occurred of ,mr4 ,snodgrass being secreted during dinner--the fat boy running 8something sharp into ,mr4 ,pickwick's leg0 to attract his attention4 ,as we look up at the first-floor windows the scene rises before us1 and the whole appears in harmony with the humours of ,pickwick4 ,most natural is it1 too1 that the ,wardles should put up at such a house1 for the dingy furniture1 etc41 all seems to belong to that era4 ,here in the ,adelphi we come upon a handsome building which houses the useful ,society of ,arts1 its energetic ,secretary1 ,sir ,h4 ,trueman ,wood1 and ,librarian1 ,mr4 ,wheatley1 so well skilled in ,london lore4 ,the story of the luckless ,barry is most pathetic1 and as we sit in the fine meeting-room of the ,society and look up at the painter's crowds of animated figures that line the walls1 it comes back on us with a strange vividness4 ,he had something akin to the character and erratic temper of ,haydon1 the same despairing sense of talent neglected and put aside2 the same struggle with the ,academy1 and a quarrelsome eccentricity4 ,a difference1 however1 between the two men was that ,barry's work on the walls speaks for him and proclaims his fine academic culture1 his grace and poetry in the beautiful1 well-designed figures and groups1 and the refined transparent colouring2 with which we have to contrast the heavily-painted1 earthy-looking portraits of the ,sovereign and her ,consort1 which by some strange lack of congruity have been thrust into this classical company4 ,one can conceive1 however1 the difficulties of dealing with a man who insisted on representing the death of ,wolfe with a number of perfectly nude figures standing round1 and who in his latter days of penury and neglect1 when asked out to dine1 insisted on tendering two shillings to his host in payment of the meal6 ,these fine pictures cover a canvas that spreads round the room4 ,to obtain the fame and expanse of canvas allowed by such an undertaking1 the artist offered to do the whole work gratis2 not1 however1 it may be supposed1 that when the work was done the ,society left him without remuneration4 ,as the result proved1 he was fairly well paid for his labours4 ,the variety1 the fine workmanship displayed1 the grace of the figures1 are extraordinary when we consider it was the work of one man4 ,having thus concluded our exploration of the ,adelphi1 we may fairly ask the ,londoner who passes through the ,strand a dozen times in the day1 could he be prepared to find so much that is novel in this familiar district8 ,illustration3 ,,entrance ,,to ,,the ,,roman ,,bath4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,roman ,,bath4--,,covent ,,garden4 ,but in this exceedingly modern ,strand1 where we are so eager to clear off the only bit of antiquity left us--the graceful church of ,st4 ,mary--what ,monkbarns would think of looking for his 8ancient ,romans10 or anything connected with them8 ,it is an astonishing surprise to find that we have only to turn out of the ,strand hard by ,st4 ,mary's ,church1 and see staring at us an invitation to come and look at a genuine1 recognizeable1 ,roman work1 in sound condition4 ,we pass under a sort of archway1 down a steep paved lane1 lined with low white-washed walls and a few old houses1 with a glimpse of the river beyond1 and see the board before us1 with directions 8 ,,to ,,the ,,old ,,roman ,,bath40 ,on the left rises the towering wall of the ,new ,strand ,theatre 7and it is wonderful they did not sweep the ,romans away71 and we come to a sort of shanty of a house such as we would see in a village1 white-washed1 a languid green creeper overgrowing it1 which imparts quite a rural look4 ,at the iron gate we are met by a showman of the place1 who does his work intelligently enough1 and communicates such details as he has picked up4 ,opening a door to the left and descending a few steps1 he suddenly plunges us into a low cellar-like chamber4 ,as we grow accustomed to the dim light1 there is a sense of astonishment on looking round and finding ourselves before a genuine unmistakeable bath4 ,it is a fairly sized1 vaulted chamber1 solidly built1 with curved ceiling lit by a little semi-circular window perched high on the left4 ,the bath is in the centre1 rounded at one end and square at the other4 ,on the opposite side are two or three stairs or tiers1 and where it touches the water we can recognize the true fashion of ,roman workmanship--the thin tiles of cheerful red1 hard as iron1 and the imperishable cement which has stood and resisted the water for centuries4 ,the stately ,roman look of the whole1 even the massive grace in decay1 is extraordinary4 ,extraordinary too is the volume of water1 the purest and most delicious in ,london1 which pours up at the rate of some ten tons a minute1 and is recherch in the district1 being sold at a fixed tariff4 ,it is remarkable that this interesting relic1 rare in any capital1 should be so little known and so little esteemed4 ,it is highly desirable that the bath should be secured to the ,city without loss of time1 and its destruction thereby saved4 ,on the other side is another bath1 known as 8,lord ,essex's0 plunge-bath1 which has its interest also4 ,it is elegantly designed1 with rather original little steps for descending into the water4 ,the bath is of a sort of buff-coloured marble1 and is known to have been made1 and perhaps used1 by the ,earl of ,essex some three centuries ago4 ,our cicerone goes so far as to affirm that the ,good ,queen ,bess was fond of taking an occasional 8dip0 here1 and rather illogically points to a sort of darkened window or passage in proof of his assertion4 ,but without introducing this august lady at all1 or the ,earl1 the bath is sufficiently old and interesting to stand1 if we may use the metaphor1 on its own bottom4 ,holywell ,street1 close by1 is evidence of the traditions of a holy source in the neighbourhood1 and ,essex ,street is not far away4 ,but how many who pass through the ,strand daily for years have ever been to see the ,old ,roman ,bath8 8,within memory of man10 says ,mr4 ,roach ,smith1 8huge masses1 with trees growing upon them1 were to be seen at ,london ,wall opposite to what is now ,finsbury ,circus4 ,they were probably--like what may still be seen opposite ,sion ,college1 and in various places with warehouses1 in obscure courts and in cellars1 near ,cripplegate--the core of the ,roman wall denuded of the facing stones4 ,in #aheb was discovered a portion which the ,corporation had given to the ,church ,building ,society to be pulled down1 but it was happily saved2 it had been preserved so long owing to a buttress built against it in the ,middle ,ages4 ,but though saved1 owing to earnest representations1 it was built into a stable40 ,there are indeed scarcely any of the associations of ,london more impressive or overpowering than its connection with the ,roman ,empire4 ,there is of course the common vague and popular idea of 8,roman remains0 found all over ,england1 and the 8local museum0 can generally boast some well-grimed vessels of various shapes1 which are labelled 8,roman40 ,there is often1 too1 the 8incised0 slab on which may be deciphered some 8,roman0 lettering1 as ambiguous as that discovered by ,mr4 ,pickwick4 ,nothing1 however1 is so astonishing to the casual spectator as the abundance and splendour of the real ,roman remains found in ,london4 ,the ,guildhall ,museum1 where they are stored in quantities1 might be a portion of the ,vatican ,museum4 ,the ,roman glass and pottery alone would fill a warehouse1 and their variety and beautiful shapes and materials are perfectly astonishing4 ,we say nothing of the tablets and statues1 etc41 and fragments of brickwork found about ,blackfriars1 but what really recalls the ,roman domination in the most forcible and practical way is the superb ,roman pavement1 about #ad feet long1 with its round end1 which must have covered a goodly sized vestibule4 ,the ,illustration3 ,the ,old ,roman ,bath1 ,strand4 ,hume ,nisbet brightness1 the brilliancy of the colours1 the freshness of the whole1 the boldness of the treatment1 excite wonder1 and call up before us the conquerors who walked over it in this actual ,london of ours1 with its cabs and policemen and costermongers1 which presents a nation so opposed to every idea of ,rome4 ,the ,guildhall ,museum1 viewed in this light1 offers a real surprise when it is thought that the inanimate objects here found--hundreds of bronze implements for domestic use1 combs1 looking-glasses1 cups1 bottles1 lamps1 bowls1 in profusion of pattern1 all were the work of this fallen and departed race4 ,the most impressive of these memorials is the old ,roman ,wall1 still to be seen close to ,cripplegate ,church1 and which affects the spectator much as would one of the fragments to be found in ,rome4 ,there it rises up before us1 in the street called 8,london ,wall10 a stretch of about #ej yards long1 and lofty1 now made to do duty1 which really secures its preservation1 by being built into houses4 ,this seems to add to the effect4 ,a narrow strip of garden runs in front1 so as to separate it from the pavement4 ,in the curious diversity of colour and detail which the ,roman wall always presents1 owing to the ripe mellow tint of the brick1 which contrasts with the white of the rocky cement1 and to the general dappled tone1 there is found a variety and air of suggestion4 ,the whole seems to be caked and crusted into a rocky mass1 which still speaks of the imperishable1 enduring character of the conquerors4 ,it does credit to the ,city ,fathers that they have preserved this relic1 which is really a striking ornament4 ,not far off is a curious fragment of a tower1 of the same character1 and which rises with odd effect in the busy ,city4 ,it is indeed most interesting to find that the antiquaries can follow the course of the wall with almost perfect certainty by fragments of this kind which have shown themselves at intervals4 ,some years ago1 passing by the ,broadway on ,ludgate ,hill1 ,i found an intelligent crowd gathered about some houses which were being pulled down2 a portion of the old ,roman wall was being removed1 and all were staring with an absorbed interest1 while certain persons learned on the subject1 or affecting to be so1 discoursed to the rest4 ,the little hilly ,southampton ,street1 ,strand1 is interesting1 leading as it does into ,covent ,garden ,market4 ,near the top is ,no4 #bg1 ,garrick's old house1 where he lived so many years until he became 8grand0 and moved to a stately mansion on the ,adelphi ,terrace4 ,it is said that this change injured his health1 the terrace being exposed and unsheltered1 the old house being 8snug and quiet40 ,this became an hotel1 8,eastey's10 and later was dressed up with plaster mouldings4 ,it is now in the possession of a business firm4 ,with excellent feeling and good taste a handsome shield with ,garrick's arms has been set up in the hall1 which recalls the fact of its having been ,garrick's residence1 that in that parlour he had read ,othello to a number of his friends1 and in the drawing-rooms had given a party1 during which ,goldsmith arrived1 wishing to borrow a guinea1 but had gone away without having had courage to do so4 ,the doorway which separates the back and front parlours is an elegant piece of work1 most gracefully carved and moulded4 ,i never pass by the house without looking in and recalling the pleasant scene described by ,tate ,williams when he came to exhibit his talents to the actor2 and when he noticed this very door moving softly1 and found that ,mrs4 ,garrick was listening unseen to his mimicries4 ,the destroyers have lately been very busy in ,covent ,garden1 where there have been wholesale clearances4 ,gone now is an entire block in ,bow ,street1 where stood the old police court1 the foundations of which the blind magistrate ,fielding had laid1 after his own house had been burnt to the ground by the ,gordon rioters4 ,this1 however1 could be spared2 but not the ,piazza in the market behind1 ,inigo ,jones's work4 ,this is literally being nibbled away4 ,some years ago was razed the section where the old 8,hummums0 stood--a house known to ,johnson1 who used to relate a curious ghost story associated with it4 ,a new1 fresh1 and gaudy 8,hummums0 has taken its place1 with much unpicturesque iron sheds for the market4 ,at the corner was the old 8,rockley's10 described by ,mr4 ,sala nearly thirty years ago1 a house of call for actors and ,bohemians4 ,there is now a new ,rockley's4 ,last year another portion of the ,piazza--that behind ,bow ,street--was levelled1 and with it that quaint specimen of the old ,london hotel1 the ,bedford1 with its coffee-room1 curved old-fashioned windows1 entresols1 bar1 etc41 to say nothing of its air of snugness and comfort4 ,a few years ago another section1 the one that touches 8the old ,evans's10 or ,cave of ,harmony1 was taken down1 but was rebuilt4 ,thus out of the four sections there is now left to us but one1 whose grace and proportions all amateurs must admire4 ,it is said that ,inigo ,jones intended to imitate the ,piazzas he had seen in ,italy2 and it will be noted how fine is the proportion of this fragment1 and what an air of spaciousness he has imparted to it4 ,the line of the arches1 the intersections in the ceilings1 the general gaiety of the whole are extraordinary2 and to be the more remarked when we turn to the rebuilt portion1 which seems narrow1 over-grown1 too tall for its width1 and generally dismal4 ,no one looking at ,st4 ,paul's1 ,covent ,garden--this 8,barn ,church0--would believe that it is the most complete specimen of the ,tuscan order of architecture known1 for no ancient building of the kind exists in ,italy or elsewhere4 ,the extraordinary depth of its porch1 the projection of its eaves1 and the general rudeness and simplicity of its details have always obtained praise4 ,ralph1 in the last century1 declared it to be 8one of the most perfect pieces of architecture that the art of man can produce40 ,walpole1 however1 pronounced it to be a complete failure4 ,it must be confessed it looks ungainly enough4 ,the truth is1 as designed by ,inigo1 and in its original state1 it was a finely-conceived structure4 ,illustration3 ,,covent ,,garden4 ,the architect wished to present a purely ,doric building2 though some maintained it was of a 8barn-like order10 the pediment and pillars are impressive from their boldness and deep shadows4 ,it has lately undergone an odd process of restoration1 or rather transformation4 ,the whole of the stone casing has been removed1 and a flaming brick one substituted4 ,few edifices have been more vilified than this2 and it must be confessed it is ugly enough4 ,but it has been sadly mauled and outraged4 ,the original building was burned1 and the present one is a sort of replica with alterations4 ,passing by it1 ,i have paused again and again1 seeking to discover what was the cause of the apparent failure1 and what a man of such eminence could have had in view in conceiving so bald1 rude even1 and unattractive a building4 ,at last ,i discovered the secret4 ,it was not he--as might be expected--but the fires1 and what was as bad as the fires1 the restorers and alterers1 that were responsible4 ,it should be remembered1 too1 that this is the back of his building1 the front being really stately and imposing enough1 could there be a fair open view of it obtained4 ,this back presented a deeply-embayed porch1 the foot-way running in front2 but to gain space for the market1 arches were cut in the flanking walls1 and the foot passengers were made to pass through the porch4 ,there was the secret4 ,the walls being continued to the line of pillars1 a shadowy depth or recess was gained1 in keeping with the heavy cornice1 and so much was added to the length of the church4 ,in old prints we can see this effect4 ,the pathway ran in front of the pillars1 instead of behind them1 as is now the case4 ,in short1 it was then a porch instead of a colonnade1 which it is now4 ,this shows how a mere touch1 as it were1 will destroy the whole character of a work4 ,further1 the whole used to be garnished with some very piquant lanterns1 vanes1 sun-dials1 etc41 which imparted a lightness and finish4 ,the restorers have not thought fit to replace these4 ,the church and its churchyard cover a large inclosure in the block between the market and ,bedford ,street1 and can be seen through gratings opening into the four streets that lie round it4 ,it ought to be thrown open and laid out as a garden4 ,few even suspect its existence4 ,in this great churchyard lie some of the most interesting notabilities who haunted ,covent ,garden in their life--actors chiefly--such as old ,macklin4 ,mr4 ,thackeray has a picture of ,covent ,garden which admirably conveys the impression left by the place4 8,the two great national theatres on one side1 a churchyard full of mouldy but undying celebrities on the other2 a fringe of houses studded in every part with anecdote or history2 an arcade often more gloomy or deserted than a cathedral aisle1 a rich cluster of brown old taverns--one of them filled with the counterfeit presentments of actors long since silent3 a something in the air which breathes of old books1 old painters1 and old authors1 a place beyond all other places one would choose in which to hear the chimes at midnight--a crystal palace--which presses timidly from a corner upon many things of the past3 a withered bank that has been sucked dry2 a squat building with columns and chapel-looking fronts1 which always stand knee-deep in baskets1 flowers1 and scattered vegetables2 a population that never seems to sleep1 and that does all in its power to prevent others sleeping3 a place where the very latest suppers and heartiest breakfasts jostle each other over the footways40 ,it is so long since this picture was done1 that the strokes are altered and the details scarcely recognizable4 ,but the tone is still the same4 ,the old stately-looking building at the corner of the ,piazza was once the town house or palace of a nobleman1 and has been often engraved4 ,more interesting1 however1 is it to think of it as the 8,cave of ,harmony10 once directed by the well-known 8,paddy ,green40 ,it was then the earliest type of ,music ,hall1 where sober and serious glees were sung by choir boys1 while the audience consumed kidneys and chops and baked potatoes1 washed down by stout4 ,this combination has passed away1 and supping to music is no longer in vogue4 ,the place was hung round with a vast number of curious theatrical portraits1 old and modern1 some of merit1 while ,paddy himself1 red of face1 walked about and conversed with the guests4 ,when he saw anyone waiting or apparently neglected1 he interposed with friendly courteous excuses1 summoned waiters1 and remedied the oversight4 ,to the casual visitor to town this was altogether a novel and curious entertainment4 ,later it became the ,falstaff ,club1 which went the way of ephemeral clubs4 ,it is now the ,new ,club4 ,close as this district is to the ,strand--and it is within a stone's throw--it has a charm of old fashion that is extraordinary4 ,unhappily the devouring 8,market0 is rapidly absorbing the whole4 ,two entire sides have been swept away to find room for carts and vegetables4 ,the eminent ground landlord seems insatiable in this respect2 though it must be said that it is difficult1 if not impossible1 to resist the pressing advances of the dealers4 ,it is said that a small space or coign of vantage is let three times over to successive tenants in the course of the twenty-four hours4 ,the old ,bow ,street ,court1 and the buildings beside it1 have been drawn in and swallowed up2 the ,floral ,hall1 erst a concert room1 is now converted into a market4 ,the lease of ,drury ,lane ,theatre1 close by1 will run out in a few years1 and it is rumoured will yield itself up to the inexorable market4 ,this1 as ,i said1 is but the pressure of circumstances4 8,facts are stubborn10 but the force of trade is irresistible4 ,we often lament the destruction of old houses with traditions1 and the present writer has often joined in such jeremiads4 ,but here is the test4 ,some one of moderate income1 as most persons are1 is the proprietor of some sacredly antique monument1--let us say ,fairfax ,house at ,brixton1 standing in its 8fayre grounds40 ,presently the district has come into request2 the speculative builder is about1 and by-and-by a heavy1 substantial sum that would yield an annuity is offered for the whole4 ,the sthetic proprietor cannot resist1 for he will rationally argue1 that if he decline1 he will be paying an amount equal to the annuity he declines for the pleasure of retaining his old monument4 ,notwithstanding this process of unceasing destruction there is much left to interest1 and the old tone of the place remains3 as ,mr4 ,hare points out1 even the very names of the streets surrounding it1 often carelessly and familiarly pronounced1 have a suggestive significance4 ,indeed1 the ,london traveller1 or contemplative man1 whether promenading or gazing listlessly from his 8knife-board0 as he frets against the stagnant progress of his vehicle1 may furnish himself with plenty of entertainment by speculating on the names of the streets through which he passes4 ,the whole life of the great city could be traced by the aid of its street names4 ,thus1 ,fleet ,street and ,holborn were called after two rivers which crossed those thoroughfares1 the ,fleet and the ,bourne2 the ,fleet also giving its name to the ill-omened prison4 ,the modern christening of streets is rather of a formal1 artificial kind1 and has not the spontaneous natural character of the older names1 which were given as a matter of convenience by the inhabitants of the locality4 ,the origin of the familiar ,piccadilly has been hotly debated2 and a plausible theory has been offered--that one ,higgins1 a haberdasher1 had invented a sort of spiked ruff1 suggesting the 8piccadille10 or lance1 and out of this he made a fortune1 which he invested in houses along the famous thoroughfare--then a rural lane4 ,the ,adelphi quarter was so named by the 8,brothers0 ,adam1 architects2 to whom ,london also owes the ,adelphi ,terrace1 ,portland ,place1 ,fitzroy ,square1 ,stratford ,place1 ,finsbury ,square1 and other buildings4 ,john1 ,robert1 and ,adam ,streets1 as we have seen1 recall their names4 ,close by we find ,george1 ,villiers1 ,duke1 and ,buckingham ,streets1 betokening that all this was the property of ,charles ,,ii4's favourite4 ,on the other side of the ,strand there are ,charles1 ,henrietta1 and ,york ,streets2 and it is unlikely that it ever occurs to the market gardener's mind1 or even to the intelligent publishers who flourish there1 that these are the names of the hapless ,charles ,i41 his ,queen1 and brother4 ,a vast number of streets take their names from territorial landlords--such as ,bedford1 ,oxford1 ,essex1 ,arundel1 and others4 ,a bit of family history is illustrated by various small streets contiguous to the ,strand4 ,thus1 one of the ,bedford family married ,catherine1 heiress of ,brydges1 ,lord ,chandos1 and later1 ,lord ,tavistock married a daughter of ,lord ,southampton4 ,these alliances are now recalled by ,catherine1 ,chandos1 ,tavistock1 and ,southampton ,streets4 ,bow1 with its bells and church1 is said to be derived from the ,norman arches in the crypt2 and ,bow ,street from its bent shape4 ,fetter ,lane was the street of beggars or 8,fewters40 ,pentonville has a plain and unsuspected origin1 being named after a certain ,mr4 ,henry ,penton1 ,m4,p41 who flourished in the present century4 ,king's ,cross is another delusion2 for1 while we expect venerable associations akin to the ,eleanor ,cross1 we are shocked to learn that here stood a poor effigy of ,george ,,iv41 long since removed4 ,lombard ,street1 of course1 was a compliment to the banking natives of ,lombardy2 and ,threadneedle ,street was ,three ,needle ,street1 the ,merchant ,taylors' ,company being located there4 ,bunhill ,fields1 the great graveyard1 was really ,bone ,hill ,fields1 and ,houndsditch a ditch into which dead dogs were often cast4 ,the ,minories was originally the ,minorites1 an order of ,poor ,clares so named2 and ,mincing ,lane was similarly distorted from the ,minchin nuns1 who had their convent at ,st4 ,helen's1 ,bishopsgate4 ,goswell ,street was ,god's ,well4 ,at ,tokenhouse ,yard and thereabouts tokens used to be made4 ,a fowl market was in the ,poultry4 ,bread ,street and ,milk ,street were devoted to the sale of those useful commodities4 ,the curiously and picturesquely named ,knightrider ,street is most significant of all2 for through it used to pass in procession the train of knights going to the joust4 ,rotten ,row is said to derive its name from 8rotteren0 7to muster72 but it is more likely to be a slang word expressive of the peculiar composition of the ground4 ,the large family of ,ludgate1 ,bishopsgate1 ,cripplegate1 ,billingsgate1 etc41 all1 of course1 betoken the different ,city gates which stood in the localities4 ,billingsgate is said to be named after ,king ,belin2 ,cripplegate after ,st4 ,giles1 an abbot said to have written a work on palsy1 and also venerated as the patron of lepers4 ,it may be noted that the old statue of ,queen ,elizabeth which decorated ,lud ,gate is still to be seen in ,fleet ,street4 ,spitalfields was named after ,st4 ,mary ,spital2 ,moorfields and ,finsbury1 or ,fensbury1 from the marshes2 ,st4 ,bride1 or ,st4 ,bridget1 gave her name to ,bridewell2 indeed1 a vast number of our streets have some such pious associations4 ,it would take long to go through the full list of derivations2 but these specimens will show how interesting and fruitful is the inquiry4 ,the naming of a street requires much tact1 and is really a difficult office4 ,witness the clumsy suggestions and debates when ,northumberland and ,shaftesbury ,avenues were formed4 ,thames ,avenue or ,thames ,mall would have been better and more picturesque for the first1 and ,shakespeare ,road for the second4 ,the old 8,paragons10 8,circuses10 8,crescents10 have a pleasant sound4 ,in compliment to the great prose poet of ,cockneydom1 we ought surely to have a 8,dickens ,street10--a good1 sharp1 well-sounding1 and serviceable name4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,national ,,gallery4 ,illustration ,this great collection really holds the first position among the galleries of ,europe1 not for the number of pictures1 but for their choiceness and value4 ,the building which contains the collection has been assumed to be rather a failure1 and many a jest has been made upon what are called its 8pepper casters10 an article which its cupolas suggest4 ,yet upon the whole it is a classical1 well-proportioned building1 with a fine1 imposing faade4 ,of late years a new gallery has been added in the rear1 whose ,italian campanile rears itself awkwardly1 and is inconsistent with the ,grecian style of the rest4 ,sir ,frederick ,leighton has spoken with just severity of this incongruity4 ,the new rooms are stately and lofty1 united by imposing central halls1 floridly decorated1 contrasting oddly with the low and shabby chambers beside it4 ,still1 the smaller area is more effective for the display of pictures2 they are brought closer to the eye1 are seen more comfortably1 and there is the feeling of being in a private gallery4 ,the small but beautiful collection at ,the ,hague has its peculiar charm from these conditions4 ,within the last few years the great entrance hall has been remodelled and treated sumptuously1 laid out with flights of stairs1 pillars of costly ,african and other marbles1 profuse gilding and painting4 ,but the effect is scarcely satisfactory3 the pillars are thin1 and ill proportioned to this work1 and seem more ornamental than serviceable1 while the complicated umbrella and stick arrangements seem to do violence to the natural construction of the building4 ,the ,gallery owes much to its accomplished director1 ,sir ,f4 ,burton1 who is an artist of the ,academic school1 with much fine taste and feeling1 and power of drawing4 ,the days when men were trained in the schools1 and when studies of the human figure 7on one of which ,mulready would expend months7 were labours of love1 are unhappily passed away4 ,to ,sir ,f4 ,burton's admirable judgment we owe the real development of the collection1 and its almost universal character4 ,if we might make an objection1 it would be that there is almost a surfeit of works of the earlier ,italian school of the ,pre-,raphaelite time1 and there is something monotonous in the innumerable altar-pieces and sacred pieces set off with richly gilt and carved architectural framings4 ,on the other hand1 it is admitted that the ,english school is imperfectly represented4 ,at the same time nothing could be more difficult than to form a really representative gallery of ,english works1 owing to the shiftings of taste and criticism4 ,this can be seen by considering the once-admired ,vernon collection1 where figure all the 8,augustus ,eggs0 and 8,redgraves10 and which seem scarcely worthy of a place in a public gallery4 ,at the ,academy ,exhibitions we find every school imitated--,french1 ,german1 ,dutch4 ,still it would not be difficult to apply some principles in the selection1 and to define what might be considered a purely ,english character in landscape1 portraits1 or genre4 ,a serious difficulty is what to do with the accepted bequests which for half a century or so have held possession4 ,these keep their place by virtue of law and ,acts of ,parliament1 and as they entered in company with works of real value1 there would be an ungraciousness in rejecting them4 ,the pigments of this era seem to have faded3 the pictures are flat1 stiff1 and1 in some cases1 seem the work of amateurs4 ,one instance of this 8white elephant0 sort of donation is the picture of ,rembrandt's 8,night ,watch10 said to be a copy of no startling merit1 which is yet allowed a conspicuous place4 ,the visitor is assisted by guides and guide-books of all kinds2 one1 a full1 reformed one1 in two volumes1 has been issued recently4 ,i always think that a model guide-book1 such as the eager but uninformed public would desire1 has yet to be devised4 ,the usual system is after this pattern3 ,the name and number is given1 then the painter and school1 say1 8,the ,umbrian ,school0--with the size of the picture in inches1 a few lines about the painter1 his birth and death1 and to what 8school0 he succeeded2 then a rather banal description of what the figures are doing--which the spectator can discover for himself without assistance4 ,these points1 such as size in inches1 and the description1 are1 of course1 valuable for the ,waagens and other critical persons1 but are caviare to the visiting public4 ,i venture to say that the questions every one puts to himself on seeing a 8famous0 picture are these3 8,why is it that this work is so admired8 ,what are the particular merits80 ,the effect is admittedly good and beautiful2 but it seems so like many others that we have seen1 excellent1 pleasing2 but it puzzles us to say why it exceeds in merit the others4 ,how delightful1 on the other hand1 and improving is it1 when it is our good fortune to be attended by some real critic and trained judge1 who in a few words points out the merits1 the contrast of colour1 the drawing of that arm1 the difficulty overcome in grouping in figures6 ,again1 what is style8 ,corot1 the ,french landscape painter1 is deservedly admired1 and the spectator1 looking at his catalogue1 will exclaim1 8,oh6 that is a ,corot40 ,he sees1 with wonder1 a sort of marsh or fen with gloomy 8furry0-looking trees4 ,he is told of the enormous price this small work fetches in the market1 and wonders again4 ,it seems to him sketchy1 blurred1 and unfinished1 perhaps meaningless1 but it must be a great work from its price3 he cannot puzzle it out1 and he has to pass on to others4 ,the critic1 however1 at his elbow1 will draw him back and tell him1 first1 what the ,corot theory was1 viz41 that nature has moods of humour1 of feeling and passion1 which can be noted1 just as we note expression on the human countenance2 that this often becomes so marked and absorbing that we do not observe mere details4 ,the painter1 who wished to seize the humour or expression1 passes by all details of leaves1 branches1 etc41 and even the outlines1 so that the spectator1 like the painter1 will note only1 say1 the general sadness of the whole4 ,this is roughly and1 perhaps1 broadly expressed1 but it furnishes a sort of key4 ,but we now look at our ,corot with a different interest1 and its meaning gradually grows upon us4 ,so with the ,dutch school4 ,we pass from one to the other in the ,peel collection1 from ,teniers and ,van ,steen to ,de ,hooge1 with a sense of sameness4 ,there are the usual 8,boors0 and 8,vrows0 carousing or dancing2 or there are 8,interiors0 by ,de ,hooge2 or ,hobbema1 with his alleys and trees1 all great1 clever1 finished minutely1 and curious4 ,but we have no key1 and there is a mystery beyond us4 ,here1 again1 we should reflect that this 8style0 is due to the conditions of climate and character4 ,dutch skies are sad and sombre1 the country flat and bare1 the long avenues of trees add to the mournful feeling2 the interiors are dark4 ,there is a wonderful1 much-admired ,hobbema1 here a 8grand piece10 as it is called2 an alley of long bare trees stretching away from the spectator1 a landscape spreading away beyond4 ,the spectator as he gazes will feel a curious sense of melancholy1 owing to the flat wastes1 the trunks exposed to the sweeping winds1 the earth redeemed by stern toil from the sea1 the feeling of isolation1 with a suggestion of the indomitable ,dutch character1 which has battled successfully for centuries with the ocean1 and which finds a relief in scenes of carousal4 ,they have no mountains or valleys1 or woods to draw from4 ,the houses in the cities are narrow1 their rooms small and dark2 hence everything is looked at in miniature2 hence1 too1 the laborious finish4 ,hence1 too1 plenty of dark corners and shadows4 ,all which explains ,rembrandt's traditional effects1 his faces emerging from dark backgrounds4 ,hence1 too1 the costume of the ,dutch portrait1 with its white collar and black jerkin4 ,in the small dark rooms1 panelled with dark oak1 the light falls only on the face2 rich-coloured clothes would lose their lustre4 ,so with ,de ,hooge's picture of the 8,entrance to a ,dutch ,yard10 where there is a welcome but unexpected stream of light1 and which is treated as light that enters into a dark place4 ,i have often thought1 too1 how interesting it would be if there were some critics to explain the treatment and manipulation adopted by different painters6 ,why did ,gainsborough1 for instance1 deal in exquisite streaky greens and translucent blues2 how is it that his faces are so delicate and tender8 ,the fact is1 different painters see things with different eyes1 and the figure presents itself differently4 ,one will note only the expression as worthy of representation1 another the colours of the face1 another will be struck by the attitude1 the richness of the dress1 etc4 ,denner saw nothing but lines and wrinkles4 ,it is with painting exactly as it is with authorship4 ,one will relate a fact exactly as it occurred1 another in newspaper style1 another with touches of character2 another has a certain charm of description2 yet another is poetical4 ,to give a more particular illustration of how enjoyment would be increased by some such critical aid as this1 let us pause a moment before this fine full-length portrait of ,lewis1 the actor1 which hangs in the vestibule of the hall--a smiling figure in a sort of ,spanish dress4 ,it is the character of 8,the ,marquis0 in 8,the ,midnight ,hour10 and is painted by ,sir ,martin ,shee1 erst ,president of the ,academy4 ,there is something effective and pleasing about the picture1 but most persons content themselves with a glance and pass on4 ,now1 suppose we inform him that ,lewis was a comedian of the old 8airy0 school1 was noted for his elegant style of representing people of rank--that is to say1 personages gay and witty1 without condescension--carrying themselves through difficult situations without embarrassment1 and making love in a very irresistible way4 ,shee had seen ,lewis many times on the stage1 and knew him au bout des ongles2 these gifts were present to him2 so1 selecting this favourite character1 he embodied here an epitome of all its attractions4 ,with these facts in view1 we look again at the picture1 and how different it appears6 ,there is the delightful expression1 half rallying1 half of enjoyment1 a general refinement1 with a graceful carriage--in short1 a regular bit of comedy is going on before us4 ,in some of the great 8,gallery0 pictures--such as ,sebastian del ,piombo's 8,raising of ,lazarus0--the assistance of judicious criticism is really essential4 ,we must be instructed how and why to admire4 ,otherwise1 as in other kindred instances1 such as with pictures of the ,caraccis1 we see only a number of ,scriptural figures in robes1 blue or scarlet1 grouped together2 no doubt large1 dignified1 impressive1 but not by any means interesting4 ,there is a general conventionality4 ,yet this 8,raising of ,lazarus0 has been criticised by ,hazlitt1 ,haydon1 and others in a very interesting way1 and our catalogues of the future might profitably have these inserted4 ,dr4 ,waagen thought this picture the most important of the ,italian school that ,england possesses4 ,he adds that the 8first glance would teach us that the figure of ,lazarus was drawn1 though not painted1 by ,michael ,angelo40 ,the figure of our ,saviour he praises for its nobility1 and 8in ,lazarus the transition from death to life is expressed with wonderful fidelity4 ,in the other figures gratitude1 astonishment1 conviction1 doubt are to be traced40 ,i fear there are few of the thousands passing who would gather this or anything from the first glance1 or note any of these things4 ,there is one picture considered the cynosure of the whole1 on account of the vast price 7some #gj1jjj7 given for it--the ,ansidei ,raphael4 ,of this we might venture to say that the effect scarcely corresponds to the outlay2 or rather1 that were it placed among the other ,italian estimated pictures1 and divested of its history1 it would not probably attract much notice4 ,this may seem heretical1 but ,i am confident it is true4 ,with the critical1 of course1 it is different1 though ,i fancy it would be a difficult task to give a nice1 accurate1 and judicial appreciation of its points of attraction1 going beyond mere phrases of praise4 ,i confess1 if choice were offered1 ,i would prefer the more 8taking0 ,soult ,murillo in the ,louvre4 ,pace ,sir ,frederick ,burton1 it seems also to suffer from the heavy mass which does duty as frame--the excessive gilding impairs the colours1 and it is constructed with a sort of basement which stands 8in the air0 unsupported1 which seems to imply that it ought to be on a bracket or altar4 ,a crying blemish to the collection is the room full of fantastic pictures1 so called1 the terrible legacy which ,turner bequeathed to the nation4 ,these grotesques have neither form nor meaning1 and seem to be mad1 wild caprices4 ,there is nothing to match them in existence1 and no gallery1 private or public1 would tolerate them4 ,some are nothing but streaks and smears--yellows and blues utterly amorphous2 yet admirers will protest that there is some deep-seated 8no meaning0 mystery beneath1 which study and sympathy will reveal4 ,some arrangement by ,act of ,parliament or otherwise should be made for disposing of these performances1 which we have heard again and again excite the derision of the foreigner as 8polissonneries40 ,the serious and responsible works of ,turner are here1 and excite admiration3 but these1 it is well known1 were the eccentricities of his dotage4 ,some of his large grand pieces are truly fine1 such as 8,the ,sea ,fight0 and the beautiful ,italian landscape placed as a pendant to the well-known ,claude1 though it is easy to note that the exquisitely sultry luminousness of the ,french painter cannot be approached1 ,turner's atmosphere1 from the very contrast1 being somewhat thick and heavy4 ,any one who goes from picture to picture of ,turner's1 those1 ,i mean1 of his sane manner1 with care and regularity1 will be lost in wonder at the variety of his styles1 and will conclude that he could 8do anything40 ,the mistake of his later days was his attempt to simulate with colours atmospheric tones and effects1 such as the 8actual sense of effulgence0 in the sun when we attempt to look straight at it1 or the glare from a passing train1 or a steamer showing lights and letting off steam4 ,perhaps the truest 8painter0 of the modern ,english school who could be called a master1 and whose works would stand the test of criticism1 is ,wilkie4 ,no praise could do justice to that masterpiece1 8,the ,blind ,fiddler10 with its minutely delicate handling of faces and hands1 yet offering a grand breadth of style4 ,the beautiful limpid colouring1 the firmness1 yet delicacy1 of the touch1 the pleasant1 quiet1 unforced humour of the scene--akin to that of ,goldsmith--the brilliancy and largeness of treatment1 are perfectly miraculous in a youth little more than twenty4 ,neither ,mieris nor ,meissonier have works that can be classed with this gem1 which1 by-the-way1 would gain by being hung higher4 ,his picture of 8,the ,beadle0 leading away the ,mountebanks and their ,dancing ,dogs1 with figures brilliantly and exquisitely finished1 is not1 however1 his best specimen4 ,we should note the contrast with his well-known 8,knox ,preaching10 which seems the work of a different hand4 ,many would be puzzled at this2 but art critics know that ,wilkie altered his style completely after a visit to ,spain1 and affected a rich1 juicy1 full-coloured tone1 even adopting a large unfinished 8streaky0 manner4 ,in this contrasting of style we may profitably turn for comparison to a picture truly unique1 of which1 as ,lamb says1 8,one species is the genus10 and which may be coveted by any gallery1 that is1 the famous 8,treaty of ,munster10 by ,terburg1 a small cabinet picture1 the gift of a private person4 ,this extraordinary little masterpiece is worth an hour's study1 and illustrates all the principles of painting4 ,there are some fifty or sixty figures1 and the force1 dramatic expression1 and feeling of the whole is surprising4 ,every minute face is distinct1 and leaves the air of perfect finish2 yet1 if we look closely1 we shall see the workmanship is rough and bold4 ,mr4 ,ruskin has happily illustrated this valuable principle by a minute vignette of ,turner's1 which decorates his 8,italy40 ,it represents the marvellous windows and elaborate details of the ,ducal palace in ,venice1 all within a couple of inches2 yet1 if we take a magnifying glass1 we shall find that none of the objects represented are actually drawn4 ,there are only a number of dots and touches1 and yet the effect of the relief1 details1 and carvings is perfectly conveyed4 ,on the other hand1 had the details been actually drawn on so small a scale1 these details would at a distance have failed to convey the idea intended4 ,here is one of the secrets of largeness of style4 ,meissonier has much in common with ,terburg4 ,our fashionable modern painters have little idea of relative values4 ,they copy all before them with the accuracy of a photograph4 ,a little study of one who is the glory of this ,gallery1 viz4 ,constable1 will illustrate this better4 ,a landscape painter may copy carefully and minutely a spreading cornfield1 with reapers at work and effects of sunlight1 but1 as was said in the case of ,corot1 there is a mystery in landscape which only genius can discover4 ,this is not to be interpreted as ,corot found it was1 by wholesale sacrifice of details1 but by studying the art of making these contribute to the general effect4 ,the really great painter seems to work in this way3 he sees or discovers an 8effect02 it becomes an inspiration1 it takes possession of him1 and it imprints itself vividly on his pictorial memory4 ,he notes the same effect under other conditions1 and so the idea becomes generalized4 ,thus a great marine painter1 on an occasion1 watches the form of waves in a storm1 or a peculiar effect of light4 ,as to mere mechanical painting1 that becomes1 or should become1 as the language he speaks2 neither does he require the object or model to be before him to paint from1 save by way of suggestion or correction4 ,it is to be suspected that the average modern painter does not work on these principles4 ,he copies everything from without1 and not from within4 ,the great painter who has found inspiration in his landscape will only copy so far as to ensure topographical correctness1 but his main purpose is to produce the general effect or inspiration which is imprinted on his memory4 ,such is the meaning of the impression left by ,constable's work4 ,the trees1 pastures1 figures1 are all subsidiary to the tone of the whole1 the grand feeling of open air which spreads beyond the narrow1 contracted limits of the frame4 ,as he felt the largeness1 so is the sense of largeness produced in the spectator4 ,one well-known picture will illustrate this more effectively4 ,like the human face1 the cathedral has its cast of expression1 a kind of soft tenderness1 or placid1 quiet solitariness1 wholly different from the air of perky sharpness and strutting detail which photographs present4 ,turning to the 8,salisbury ,cathedral0 of this painter anyone that has seen the original will recognize how he caught the poetry1 the contrast of the grey building with the green sward of the close1 and the deep tone of the trees1 and the beautiful significance of the spire1 which seems almost to be a natural product of the landscape4 ,these spires1 indeed1 always seem to give a different sort of interpretation to the place in which they stand2 and every person of sensibility will own to different impressions as he passes on the railway by ,canterbury1 ,peterborough1 or ,ely4 ,in the case of the ,salisbury spire there is a certain sharpness which contrasts with the dark and angry cloud behind1 and gives an air of menace and hostility4 ,to take another illustration4 ,there are photographs and engravings in plenty of the picturesque ,dover ,harbour1 with its cliffs and castle4 ,many who have seen the place in its various moods have wished for some reminder1 and may have found the traditional sketches of commerce accurate enough1 but insufficient to restore the old charm4 ,as the traveller returning from ,france approaches1 he notes the pyramidal character1 the junction and blending of the castle with the clouds behind it1 the contrast of the glaring white cliffs with the grey of the sea2 there is1 besides1 the grand air of large security and shelter afforded for centuries back4 ,now1 there is a picture by ,turner--in which all these complex ideas are abundantly suggested2 he has caught the whole tone of the place1 dealing with the skies above and the waters below1 quite as elaborately as with the town and harbour2 indeed1 these are subsidiary4 ,in this way it is true a great artist becomes an interpreter1 as well as a painter1 of ,nature4 ,it is difficult not to feel a sort of enthusiasm and deep admiration when standing before these grand works of ,constable4 ,there is a breadth and solidity1 a massiveness1 about his style and treatment4 ,the secret might be the sense of dignity1 the imparting of a grand personality to the trees1 the grass1 the water1 and everything represented4 ,as we look1 the details seem to grow and be enriched4 ,it is not surprising to learn that the introduction of one of his pieces into ,france was the foundation of the school for landscape in that country4 ,the ,gallery is well furnished with other masterpieces of his1 and the visitor will study them with delight4 ,if we look at the 8,flatford10 or the 8,haywain10 we shall see and recognize the power1 the mixture of emotions suggested1 the grand tranquillity of the country1 the variety1 the sense of distance1 and1 as we said1 the air of state2 as for the colour1 its depth and richness are not even approached in our day4 ,to turn to another of our ,english masters1 it must be said that ,landseer was hardly a 8painter0 in a strict sense4 ,he really only took portraits of animals--and of particular animals4 ,a 8painter0 would generalize more1 and in this view ,herring's horses are more pleasing1 and exhibit the animals in their relation to surrounding objects4 ,of course1 in producing fur1 hair1 etc41 ,landseer is unequalled4 ,this can be further illustrated by a painting here of ,morland's1 who is usually associated with certain vulgar subjects1 such as pigs1 coarse hinds1 and the like1 masterly in their way4 ,this portrays a heavy cart-horse and pony entering their stable4 ,the sort of living interest infused is extraordinary1 with the languid1 helpless expectancy of the pair1 the general tone of the stable4 ,we would place it above anything ,landseer has done4 ,this will be seen if we compare this stable scene of ,morland's with the well-known 8,horse-shoeing10 which has quite an artificial air4 ,among the finest ,landseers are1 no doubt1 the 8,newfoundland ,dog0 and the capital1 vigorously-painted creature who personates ,alexander in the visit to ,diogenes4 ,in his latter works he became rather tame and insipid in his colour and touch1 as we can see by turning to 8,peace and ,war40 ,thirty or forty years ago among the chief attractions of the ,academy were pictures by ,ward1 ,o',neil1 ,crowe1 ,mrs4 ,ward1 ,frith1 and others4 ,such were 8,james ,,ii4 receiving the ,news of the ,arrival of ,william10 8,the ,south ,sea ,bubble10 the 8,derby ,day10 and 8,the ,railway ,station40 ,leslie1 ,maclise1 ,eastlake1 ,ward1 and many more have all fallen considerably in public esteem4 ,many years ago there was a general exhibition of ,leslie's works1 and it was curious to see how the assemblage revealed his defects--the 8chalkiness0 of his white1 his thin colour1 his general stiffness4 ,this was the result of the ,academic school1 when drawing was much insisted upon4 ,nowadays1 when the ,french imitative system is in vogue1 a hard pure outline1 it is contended1 is not in nature4 ,the figure is softened or blended with the background according to experience4 ,there are some pictures at which we look with astonishment2 the gaudy1 glaring figures all dressed in variegated fashion and crowded together4 ,it may be said these are like 8,tableaux ,vivants10 and painted1 it might be1 from grouped figures4 ,it will be noted that all are in the light1 and there are no shadows2 indeed1 no point of view conceivable could take in so many objects at a time4 ,there is little or no 8composition10 and the laws of ,academic arrangement seem to be set aside4 ,these pictures1 admired1 gravely discussed by the critics1 have long since found their legitimate place4 ,we have1 indeed1 only one purely ,academic painter--the ,president of the ,royal ,academy--who has been trained in the 8schools10 and whose work is always elegant1 graceful1 and honest4 ,if he has to present a draped figure with an arm exposed1 the arm and hand are truly 8drawn40 ,there is an exquisite contour exhibited which pleases the eye2 the drapery falls not merely in natural1 but airy folds1 while the tints are of a delicate harmony4 ,there is1 in short1 composition1 and we turn away refreshed4 ,not so much could be said of some of our popular portrait painters1 whose hands are not outlined1 but blurred1 though dashing1 and whose drawing is misty4 ,another painter once in high repute1 and scarcely thought of now1 was ,etty1 assumed to be the most gorgeous colourist of his day4 ,we look now at his nude nymphs sailing in boats1 and wonder a little at this reputation1 though there are plenty of tints of lake1 and rich black tresses1 and cobalt4 ,somehow these works now seem heavy1 and not so brilliant4 ,would we seek a genuine colourist1 let us turn to this little cabinet ,bonnington1 who has left but few examples1 but whose works are precious and much esteemed in ,paris4 ,another rare master of this kind is ,muller1 of whom there are few specimens4 ,these small cabinet pictures1 a few inches square1 produce extraordinary effects of force and brilliancy1 and gorgeous colour4 ,to enumerate the attractions of this great collection would1 it need hardly be said1 take long1 but one must speak of the famous 8,chapeau de ,poil0 of ,rubens 78,the ,felt ,hat10 not1 as it is vulgarly known1 8,the ,chapeau de ,paille074 ,as any one can see for himself1 there is no straw hat in the case4 ,these1 with the wonderfully powerful and abundant ,rembrandts1 the 8,sassoferrato0 7blue-hooded7 head1 the ,murillos1 the ,reynolds and ,gainsborough portraits1 the grand ,constables1 the ,turners1 the ,claudes1 the great ,rubens landscape1 the ,hogarth series1 the ,wilkies1 ,landseers1 ,moronis1 ,botticellis and ,bordones may be considered the 8stock pieces0 of the place4 ,frith's 8,derby ,day10 and ,rosa ,bonheur's well-known 8,horse ,fair10 and the room full of ,landseers1 furnish the holiday starers with delight4 ,rosa has1 however1 8gone down0 somewhat in the estimation of connoisseurs1 and her horses and her style of painting do not seem quite so marvellous nor so wonderful as they did originally3 her colouring is somewhat sketchy4 ,there are other artists of later date concerning whom we must also revise our judgments4 ,our own ,sir ,joshua is here handsomely and abundantly represented4 ,the charm of this great painter is extraordinary2 the grace1 8distinction10 and variety of his treatment are no less remarkable4 8,lord ,heathfield0 exhibits robust serenity with the rugged good-humoured face1 and the fine generous scarlet of his coat4 ,the variety of ,reynolds' attitudes1 considering his countless sitters1 is truly astonishing4 ,one of his most powerful efforts is the well-known head of ,dr4 ,johnson1 in the ,peel ,collection4 ,here should be noted the suggestion of suffering1 so delicately conveyed1 the curious look of expectancy1 the air of softness and even gentleness1 infused into the rough lineaments4 ,our moderns make their sitters stare from their frames1 and every one says 8,how like60 ,gainsborough is a painter in whose praise one is tempted to grow wanton4 ,we are often inclined to wonder where he found the sea-green1 cobalt blue streaks4 ,his faces are worthy of study4 ,as will be seen1 he conveys the idea perfectly of transparency of skin1 that is1 we see the colour below1 through the upper cuticle4 ,the large picture of the ,baillie family in the vestibule is one of his finest works4 ,there is the bold firmness of touch1 a rich stroke1 and a certain brilliancy4 ,this is the more astonishing1 as in his larger pictures and portraits there is often an unpleasing coarseness4 ,the term 8master0 may be certainly applied to him1 as it may be to ,reynolds1 ,gainsborough1 ,wilkie1 ,constable1 ,morland1 perhaps ,wilson1 and a few more4 ,lawrence was a portrait painter1 not a master4 ,no painter is more accepted on account of his rank and prestige than ,rembrandt1 and the collection is singularly strong in his works4 ,there is a sort of conventional idea of what a ,rembrandt should be--a yellow old man or woman looking out of a dark background4 ,yet few think how luminous is his work4 ,thus1 the old ,vrow in the ruff is an amazing specimen of his power2 and it is worth while looking closely into the face to see the vigorous fashion in which the strokes are dealt out1 the paint being literally plastered on1 but with profoundest method4 ,for we have of course moderns who can lay on their paint as with a trowel1 thus assuming a vigour they do not possess4 ,each of his strokes have a meaning1 and it was not his intention to give an air of raised surface4 ,no one has approached him in the rich tone of his golden tints4 ,the great ,italian portraits here--the ,moronis1 ,pordonones and others--we have to grow acquainted and intimate with1 to discover their power4 ,the 8,tailor0 of the first has been often praised for its expression and dignity4 ,the attitude is delightfully significant of his calling1 without1 however1 the least vulgar emphasis2 so with that of the lawyer4 ,we learn in these that grace and propriety belong to all castes and conditions4 ,the costumes enter largely into the expression4 ,when will our moderns recognize the fact that a portrait must be intellectual1 both in the painter's and in the sitter's share8 ,at the ,academy exhibitions we see ,mayors1 ,city men1 ,parliamentarians1 and others1 whom nature has furnished with parts of a low money-getting type1 and whom our artists faithfully portray in dignified attitude and recognizable shape4 ,the sitter has done his best to look stately and 8like a gentleman40 ,yet this is not his likeness4 ,but were we to see this man in his counting-house with his clerks at a crisis1 we should find him becoming animated1 ready1 resolute1 his features light up1 and the low vulgarity disappears4 ,your ,moronis and others have found out this secret4 ,there are some great canvases of ,paolo ,veronese in the large room3 8,alexander receiving the ,family of ,darius10 and others2 but the visitor turns from their comparatively dull tones with a little disappointment4 ,any one who has seen the grand and brilliant 8,marriage of ,cana10 in the ,louvre1 is spoiled for future judgment4 ,that superb and brilliantly animated scene seems to be the work of another master4 ,i could linger longer on these interesting themes1 and have done little more than touch on some of the great masterpieces here collected4 ,but it is not vanity to say that the visitor who has studied principles akin to what we have been imperfectly setting out1 will find a new1 unsuspected enjoyment in a visit to a ,picture ,gallery4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,sir ,,john ,,vanbrugh ,,and ,,st4 ,,martin',s ,,lane4 ,it is curious that most of the great ,london architects should have come from ,scotland4 ,among these the most distinguished are ,chambers1 the designer of ,somerset ,house1 ,campbell1 ,rennie1 ,gibbs1 and the ,brothers ,adam4 ,all these have left their mark upon the great city4 ,the ,barry family were ,irish2 ,pugin and ,vanbrugh of foreign extraction2 while ,inigo ,jones was a ,welshman4 ,wren1 however1 outweighs the rest1 and he was an ,englishman4 ,vanbrugh was an interesting character1 and his scattered works abound in ,london and its suburbs4 ,this brilliant man has scarcely obtained the full credit he deserves for his numerous and versatile gifts1 for he adorned no less than five professions4 ,he was soldier1 dramatist1 and manager2 an architect and a herald to boot3 to say nothing of his being a wit and a poet4 ,his plays1 8,the ,relapse10 8,the ,confederacy10 8,the ,provok'd ,wife10 and 8,the ,provok'd ,husband0 are among the works that no theatrical gentleman's library should be without4 ,his great mansions at ,blenheim and ,castle ,howard are monuments of his skill1 and his fables were considered by ,pope to be superior to those of ,la ,fontaine4 ,in soldiering and management he was not so successful1 though he was persuasive enough to obtain from the nobility and gentry #cj1jjj with which to build an opera-house in the ,haymarket on the exact spot where ,her ,majesty's ,theatre now stands4 ,when this theatre was finished hardly a word could be heard1 and the voices of the actors had the effect of low undulating murmurings4 ,the object of the designer1 however1 was to furnish an interior for both music and ,italian opera2 and it would pass the wit of our ,phippses and ,emdens to supply a building which would be equally suited for acting and singing4 ,it seems to be the fate of every architect of eminence who is favoured with a 8commission0 for some vast public building to suffer hardship and sordid treatment at the hands of the authorities4 ,it was so with ,wren1 ,barry1 ,street1 and above all with ,vanbrugh1 who had to go to law with the ,marlboroughs to obtain his fees4 ,he was himself sued by the contractors and workmen1 who could obtain no money from either the family or ,government4 ,the story of this persecution is to be found in the curious ,vanbrugh papers4 ,more curious is it to discover1 as the writer did lately1 that there is still standing in ,london his old mansion1 the very first attempt he made1 which 7though dilapidated enough7 seems still hale1 stout1 and strong4 ,when it became known1 about the year #agjb1 that the wit and dramatist had turned architect and had actually built himself a mansion in ,whitehall1 it became the subject of much ridicule2 and ,dr4 ,swift was merry on the shape and peculiarity of the new building4 ,one asks the waterman hard by1 ,where may the ,poet's palace lie8 ,at length they in the rubbish spy ,a thing resembling a goose-pie-- ,a type of modern wit and style ,the rubbish of an ancient pile4 ,illustration3 ,,statue ,,of ,,general ,,gordon ,,in ,,trafalgar ,,square4 ,it seemed unlikely that this 8goose-pie10 amid all the vicissitudes of ,whitehall1 could have escaped demolition4 ,but recently the writer of these notes came on a rather minute description of the place1 drawn up in the year #ahae4 ,as it then appeared1 it was a low1 long building in three divisions1 two stories high1 with arched windows1 three in each compartment4 ,further1 the brothers ,adam had taken it in hand1 and added two wings or vestibules1 projecting forward and decorated with their own peculiar 8fan-like0 ornamentation4 ,this was satisfactory for identification2 though no one of our generation was likely to recall such a structure in ,whitehall4 ,but almost at the first search it was revealed4 ,there it stood flanking the ,banqueting ,hall in the shape of the dilapidated1 gone-to-seed museum known as the ,united ,service ,institution4 ,this was the original ,vanbrugh 8goose-pie0 family mansion1 answering in every point to the description1 encumbered with the ,adam additions1 effective and not without merit4 ,it is1 however1 in rather a squalid state2 and it is safe to prophesy that in two or three years it will have disappeared4 ,it is curious to think of the brilliant author of 8,the ,relapse0 living here nearly two hundred years ago4 ,close as it is to ,charing ,cross1 ,st4 ,martin's ,lane and the district about it still retain an old-fashioned air4 ,at its very entrance we note one of the most effective and effectively placed buildings in ,london1 the fine church1 ,st4 ,martin's1 with its soaring and conspicuous steeple and stately portico4 ,the levity of our time was never better illustrated than by the proposal to cut away the steps to gain a few feet of roadway1 and it was actually gravely suggested and discussed whether it would not be the best course to remove the portico wholesale1 and place it at the back of the church6 ,from every direction1 almost1 the spire can be seen1 and from every quarter the church forms a pleasing point of view4 ,it was built by ,gibbs1 and its interior is in ,wren's peculiar favourite manner--a vaulted ceiling supported on columns1 which1 in their turn1 support galleries1 their bases being covered up by the massive pews4 ,st4 ,martin's ,lane is a far more interesting street than might be supposed1 being full of strange ,hogarthian memories4 ,bishop ,horsley told the antiquary so oddly named 8,rainy-day ,smith10 that he had often heard his father describe the time when ,st4 ,martin's ,church was literally 8,in the fields10 and when there was a turnpike leading into ,st4 ,martin's ,lane4 ,mr4 ,smith wrote this over sixty years ago1 and there have been enormous changes since then4 ,there are two curious little lanes or passages turning out of it on the right hand as you go up1 one of which bears the name of 8,may's ,buildings1 #agci10 in faint characters4 ,this was built by a gentleman of that name1 whose house is still to be seen at ,no4 #dc1 a sausage shop1 a striking and elegant piece of brick-work1 though unpretending4 ,it was thus that it struck 8,rainy-day ,smith10 fifty years ago1 who was much praised in his day for 8his attention to old houses40 ,he says that ,mr4 ,may's house 8consisted of two pilasters supporting a cornice2 and it is1 in my opinion1 one of the neatest specimens of architectural brick-work in ,london4 ,the site of the ,white ,horse livery stables was originally a tea-garden2 and south of it was a hop-garden1 which still retains that appellation4 ,the extensive premises1 ,no4 #fj1 were formerly held by ,chippendale1 the most famous upholsterer and cabinet-maker of his day1 to whose folio work on household furniture the trade formerly made constant reference4 ,it contains in many instances specimens of the style of furniture so much in vogue in ,france in the reign of ,louis ,,xiv41 but which for many years past has been discontinued in ,england4 ,however1 as most fashions come round again1 ,i should not wonder if we were to see the unmeaning scroll and shell-work1 with which the furniture of ,louis's reign was so profusely incumbered1 revive2 when ,chippendale's book will again be sought after with redoubled avidity1 and1 as many of the copies must have been sold as waste paper1 the few remaining will probably bear rather a high price40#a ,another house that always attracts attention is the one numbered #if1 and which deserves notice for its artistic doorway--certainly one of the most effective in ,london for its flowing style of carving and elegant design4 ,it is now a cloth shop1 but ,mr4 ,smith describes it as being in his day 8one of the oldest colour-shops in ,london1 and has one of the very few remaining shop-fronts where the shutters slide in grooves4 ,the street-door frame is of the style of ,queen ,anne1 with a spread-eagle1 foliage1 and flowers1 curiously and deeply carved in wood1 over the entrance1 similar to those remaining in ,carey ,street and in ,great ,ormond ,street4 ,the late ,mr4 ,powel1 the colourman1 and family inhabited it2 and ,i have heard him say that his mother for many years made a pipe of wine from the grapes which grew in their garden1 which at that time was nearly one hundred feet in length1 before the smoke of so many surrounding buildings destroyed their growth4 ,this house has a large staircase1 curiously painted1 of figures viewing a procession1 which was executed for the famous ,dr4 ,misaubin1 about the year #agcb1 by a painter of the name of ,clermont1 a ,frenchman1 who boldly charged one thousand guineas for his labour2 which charge1 however1 was contested1 and the artist was obliged to take five hundred4 ,behind the house there is a large room1 the inside of which ,hogarth has given in his ,rake's ,progress1 where he has introduced portraits of the doctor and his ,irish wife40 ,passing on beyond ,st4 ,martin's ,lane1 we enter that curious street dedicated to bird and dog fanciers and frame makers1 ,great ,st4 ,andrew ,street1 but which in truth popularly ranges itself under the designation of 8,the ,dials40 ,we stop before a mouldy shop1 ,no4 #db1 whose window is filled with as disagreeable a category of objects as was found in the establishment of the apothecary in ,romeo and ,juliet--skulls1 jaw and thigh bones1 skeletons of monkeys1 stuffed birds1 horns of all kinds1 prepared skins1 and everything unpleasant in the anatomical line4 ,when ,dickens was busy with his ,mutual ,friend1 a confrre--,mr4 ,wilkie ,collins1 ,i think--described to him a strange character1 a bird-stuffer--and 8articulator0 of bones and skeletons--and the idea so 8tickled0 the writer that he at once put in 8,mr4 ,venus10 the intimate of ,wegg4 ,this original character excited much attention2 and a friend of the great writer1 as well as of the present chronicler1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,kent1 passing through this street1 was irresistibly attracted by this shop and its contents--kept by one ,j4 ,willis4 ,when he next saw ,mr4 ,dickens he said1 8,i am convinced ,i have found the original of #8,venus'20 on which said ,mr4 ,dickens1 8,you are right40 ,anyone who visits the place will recognize the dingy gloomy interior1 the articulated skeleton in the corner1 the general air of thick grime and dirt4 ,in full view of ,st4 ,martin's ,lane1 and next to where the old ,northumberland ,house stood1 stood the house that was remarkable as having been the first that was numbered in ,london4 ,readers of old letters will notice with surprise how readily a person's residence was found by the post2 8,to ,mr4 ,sterne1 in ye ,pall ,mall10 was sufficient4 ,this seems almost a mystery4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,anne's ,church ,soho4 ,in the ,london churchyards there is plenty to interest the explorer1 but it may be doubted if anything could be more tragically romantic than is offered by two memorials1 found in two old churchyards--separated by one easy half-hour's walk4 ,the moralist will find profit1 and a curious meditation over the instability of things1 in his visit to these two interesting spots4 ,standing on that ill-shaped open place1 the former ,regent's ,circus1 and looking along the bend of the new ,shaftesbury ,avenue1 we can see the blackened and ungainly steeple of old ,st4 ,anne's ,church in ,soho1 now unexpectedly revealed by the clearances and 8demolitions40 ,this clumsy1 eccentric object seems to take the shape of a vintner's cask perched airily on a spire1 and must be pardoned to the memory of ,wren1 as one of those architectural freaks in which he occasionally indulged when invention failed him4 ,to the same class belonged those extraordinary obelisks and other devices which he has placed on some of his towers4 ,the church is a very old and interesting one1 dating from #afhf1 and looks out on ,dean ,street4 ,it has attained a sort of celebrity from its musical services2 and the ,princess of ,wales and other distinguished persons are often found in the congregation4 ,the old rectory1 where1 up to the present incumbency of ,dr4 ,wade1 the rector used to reside1 stands where it did1 beside the church1 its rows of ancient windows having a cheerful prospect of the churchyard2 but the actual rectory is in the quaint ,soho ,square4 ,the churchyard is a very large forlorn piece of ground opening upon ,wardour ,street1 and it was taken in hand some years ago by the improvers and spoilers4 ,the tombstones were all collected together and laid down neatly as a sort of pavement1 the rest planted with grass4 ,it is now given over to a large colony of fowls1 which pick up a livelihood and enjoy a sort of rus in urbe there4 ,one would have thought these measures were preparatory to throwing open the place as a recreation ground2 but the gates remain fast locked1 and the public may not enter now4 ,on the outside wall of the church are seen two tablets1 which arrest the attention2 one to the memory of ,hazlitt1 of an extraordinary kind1 setting forth his peculiar opinions2 the other to an actual genuine king1 who1 after his abdication1 died in ,england4 ,the king's coffin was placed in the vaults beneath1 where the clerk recollects seeing it many years ago4 ,but among the other bizarre proceedings which marked the course of the 8improvements10 the vaults were completely filled up with sand1 and the contents1 as it were1 obliterated4 ,the inscription1 which is the work of ,horace ,walpole1 runs3-- ,near this place is interred ,,theodore1 ,,king ,,of ,,corsica1 who died in this parish1 ,dec4 #aa1 #agef1 immediately after leaving the ,king's ,bench ,prison1 by the benefit of the ,act of ,insolvency1 in conveyance of which he registered his kingdom of ,corsica1 for the benefit of his creditors4 ,the grave1 great teacher1 to a level brings ,heroes and beggars1 galley-slaves and kings2 ,but ,theodore this moral learned ere dead-- ,fate poured its lessons o'er his living head1 ,bestowed a kingdom and denied him bread4 ,his story is sad1 romantic1 and perfectly true2 for he was a real crowned king and adventurer4 ,his name was ,newhoff1 and he had figured in many capitals in many countries1 making himself useful to the smaller potentates1 and had finally succeeded in impressing the ,corsican insurgents with the idea that he was a personage of power1 and could find them assistance4 ,they were tempted by his offers to lead them4 ,one morning he arrived in a ship laden with cannon and other stores1 and landed arrayed in ,eastern dress and attended by black servants4 ,received with acclamations1 he was duly crowned1 lived in a palace1 put himself at the head of an army1 and fought battles4 ,soon1 however1 his supplies failing him1 he went away to raise money in ,holland1 but did not succeed4 ,he then came to ,london1 was arrested by his many creditors1 and thrown into the ,king's ,bench4 ,he took advantage of 8the ,act10 and registered his crown for the benefit of his creditors4 ,on his liberation he did not know where to go1 and went in a chair to the ,portuguese ,minister's1 whom he did not find at home4 ,the fallen king1 literally not possessing a sixpence in the world1 was charitably taken in by a ,soho tailor1 fell ill the next day1 and died2 his coffin and interment were paid for by this worthy tradesman1 who said he wished for once to have the credit of burying a king4 ,another strange being was laid in the vaults1 but only temporarily1 in the year #ahjd4 ,this was the eccentric ,lord ,camelford1 whose adventures and intemperance were always exciting attention4 ,he was shot in a duel by ,captain ,best1 reputed the best shot in ,england1 which was the odd reason given by his antagonist for meeting him4 8,six quarts of blood10 we are told1 were found in the cavity of his chest4 ,all the denizens of ,soho crowded round ,mr4 ,dawes's shop in ,dean ,street to see the crimson-velvet coffin1 adorned with cherubim of silver and 8wrought gripes10 as it lay in the ,st4 ,anne's vaults1 until the strange provision of his will could be carried out4 ,it seems he had once passed many hours at a romantic spot by a lake in the ,canton of ,berne1 where there were three trees4 ,a sum of #a1jjj was left to the proprietor1 and he directed that his body should be transported thither and placed under one of the trees4 ,there was to be no monument2 he only wished 8the surrounding scenery to smile upon my remains40 ,here also rests the beautiful maid of honour1 ,mary ,bellenden1 to whom the ,prince of ,wales showed his devotion1 which was of an extravagant kind1 by taking out his purse and counting his money4 8,if you go on counting your money10 said she1 8,i will run out of the room40 ,this beauty was secured by ,colonel ,campbell1 later ,duke of ,argyll4 ,her royal admirer had made her promise that she would let him know whenever she made her selection2 but she forgot1 or omitted purposely1 to do this4 ,she thus incurred his bitter dislike2 and whenever her duties compelled her to attend at ,court1 which she did with some alarm1 this gracious person always took care to whisper some ill-natured speech4 ,she did not live to share her husband's honours1 and now sleeps in the well-sanded vaults of the old ,soho church4 ,now taking flight across ,london to 8the ,marble ,arch0 and to the ,queen's ,road1 we reach the old ,bayswater burying-ground1 where it is assumed that one of our great humorists lies buried4 ,it is not1 however1 generally known that there are well-founded doubts as to whether ,yorick's 8dust0 is to be found beneath his headstone1 and whether the 8mortal coil0 he shuffled off in ,bond ,street has not been sacrilegiously transported away4 ,sterne the recherch1 the friend of wits and nobles in ,paris as well as ,london1 died on ,march #ah1 #agfh1 in mean lodgings1 ,no4 #da ,old ,bond ,street1 a silk bag maker's4 ,mr4 ,loftie1 however1 believes that the house was ,no4 #ci;,b1 now ,messrs4 ,agnew's4 ,the ,shandean gave up the ghost piteously enough1 abandoned by his family1 and by a strange chance a footman1 sent by a convivial party to inquire 8how ,mr4 ,sterne was10 arrived almost exactly at the moment of dissolution1 and saw him pass away4 ,this person was one ,james ,macdonald1 8own man0 to ,mr4 8,fish0 7so nicknamed7 ,crauford1 a person of fashion2 and he has recorded this curious incident in his valet-memoirs4 ,now1 this departure of poor ,yorick was disastrous enough4 ,his whole career1 indeed1 was one of eccentric gambadoes on his hobby-horse2 but he never reckoned that after his death1 yet another grimly grotesque chapter was to be added to his ,shandy record4 ,it was hard enough that so jocund a person should die so miserably--or1 as he might have thought it1 die at all2 and there was a hideous contrast between the crowd which the viveur was always secure of1 and this sad desertion4 ,but the funeral was in keeping4 ,it might have been expected that a ,canon of ,york1 one holding the curacy of ,coxwold1 would have had many mourners2 but the ,english humorist was attended to the grave by--how many will it be supposed8--two mourners6 ,one was ,becket1 who published the defunct's works2 the other1 old ,sam ,salt1 one of ,elia's ,benchers1 a ,shandean in his way1 though why he attended seems as mysterious as why the others stayed away4 ,this humble cortge took its way to the old burying-ground near ,tyburn1 and there1 on the west side1 poor ,yorick's remains were duly consigned to the earth4 ,more than a year passed away1 when1 in ,july1 #agfi1 a strange report got into the papers3 8,it is rumoured that the body of ,mr4 ,sterne1 the ingenious author of ,tristram ,shandy1 which was buried at ,marylebone1 has been taken up and anatomized by a surgeon at ,oxford40 ,this must have astounded ,hall-,stevenson and other jovial ,shandeans4 ,it was likely enough to be true4 ,the meanness of his burial1 the beggarly account of mourners1 was a plain hint to the resurrection-men that here was a subject not likely to be watched or inquired after4 ,the remains were certainly 8lifted0 and disposed of1 like the late ,mr4 ,gamp's1 8for the benefit of science40 ,mr4 ,edmund ,malone1 who had much of his friend ,boswell's taste for small gossip1 tells us that he had heard that the body was sent to ,cambridge1 and sold to a surgeon there for dissection4 ,he adds1 that a friend of ,sterne's1 coming in during the operations1 told him that he at once recognized the features4 ,this was the last outrage that poor ,yorick could have dreamed of--worse than what befell his own ,slawkenbergius1 or the sufferers by the famous ,tagliacotian operation4 ,yet there seems little reason for doubting ,malone's account4 ,there is a third version1 which supplies even the name of the anatomist--one ,mr4 ,charles ,collignon1 ,b4,m4 of ,trinity1 who died in #aghe1 and who on this occasion had invited some amateur anatomists to see him operate on 8a subject0 just received from ,london4 ,after the recognition it was too late to suspend the dissection1 which had nearly been completed4 ,it is added that the friend of ,mr4 ,sterne fainted away4 ,so far the tale seems supported4 ,but there is a further bit of evidence1 such as it is4 ,in a copy of the ,sentimental ,journey the owner has written a curious note to the effect that 8the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,green told me that1 being at ,cambridge a short time after1 he saw the skeleton1 and had the story confirmed to him by the ,professor himself40 ,yorick1 therefore1 besides suffering the original indignity1 would seem to have been regularly anatomized or 8articulated10 according to the science of ,mr4 ,venus4 ,it might be worth inquiring whether any such skeleton is preserved in the ,cambridge museums1 private or public4 ,the ghastly story is further supported by the fact that at the time the rifling of graves was a regular practice1 and the ,tyburn burying-ground was a favourite locale for such depredations2 so much so that only a few months before it had been guarded by watchers and a stout mastiff-dog4 8,this burial-ground10 says ,mr4 ,hutton1 in his useful ,literary ,landmarks1 8is situated between ,albion and ,stanhope ,streets4 ,sterne's memorial1 a high but plain flat stone1 stands next the centre of the west wall1 under a spreading1 flourishing old tree1 whose lower branches and leaves almost touch it40 ,the explorer will find in the burying-ground a headstone and flourishing inscription set up by strangers--for the widow and daughter were left in extreme poverty1 and had to be relieved by a subscription made on the ,york racecourse4 ,two ,freemasons1 signing themselves 8,w4 and ,s40 furnished this tribute3 ,,near ,,this ,,place ,,lies ,,the ,,body ,,of ,,the ,,reverend ,,laurence ,,sterne1 ,a4,m4 ,,died ,,september #ac1 #agfh1 ,aged #ec years4 ,ah6 molliter ossa quiescant4 99 99 99 99 99 ,if a sound head1 warm heart1 and breast humane1 ,unsullied worth and soul without a stain2 ,if mental powers could ever justly claim ,the well-known tribute of immortal fame1 ,sterne was the man who with gigantic stride ,mowed down luxuriant follies far and wide1 c4 ,and they added at foot1 that although he 8did not live to be a member of their society1 yet1 as all his incomparable performances evidently prove him to have acted by rule and square1 they rejoice in this opportunity of perpetuating his high and irreproachable character to after ages40 ,nearly every portion of this effusion is inaccurate or untrue4 ,his body did not lie there2 he was fifty-seven1 not fifty-three2 he died in ,march1 not ,september1 and on the #ahth1 not on the #acth4 ,his head was not 8sound02 his worth was 8sullied02 and acting 8by rule and square0 was about the last thing we would give our ,shandean credit for4 ,it will be noted that the words are 8near this place10 so that it does not mark the spot of interment4 ,under these circumstances there would be a certain hollowness and uncertainty attending any form of memorial in this particular spot4 ,on the other hand1 it must be said that the existing stone--a wretched thing1 with its wretched inscription--would not have been set up by the two ,freemasons if such painful rumours were abroad4 ,the very preparation of the stone would have occupied some weeks or months4 ,many years ago the writer suggested that a memorial should be placed in ,york ,minster1 of which cathedral ,sterne was prebendary4 ,the ,dean was favourable to the project1 as also was his ,grace of ,york4 ,a few subscriptions were obtained1 notably from the late ,mr4 ,carlyle and ,lord ,houghton1 but beyond this there was little encouragement4 ,this project might now be revived1 as there is a taste or craze for recording monuments4 ,it may be added that ,sterne's 8,eliza0 is entombed with all the honours in ,bristol ,cathedral1 a 8very elegant piece of statuary0 7vide local guide books7 marking the place4 ,it says that in this lady 8genius and benevolence were united40 ,so they were in her less fortunate admirer1 for whose cenotaph might be prepared a simple medallion on the minster wall1 with the short inscription1 8,alas1 poor ,yorick60 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,piccadilly1 ,,bond ,,street1 ,,and ,,albert ,,gate4 ,wonderful changes have been made at ,hyde ,park ,corner within a few years4 ,many have considered that this was one of the most effective architectural bits in ,london4 ,for here was the great archway with the avenue beyond1 while facing it was the elegant screen or colonnade1 through which was seen the ,park and the procession of carriages and promenaders4 ,a dreadful and ungainly alteration has been made4 ,a sort of unmeaning triangular slope has been cleared1 the arch has been carted away and placed at an extraordinary and unmeaning angle4 ,the space has been cut up in roadways1 with triangular or rather mutton-chop-shaped 8refuges10 in one of which an equestrian statue of the ,duke of ,wellington has been set up4 ,the bold irregularity of the whole--barbarous almost--causes a feeling of despair1 for no amount of statues or decoration will cure the original radical defect4 ,what must be lamented most is the injury to the beautiful open colonnade1 designed by ,mr4 ,decimus ,burton to stand at the side of a street1 and to be faced by other buildings4 ,now it looks too poor and mean to flank such a vast open place4 ,yet a little knowledge and care would have secured an effective arrangement4 ,the arch should have been left where it was1 even though it stood isolated4 ,it was a monument4 ,the mischief is now done1 and seems irreparable4 ,through the screen we can see among the trees the great bronze statue erected 8by the ladies of ,england 8 in honour of the conqueror of ,waterloo4 ,since the days of its being cast there has always been irreverent jesting at the expense of the particular 8ladies of ,england0 who had chosen to offer this nude figure as a token of their admiration4 ,mr4 ,croker1 however1 once1 reviewing a ,frenchman's account of a visit to ,london1 thus vindicated the fair dames3--8,let it be known10 he says1 8that the ladies of ,england had nothing to do with the selection of this brazen image4 ,both are the work1 as we believe1 of a self-elected committee1 in which we doubt whether there was a single lady2 and the whole affair was got up1 we have heard1 by the artist and half a dozen dilettanti1 who cared little about the ladies or ,wellington1 or a triumphal monument1 but were enraptured at the idea of erecting in ,london the copy of a statue which they had admired at ,rome40 ,close beside is the house of the 8,iron ,duke40 ,a few 8oldest inhabitants0 will recall how remorselessly1 after all his windows had been broken by the mob1 he kept his iron shutters down until the day of his death1 a span of five-and-twenty years1 once pointing to them significantly when the crowd attended him home with flattering shouts4 ,it was a fine rebuke4 ,here we come to the ,byron statue1 a sort of schoolboy1 in jacket and trousers1 sitting on a triangular lump of metal1 with a poorish dog4 ,this is surely not the ideal of the noble poet4 ,instead of stopping with a reverential gaze and thinking of ,childe ,harold1 we only wonder what this queer bit of pantomime signifies4 ,the pedestal has been likened to 8a cake of ,pears' soap40 ,it is the work of the once famous ,belt1 who obtained the commission from a committee of noblemen and gentlemen of taste4 ,at the trial it was contended that one ,verheyden had furnished the design1 or the drawing of the design1 and there was much fury of contention1 cross-examination1 etc41 on this point4 ,those who wish to see what this ,verheyden could do1 may study the two graceful female figures over the door of the handsome ,new ,water-colour ,exhibition building in ,piccadilly1 and which were actually carved 8in situ10 as it is called--a difficult feat4 ,towards ,knightsbridge we note the two large mansions which flank the entrance to the ,park4 ,one of them1 long left untenanted1 obtained the sobriquet of ,gibraltar1 because 8it was never taken40 ,here the once famous speculator ,hudson lived1 an extraordinary instance of financial reverse and romance4 ,the story of 8the ,railway ,king10 as he was called1 illustrated the meanness of fashionable life1 and there were many tales circulated of the flatteries and homage of great ladies4 ,forgotten now are the jests that used to circulate as to the sayings and doings of his spouse1 whose extraordinary and original 8derangement of epitaphs0 were better even than those of her famous prototype4 ,this millionaire's fall was as sudden and rapid as his rise4 ,by a curious coincidence1 one of the great houses close by in ,grosvenor ,place1 the one built for the residence of the ,marquis of ,westminster1 but never occupied by him1 was tenanted during the ,french war by another gigantic speculator--,dr4 ,strousberg1 also a ,railway ,king--the crash of whose fall resounded through ,europe4 ,the ,albert ,gate ,mansion is now the ,french ,embassy4 ,these two large houses are associated with ,lady ,morgan in a pleasant way4 ,when she came to live in ,william ,street1 about the time of the ,coronation1 ,mr4 ,cubitt had just taken the ,belgravian district in hand1 but the road presented a very different aspect from what it does now4 ,there was no entrance to the park here1 nor was it needed1 as no one wanted to enter1 save ,lady ,morgan herself--with her a good reason4 ,there was the great ,cannon ,brewery1 with a smoking chimney2 public-houses1 too1 galore1 as indeed there are now2 such are true ,tories1 and never move or change4 8,i must have a new gate10 she declared1 8where the #8,fox and ,bull' pothouse now stands4 ,there is a rural air over the whole that is pretty4 ,what ,i want is a gate where the old sewer tap now moulders1 and flanks a ditch of filth and infection4 ,a sort of little rustic bridge should be over it1 which would not be without its picturesque effect40 ,lord ,duncannon1 of the 8,woods and ,forests10 was appealed to1 but declined to grant the favour1 on the ground of the block at ,hyde ,park ,corner--8,it would not be desirable to establish another thoroughfare near it40 ,what an amusing book could be written on the sapient reasons offered by public men for not undertaking schemes1 commencing with ,lord ,palmerston's wise prophecy as to the ,suez ,canal6 ,more interesting is it still to pass on a little beyond to ,albert ,terrace1 one of the most charming locales in ,london as to its rearward view1 though the front is dusty and noisy1 and perhaps disagreeable4 ,but in the mornings1 you may look out on the park as on your own grounds4 ,here used to reside ,charles ,reade1 the author of 8,it's ,never ,too ,late to ,mend10 one of the men of genius of the day1 though he once mystified his friends and others by the strange inscription along his garden wall--,i well remember reading with astonishment the large letters on the parapet--8,naboth's ,vineyard03 a protest against the ground landlord1 who coveted his tenement 8hugely for the detriment thereof10 and its re-creation in the shape of ,belgravian terraces4 ,now one of those monstre ranges of building to hold innumerable tenants1 and which are in such favour1 is being erected4 ,by-and-by the whole of the old-fashioned little terrace1 with its pleasant gardens1 will disappear4 ,returning to the ,corner1 we pass ,hamilton ,place1 recently--yet it seems long ago--a cul de sac1 and no vulgar thoroughfare4 ,what a contention was raised by the invaded fashionables when it was proposed to throw it open to general traffic6 ,now the waggons and cabs trundle through the sacred precinct1 and one hardly credits the fact that it was so lately a gloomy and deserted inclosure4 ,here lived the old ,chancellor ,eldon1 who1 for so august a personage1 was plagued in a most amusing way during the ,queen's ,trial4 ,the ,government had agreed to find her a town house in default of a palace1 and her friends maliciously selected one in ,hamilton ,place1 next door to the ,chancellor4 ,the horror and anguish of the old gentleman may be conceived1 since the noble lady was always attended home by shouting mobs1 and appeared at the windows while her friend1 ,alderman ,wood1 made speeches4 ,he wrote to the ,government to say that if this was allowed he would be driven from his house and his office at the same time4 ,the ,government gave directions accordingly2 but the ,queen's friends seemed to be bent on his annoyance1 and proposed a subscription to purchase that house and no other4 ,the poor ,chancellor had actually to buy it1 as the only way to save himself from persecution1 though he was lucky enough to re-sell it again without loss4 ,it may be noted that there are some survivals in ,london which almost savour of feudal times4 ,all may notice those 8bars0 which are maintained in certain districts1 fashionable1 or formerly fashionable1 and which are kept strictly select1 the guardians severely refusing passage to the heavily-laden waggon or market cart that desires to pass through2 none of this class are admitted but have business in the inclosure4 ,this is like one of the nobles' privileges on the eve of the ,french ,revolution4 ,more strange is it to find that on a certain day in the year ,his ,grace of ,bedford closes his 8bars0 altogether at ,gordon ,square1 ,gower ,street1 and other points of that district1 and luggage-laden cabs1 making for ,euston and ,king's ,cross1 have to get round by circuitous roads as best they can4 ,this is done to keep the right 8alive10 but it seems a monstrous thing4 ,once this private property has been turned into a public street1 the privilege of private property should cease1 as the inhabitants pay rates for the use of the road4#b ,a glimpse of ,park ,lane1 of its strange fountain1 is 8a sorrow for ever10 painful to the eye in spite of its ,chaucer1 ,shakespeare1 and ,milton1 presided over by the flaming gilt female blowing hard at her trumpet4 ,the last is the peccant part1 and were she removed the three poets might look dignified and respectable4 ,of all ugly things in the metropolis1 drinking fountains offer the largest variety4 ,there our professors of deformity revel1 and the more pretentious and costly the attempt1 the greater hideousness is the result4 ,the idea generally is to produce something imposing and architectural1 a sort of temple or building1 if possible--ridiculous when it is considered that a little cheap 8squirt0 of water1 dribbling into a basin1 is the entire aim and end4 ,you have all the apparatus of a grand 8fountain10 only without the gush of water4 ,there is a pretty marble boy's figure in ,st4 ,james's ,park1 by ,jackson1 close to ,queen ,anne's ,gate4 ,for years1 however1 it has been ,illustration3 ,,across ,,the ,,hall1 ,,dorchester ,,house4 allowed to remain in a mutilated state1 the nose having dropped off4 ,there is another by ,dalou1 of yet more artistic pretension1 behind the ,royal ,exchange in the ,city4 ,it represents a fleshly woman1 wrought in marble1 who is busy with the old maternal office of suckling her child1 oddly suggestive to the wayfarer who is slaking his thirst below4 ,as one passes it1 it recalls the facetious ,w4 ,s4 ,gilbert's pathetic chorus in 8,iolanthe03-- 8,had that refreshment been denied ,then your ,strephon must have died40 ,the ingenious artist1 a refugee1 ,i believe1 in the ,commune days1 introduced the school of ,carpeaux among us1 but did not receive the full patronage he merited4 ,one of these most terrible combinations is that temple in the ,sanctuary at ,westminster--a mixture of mosaics1 marble1 and metal1 ever grimy and slimy and squalid4 ,there is1 however1 one artistic work1 in ,berkeley ,square1 well worthy the attention of amateurs4 ,this1 a graceful female figure1 represented as pouring the water from a vase--the work of a well-known sculptor1 ,munro4 ,but the statue is rather decayed and what marble could stand our weather8 ,by-and-by the features1 fingers1 etc41 will drop away4 ,park ,lane1 with its stately mansions and choice collection of noble owners1 is a charming thoroughfare1 and suggests1 a little1 portions of the ,champs ,elyses4 ,the houses on the whole are poor and old-fashioned1 ingeniously altered and shaped to modern use1 with a ludicrous disproportion to the enormous sums paid for them1 and which is in truth paid for the situation4 ,it will be noticed what shifts are resorted to to gain room and make the most of the precious ground1 the 8areas10 as they may be called1 being generally covered in and turned into kitchens1 over which a garden is laid out4 ,in foreign countries1 palaces1 or noblemen's 8htels10 would be reared on each site4 ,here is the ,earl of ,dudley's bright1 smiling mansion1#c with a colonnade and verandahs1 with those of the ,marquis of ,londonderry1 the ,duke of ,westminster1 and other grand seigneurs4 ,an amusing work might be made1 setting out the stories of these houses and their tenants1 and no doubt there is at this moment some ,greville or ,raikes1 busy putting down notes and anecdotes4 ,one of the finest and most architectural mansions in ,london is the ,italian villa of ,mr4 ,holford1 ,dorchester ,house1 to be found here4 ,this elegantly designed structure is favoured by its situation on a 8tongue0 of land1 and is enriched internally by some splendid monumental chimney-pieces1 the work of the accomplished but ill-fated ,steevens1 whose story we shall relate further on4 ,returning into ,piccadilly1 a few doors from the ,duke of ,cambridge's mansion1 ,gloucester ,house1 we note a curious arrangement1 a sort of landing in front of a doorway1 with a green door1 like that of a cupboard1 on a level with the street4 ,this was associated with 8,old ,q10 the famous old rou1 the ,duke of ,queensberry1 whose house it was4 ,this disreputable person lived to a vast age1 till he could not walk1 when a machine was devised that let him down1 ,bath-chair and all1 to the street2 and this cupboard contained the apparatus4#d ,another arrangement was the keeping a servant mounted on a pony by the curbstone4 ,at a signal from 8,old ,q10 when anyone passed that he wished to see and talk with1 or wished to know more of1 the menial cantered off in pursuit4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,red ,,drawing ,,room1 ,,dorchester ,,house4 ,there are other houses hard by which illustrate curious mutations of life4 ,here1 for instance1 is a handsome mansion1 built by ,mr4 ,beresford ,hope for his private residence1 and from the designs of a ,french architect1 one of the rare specimens in town4 ,in time it passed from his hands1 and is now the ,junior ,athenum ,club4 ,further on1 an imposing stone mansion1 crescent-shaped in its faade1 and of classical character1 was1 ,i believe1 built by the late 8,marquis of ,steyne0--or ,hertford1 rather--at1 of course1 great cost1 and equally1 of course1 never inhabited by him4 ,for thirty or forty years1 ,i believe1 it remained in this ghostly condition1 until his strange1 eccentric course came to a close1 and more rational successors arrived4 ,passing on1 we reach ,cambridge ,house1 once the mansion of the ever-popular ,palmerston4 ,there is something dignified1 yet unpretending1 in this house1 not to say classical2 it seems suited to a prime minister4 ,here were those parties and receptions1 where the adroit hostess was supposed to have the art of cementing political ties4 ,it is now a club1 and enormous additions have been made on the ground behind4 ,few know that it was in this row that the ,hamiltons and ,lord ,nelson lodged when they came to ,london1 and where the hero's weakness was exhibited in most open and unbecoming manner1 which has been good-naturedly glossed over by his countrymen4 ,the ,white ,horse ,cellar1 a most interesting old place for its traditions1 lingered on1 bow windows and all1 till a few years back4 ,the revival of the old coaching days saved it4 ,but now it has been fashioned into a new modern hotel4 ,there is hardly a more exhilarating and original spectacle to be seen than occurs here in the full 8swing0 of the season1 at the close of a summer's day1 between six and seven o'clock4 ,at this time gather elegants in glossy hats and frock-coats with waists1 ebony sticks with silver knobs1 like miniature 8black rods20 together with wiry elderly gentlemen1 like the curious water-colour portraits that used to be seen in ,sams' old shop at the foot of ,st4 ,james's ,street4 ,a few years ago 8,sams0 was swept away1 with all his curious water-colour noblemen in tight trousers and strange hats1 and a vast ,dutch house has taken its place4 ,the coach seers are all well shaven1 and wear check cravats4 ,some stand on the steps1 others on the pav4 ,less aristocratic beings cluster there too1 straws in the mouth1 or emerge from the cellar below4 ,now the clock hand is within a quarter of an inch of the hour1 and hark6 the faint winding of a horn from the ,knightsbridge direction1 then another nearer1 from the ,strand side4 ,the coaches are coming up true to their time--to a minute4 ,there they are--the bright yellow1 the dark1 the grey panelled3 the policeman puts back the traffic2 up they roll1 well laden2 ladies bright and cheerful2 the scarlet guard2 the coachman confident and secure1 and bringing up his team with exquisite nicety1 as a river steamer captain puts his vessel alongside4 ,what fine horses and fine harness6 ,coachman1 copper-coloured by the sun and the dusty roads of ,dorking1 flings down his reins and strides in1 as if every second was precious1 to keep some appointment in the office4 ,the metal ladder is put up1 the ladies assisted down4 ,it has been a delicious day among the velvet greens of ,dorking4#e ,the large detached building near ,st4 ,james's ,hall1 erst the shop of ,attenborough--name of good and evil omen to many--had become a haunt for exhibitions4 ,the first was in the 8old days10 that is what time the wonderful ,sarah brought over all her models and pictures1 and with a pleasing1 harmless vanity exhibited them4 ,the scene of her first reception there comes back on us--the wiry creature1 leaning on her crutch stick1 flanked by a certain lad1 receiving the company4 ,the curious specimen of the ,parisian confidential man-servant--exactly like those on the stage--who took the tickets--was interesting in his way4 ,he gave the idea that he knew secrets1 and1 better still1 could be trusted with them4 ,the motley nature of the crowds was also amusing2 consisting of 8swells10 artists1 press1 all in a jumble4 ,not undramatic was the meeting of the tall ,german ,ambassador and the diva4 ,there was a theatrical trickiness in the show1 though there were one or two works at the most that were of extraordinary merit--the ,drowned ,boy1 and the heads of ,girardin and ,busnach4 ,on a balmy morning there is nothing more agreeable than a walk in the ,green ,park1 and the happy mortals1 or immortals1 who own the houses that look into it--,salisburys1 ,ellesmeres1 ,spencers1 e tutti quanti--may be envied as you walk4 ,there are a few trees1 and there are generally some lazy mortals seated on the green chairs under their shade1 and perhaps sleeping4 ,we look up at the house that seems all bow-window1 and call up 8old ,rogers10 who was there but yesterday1 with his breakfasts1 his exquisitely choice pictures1 his epicurean tastes1 his social life1 which he may be said to have created1 and his stories1 which in his old age and decay he used to repeat in a strange formal way1 and always in the same words4#f ,after his death1 when he was an enormous age1 he was of course speedily forgotten2 his treasures1 more speedily still1 were sold by auction1 with his elegant house4 ,nothing more piteous can be conceived than the closing years of a veteran breakfast giver4 ,crabb ,robinson describes his final efforts in this line with a sort of dismal but doubting satisfaction4 ,the rle of professional breakfast and dinner giver--i4e41 of one who wishes to have a reputation for these things--must be an unsatisfactory one1 and bring but poor return4 ,it is ever recurring1 and the thing has to be done over again2 for1 alas6 nothing is so true as that the stomach has no memory4 ,we may glance up ,bond ,street1 the ,rue de la ,paix of ,london1 at the house occupied by ,messrs4 ,agnew4 ,bond ,street is specially devoted to the craze for picture exhibitions1 where there are a half-dozen1 including the ,grosvenor and ,dor ,galleries4 ,the portico of the ,grosvenor ,gallery was originally that of some palace in ,italy1 and is admired for its elegance4 ,it was purchased by the owner1 and set up here4 ,in the ,south ,kensington ,museum is the screen and balcony of a church1 a beautiful work1 which had been torn down and condemned1 and was rescued in the same manner4 ,here is found the home of the ,fine ,art ,society2 and above1 ,goupil's1 a model of elegance4 ,note the bronze decorations of the era and the rich tone of the interior4 ,in ,bond ,street1 too1 is ,long's ,hotel1 lately rebuilt1 an historic house1 celebrated in fashion and fiction4 ,there is an old novel called 8,six ,weeks at ,long's10 and it is probably the scene of the fight between ,nickleby and ,sir ,mulberry ,hawk4 ,opposite1 where a number of new shops stand1 used to be the ,clarendon1 a fashionable dining place forty years ago4 ,at the corner of ,grafton ,street stands a big house1 unpretending and old-fashioned4 ,here1 at 8,no4 #bb;,a10 resides ,henry ,irving1 the favourite and fashionable tragedian4 ,his rooms are rich and luxurious1 as becomes so conspicuous a person4 ,in ,bond ,street we find the agents who enabled the impoverished aristocrat to enjoy the pleasures of the theatre1 for here has flourished time out of mind the great 8,mitchell40 ,the annals of the ,mitchell ,house might be about as interesting as those of the ,christies4 ,it was ,mitchell who introduced the ,french plays1 and engaged the famous ,ballerinas4 ,his shop even to this hour preserves the old tradition1 and the windows are filled with the graceful lithographs1 after ,chalon and ,d',orsay1 of ,mario1 ,grisi1 ,cerito1 ,taglioni1 together with little plastic figures of ,tamburini1 ,paganini1 and other artists4 ,it is enough to look at one of the figurantes to see what an exquisite art dancing was in these old exploded days4 ,it was then literally the poetry of motion4 ,there is now motion enough1 but no poetry4 ,the ghosts of these personages must haunt this place4 ,there are still on sale here that curious series of likenesses of his contemporaries executed by ,d',orsay1 a vast number4 ,they are clever1 but amateurish1 and not such rigid1 literal likenesses as the photographers have accustomed us to4 ,returning to ,piccadilly we pass into the regions that branch away1 ,duke ,street1 ,bury ,street1 ,king ,street1 and the rest1 and enter ,bachelor ,land1 where every old house has been furbished up1 and made to take the shape of apartments for gentlemen4 ,the class of persons who lodge here are notoriously exigeant--old gentlemen coming to town to enjoy themselves1 and requiring all their comforts to precede them4 ,apartment letting here1 therefore1 becomes almost scientific1 and would astonish the rude operators elsewhere4 ,the retired butler and retired lady's maid1 who have joined their fortunes1 8work like horses40 ,the grandfather of ,brummel1 the dandy1 was a retired servant of ,lord ,liverpool's1 and kept one of these lodging houses in ,bury ,street4 ,here1 in ,king ,street1 is ,christie's--which has been1 however1 more disastrous than ,crockford's to many an artistic gull4 ,never can be forgotten the ridiculous displays at one or two of the famous picture sales five or six years ago4 ,within the last twenty years there have been great days at 8,christie's10 when on the 8view0 days the streets were blocked with carriages1 and the dilettanti1 in a sort of mad fervour1 gaped1 and raved1 and bid for works whose value is now admitted to be about a quarter of what was then paid4 ,not to be forgotten was the spectacle and pressure of the perspiring1 enthusiastic1 and ignorant dowager1 with her daughters1 pushing her way round and staring at the works2 and the grave1 subdued excitement of the courteous administrators of the place1 who felt how much was at stake4 ,there were other field days1 when the noble ,dudley contended for the great ,svres jars and won them at ten thousand guineas4 ,it would also be a history of human folly1 and infatuation of cracked amateurs1 who nibbled away their fortune1 in confidence of their own precious judgment1 when all they bought was to 8fetch double hereafter40 ,this rather grimed waste of brick wall on the south side of ,king ,street is 8,willis's ,rooms10 familiar enough2 but it is not so well known that here used to be held the old 8,almack's0 balls4 ,they were instituted a full century ago as gambling and dancing rooms4 ,there is a pleasant old-fashioned flavour in the term 8,the ,rooms10 and there are 8the ,rooms0 still at ,bath1 and at ,york4 ,these are of a pleasing rococo pattern1 rich and florid1 and the design is of the good old spacious school1 now extinct4 8,willis's ,rooms0 is the sole survival of such things in ,london4 ,some years ago we had the ,hanover ,square ,rooms1 of the same kind1 long since converted into a club4 ,the rooms in ,king ,street are enriched with florid old stucco1 but it has been coloured1 to suit the tastes of the day1 with execrable feeling4 ,almack was originally one ,mac,call1 a ,scot1 who came to 8,town10 and thinking his name somewhat too provincial1 reversed the syllables4 ,close by is the ,st4 ,james's ,theatre1 built by ,braham1 and where1 till the hour of her death1 his daughter1 ,lady ,waldegrave1 had her box4 ,this pretty house has since been enlarged after the modern fashion1 and a balcony added2 and the observer may note that the ceiling and the portion of the auditorium nearest the stage1 with the panelling of the boxes1 belongs to the old theatre4 ,hard by is the picturesquely-placed old ,palace of ,st4 ,james's1 which1 however1 has been sorely maimed by later improvements2 witness the 8skimpy0 colonnade in its court4 ,the really effective bit is the old-fashioned gateway1 with its towers of fine1 rubicund brick1 hard as stone1 as ripe in colour and crusted as old port4 ,it is a welcome1 familiar object1 well proportioned1 with a ,dutch quaintness and effect in its belfry4 ,how pleasant and satisfactory it is may be conceived by simply imagining it away from the bottom of ,st4 ,james's ,street4 ,some fifty years ago it was suggested to ,george ,,iv41 by his ,minister1 that the whole ,palace should be sold1 and pulled down1 to supply resources for building ugly ,buckingham ,palace6 ,mr4 ,whistler has noted the gaiety of the scene1 and has done an etching of the lively1 cheerful view4 ,every passer-by avails himself of the services of the pleasant1 cheerful clock1 and its agreeable unpretending chimes4 ,our old friend the tower is all for practical use1 his cupola sheltering the bells1 his gate for passage1 his dial for telling time4 ,and what a right well-proportioned1 conspicuous dial it is6 ,it is seen at once that the building was intended for it1 and it for the building1 whereas in numberless so-called clock towers the clock face seems to have been merely 8stuck on0 as an afterthought1 or a hole made in which a dial was inserted4 ,there is art in so simple a thing as this4 ,few undertakings have been more ridiculed or sneered at than the quarter of ,regent ,street which was for a time one of the boldest and most daring schemes in the way of building that could be conceived4 ,it has always been the fashion to speak of the plaster palaces1 and the pretence of the architecture1 but there can be no doubt that ,waterloo ,place1 the ,quadrant1 and the houses of ,regent ,street are the most effective and gayest portions of ,london4 ,the general design is admirable1 and the ,quadrant is particularly graceful and original4 ,waterloo ,place and the terrace and steps leading into the ,park are picturesque and foreign4 ,even the ,insurance ,office1 with its piazza1 closing the vista afar off1 could not be spared4 ,the two blocks on each side passing ,carlton ,house ,terrace are singularly effective4 ,the ,illustration3 ,,statue ,,of ,,sidney ,,herbert1 ,,by ,,foley4 conception had a perfect airiness and magnificence2 and we may be certain forms the ideal of ,london for persons at a distance4 ,it is curious to think that within living memory there was a stately palace standing where the terraces now are--the well-known ,carlton ,house1 which displayed an open colonnade somewhat of the pattern of the ,duke of ,westminster's house in ,grosvenor ,street4 ,the problem set to the architect1 ,nash1 was to make an attractive thoroughfare up to ,portland ,place1 and thus join the new ,regent's ,park with the ,green ,park4 ,the ,quadrant within living memory was far more imposing than it is now1 owing to the lofty colonnade which ran in front of the shops4 ,this1 however1 was found to interfere with trade and public order2 it was accordingly removed3 the line of the parapet may be still followed along the walls4#g ,the cost of this important work was very little1 scarcely a million and a half1 which included all charges1 purchase of ground1 and goodwill1 and the return in annual rentals was put at about thirty-five thousand pounds1 which at three per cent1 was a fair investment for so important a scheme4 ,for his own residence the architect designed the old ,gallery of ,illustration1 with its courtyard in front1 which contained a long1 well-designed gallery at the back1 still to be seen1 intended for the display of architectural objects4 ,it is now a ,club4 ,the variety of patterns displayed in ,regent ,street does credit to the imagination of the designers2 and the curious in styles will have no difficulty in identifying some houses that are the work of ,sir ,john ,soane1 and which exhibit his special oddities4 ,the impetuous ,pugin used to describe the whole as 8a nest of monstrosities40 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,lincoln',s ,,inn ,,fields4 ,in no part of ,london is there felt such a mixture of sensations as when we enter ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields4 ,there is a tone of old-fashioned repose mixed with quaintness1 and a 8large air of neglect0 too4 ,there are ancient houses enough and decayed chambers4 ,the ,square itself has a certain pleasant old fashion1 and is not trimmed up as are the modern ones4 ,it is rather an old garden run to seed4 ,there is a tradition that it is the exact area of the base of one of the ,pyramids2 but this has been found by measurement not to be exact4 ,i never pass the side of the ,fields that faces the ,inn without examining with a deep interest the range of mansions that line it1 once inhabited by personages of state and quality1 now by clerks4 ,these are of an architectural and stately pattern1 and though altered1 cut up1 subdivided1 and otherwise disfigured1 can1 by a little exercise of the imagination1 be readily restored to their former state4 ,the large bare and gaunt structure in ,sardinia ,street is the old ,embassy ,chapel1 which dates from the seventeenth century1 and the sanctuary portion of which is held to be the work of ,inigo ,jones4 ,its large vaulted ceiling is certainly in his manner1 and suggests the arcades at ,covent ,garden4 ,the faded old gilding and foreign decorations of the interior1 the painted pillars and capitals1 and the curious tiers of galleries1 like the stern of a ,spanish argosy1 are interesting2 and we call up the turbulent nights of the ,gordon ,riots1 when it was sacked and set on fire4 ,in one of the houses opposite ,franklin lodged1 with a pious ,catholic widow1 when he was pursuing his trade as a humble printer4 ,the side of the ,fields adjoining the chapel has a particular interest from the stately houses before alluded to4 ,we may note the large1 well-carved roses and fleur-de-lys which ornament them1 and ,inigo's favourite type of stone pilasters and capitals on a brick ground4 ,the finest and most picturesque old house to be seen in ,london1 close by1 in ,great ,queen ,street1 is also his work1 and almost as he left it4 ,the roof and the enriched capitals and bold cornices are very striking2 but the lower portion has long been a shop1 which makes the whole look insecure4 ,at the corner of this street1 and looking into the ,fields1 is the great mansion of the notorious and intriguing old ,duke of ,newcastle1 with its courtyard in front and sweeping flight of steps--a very striking pile1 with its fine stairs and stately and spacious apartments1 now devoted to offices4 ,a few doors lower down we are arrested by a large open paved courtyard1 with two enormous piers capped by gigantic vases of the most massive and florid kind4 ,here there now appear to be two houses2 but a second glance shows us that this is another imposing mansion1 with a handsomely designed front1 which the moderns have cut up into two3 it was1 in fact1 the residence of the ,lindseys1 ,earls and ,dukes of ,ancaster4 ,another mansion of theirs1 even larger1 is still to be seen on the ,chelsea ,embankment1 close to ,battersea ,bridge4 ,often from familiarly we overlook much that is interesting2 but this house in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields proclaims its ancient significance in a striking way4 ,next to it is a granite mansion of the ,lord ,burlington era1 with an elegant and original semicircular portico1 also divided into two houses4 ,there is a house here which has associations connected with ,charles ,dickens1 interesting and even romantic4 ,this was the residence of ,john ,forster1 so well described by ,charles ,dickens in his will as 8my trusty friend40 ,the happy propriety of this word will not be questioned by any one who knew ,john ,forster well4 ,i have many a letter of his before me1 addressed from this handsome residence from #ahee to #ahfj1 the palmy days1 when he and his friend were full of ardour and of plans1 in the 8full swing10 as it is called1 of success and reputation4 ,this house1 ,no4 #eh1 may be known by its handsome exterior and architectural portico4 ,here1 surrounded by his well-selected books1 were gathered the most celebrated littrateurs of the day1 and notably the bright and amiable 8,boz40 ,it was in #ahdd that1 hurrying home from ,switzerland1 he fixed a particular night at these chambers for the reading of the 8,chimes40 ,this came round on a ,monday1 ,december #bnd1 when a number of his friends were assembled to hear the charming little story read aloud by its gifted author1 of which ,mr4 ,forster writes in the ,life1 8,no detail remains in my memory1 and all are now dead who were present at it1 excepting only ,mr4 ,carlyle and myself40 ,these words were written in #ahgc--;but very soon ,mr4 ,carlyle followed1 and after ,carlyle the amiable writer himself4 ,maclise sketched the scene1 brilliant in its pencil outlines1 every stroke full of character1 and the whole pervaded by a gentle humour4 8,it will tell the reader all he can wish to know4 ,he will see of whom the party consisted1 and may be assured1 with allowance for a touch of caricature1 to which ,i may claim to be considered myself as the chief victim1 that in the grave attention of ,carlyle1 the eager interest of ,stanfield and ,maclise1 the keen look of poor ,laman ,blanchard1 ,fox's rapt solemnity1 ,jerrold's skyward gaze1 the tears of ,harness and ,dyce1 the characteristic points of the scene are sufficiently rendered40 ,thus wrote ,forster of the scene4 ,nothing1 too1 is more gracefully romantic than the figure of the inspired young author reading his work1 a slight 8halo0 round his head2 and though the 8trusty0 owner of the rooms makes good-natured protest against the mode in which he has been dealt with1 it is impossible not to recognise the likeness4 ,john ,forster was the last of the cultured1 refined school of literary men1 well trained by a rigorous course in all the schools--journalism1 politics1 biography1 theatrical and artistic criticism4 ,no man had a nicer taste in all matters of art4 ,his judgment of a player1 a poem1 a book1 a picture1 was ever excellent1 fortified by judicious remark and reasons that were a ready instruction4 ,most of all1 he was one of the heartiest appreciators of humour1 and of a good thing4 ,i shall not forget1 as a choice entertainment1 how he one night read aloud to a small circle1 ,ben ,jonson's ,every ,man in his ,humour1 with such fine elocution and excellent dramatic power1 principally bringing out the ,kitely passages1 which he himself had performed on some famous occasions4 ,it was simply masterly4 ,this same spirit directed him in the qualification of his taste for pictures1 rare ,,mss41 bindings1 books1 sketches1 and the like4 ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,john ,,soane',s ,,museum4 ,on the opposite side of the ,fields is the strange ,soane ,collection1 given to the public under eccentric conditions1 which seem contrived to discourage all access4 ,capriciously selected days1 during certain months of the year1 as capriciously selected1 ensure that no one1 without inquiry or trouble1 can ascertain the proper time for a visit4 ,not more than twenty persons are to be admitted at a time1 and none at all on rainy days4 ,such are1 or at least were1 the testator's rules4 ,through this museum and the strange crowded miscellany which is packed into it1 one must always wander with mixed feelings of astonishment1 puzzle1 amusement1 pity1 bewilderment and admiration4 ,at times we might be looking at the choicest cabinets of a dainty collection1 so elegant and precious are the things collected2 at another1 at the heterogeneous gathering found in a marine dealer's shop4 ,this is the secret of the extraordinary feeling as we go from room to room4 ,it is a museum in a private house4 ,every inch of space1 every corner1 every bit of wall is literally 8stuck over0 with scraps and odds and ends of sculpture and fragments4 ,all seem to have been as fish to the owner's net4 ,medals1 coins1 casts1 drawings1 engravings1 models in cork and in wood1 books1 paintings1 broken bits of sculpture1 stained glass1 sarcophagi1 8cinerary urns10 bronzes1 gems1 ,etruscan vases1 ,,mss41 busts1 with a hundred oddities1 are all gathered into the heterogeneous mass4 ,this variety is what gives the collection its charm1 everything is so conveniently placed under the eye3 a contrast to the ennui of wandering through vast halls1 as we have to do in great public museums1 where you stare but do not look2 while there is such an air of snugness1 that the whole has a charm of its own1 not to say fascination4 ,you walk through a private house4 ,some of the pictures have the highest merit1 such as ,hogarth's fine series of the 8,election10 which are interesting as having been in the possession of ,garrick1 and purchased at ,mrs4 ,garrick's sale in #ahbc for #a1fej guineas--a great price then4 ,there are fine ,canalettis and ,turners1 and many pleasing pictures by inferior artists4 ,of course the great attraction is the famous ,belzoni sarcophagus1 purchased for #b1jjj4 ,but with all these evidences of good taste there is an extraordinary mixture of fantastic1 if not eccentric1 things1 which seems incredible in a man thus cultivated4 ,thus1 on the basement floor there is a sort of theatrical or ,vauxhall imitation of a monk's cell1 contrived by some arrangement of old stones and tawdry stained glass1 of the yellow tint which was in high fashion for hall lamps and greenhouses forty or fifty years ago1 and so delighted was the owner with his contrivance that he thus expatiated on the result3-- 8,returning from the oratory1 you proceed to the ,parloir 7as he calls it7 of ,padre ,giovanni4 ,the scriptural subjects represented on glass are suited to the destination of the place1 and increase its sombre characters4 ,the other works of intellectual and highly-gifted talent1 combined with the statues1 etc41 impress the spectator with reverence for the monk4 ,from ,padre ,giovanni's room the ruins of a monastery arrest the attention4 ,the interest created in the mind of the spectator on visiting the abode of this monk will not be weakened by wandering among the ruins of this once noble monastery4 ,the tomb of the monk1 composed from the remains of an old ornament1 adds to the gloomy scenery of this hallowed place4 ,the pavement1 composed of the tops and bottoms of broken bottles found among the gravel dug out for the foundation of the monastery1 furnishes an admirable lesson of simplicity and economy1 and shows the unremitting assiduity of the pious monk4 ,the stone structure at the head of the monk's grave contains the remains of ,fanny1 the favoured companion1 the delight1 the solace of his leisure hours1 whose portrait1 painted by ,james ,ward1 ,r4,a41 may be seen in the breakfast-room40 ,all which nonsense about 8,parloirs0 and ,padre ,giovanni and his faithful dog can only cause a smile4 ,leaving the 8ruins10 turn we now1 as the old guide book would put it1 to the 8monument court03 8in the centre is an architectural ,pasticico1 of about thirty feet high1 composed of an extraordinary miscellaneous jumble1 the pedestal upon which the cast of the ,belvedere ,apollo was placed1 a marble capital of ,hindoo architecture1 a capital in stone like that at ,tivoli1 and another of a ,gothic sort4 ,these are surmounted by various architectural groups placed one upon the other1 and the whole is terminated by a pineapple40 ,this small1 cramped1 and inconvenient tenement is worth considering as a curiosity from the ingenuity with which the owner has contrived to make the most of his space and materials4 ,one room has no less than seven doors1 one communicating with the vestibule1 the other with the front room1 whilst that on each side of the fireplace opens into a small book cabinet lighted from above2 these latter most happily contrived4 ,the ,picture ,cabinet gives a happy effect to a vista from the gallery2 one critic says 8it is perfectly fascinating in its result40 ,passing into the inclosure of the old ,inn adjoining1 we cannot but admire the 8elderly repose10 7,elia's phrase71 the old-fashioned air of the green1 and the fine sound old houses over which the great tower of the ,law ,courts lifts itself4 ,the line of houses that look on the small square--like an old-fashioned garden--have a pleasing air of tranquillity4 ,a sort of low booth or shop projects here with odd effect1 and serves as the headquarters of a volunteer corps4 ,turning by it into a narrow passage1 we find ourselves in a little retired inclosure1 with a tiny walled garden which belongs to an old sequestered house2 and1 going on further1 we find some decrepit gabled mansions peering down at us2 and beyond1 some gloomy passages leading out into ,chancery ,lane1 lined with finely-crusted mansions1 the back of the old ,inn1 while an ancient tavern1 the ,old ,ship1 rears itself conspicuously4 ,all this miscellany is oddly antique1 and ,dickens like4 ,at the other end of the ,fields the unclean disorderly passages about ,clare ,market still 8flourish0--if that term be appropriate4 ,here are two extraordinary old taverns3 one black with age1 its upper stories overhanging the pavement and propped up with rude beams of old wood serving as columns4 ,this is the ,old 8,george ,,iv40 ,the other is 8,the ,black ,jack10 whose name is significant evidence of its antiquity4 ,one or other of the taverns is associated with the immortal ,pickwick1 and is presumed to be the ,magpie and ,stump1 where ,lowten1 ,perker's clerk1 spent many convivial hours4 ,these grimed old places are quite in harmony with the traditions of ,jack ,sheppard and ,joe ,miller1 which haunt them4 ,both will soon be gone4 ,in ,chancery ,lane1 almost facing ,carey ,street1 is an arch1 through which we get a glimpse of the old ,rolls ,chapel1 which seems a ghostly place and abandoned4 ,lincoln's ,inn itself is an attractive building enough4 ,the old heavy brick gateway1 grimed and encrusted with the dirt of centuries1 has an air of impressive gloominess4 ,all the old buildings adjoining it on one side have been levelled and replaced by these ,elizabethan gabled structures4 ,the venerable gate itself is now menaced1 it is said1 by ,lord ,grimthorpe1 and indeed1 but for protests1 would have been improved away4 ,there is no reason1 however1 why it should not be restored4 ,a consummation to be wished is1 that some modified system of restoration could be introduced1 that is1 by introducing new bits here and there where there is weakness4 ,but no--the work must be thorough1 and from the ground4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,gateway1 ,,lincoln',s ,,inn4 ,the old1 interior court of ,lincoln's ,inn1 daily traversed by hundreds of incurious clerks1 is charming from the delicately-designed corner towers the little windows perched up and down1 the pleasing irregularity1 and general rusted tones of the old brick4 ,even the modern hall which faces the gate has a quaint and becoming air of old fashion1 and is in keeping4 ,but the plaster should be stripped away and the brick revealed4 ,close by1 on the right1 is the characteristic chapel1 which rises so curiously on its arches1 with fan-work of ,inigo's design1 while beyond we have glimpses of the trees and sward of the 8fayre gardens40 ,the new modern chambers are in an excellent ,elizabethan style1 and1 through the obliging aid of ,london smut1 already begin to harmonize with the rest2 and though the stately 8,stone ,buildings0 close by are of quite a different style and pattern1 the mixture is not unpleasing4 ,in half a century or so the whole mass will have been well blended together4 ,the effect is extraordinary when one suddenly turns out of the narrow1 crowded1 noisy ,chancery ,lane1 with its lines of omnibuses1 cabs and carts1 into this college-like seclusion1 where scarcely a sound can be heard4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,corner ,,in ,,lincoln',s ,,inn4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the ,,old ,,inns--,,clifford',s1 ,,staple1 ,,barnard',s1 ,,etc4 ,as we turn from the bustle and hurly-burly of ,fleet ,street1 hard by ,st4 ,dunstan's--an effective modern church--we see a retired alley1 leading by a curious little archway into ,clifford's ,inn4 ,it is difficult to conceive the sudden surprise as we find ourselves in this forlorn inclosure4 ,it might be a fragment of some decayed country town1 or of some of those left-behind corners we come upon in an old ,dutch or ,flemish hamlet4 ,here are a few ragged1 blighted trees1 a little railed-in square without grass1 inexpressibly unkempt1 like a disused burial-ground1 on which blink sadly the ancient crusted mansions surrounding the old 8,chambers40 ,behind us1 and next the low entrance1 is a sad-looking dining-hall--a small1 steep-roofed little building that might hold a score of diners4 ,above it is the usual pert little lantern-clock4 ,no doubt in the last century the ,dutch tradition of such things survived4 ,its two or three blackened1 well-grimed windows have a shining metallic look1 and there are shadowy outlines and leadings which betoken armorial work and stained-glass emblems4 ,here are old1 tattered1 yet still serviceable houses1 encrusted together1 as it were1 and toned into a deep copper colour2 their tiled roofs are sinuous1 with eaves shaggy as old eyebrows2 while above is a picturesque form of dormer windows which suggest ,nuremberg1 coupled1 half a dozen windows in a row together1 under a low1 tiled roof4 ,thus is there roof upon roof4 ,the mellow gloomy tone of the whole is quite 8,walkerish10 and would have pleased the lamented artist4 ,in a corner are other retired white-plastered houses4 ,the general solitude is rarely disturbed1 save by some hurried messenger or man of business taking a fancied short cut from ,chancery ,lane to ,fleet ,street2 the tailor1 with his forlorn book of patterns displayed1 seems little disturbed by customers4 ,the ,inn1 however1 is still inhabited1 and the names of tenants are displayed at the doors4 ,they look down into the forsaken and grassless 8square0--so called--whose shaky gate of twisted iron excludes trespassers4 ,the old ,inn has remained in this precarious state for some years4 ,the 8,antients0 have not found the way to sell their property--as they deem it4 ,some morning1 however1 the new clean hoarding will be found set up1 and the 8housebreakers0 with their picks will be seen at their work4 ,a ,naboth's ,vineyard of this sort is a perpetual challenge to ingenuity to surmount all impediments4 ,clement's ,inn is close by1 just beside the ,law ,courts4 ,the gardens of both touch each other1 separated only by a railing1 and have something of the air of the ,temple ,gardens in miniature4 ,a little quaint1 well-designed ,queen ,anne villa1 as it might be called1 juts into the centre1 and seems a residence that might be coveted4 ,a well-known dramatic critic lived with his family for some years in the inclosure1 and has described to us the delightful sensation of looking out on this agreeable plaisaunce1 where his children played1 quite with the feeling that these were his own grounds3 while close outside were ,wych ,street and the busy ,strand4 ,it is not surprising that the old ,inn1 with its close-like retirement1 should have been affected by literary men and others of tranquil pursuits4 ,it was in one of these places that the late ,mr4 ,chenery lived in solitude1 editing the ,times from his modest chambers2 and it was here1 too1 that he was seized with his last illness1 and died1 it was said1 with but little attendance4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,doorway1 #bd1 ,,carey ,,street4 ,even after the wholesale clearance for the ,law ,courts1 when an incredible number of streets and houses were swept away1 there lingered1 till last year almost1 a number of tortuous alleys and passages2 and urchins lay in wait to guide or direct the wayfarer who wished to gain ,clare ,market or ,drury ,lane4 ,here were some extraordinary houses1 which 8doddered0 on1 crutched up by stays and props2 and a beautiful carved doorway1 with garlands and a ,cupid on each side as supporters1 was lately to be seen here2 but it was soon torn away--probably to be sold in ,wardour ,street4 ,it was sketched by an artist1 who set up his easel in presence of an admiring crowd1 and engraved to illustrate the writer's account of the place4 ,the old hall of ,clement's ,inn has1 fortunately1 been preserved--a bright1 cheerful structure of red brick1 compact and well balanced1 with its tall1 florid1 and elaborately-adorned doorway at the top of a flight of steps4 ,it has fallen into the hands of a printing firm1 who have added on a piece at one end4 ,still1 even as it stands1 it is pleasant to see it1 and it lends a gaiety to the inclosure4 ,in the grass-garden used to stand the old sundial1 supported by a bronze negro1 which one morning1 on the dissolution of the ,inn1 disappeared4 ,there was a general clamour at the loss of the old favourite4 ,the dissolution of ,clement's ,inn was one of those greedy acts of spoliation which seem almost incredible1 but which have often occurred4 ,it would appear now that the members of these bodies have some right to sell and divide among themselves the property of which they are virtually only trustees4 ,a more amazing proposition could not be conceived4 ,some years since we read in a morning paper this 8,bitter cry03--8,as ,i was passing through ,clement's ,inn this morning ,i was astonished to see the negro sundial that has stood1 or rather knelt1 in the centre of the garden for over a century and a half1 dismounted from its pedestal and lying ignominiously on its back on the grass4 ,what had this #8poor sable son of woe' done to deserve such treatment8 ,i found there had recently been a private auction amongst the members of the ,honourable ,society of the ,inn1 and that this well-known statue had been knocked down for #bj to one of the members1 and that having been disposed of1 the ,inn itself1 the pictures1 plate1 and other effects were now following in its wake4 ,surely ,lord ,clare1 who brought this figure from ,italy early in the year #agjj1 and presented it to the ,inn1 little contemplated its ultimately falling into the hands of a private individual40 ,this negro is well modelled and effective in his attitude1 and it is pleasant to find that he has been restored1 not to his original position1 but to a good place on that agreeable plaisaunce1 the gardens of the ,temple1 close to the river1 and through the railings the passer-by can see the negro renewed and polished1 still supporting his sundial4 ,in ,wych ,street1 where ,theodore ,hook declared he was always regularly blocked up by a ,lord ,mayor's coach at one end and a hearse or market-cart at the other1 we find the entrances to two other ,inns1 ,dane's and ,new ,inn--now 8pretty old10 as ,elia said of the ,new ,river4 ,dane's deserves little attention1 as it is a simple lane1 lined with modern houses1 somewhat of the ,peabody type2 the well-shuttered windows of ,new ,inn1 ranged along one side of ,wych ,street1 suggest the long files of jalousied windows in some retired street in ,calais or other ,french town4 ,to visit the place on some dark evening1 and with the lights twinkling from the windows1 recalls this foreign air more strikingly4 ,enter1 and it seems the inclosure of some tranquil old college4 ,on the right there is a shadowed recess surrounded by old houses1 from which projects the sound and solid old dining-hall1 with its bold cornices and square windows1 now lit up4 ,beside it are enclosed gardens and lawns4 ,there is plenty of open area1 plenty of breathing-room and apparent tranquillity3 scattered lights are seen here and there3 there is a general romantic and peaceful tone over the whole4 ,illustration3 ,,gateway1 ,,staple ,,inn ,yet more interesting and original is a visit to ,staple ,inn1 into which we enter from ,chancery ,lane1 meandering through it into ,holborn4 ,the variety and incongruity of the place is singularly piquant4 ,there is the florid gateway1 in modern but good taste1 from which we descend by a flight of broad steps4 ,the old ,hall is garnished with two lanterns1 one square and glazed1 the other circular2 with a quaint door at the side1 over which is the usual sensible clock4 ,there is another square beyond1 on which the other side of the ,hall displays itself2 and thence we pass through a low1 old-fashioned arch out into roaring ,holborn4 ,it seems almost dreamlike4 ,this arch1 with its ponderous wooden gates1 is sunk in one of the well-known picturesquely-framed houses which front ,gray's ,inn ,lane or ,road4 ,they overhang the street in satisfactory style1 and 8hold their own10 as it is called1 with ,rouen4 ,these have been restored and put in sound condition by the ,prudential ,assurance ,company who purchased the ,inn1 and who it was expected would 8develop the property0 in the usual way4 ,fortunately1 they have only repaired and improved it1 and let it out to 8desirable tenants40 ,strange places are these old ,inns4 ,not many years ago the little kitchen used to be busy periodically1 when the 8,antients0 met to dine4 ,these ,antients were usually worthy tradesmen and solicitors1 etc41 of the neighbourhood2 and pleasant evenings enough they spent4 ,houses were to be had for 8a song10 and a pleasant ,bohemian who lived there used to declare that at times his rent was quite forgotten4 ,illustration3 ,,king',s ,,bench ,,walk4 ,associated with these places1 and to cover their uselessness1 the ,antients received students and instructed them4 ,in the last century this was actually carried out1 and 8,readers0 gave lectures4 ,and at ,clement's ,inn1 up to a recent period1 a reader arrived regularly from the ,temple1 who however remained for but one evening1 when he was invited to dine and was courteously entertained4 ,there used to be a practice of holding what were expressively termed 8moots and boults0 in the hall after supper1 when one of the ,antients1 learned in ,coke1 set points for discussion1 which a student was required to answer4 ,there was indeed something very quaint and interesting in the theory1 at least1 of these societies4 ,there was a sacred division1 of the upper table1 where the 8,antients0 sat to the number of eight to a dozen4 ,the lower tables1 where the students sat1 were fewer in number4 ,grace after dinner was not said1 but rather acted4 ,four loaves1 closely adhering together1 a type of the ,four ,gospels1 were held up by the chairman1 who then raised them three times as symbolical of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,they were then handed over to the butler1 who hurried with them out of the hall with an affected haste1 as though not to lose a moment4 ,this ceremony is of extraordinary antiquity and of religious origin4 ,the ,antients had the privilege of electing persons from the lower class into their body1 which was done after a number of years' probation4 ,it was impossible to discover any title or right in these persons beyond long custom1 though trustees were appointed whose title was as shadowy4 ,they dined together at certain intervals in the mysterious little halls1 each person paying his own charges4 ,but the whole interest in the institution is easily discoverable1 and rested on certain profits divided among the ,antients1 and these depended on the rooms in the ,inn1 which as they fell vacant were disposed of1 each tenant paying a sum down1 usually about #djj1 for his life use of the premises4 ,this sum was divided among the ,antients4 ,furnival's ,inn1 which faces its truly genuine companion opposite1 ,staple ,inn1 is sadly modern1 having been rebuilt about a century ago4 ,yet there is an old fashion about it4 ,there is a certain attractiveness in the comparatively old and old-fashioned hotel1 which fills the further extremity1 and which has an air of snugness and comfort with its trees in tubs and cheerful jalousies4 ,this arises from the perfect repose and retirement1 the shelter from the hum and noise of ,holborn4 ,outside there is one of the genuine old taverns1 ,ridler's ,hotel1 where people like ,mr4 ,pickwick might descend4 ,its bow-windowed coffee room and glass-enclosed bars will be noted1 as well as the dark stairs4 ,there are very few of this pattern of tavern left1 and where the old tavern life is pursued4 ,there is one at the ,west ,end1 in ,glasshouse ,street1 which seems exactly what it must have been sixty years ago4 ,there are the old 8boxes10 the sanded floors1 the coats and hats hung up1 and the kettle on the hob4 ,but perhaps of all these places1 8,barnard's0 is the quaintest and most old-fashioned1 from its irregular and even straggling aspect4 ,entering from ,holborn1 by a simple doorway a little below its neighbour1 ,staple ,inn1 we pass the snug little porter's room1 for it is no lodge1 facing which is the truly effective dining hall1 though 8hall0 is too ambitious a term for what is really a largish room4 ,yet how old1 rusted and crusted and original it seems1 with its steep tiled roof1 and elegant little lantern and clock6 ,the windows glitter as with diamond panes1 and we can see the patches of stained glass in the centre of each4 ,a small1 business-like porch is fitted on at the side1 with its little iron gate in front1 while round the tiny court are the good1 sound old brick mansions4 ,beyond again is a glimpse of the trees1 and a garden1 rather forlorn it must be said2 beside which is a strange accumulation of old framed houses1 all white and overhanging4 ,these must be of very great antiquity1 and seem crazy enough4 ,the life in these retreats must be strange1 with a sort of monastic tinge4 ,here 8chambers0 and rooms1 etc41 are to be had at low rates4 ,one of ,dickens's happiest scenes describes ,thavies ,inn1 a curious little recess at the ,circus end of ,holborn1 8a narrow street of high houses1 like an oblong cistern to hold the fog40 ,of ,barnard's ,dickens seems to have had a poor and disparaging opinion1 for it is described 7by ,pip7 as 8the dingiest collection of shabby buildings ever squeezed together in a rank corner as a club for ,tom ,cats40 ,staple ,inn is really an interesting1 pretty retirement2 there is a strange charm in its trees and quaint old hall1 which have evoked an abundance of sentiment1 and prompted some graceful sketches4 ,many a stranger and hurried ,american enters by the effective archway1 leaving the din of ,holborn behind1 and changing of a sudden to unexpected peace as of the country1 anxious to trace the abode of the characters in ,edwin ,drood4 ,mr4 ,grewgius's chambers can be identified as ,number #aj in the inner quadrangle1 for it is described as 8presenting in black and white over its ugly portal the mysterious inscription of ,p4 ,j4 ,t41 #agdg4 ,perhaps ,john ,thomas1 or perhaps ,joe ,tyler1 for a certainty ,p4 ,j4 ,t4 was ,pretty ,jolly ,too40 ,landless's rooms are given with a graphic touch which recalls the whole place3 8,the top set in the corner1 where a few smoky sparrows twitter in the smoky trees as though they had called to each other1 #8let us play at country4'0 ,these old dining halls of the old inns have a certain character1 with their lantern1 clock and weather-cock2 an honest dial generally1 with bold gold figures that all the inn may read as it runs4 ,within1 a business-like1 snug chamber1 with a great deal of panelling and a permanent 8dinner0 flavour4 ,they really give a character or note to the little squares in which they stand4 ,these places are gradually dwindling1 and in a few years will be extinct4 ,close by ,bream's ,buildings1 out of ,chancery ,lane1 there used to stand another inn1 8,symonds'10 which it is hard to call up again1 yet it disappeared only a score of years ago and figures a good deal in the legal scenery of ,bleak ,house4 8,a little pale1 wall-eyed1 woe-begone inn1 like a large dustbin of two compartments and a sifter4 ,it looks as if ,symonds were a sparing man in his day1 and constructed his inn of building materials which took kindly to the dry rot and to dirt and all things decaying and dismal1 and perpetuated ,symonds' memory with congenial sadness40 ,i take from the ,st4 ,james's ,gazette the letter of a reminiscent who refers very pleasantly to the poetry and people which ,dickens has associated with the 8old inns40 ,i may add that in the account referred to the connection of ,dickens with the old inns was purposely omitted1 as the article was purely descriptive1 and special books have been devoted to 8,dickens in ,london40 ,illustration3 ,,barnard',s ,,inn4 8,time was when on an allusion to ,barnard's ,inn it was impossible to keep one's pen from writing of ,pip and ,herbert ,pocket who had there once 7once6 they have still7 their lodging4 ,or ,staple ,inn1 and straightway one's thoughts flew to ,hiram ,grewgius1 and ,neville1 and ,mr4 ,tartar1 and #8the flowers that grew out of the salt sea4' ,or ,gray's ,inn1 and one smiled over the recollection of ,mr4 ,parkle and his friend1 and of the gentleman who1 by the help of the leeches and ,mrs4 ,miggot1 was restored to health4 ,or the late ,lyon's ,inn1 which should be as indissolubly connected with the name of ,mr4 ,testator as ever it was with that of the unfortunate ,mr4 ,william ,weare4 ,mention ,furnival's1 and you speak of the place where the most part of #8,pickwick' was composed2 ,lincoln's1 and ,i drink to the memory of ,miss ,flite and ,esther ,summerson1 of ,richard and ,ada4 8,but my object in writing is to say that if any one after reading ,mr4 ,fitzgerald's paper should journey to those charming forgotten spots of which he speaks1 let him walk to the end of the little square in ,barnard's ,inn1 and he will find1 on looking beyond the south wall1 that straight before him stands an old cowhouse of the time of ,george ,i4 ,often have ,i loitered about this quiet place1 but never realized what that building was till one day an old man passed trundling a wheelbarrow4 #8,all thet's left of the farm1' quoth he1 nodding at the shed2 and not till then was ,i conscious that at the close of the nineteenth century1 in the heart of what ,mr4 ,gosse calls #8,londonland1' there is still to be seen1 suggestive of green meadows and syllabubs1 such a countrified relic of the ancient inhabitants of ,holborn4 ,illustration3 ,,clifford',s ,,inn4 8,also one should visit ,clifford's ,inn1 where once1 somewhere high up on the fourth floor1 ,george ,dyer was to be found2 which reminds me that1 though the ,new ,river is covered over in ,colebrooke ,row1 ,lamb's cottage exists pretty much as it did on the day when gentle ,g4 ,d41 staff in hand1 plunged into the waters that rippled tranquilly along4 ,poor ,dyer6 ,of all places1 ,clifford's ,inn is not the one where ,i would choose to live and die3 rather ,staple1 with its bright little terrace2 or ,clement's1 bereft though it is of its sundial1 the gift1 brought from ,italy1 of ,goldsmith's ,lord ,clare4 ,there is a mouldy air and a dismal about the quaint ,tudor hall 7the ,inn's principal ornament71 where ,sir ,matthew ,hale sat to settle the citizens' claims after the ,great ,fire2 and though the hammered iron railings and the gates and the trees would all come out charmingly enough in an ,american magazine1 ,i don't think even one of the admirable ,yankee artists could make much of a picture of these dilapidated dreary mansions4 ,illustration3 ,,gray',s ,,inn 7page #aab74 8,then1 on your way west1 stay at ,somerset ,house1 where there is a certain wreathed and domed room ,i wot of which will repay you for a somewhat toilsome ascent up a fine staircase4 ,this gallery was built by ,chambers for the use of the ,academy 7you will recollect ,ramberg's picture1 engraved by ,martin1 of a ,private ,view here in #aghg71 and ,reynolds has been here before you1 and here he delivered his ,discourses2 and all the great men and women of the first half of the century have passed over this threshold1 including the famous ,dr4 ,parr1 who tells how he came in the ,princess of ,wales's train40 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,fountain1 ,,middle ,,temple4 ,ever new and welcome are the charming gardens and squares of the two ,temple ,inns1 so charmingly irregular in their disposition4 ,the peaceful tranquillity of the region is extraordinary2 one could wander there for an hour1 gazing across the fair grounds at the glistening ,thames1 which bounds this view1 and the barges and steamers slowly gliding past4 ,the straggling diversity of the buildings1 old and new mingled together1 is not unpleasing1 to ,illustration3 ,,fountain ,,court1 ,,temple4 say nothing of the arcades1 the stately halls1 libraries1 and the fortress-like church4 ,the well-known1 prettily-named 8,fountain ,court0 has its reputation for picturesqueness--has been sketched by ,dickens with a true feeling of its charm--the fountain1 ever rippling softly1 with the terrace and the few old trees shading the old red brick1 in a ,dutch-like fashion1 is truly unique4 ,we love the various old courts and meandering passages4 8,brick ,court10 where poor 8,goldy0 had his rooms4 ,the hall here is magnificent and imposing1 and its elaborate roof second only to that of ,westminster ,hall and ,hampton ,court ,banqueting ,room4 ,illustration3 ,,hall ,,and ,,library1 ,,gray',s ,,inn4 ,as we stray on and on we come to one of the most quaint and attractive residences conceivable1 the residence of ,dr4 ,vaughan1 the ,master of the ,temple1 with its pleasing garden in front raised on a terrace1 its green jalousies1 and general rural air1 though its rear is but a few yards from the ,strand4 ,those who relish genuine old ,english houses1 well framed and overhanging the path1 will wander here into the ,temple ,lane1 on turning out of the ,strand4 ,curious are the dark and somewhat crazy twisting stairs4 ,many years ago there was yet another row of these ancient houses standing1 among which were ,dr4 ,johnson's chambers2 the door-case and its frame were actually sold by auction by ,messrs4 ,puttick4 ,the ponderous gate-house is said to be the design of ,inigo ,jones4 ,the soi-disant ,cardinal ,wolsey's palace is a curious relic enough1 more curious still from being now in the hands of an enterprising hairdresser4 ,without admitting its lofty claims1 the carvings and wrought ceilings are interesting4 ,but to find the true monastic air of retirement1 with something of the tone of an ancient park or grounds long forsaken1 commend us to ,gray's ,inn4 ,from the din and roar of the noisy1 clattering ,holborn1 we can escape by arches and alleys1 and then of a sudden find ourselves in this still1 sequestered retreat4 ,we wander along a quaint flagged lane1 by the old chambers propped on stout pillars1 or a short arcade1 with glimpses of the green plaisaunce seen through old well-wrought iron railings4 ,most effective are the elaborate iron gates and piers that open on the gardens4 ,here we have the welcome rooks1 the few survivors of the tribe in ,london4#h ,illustration3 ,,gray',s ,,inn ,,hall4 ,the somewhat bare and gaunt squares are set off by the old ,hall and ,chapel1 disfigured1 however1 by modern plastering and other garnishing in the ,nash manner4 ,it is a pity that the honest old brick could not be restored to view4 ,the hideous modern platitude1 known as ,verulam ,buildings1 and which excited ,elia's indignant lamentations1 is of course hopeless1 and must be endured4 ,curious as an instance of antique squalor and dilapidation is the row of buildings on the west side of ,gray's ,inn ,road4 ,some years ago there was a delightful entertainment given here1 which proves that the practical spirit of the age has not wholly extinguished the poetical sense4 ,a 8,masque of ,flowers0 was presented in the old ,hall under the direction of ,mr4 ,arthur ,beckett1 performed by a bevy of fair maidens and brave youths1 most of whom--as was fitting--were connected with the profession of the law4 ,the old squares became ablaze with light and crowded with gallant company1 the unfrequented lanes well filled with 8coaches0 from the ,west ,end4 ,it was altogether a pleasant and appropriate festival4 ,illustration3 ,,garden ,,gate1 ,,gray',s ,,inn4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,dickens ,,in ,,london4 ,dickens1 indeed1 is so bound up with the old places of ,london that it may be said that he has lent a peculiar flavour and charm to all town peregrination4 ,he certainly must be considered to have been the best interpreter of the ,city to us4 ,he supplied the tragic and comic grotesque meaning of the old courts1 shops1 alleys1 8all-alones10 8rents10 etc4 8,the reminiscences of his stories10 says a late visitor1 8meet us at every turn1 in the ancient churches1 hemmed in on all sides by gigantic warehouses1 in their melancholy deserted graveyards1 with their ragged grass1 their blackened trees1 and neglected gravestones4 ,in the odd boarding-houses and unaccountable inns that had buried themselves up strange courts1 and lurked1 half hidden1 in unaccountable alleys1 and presented themselves in quiet behind-the-age squares4 ,in the spacious halls of opulent companies1 which showed but an old-fashioned porch in a narrow quiet lane1 but which presented to those who were permitted to enter their portals a superb range of apartments teeming1 mayhap1 with old furniture and valuable pictures1 and doubtless giving on a quiet garden1 worth no one knows what a square foot for building purposes1 but preserved from the ravages of the builder1 merely to gladden the eyes of the plump ,city sparrows1 and of the master1 the wardens1 and the clerk of these most worshipful corporations4 ,so too in the curious old banking-houses1 in the mouldy old counting-houses where so much money was made2 in the difficult-to-find but cosy chop-houses where you could get a chop or a steak--and such a chop or a steak6--hissing hot from the gridiron2 in the methodical old clerks1 the astonishing octogenarian housekeepers1 the corpulent beadles in their splendid gaberdines1 in the ticket porters1 the bankers' clerks chained to their pocket-books1 the porters1 the dockmen1 the carters1 the brokers4 ,down by the waterside1 along ,thames ,street1 through the narrow lanes and passages leading thereto1 you continually saw some spot1 some character or incident that recalled something in one of the stories you knew so well40 ,with such a guide the old streets and houses long since demolished and being fast demolished every day1 revive before us2 with them rises the oldfashioned ,london1 its humours1 its society of fifty years ago4 ,one of the results of this association is that as we walk through some of these old-world quarters1 such as ,goswell ,street or 8,lant ,street1 ,boro'0 7where ,bob ,sawyer gave his party71 the whole ,pickwick1 or rather ,dickens flavour seems to pour out1 and the figures live again4 ,it is not surprising that this connection between the gifted writer and the old bricks of ,london should have become a study1 and a very engaging study1 and in antiquaries' accounts of the great city it is now become customary to trace the haunts and localities of the places described in his novels4 ,in an unpretending but lively little book ,mr4 ,allbut has undertaken this labour of love1 and furnished a very useful little handbook to the ,dickens explorer4 ,from this one might profitably glean a few passages4 ,it will be noted what a poetical instinct the great writer had in this respect1 and he caught the true 8note0 as it were of making selection of what was best fitted for his purpose4 ,this power of vividly imprinting the locality on the mind might be illustrated by that dismal gate and alley1 8,tom all alone's10 of which the site only remains in ,bedfordbury1 just out of ,chandos ,street1 where the huge ,peabody ,buildings rise1 though it has been claimed for other localities4 ,indeed1 close to the upper end of ,shaftesbury ,avenue there is a strange forlorn alley with a dilapidated tottering old inclosure beyond1 which would exactly serve for the original4 ,and in ,russell ,court1 that curious winding passage leading to the pit door of 8,old ,drury10 we fancy we see the gate of the dismal burial ground on whose steps ,lady ,deadlock was found4 ,it still looks exactly as in the print1 8with houses looking on on every side1 save where a reeking little tunnel of a court gives access to the iron gate40 ,this depressing intramural burial ground has been garnished up into a recreation inclosure1 and is but a trifle less gloomy than a cheerful mortuary house built at one side4 ,dickens always delighted in the mystery attendant on banks and their cashiers1 old mouldy mercantile houses where yet a large and safe business was done2 and these things he could interpret and give significance to1 just as ,wordsworth and the later poets did with their favourite district4 ,when ,temple ,bar was removed in #ahgh1 there was removed with it a building which touched it1 and was as old and grimy1 ,child's venerable bank4 ,it is difficult to call up either structure now1 though the frequent 8omnibus outside0 may have occasionally turned his eyes to the blackened walls and to the windows in the ,bar1 a sort of store room where were kept stacked away all the old account books of the firm4 ,the late ,peter ,cunningham was allowed1 ,i believe1 to rummage here1 and discovered some curious documents1 among which were cheques drawn by ,nell ,gwynne1 who kept her account with the ,childs or the predecessors of the firm4 ,speaking of the old house ,dickens says1 in the 8,tale of ,two ,cities03 8,tellson's ,bank1 by ,temple ,bar1 was an old-fashioned place even in the year #aghj4 ,it was very small1 very dark1 very ugly1 very incommodious4 ,any one of the partners would have disinherited his son on the question of rebuilding ,tellson's4 ,thus it had come to pass that ,tellson's was the triumphant perfection of inconvenience4 ,after bursting open a door of idiotic obstinacy with a weak rattle in its throat1 you fell into ,tellson's down two steps1 and came to your senses in a miserable little shop1 with two little counters2 where the oldest of men made your cheque shake as if the wind rustled it1 while they examined the signature by the dingiest of windows1 which were always under a shower-bath of mud from ,fleet ,street1 and which were made the dingier by their own iron bars proper and the shadow of ,temple ,bar40 ,dickens just lived to see the extraordinary wholesale reformation that took place in the construction of the ,holborn ,viaduct1 with the levelling and sweeping away of some of his most popular localities4 ,the ,holborn ,valley before lay between two steep hills1 of which ,snow ,hill was one1 and on ,snow ,hill was 8,the ,saracen's ,head10 where ,mr4 ,squeers invariably put up4 ,this old hostelry stood close to ,st4 ,sepulchre's ,church1 on the ground1 ,mr4 ,allbut states1 now covered by the new police office4 8,the ,wooden ,midshipman10 one of the most effective and playful conceits of ,dickens1 might be pointed out as an illustration of his mode of illustrating stories4 ,take away the little figure from the associations of ,cap'n ,cuttle and ,sol ,gills1 and much life and colour seems abstracted4 ,only so late as the close of #ahha the 8,midshipman0 was flourishing at a house in ,leadenhall ,street1 nearly opposite the ,india ,house4 ,in that year some tremendous operations in demolition and re-erection were being carried out1 and the 8,wooden ,midshipman0 received notice to quit4 ,a pleasant writer1 ,mr4 ,ashby ,sterry1 with a specially delicate touch1 and who has written some 8,tiny ,travels0--so called--because they are merely visits to places familiar and close at hand1 often more enjoyable than the official far-off showplaces--heard of what was going to be done1 and made a hasty pilgrimage to take a last look4 ,he tells us how he was affected4 8,with his quadrant at his round black knob of an eye1 and his figure in the old attitude of indomitable alacrity1 the midshipman displayed his elfin small clothes to the best advantage1 and1 absorbed in scientific pursuits1 had no sympathy with worldly concern4 ,when ,i was a boy1 the very first book of ,dickens's that ,i read was #8,dombey and ,son4' ,passing down ,leadenhall ,street shortly afterwards1 ,i noted the #8,wooden ,midshipman1' and at once #8spotted' it as the original of ,sol ,gills's residence4 ,the description is so vivid and exact that it is unmistakable40 ,this was the old-established firm of ,norie and ,wilson1 nautical instrument makers1 established since #aggc1 and which1 as it seems to me1 had a thoroughly ,dickens flavour--that name ,norie4 ,the firm had associations with ,nelson1 kept up diligently their old-fashioned connections1 and took pride in their ,midshipman4 8,a more popular little officer in his own domain than our friend it would be difficult to find4 ,at one time the ,little ,man used to get his knuckles severely abraded by passing porters carrying loads1 and was continually being sent into dock to have a fresh set of knuckles provided4 ,old pupils1 who had become distinguished naval officers1 would pop in to inquire what had become of the genius of the place1 and many have been the offers to buy him outright and remove him4 ,several ,americans have been in lately and have offered his proprietors very large sums if they might be allowed to purchase him and take him to ,new ,york4 ,it is furthermore on record that ,king ,william the ,fourth on passing through ,leadenhall ,street to the ,trinity ,house raised his hat to him as he passed by40 ,all this is quaint enough4 ,but before this account appeared he had been already taken away carefully1 and set up at his new quarters1 ,no4 #aef1 ,minories1 where he still continues to take his observations4 ,but he is sadly out of keeping4 ,the old shop is described as being curiously appropriate1 so snug1 and so unobtrusive1 so ancient and conservative in its fittings4 ,on the eve of the levelling of the place1 the visitor was invited in by the owner1 8,it is with a sad heart10 he says1 8that ,i accept the courteous invitation of ,mr4 ,wilson to take a last look at the premises1 and listen to much curious gossip about the old shop and its frequenters4 ,the interior of the shop1 with its curious desks and its broad counter1 is fully as old-fashioned as its exterior40 ,he then went upstairs1 passing up 8a panelled staircase with a massive handrail and spiral balusters to the upper rooms4 ,i look in at ,walter's chamber1 and see the place in the roof where ,rob the ,grinder kept his pigeons4 ,i spend some time in a cheerful panelled apartment1 which at one time was the bedchamber of ,sol ,gills40 ,there is something1 however1 too remote in thus identifying minutely the various rooms and scenes2 for ,dickens1 as the writer has shown1 like all good writers1 8abstracted0 in all his creations or adoptions1 and would have found a loss of power had he copied strictly4 ,it was the tone of the place that inspired him4 ,when ,i myself came by that way a little later1 the whole was gone4 ,again1 many have noted in the vicinity of ,clare ,market1 in ,portsmouth ,street1 the old overhanging shop devoted to the sale of waste paper and bones4 ,some years ago it was boarded up and shored up1 and it became known of a sudden that the original of ,dickens's 8,old ,curiosity ,shop0 was doomed to 8demolition40 ,then was witnessed one of those strange rushes after 8fads0 so peculiar to the ,londoner4 8,all day long on ,saturday the narrow pavements of ,portsmouth ,street--that quaint southwestern outlet from ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields--were besieged by a crowd of sympathetic sight-seers1 who had journeyed there from all parts of ,london #8to worship at the shrine of ,little ,nell4' ,they stood four deep in front of the #8,crooked ,billet1' staring curiously over the way at the rickety old timber house with a projecting story1 on the plaster face of which was boldly inscribed1 #8,the ,old ,curiosity ,shop'1 ,immortalised by ,charles ,dickens4 ,here and there among them was an artist1 busy with pencil and note-book taking down sketches of the tumble-down old place2 and one could not fail to distinguish the noisy demonstration of the ,american traveller1 as he demanded to know1 with nasal eagerness1 #8,if that really was the home of ,little ,nell4' ,for a year or two past1 at any rate1 it had been one of the stock visiting places of ,american tourists4 #8,they went there to worship1' a neighbouring shopkeeper said2 #8took off their hats when they got through the doorway1 and asked questions about ,quilp and the ,grandfather as if they had been actual persons4 ,the ladies were the worst4 ,i have known them get down on their knees and burst out crying about ,little ,nell4' ,miss ,mary ,anderson might have been seen there more than once1 with her heart full of tenderness for the little maiden2 and so delighted was the fair ,american with the ancient dwelling and its overhanging story that the doors of the ,lyceum were opened to the fortunate occupant whenever she chose to go40 ,the place had been condemned by the ,board of ,works1 but that body moved very slowly1 or there had been a reprieve4 ,with ,american shrewdness1 the ,american actress1 ,lotto1 brought this scene into an adaptation of the story she was about to play4 ,latterly it is becoming a pleasant hobby1 notably in the case of the ,americans1 to diligently follow in the footsteps of ,dickens1 and visit and identify all the scenes he placed in his novels4 ,year by year these are disappearing4 ,numerous pleasant articles have appeared in ,american magazines1 with pretty illustrations1 and carried out in a very fond and tender spirit4 ,indeed1 this culte of ,dickens is growing every day2 but it will be a serious loss when all his houses and haunts have been pulled down4 ,there will be a link lost then between him and us4#i ,we have only to walk to the ,marble ,arch1 and there we see his last town residence1 ,no4 #e1 ,hyde ,park ,place1 a solemnly genteel1 if not monotonous1 residence1 that belonged to ,mr4 ,gibson4 ,it is astonishing1 indeed1 how every step1 turn1 and corner in ,london is somehow associated with this great master of fiction--chambers1 old streets1 slums1 etc4 ,the secret is1 he delighted himself to associate his fancies with some particular locality1 and this feeling inspired him4 ,there is a remarkable passage in his life where he deplores the difficulty of writing1 when far away from the bustle and motion of ,london streets4 ,it will be remembered how he set off to 8choose a house0 for ,sampson ,brass in ,bevis ,marks4 ,it is impossible to look at ,bevis ,marks now without calling up that strange character4 ,you feel he must have lived there4 ,so with ,lant ,street1 ,borough1 the residence of ,mr4 ,sawyer1 and which has the suitable dinginess3 all this is pleasant to the pedestrian1 the scenery being so much in keeping4 ,in a few years1 when everything is altered and pulled down1 we shall have only the site left by which to recall old associations4 ,near the bottom of ,parliament ,street1 and almost opposite the ,home ,office1 is a narrow lane leading into ,cannon ,row1 whence could be long seen the rear of the unfinished ,opera house4 ,at the corner stands a third-rate public-house1 suggesting one of the extraordinary incidents in ,london1 where meanness and opulence are ever side by side4 ,this public-house is associated with the hardships of ,dickens's boyhood1 in a very characteristic recollection1 which he relates himself4 8,i remember1 one evening 7,i had been somewhere for my father1 and was going back to the ,borough over ,westminster ,bridge71 that ,i went into a public-house in ,parliament ,street1 which is still there1 though altered1 at the corner of the short street leading into ,cannon ,row1 and said to the landlord behind the bar1 #8,what is your very best--the very best--ale1 a glass8' ,for the occasion was a festive one1 for some reason3 ,i forget why4 ,it may have been my birthday1 or somebody else's4 #8,twopence1' says he4 #8,then1' says ,i1 #8just draw me a glass of that1 if you please1 with a good head to it4' ,the landlord looked at me in return1 over the bar1 from head to foot1 with a strange smile on his face2 and instead of drawing the beer1 looked round the screen and said something to his wife1 who came out from behind it1 with her work in her hand1 and joined him in surveying me4 ,here we stand1 all three1 before me now1 in my study in ,devonshire ,terrace4 ,the landlord in his shirt-sleeves1 leaning against the bar window-frame2 his wife1 looking over the little half-door2 and ,i1 in some confusion1 looking up at them from outside the partition4 ,they asked me a good many questions1 as what my name was1 how old ,i was1 where ,i lived1 how ,i was employed1 etc41 etc4 ,to all of which1 that ,i might commit nobody1 ,i invented appropriate answers4 ,they served me with the ale1 though ,i suspect it was not the strongest on the premises2 and the landlord's wife1 opening the little half-door and bending down1 gave me a kiss that was half-admiring and half-compassionate1 but all womanly and good1 ,i am sure40 ,when a bachelor1 he lived in ,furnival's ,inn1 ,no4 #ae1 on the right as you enter1 but on his marriage removed to #dh1 ,doughty ,street4 ,in this clean little street there is a prim monotony1 every house being of the same cast--small1 and suited for a clerk and his family4 ,these seem indeed miniature ,wimpole ,street houses2 but they have a snug1 comfortable air1 and it is something to pause before ,no4 #dh and think of 8,oliver ,twist0 and 8,nicholas ,nickleby0 written in this study4 ,with increasing prosperity he moved from this humble but snug quarter to a more pretentious mansion1 8,tavistock ,house10 where he lived for ten years4 ,there are three houses standing together in this rather forlorn-looking waste1 which stands in a cul de sac1 and his is the first4 8,in ,tavistock ,square10 says ,hans ,andersen1 8stands ,tavistock ,house4 ,this and the strip of garden in front of it are shut out from the thoroughfare by an iron railing4 ,a large garden1 with a grass plat and high trees1 stretches behind the house and gives it a countrified look in the midst of this coal and gas steaming ,london4 ,in the passage from street to garden hung pictures and engravings4 ,here stood a marble bust of ,dickens1 so like him1 so youthful and handsome2 and over a bedroom door were inserted the bas-reliefs of ,night and ,day1 after ,thorwaldsen4 ,on the first floor was a rich library1 with a fireplace and a writing table1 looking out on the garden2 and here it was that in winter ,dickens and his friends acted plays40 ,turning out of the road one is struck by the rather stately air of the mansion4 ,during these ten years he made it re-echo with his gaiety and cheery spirit4 ,it had1 however1 a damp or dampish air1 which all such edifices seem to contract4 ,the trees and the verdure generally do not flourish4 ,later it become the residence of ,mrs4 ,georgina ,weldon1 ne the beautiful ,miss ,treherne4 ,illustration3 ,,doughty ,,street4 ,where the last portion of 8,pickwick0 was written4 ,a mile or two away is ,devonshire ,terrace1 ,no4 #a1 a later residence of the novelist1 where he wrote 8,master ,humphrey's ,clock10 8,david ,copperfield10 and other works4 ,it is found near the ,marylebone ,road4 ,this1 too1 is in an inclosure set back from the road1 and was humorously described by its tenant as 8a house of great promise 7and great premium71 undeniable situation and excessive splendour02 while it struck his friend ,forster as a handsome house with a garden of considerable size1 shut out from the ,new ,road by a brick wall1 facing the ,york ,gate in ,regent's ,park4 ,in ,gower ,street is a house associated with some scenes in the boy ,dickens's life1 full of pain and misery4 ,at ,no4 #d 7it was then7 ,mrs4 ,dickens set up a school1 or tried to do so4 ,mr4 ,allbut has found that1 owing to a change in the numbering1 the present ,no4 #ade is the former ,no4 #d4 ,it is a strange feeling to stand before it and recall his own disastrous1 even tragic account of this early misery3--8,a house was soon found at ,no4 #d1 ,gower ,street ,north2 a large brass plate on the door announced ,mrs4 ,dickens's establishment2 and the result ,i can give in the exact words of the then small actor in the comedy1 whose hopes it had raised so high4 #8,i left at a great many other doors a great many circulars1 calling attention to the merits of the establishment4 ,yet nobody ever came to school1 nor do ,i recollect that anybody ever proposed to come1 or that the least preparation was made to receive anybody4 ,but ,i know that we got on very badly with the butcher and baker2 that very often we had not too much for dinner2 and that at last my father was arrested4'0444 8,almost everything by degrees was pawned or sold1 little ,charles being the principal agent in these sorrowful transactions 444 until at last1 even of the furniture of ,gower ,street1 ,no4 #d1 there was nothing left except a few chairs1 a kitchen table1 and some beds4 ,then they encamped1 as it were1 in the two parlours of the emptied house1 and lived there night and day40 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,waterloo ,,bridge1 ,,the ,,law ,,courts1 ,,etc4 ,descending now to the river's side we may think what amazing progress has been made in developing and adorning this noble stream1 and all within twenty years6 ,three or four great monumental bridges1 the almost ,roman ,embankment2 the railway running under ground1 the red-brick terraces at ,chelsea1 the palatial hotels at ,charing ,cross and ,waterloo ,bridge2 ,northumberland ,avenue now built over on both sides1 the many statues2 the large and flourishing plane trees1 and the gardens6 ,what a change from the sludgy1 sloppy land and foreshore1 the mean barges and fringe of poor houses and shanties1 and the 8,adelphi ,arches0 of evil name6 ,it has now quite an air of state and magnificence4 ,the ,embankment itself was a prodigious change from sedgy shore and 8slob0 land2 but the change on the ,embankment itself within a few years has been something extraordinary4 ,great terraces1 vast rows of mansions are rising along its banks1 and impress us with a sense of state and splendour4 ,within half a mile or so we have the rich and original ,houses of ,parliament1 ,westminster ,bridge1 the new ,police ,offices1 the enormous terrace of ,whitehall ,mansions1 the ,national ,liberal ,club1 the great ,hotel ,metropole1 the ,charing ,cross ,bridge1 the ,adelphi ,terrace1 and the superb ,waterloo ,bridge4 ,strange to say1 the other side of the river is old ,london still1 mean warehouses and shanties disfiguring the shore4 ,then we come to ,cleopatra's ,needle1 with its odd and romantic adventures4 ,as we stop to look1 its extraordinary history rises before us4 ,it is certainly one of the oldest monuments existing1 after its long sleep in the sands2 its being made a present to the ,english1 and left neglected because impossible or difficult to remove4 ,as all know1 it was brought here by ,sir ,erasmus ,wilson1 was cast off and lost in a storm1 recovered again1 and finally happily moored off the ,embankment4 ,here1 by some elaborate pneumatic operations that consumed months1 it was successfully raised4 ,it may be said that the 8fitting up0 of the obelisk has been done inartistically1 the plinth1 base1 etc41 being of the modern fashion1 and rather out of keeping4 ,but the great glory of our river is ,waterloo ,bridge4 ,this remarkable monument deserved ,canova's praise1 who declared that 8it was worthy of the ,romans40 ,it is really more a roadway than a bridge1 and grandly and loftily is it carried through the air1 the approaches being made to suit it1 a reversal of the common operation4#aj ,this noble structure spans the river with the dignity of an aqueduct4 ,it is really a fine1 impressive work1 such as could hardly be conceived in our time4 ,there is no graceful bend as in ordinary bridges2 it is a stately1 straight road carried across the broad river4 ,no wonder it has excited the admiration of foreigners1 and a ,french critic has spoken with rapture almost of its merits4 ,here are his words3 8,if in the course of ,revolutions1 the nations of a future age should one day demand where was formerly the new ,sidon1 and what has become of the ,tyre of the ,west1 which covered with her vessels the sea1 most of the edifices devoured by a destructive climate will no longer exist2 but the ,waterloo ,bridge will exist to tell remote generations #8here was a rich and powerful city4' ,the traveller on beholding this superb monument will suppose that some great ,prime ,minister wished by many years of labour to consecrate for ever the story of his life by this imposing structure4 ,but if tradition instruct the traveller that six years sufficed for the undertaking1 that an association of private individuals was rich enough to defray the expense of this colossal monument1 worthy of ,sesostris and the ,csars1 he will admire still more the nation which prompted the work40 ,the author of this eloquent passage did not know that a private company had expended over a million in their project1 and were fairly repaid their outlay2 but his admiration would have been increased had he foretasted that the work would have been finally purchased by the wealthy ,metropolis1 and presented as a free gift to the citizens4 ,the ,waterloo ,bridge toll-gate now seems part of ancient history4 ,elderly people of a new generation will be saying to their children1 8,i recollect when there was a turnstile here and toll-houses1 and every cab was stopped to pay twopence10 while a careless and 8superior0 allusion in a leader might run1 8,people will smile to think how those of the last generation1 hurrying to catch the train1 could have so calmly and patiently submitted to this importunate levy60 ,the public1 however1 grew so deft and experienced that the traveller was always ready with his cash1 while the toll-man1 co-operating1 handed out the proper change in a second4 ,this he contrived by long practice and by sense of touch1 having a number of pockets1 one for pennies1 another for silver1 etc4 ,many years ago ,dickens was taken down the river of a night by the police1 and heard from one of the toll-men some curious experiences concerning the suicides for which the bridge was then in high fashion4 8,the ,bridge10 as the toll-man informed him1 8was originally named the ,strand ,bridge1 but had received its present name at the suggestion of the proprietors when ,parliament resolved to vote three hundred thousand pounds for the erection of a monument in honour of the victory4 ,parliament took the hint10 said ,waterloo1 with the least flavour of misanthropy1 8and saved the money40 ,of course the ,duke of ,wellington was the first passenger1 and of course he paid his coin1 and of course he preserved it ever more4#aa ,the treadle and index at the toll-house 7a most ingenious contrivance for rendering fraud impossible7 were invented by ,mr4 ,leathbridge1 then property-man of ,drury ,lane ,theatre4 ,this was the now familiar 8turnstile10 known so well at every exhibition1 but then quite a novelty4 ,dickens ensconced himself in the toll-house and had a long and interesting talk with the toll-man on all the incidents he observed in his professional life4 ,first1 of the 8suicides10 which now appear to have 8gone out0 with the tolls4 8,this is where it is10 said ,waterloo1 8if people jump off straight forwards from the middle of the parapet of the bays of the bridge1 they are seldom killed by drowning1 but are smashed1 poor things2 that's what they are2 they dash themselves upon the buttress of the bridge4 ,but1 you jump off10 said ,waterloo to me1 putting his forefinger in a buttonhole of my great coat2 8you jump off from the side of the bay1 and you'll tumble1 true1 into the stream under the arch4 ,what you have got to do1 is to mind how you jump in6 ,there was poor ,tom ,steele from ,dublin2 didn't dive6 ,bless you1 didn't dive at all6 ,fell down so flat into the water that he broke his breast-bone1 and lived two days60 8,he considered it astonishing how quick people were6 ,why1 there was a cab came up one ,boxing-night1 with a young woman in it1 who looked1 according to ,waterloo's opinion of her1 a little the worse for liquor2 very handsome she was too--very handsome4 ,she stopped the cab at the gate1 and said she'd pay the cabman then3 which she did1 though there was a little hankering about the fare1 because at first she didn't seem quite to know where she wanted to be drove to4 ,however1 she paid the man1 and the toll too1 and looking ,waterloo in the face 7he thought she knew him1 don't you see67 said1 #8,i'll finish it somehow6' ,well1 the cab went off1 leaving ,waterloo a little doubtful in his mind1 and while it was going on at full speed the young woman jumped out1 never fell1 hardly staggered1 ran along the bridge pavement a little way1 passing several people1 and jumped over from the second opening4 ,at the inquest it was giv' in evidence that she had been quarrelling at the #8,hero of ,waterloo1' and it was brought in ,jealousy4 7,one of the results of ,waterloo's experience was1 that there was a deal of jealousy about47 #8,sometimes people haven't got a halfpenny4 ,if they are really tired and poor we give 'em one and let 'em through4 ,other people will leave things--pocket-handkerchiefs mostly4 ,i have taken cravats and gloves1 pocket-knives1 toothpicks1 studs1 shirt pins1 rings 7generally from young gents early in the morning71 but handkerchiefs is the general thing4'0 ,at the point where the ,charing ,cross ,railway bridge crosses the river1 the most startling change of all has been made1 and within not many years4 ,that useful personage1 the 8oldest inhabitant10 or indeed even an old inhabitant1 will rub his eyes as he thinks of ,old ,hungerford ,market and the old ,hungerford ,suspension ,bridge which has been twice enlarged4 ,so dense is the traffic growing at this place that it seems of necessity that a large open ,place should be made1 a slice being taken from the adjoining gardens4 ,and here is a suggestion for some enterprising dile as he is called4 ,too little1 indeed nothing1 is done for the entertainment of the people in ,london4 ,neither music1 nor shows1 nor reviews of soldiers1 nor anything entertaining is supplied4 ,were such an open space provided1 and a kiosk or pavilion1 an orchestra erected1 a pleasant and cheap attraction for poor1 much-neglected ,demos would be found4 ,of a summer's evening we could call up a picture of the ,embankment crowded1 and the river covered with boats1 the crowd scattered1 promenading1 or seated--a caf or two busy4 ,such entertainment of this cheap1 healthy kind the population is fairly entitled to3 it is astonishing that something of the kind is not thought of4 ,close by ,waterloo ,bridge rises that stately and imposing range of buildings1 ,somerset ,house4 ,this vast pile1 designed by ,chambers1 was erected with little trouble or fuss1 and in a comparatively short time4 ,in our day we must have 8committees10 and competitions and discussions1 and a distracted responsibility ending in complete confusion or uncertainty1 and for the result such a comparative failure as the ,new ,law ,courts4 ,much of the riverside effect is lost owing to the ,embankment1 for the terrace rose actually straight out of the river1 and now seems rather purposeless4 ,we are so familiar with our public buildings that it becomes difficult to criticise them seriously4 ,somerset ,house1 taken as a public office1 with its vast accommodation and its stately river front1 will hold its own with any similar building in ,europe4 ,it is interesting1 too1 as being the work of the last ,english architect who attempted to carry out the sort of classical style inherited from ,inigo ,jones1 and introduced from ,italy4 ,the entrance1 or covered ways from the ,strand1 have been admired by architects4 ,it is a curious instance of the small value of allegorical decoration1 that the great heads which form the keystones of the arches were intended to signify the great ,english rivers1 and were the work of one of the most eminent sculptors of his time--,wilton--while in some of the medallions are to be recognized likenesses of the ,georges4 ,we may lament that this pure ,grecian style1 always effective1 has so completely fallen out of favour1 not its least merit being its always continuing sound and in respectable repair4 ,chambers has left his mark all over the kingdom2 and in ,dublin there are some majestic buildings1 notably ,trinity ,college ,hall and ,chapel1 and ,charlemont ,house1 from his designs4 ,sculptors and painters have always been fond of sketching the picturesque additions which the river's banks afford1 and ,mr4 ,whistler has been very successful in depicting the banks of ,chelsea and ,battersea1 as well as the old encrusted shanties and warehouses beyond ,london ,bridge4 ,london is held in high favour by the sketcher1 and certainly offers attractions not to be found elsewhere4 ,as ,mr4 ,arthur ,severn tells us1 much that is beautiful in the way of landscape is still left1 but ,londoners1 8in their money-making and slavery to fashion10 are blind to it4 8,how many people are there who think of looking at the view from one of our ,london bridges1 at the picturesque groups of sailing barges1 at the curious effects of light behind1 and the towers of ,westminster in the distance8 ,how many men wending their way homewards from the ,city on the top of an omnibus in summer ever thought of noting the flood of golden haze in ,oxford ,street1 a street which from its position is peculiarly adapted for the study of sunlight effects8 ,here1 on a midsummer afternoon1 our eyes may be opened to one of the greatest truths in ,turner's work1 his great knowledge of the artistic treatment of light4 8,when the declining orb flushes all the stream1 and the black barges come sailing smoothly down or pass across the broad water-way1 their tawny sails enriching the already golden glow1 and the picture is backed up in the distance by dark masses of indistinct wharves1 chimneys1 spires1 and towers1 those of ,westminster ,abbey and the ,houses of ,parliament being the most shapely and conspicuous1 we have surely a subject unrivalled of its kind1 demanding the utmost artistic skill for even its most meagre reproduction2 and1 again1 there is often a peculiar freshness in the breeze that follows the tide from the sea1 and the sky seems to open up unwonted depths4 ,this appearance is caused by the innumerable tender gradations of light40 ,not many years ago the banks close to ,somerset ,house were attractive enough1 owing to certain old hotels1 the ,arundel and others1 whose quaint bow windows and galleries hung over the river4 ,these lingered on till recently1 but their place has been taken by a row of very effective ,dutch-looking houses with cupolas and mullioned windows4 ,these hotels and lodging-houses are in high favour with a particular class of visitors to town1 and we fancy that this living over the river has almost the flavour of a foreign city4 ,during festivals such as the ,derby week1 all the little river streets are filled to overflow--the hotels1 overfull themselves1 billet their guests about2 and we see the group of travellers led away by the ,boots1 to some of these 8succursals40 ,here too is the little grimed terrace over the station of the underground railway company1 who1 beside their locomotives1 have to keep stationary engines1 both here and at ,victoria ,station1 pumping day and night1 otherwise the line would be flooded4 ,it is amusing to recall the flourishing of the papers when the line was opened2 the beatific vision that was dwelt on of the terrace being crowded with votaries of the dolce far1 gazing placidly on the waters1 smoking and communing4 ,nothing of the sort took place1 it is needless to say4 ,no one was at the pains of ascending the steps to gain1 or cared to be enclosed in a sort of yard2 and the ,company soon had gates attached and shut it up4 ,hard by ,waterloo ,bridge used to be moored a dilapidated old hulk in which the ,river ,police used to dwell1 uncomfortably1 as it may be imagined4 ,it1 however1 added a nautical flavour4 ,with the march of events came a change4 ,they are now moved to one of the unoccupied barge piers--a pleasant1 sheltered1 floating tenement where they have abundant flowers and almost a garden4 ,from the steamers passing by they appear to be very comfortable and happy4 ,the old sheer hulk has been taken away and a more sightly training ship substituted1 through whose ports can be seen a handsome piece of cannon2 and of a summer's evening a crowd lines the balustrade of the ,embankment watching the sailors at drill4 ,at another of these unoccupied or disused piers the ,humane ,society has its house1 not at all unneeded1 for the ghastly dramatic elements associated with a great river are never lacking here4 ,the habitu who takes his daily walk by this route to the ,city is certain1 periodically1 to see the slow-moving boat close under the walls1 with the man in the stern casting the drag1 and if he wait a reasonable time may see the 8body of a fine young man10 or some unhappy1 draggled woman brought up4 ,sometimes the police boat1 or 8tub10 of the ,humane ,society is seen pulling with frantic haste to the piers of the arches1 invariably too late to recover the poor wretch whom the man patrolling the little pier has seen--strange vision6--flying down to the waters from the parapets of ,waterloo ,bridge4 ,some years ago there was a strange floating structure at ,charing ,cross2 it was one of the undertakings literally 8floated0 amid the flowery acclamations of the papers1 which spun whole cocoons of columns anent the advantages that were to accrue2 the town bathing1 and learning swimming2 general cleanliness and strength of the population improved1 while numerous other establishments would follow1 etc4 ,notwithstanding these prophecies the thing languished from the first--the town looked coldly on4 ,it then took a strange freak1 and some ingenious ,professor--was it ,gamgee8--devised some mysterious process by which1 with the aid of steam engines and acids circulating below1 artificial ice could be formed4 ,skating accordingly took place1 but somehow that did not flourish1 and the somewhat ungainly tabernacle1 daily rising and falling with the tide1 then reverted to its old function of a swimming bath4 ,it has long since been removed4 ,the cluster of buildings at ,blackfriars ,bridge1 and indeed the whole view here1 with the widening river and ,st4 ,paul's dome rising majestically1 is fine and noble4 ,the ,city of ,london ,school is a satisfactory work of good proportions1 filling its site worthily2 but the same cannot be said of its neighbour1 the ,sion ,college ,library1 which affects much and is decidedly poor in the result4 ,the ,royal ,hotel fills in the corner admirably1 and is perhaps the only hotel of importance in ,london 8run0 upon foreign lines4 ,it must be pleasant to live there for a season perhaps1 and it is likely the sojourner would have quite a new and different idea of ,london from the conventional one4 ,the ,moorish building facing it1 and now the headquarters of the ,salvation ,army1 has an excellent and piquant effect4 ,an extraordinary and unusual arrangement will be noticed here1 viz41 that of three bridges crossing the river almost side by side4 ,returning now to the ,strand1 in ,garrick ,street1 close to ,covent ,garden1 we find the most interesting ,club in ,london--a sort of theatrical museum--,,the ,,garrick ,,club4 ,its wonderful collection of portraits of actors1 and of dramatic scenes1 is truly extraordinary1 and we can fancy no more pleasant entertainment for a person of cultured theatrical tastes than to be 8taken over0 the club on the privileged ,wednesday1 by some well-skilled person1 and to be shown all that is curious4 ,the club was originally a sort of convivial resort for actors and literary men1 and met originally in a cosy house in ,king ,street1 ,covent ,garden4 ,it expanded into its present handsome club house--not1 it is said or lamented1 without losing its original cachet4 ,the pictures were mostly collected by ,charles ,matthews 8the elder10 of facetious memory1 and he seems to have embarrassed himself by the sacrifices he made to secure them4 ,in his difficulties he was induced to exhibit them with the hope of making a little money1 and he comments with bitter sarcasm on the result of the experiment4 ,it was astonishing1 he said1 how passionately eager every one was to see them when they were at his home--and strangers used every art to obtain admission4 ,but when they were offered for exhibition1 no one was inclined to pay a shilling to see them4 ,mr4 ,durrant ,cooper bought the collection1 and lent them to the club1 in the hope that it would buy them2 but1 as its resources did not enable it to do so1 he most generously gave it as a free gift4 ,though many of the portraits are copies--and some very inferior ones--the general charm of the collection is the striking merit of the workmanship4 ,there are some scenes by ,zoffany1 in his most brilliant manner1 miracles of gay colour and vivid touch--the well-known scene from 8,the ,clandestine ,marriage10 with the portraits of ,king and ,mrs4 ,baddeley1 is1 in my opinion1 the gem of the whole1 and1 if put up for sale1 would fetch a very large sum4 ,it is astonishing that this fine and spirited painter1 who inherited his style from ,hogarth1 should not be more valued4 ,the fine bravura portraits of ,woodward and ,cibber in the dining-room are very striking1 as well as the many works of that brilliant painter1 ,clint4 ,the stage antiquarian will be amused at the contemporary scenes of the ,garrick era4 ,the great actor as ,macbeth1 with the daggers1 etc41 appearing in a wig and coat and long scarlet waistcoat--8like the ,lord ,mayor's coachman10 it was said4 ,the club possesses many theatrical 8curios0 and relics4 ,shoe-buckles1 snuff-boxes1 etc41 of this and that celebrated performer4 ,it acquired lately what ,i look on as the most characteristic and valuable theatrical collection that exists1 viz41 three stout volumes of bills1 sketches and criticisms1 gathered by one ,nixon1 an artist who flourished towards the end of last century1 and not only knew ,garrick1 ,kemble1 ,kean and the rest1 but had a knack of sketching them4 ,there is a portrait of ,irving by ,millais1 presented by the actor1 but it is scarcely worthy of the artist4 ,strange to say its library is its weakest part2 though there is a fair gathering of plays and memoirs1 this department is not so strong as it should be4 ,this ,garrick is a pleasant place of tryst1 and has that motley complexion which makes it more agreeable4 ,here are found all the actors of established position--littrateurs1 soldiers1 lawyers4 ,the 8,father of the ,club0 still happily flourishes at a great age--a link with the past4 99 99 99 99 99 ,as we enter the great church-like hall of the ,,law ,,courts1 we notice that to the right one of the lower arches is filled in with a memorial to the architect of the structure1 the late ,mr4 ,street4 ,there is a large sitting figure1 well sculptured1 a monumental inscription of high compliment and panegyric in which it is conveyed to the spectator that all the wonders he sees about are the single work of this man thus celebrated4 ,the result is singular1 as the stranger naturally turns to survey the work which had brought its creator such unusual honour4 ,he sees a hall with painted windows1 which any architect of the time could have designed1 while through the door he is led away1 to the right and left1 through catacombs and dark passages4 ,this exhausts the effect of the interior1 and no one surely deserves a memorial1 meaning plainly 8si monumentum requiris1 circumspice10 who had contrived such a combination4 ,granting that the hall is harmonious and pleasing1 albeit narrow and thin from its length1 this introduction of the monument is surely a curious instance of the inappropriate2 though we might understand and accept a tablet in a retired place which recorded the single fact that ,mr4 ,street had designed and built the work4 ,this bold flamboyant structure1 which engrosses and encroaches on the architectural work1 disturbs the coup d'il and entraps the spectator2 for he expects to find the glories of some eminent lawyer or judge in whom the entire kingdom is interested4 ,it is utterly out of keeping1 and causes us on the instant to challenge its right to be there at all4 ,in ,brussels1 as we look down from the ,place ,royale1 we see at the bottom of the hill the magnificent ,palais de ,justice1 a stately monument1 worthy of the ,csars and of the race which reared the ,town ,hall at ,ypres4 ,this building may be objected to in many points1 but there can be no question as to the grandeur of the architect's conception and the thorough logic and grasp of detail which distinguishes it4 ,it really astounds one to think of this modest1 unpretending little kingdom1 rearing without fuss or show so ,illustration3 ,,the ,,law ,,courts splendid a pile1 massive and enduring as the ,pyramids1 and conveying to all ,belgians a stately1 dignified embodiment of the law4 ,this work will be standing and admired as a wonder hundreds of years hence4 ,but with our great kingdom1 after years of consultations1 selection1 debate1 changing and rechanging1 doing and undoing1 after endless chatter about 8the ,new ,law ,courts10 8progress of the ,new ,law ,courts10 8,street's great work10 etc41 the result is the cluster of odds and ends to be seen at the entrance of ,fleet ,street6 ,if an architect had purposely contrived to give the effect of a number of detached buildings and 8dependences10 added one to the other at different times1 he could not have been more successful4 ,one could fancy the idea of a great central hall being conceived with a row of courts on each side4 ,the great hall would then be the prominent object1 and express itself in a demonstrative way2 it would be seen from afar1 with its courts attached to the side in a less obtrusive fashion4 ,but the hall shrinks back from the front1 and seems to hide itself behind the unmeaning-looking porch1 over which runs the curious little ,gothic gallery4 ,the two octagonal towers in front are obtrusive enough1 and claim more attention than the hall1 yet they only hold dark spiral staircases1 which lead to the court gallery at the side1 though they affect to have some duty connected with the hall4 ,more defective still is the disposition of the faade1 which is intended to express a central hall with two wings1 while beyond is a sort of register house and offices with a clock tower4 ,now these offices1 having inferior functions1 should surely have been marked off distinctly1 and proclaim that they were mere 8dependences40 ,but it will be seen that they are in the same style and have the same importance1 nay1 a portion is a replica of one of the 8wings0 of the ,hall1 which makes the whole outline indistinct4 ,the great hall has merits1 and there is a certain calm elegance about it1 though it suggests something ecclesiastical rather than legal4 ,it is said that a flight of stairs leading to the arcades above had almost been forgotten1 and was supplied by some afterthought4 ,the arrangements for access to the different courts and waiting rooms are of the most extraordinary kind1 through dark passages1 up winding breakneck stairs and bewildering crannies4 ,the public when they find themselves in the hall and naturally seek access to the courts1 are sent out of the building1 and have to struggle up a winding stair in the two towers outside4 ,no idea can be given of the dark galleries above1 of the sense of oppression1 the want of air and light which is found in them4 ,the ,courts are gloomy caverns1 where artificial light has nearly always to be used4 ,every arrangement is more or less inconvenient1 and there are incessant complaints4 ,the truth is1 the whole should be courageously remodelled4 ,stone galleries should run round the great hall1 gained by a broad monumental double flight of stairs2 these galleries should lead directly to the several courts4 ,all the minute subdivisions of passages1 waiting rooms for jurors1 waiting rooms for witnesses1 which only bewilder1 should be swept away4 ,a new set of courts should be erected on the vacant piece4 ,the whole fault arises from squeezing too much into a small area4 ,some such heroic remedy will assuredly be carried out sooner rather than later4 ,close to the ,law ,courts1 and on the spot where ,temple ,bar stood1 has been placed the notorious 8,griffin10 which excited a storm of ridicule when it was set up4 ,it will hardly be credited that this grotesque thing1 which consists of a sort of pedestal1 little more pretentious than a drinking fountain1 with its monster on the top1 and two small effigies at the side1 cost some #aj1jjj6 ,the late ,mr4 ,street offered to design a new archway which would harmonize with his building and be suitable to the traffic1 but this was declined4 ,it seems almost to be the destiny of ,london monuments to be pulled down with indignity1 and perhaps sold to some one in the country to ornament their mansions4 ,the stones of ,temple ,bar1 after lying in a yard for some ten years1 were bought by ,sir ,h4 ,meux1 and transported to his place1 8,theobalds10 near to ,waltham ,cross1 where it has been re-erected as a gateway to the avenue4 ,the stones were numbered1 but the rains washed off all the paint1 so the architect had a difficult puzzle to fit them together4 ,it is said to have a very imposing and satisfactory effect4 ,but a place might have been found for it in town4 ,the old railings in front of ,st4 ,paul's were sold to some one in ,america4 ,mr4 ,sala1 who has much curious lore of this kind1 discovered that the stones of old ,london ,bridge were carried off to build a house in ,kent1 and that the fittings of the ,star ,chamber now decorate a dining-room in ,sir ,edward ,cust's house2 while the grand staircase of ,northumberland ,house does duty in a mansion at ,south ,kensington4 ,mr4 ,sala knows of a house not far from ,leighton ,buzzard1 where the chimney-piece of the ,rubens-,house at ,antwerp is fixed2 and ,mr4 ,barnum informed him that he 8was in treaty0 for the old timber of the ,traitor's ,gate at the ,tower4 ,perhaps some disposition of this kind might1 after all1 be the best fate for the old stones of the ,burlington colonnade1 now lying derelict at ,battersea4 99 99 99 99 99 ,returning to the ,law ,courts1 it may not be remembered what a story of embarrassment and trouble and heated controversy is associated with the building4 ,it began with the competition of designs1 which went on for years4 ,a plan was accepted1 then set aside4 ,when we find fault with the general failure of the interior arrangements1 it should1 in fairness1 be borne in mind that the architect was cruelly hampered1 checked and interfered with4 ,at the time the hard1 unsympathetic ,ayrton was in office1 who seems to have pursued the same course that he did in the case of the unhappy ,alfred ,steevens1 the sculptor4 ,to insure some miserable savings in the outlay1 he appears to have insisted systematically on paring away everything that could not be justified by the strictest utility4 ,towers were shortened1 ornament of all kind was suppressed--and above all1 he insisted with ,procrustean severity1 on almost impossible accommodation being provided1 which had to be furnished to the sacrifice of light1 air and room4 ,hence the darkened1 stifling chambers1 narrow passages1 and tortuous communications4 ,this was indeed being 8penny wise and pound foolish40 ,it is perhaps forgotten that nearly the whole structure was erected by foreign workmen--,germans principally--who were imported at the time of a great building strike1 and lived in the inclosure4 ,at the termination of the strike they continued in their employment4 ,the familiar clock which projects over the street was the subject of many experiments and failures4 ,as it is there is something ungainly and lacking in proportion about it4 ,it was tried in various positions1 but the truth is it is not adapted to the tower1 and the old and old-fashioned carved and gilt dials which are seen in the bye lanes of the ,city are infinitely more cheerful and effective4 ,it was long 8on the cards0 whether the ,courts should be built on the ,embankment instead of in their present locale4 ,it is unfortunate that the former site was not selected4 ,the effect would have been as imposing as it was convenient2 but it was thought to be too far away from the haunts of the barristers--from the ,temple and the ,inns of ,court4 ,the most splendid 8,palace of ,justice0 in the world has been recently completed by 8poor little ,belgium40 ,nothing more monumental1 more stately1 gigantic1 can be conceived than the new ,courts at ,brussels4 ,it towers over everything1 and almost astounds4 99 99 99 99 99 ,perhaps the most striking and imposing structure in all ,london is the great ,cathedral of ,,st4 ,,paul4 ,in a pleasing passage ,mr4 ,justin ,mc,carthy has recorded his impressions of the aspect of this wonderful building4 ,many years ago1 when he was beginning his literary career in ,london1 he used1 he said1 to come down the river as far as ,blackfriars at all seasons and in all weathers1 and he never came near to the ,bridge without observing the magnificent dome of ,st4 ,paul's4 ,he would go into one of the niches and lose himself in the singular beauty of the noble dome1 rising out of the mist or gilded by the sunlight4 ,it was always beautiful and always touching1 no matter what the weather might be4 ,seen dimly shining through fog or mist it had a certain charm1 because it seemed to be like some building in a distant phantom city of which you could only imagine a dim outline4 ,when he looked around him and saw the hurrying crowds of people and heard the noise1 the tumult1 the incessant tramping1 the constant talk of the passers-by1 it seemed to him a sort of poetic duty to lift himself1 for a few moments at least1 out of the daily commonplace of life1 and have a sort of communion with that ideal world which was floating high above him4 ,he added1 that there were two points of view from which such a picture could be looked at2 to consider whether the real and ideal ought to be brought into juxtaposition or be compared and contrasted with each other to make a true picture1 whether in life or in art4 ,the very dome of ,st4 ,paul's would not be so beautiful were it not for the bustling crowd below1 nor would the crowd seem so real without the calm dome above4 ,more wonderful still is the view from the surging gathering at the bottom of ,ludgate ,hill1 where all the ways meet4 ,there is the raging tumult1 the hurrying from the ,city and to the ,city1 the business1 the traffic1 the confusion2 yet calm1 unruffled above all1 rises the great dome1 like some work of nature and with all the mistiness of a mountain4 ,the railway bridge across is not by any means a blemish1 and most picturesque is the quaint spire of the church half-way up the hill1 said to have been placed there by ,wren as a foil to his greater work4 ,its elegant ,italian ,illustration mouldings are well worthy of study1 as well as the exquisite proportions of the spire1 exactly adjusted to the tower and building below4 ,there are some other interesting points associated with the great ,cathedral and its construction1 which may be suggested to the casual visitor4 ,he will note the imposing portico which fronts him as he approaches from ,ludgate ,hill1 which is in two tiers1 one placed over the other1 with a double row of columns4 ,it has been often compared with that of ,st4 ,peter's1 which offers a single portico of the ordinary pattern1 and is considered to be more simple and imposing4 ,wren1 however1 could not procure from the quarries blocks more than four feet in diameter1 and as lofty columns1 to exhibit due proportion1 should be far thicker1 he was thus compelled to content himself with short columns in two tiers4 ,the same difficulty was found at ,st4 ,peter's1 but there the portico is comparatively low1 and the columns short4 ,with all the claims to admiration of this great work1 the critical architect1 or indeed the amateur1 finds other blemishes4 ,one of the most conspicuous is the treatment of the side aisles1 where they join the nave and transepts4 ,the most careless observer will be struck by the confusion and make-shift air of the whole4 ,a gallery runs across each1 with a low second arch4 ,below there is a sort of apse1 from which open out the two side aisles4 ,this complicated arrangement destroys the general grandeur4 ,the chapels on the right and left near the bottom are set down to the inspiration and influence of the ,catholic ,duke of ,york1 who1 it is said1 hoped in better times to use them for his own faith4 ,but it is not likely that such interference would have been tolerated4 ,the curious statue1 or group of statues1 in front of the ,cathedral1 representing ,queen ,anne1 with images of the kingdoms at her feet1 is not ineffective4 ,it had gradually fallen into decay1 and her ,majesty's features had fallen away4 ,a fanatic once climbed over the railing and was discovered hammering ferociously at the nose1 figures1 etc4 ,the damage was never repaired4 ,later the ,corporation determined to have it altogether renewed1 and the commission was given to the notorious ,belt1 whose supposed wrongs and hard treatment had excited great noise and sympathy4 ,during the progress of the new replica the sculptor unluckily 8got into trouble10 and being found guilty of a serious charge of fraud1 was consigned to prison4 ,the work1 however1 went on1 and was completed in prison1 where1 by the indulgence of the authorities1 the sculptor was allowed to do his modelling1 carving1 etc4 ,this work therefore may be said to have been executed by a convict under sentence4 ,this suggests the incuriousness of the ,london public as to some of their monuments4 ,many will recall the perplexing statue which once stood in the centre of ,leicester ,square4 ,antiquaries could not agree as to the individual it represented1 and from time to time amusing and heated discussions broke out on the subject4 ,meanwhile the statue began gradually to go to pieces4 ,but no one thought of interfering4 ,soon it appeared with a wooden prop under the horse1 which was accepted as satisfactory for some time4 ,by-and-by came a farceur who fitted it up with a broom in one hand and a saucepan on its head4 ,and this degradation was tolerated4 ,at last it was carted off4 ,but it would be idle to expatiate on the impressive beauty of ,st4 ,paul's1 which rises with such solemn majesty1 and towers so tremendously over the clustered houses at its feet4 ,there are some curious particulars associated with this great cathedral which are perhaps little known to 8the general40 ,the huge walls which form its outline1 it will be noted1 are of the height of the central aisle1 and suggest a lofty interior of cruciform shape4 ,but when we enter we find that the interior does not correspond to the exterior4 ,there is a great central nave1 flanked by narrow aisles1 much lower in height1 while the choir seems contracted4 ,it is only by comparison that we discover that the exterior is deceptive1 and pretends to represent far more space within than really exists4 ,the side aisles are really but half the height represented on the outside1 and there is a whole 8mock story0 over the aisles1 which seems a pretence scarcely worthy of so great an architect4 ,indeed1 this system of sham is carried out through the whole1 the interior scarcely anywhere corresponding to the exterior4 ,but there is a greater surprise in the case of the famous dome4 ,it is generally assumed that what is seen inside the church is but the inner surface of the outer dome4 ,but in nearly every constructed dome there is an inner shell1 with a space between it and the outer dome4 ,the reason is1 it would be impossible to raise so ponderous a piece of vaulting in the air4 ,only a construction of a small and shallow kind could be thus supported1 and a light outside shell of timber and lead is framed over it4 ,but few could suppose what a tremendous disproportion exists between the outer and innermost shells of ,st4 ,paul's dome1 the latter being some fifty feet below the other6 ,the daring plans of ,wren made him adopt no less than three casings for this dome4 ,his object was to surmount all by a massive stone lantern1 to be capped by the gilt ball and cross2 but the difficulty was that the weight would be so great that no system of arching would support it4 ,he therefore carried up from the base whence the dome springs an enormous funnel-shaped cone of brick1 on which he securely built his stone lantern1 the sides of the funnel being perfectly straight4 ,this erection1 which is so lofty that it would hardly stand under the roof of the nave1 is1 in parts1 only a couple of bricks thick1 yet it supports a massive structure in the air2 and to prevent its spreading at the base1 the ingenious architect wound round it a vast chain1 which he sunk in molten lead4 ,outside the funnel was placed the grand dome1 which is simply a wooden shell covered with lead1 while1 to hide the funnel within1 a second dome was constructed below4 ,this is the one that exhibits the ,thornhill paintings4 ,a grand dome is like an epic for the architect1 and the story of the dome of ,st4 ,peter's is a romance2 but when we think of an architect carrying up with him to the clouds1 that is1 to the height of #cfj feet from the ground1 a stone temple #dj or #ej feet high1 to be there perched securely1 defiant of storms1 the head grows dizzy4 ,nor does this exhaust the singularities of the structure4 ,the line of the circular wall that is behind the visitor to the ,whispering ,gallery slopes inwards at a sharp angle1 and continues to do so all the way upwards4 8,i think10 says ,hawthorne1 8,i must have been under a spell of enchantment to-day1 connecting me with ,st4 ,paul's2 for1 trying to get away from it by various avenues1 ,i still got bewildered1 and again and again saw its great dome and pinnacles before me4 ,it is very beautiful1 very rich4 ,i did not think that anything but ,gothic architecture could have so interested me4 ,the statues1 the niches1 the embroidery as it were of sculpture traced around it1 produced a delightful effect4 8,the exterior of this fabric1 no less than that of its ,italian rival1 is remarkable 7as seen from its immediate vicinity7 for deceptive smallness4 ,few spectators from the surrounding roads would believe the dimensions of any part1 if stated to them4 ,this defect 7which some by singular sophistry have tried to prove a beauty7 arises here chiefly from the want of a scale1 owing to the fence preventing our seeing any human figures near the foot of the building1 or even judging of the distance that separates us from it40 ,this fence1 however1 has been removed4 ,to quote a shrewd architect3--8,it takes little to humble a cathedral1 and this little1 ,wren's successor contrived to add1 in his mock balustrade over the second cornice2 a thing protested against by ,wren without seeing it--how much more had he seen its barbarous design6--and1 what is worse1 a thing studiously contrived to give a false scale2 and it is therefore taken by every eye as a perfectly safe measure of scale4 ,we know that a balustrade is meant to lean upon1 and therefore1 wherever we see one1 we conclude it to be #c or #d feet high4 ,a mock balustrade1 nine feet high1 never enters our calculations1 so that when we see such an absurdity1 on a building #ij feet high1 if we have other scales we are simply puzzled1 but if1 as in this case1 we have none1 the building is at once reduced to #cj or #dj feet40 ,this theory1 however1 will scarcely hold2 for a statue placed at a great height must1 to appear of ordinary size1 be made of colossal proportions4 ,within will be noted the massive piers and arches which support the dome1 and which are of enormous strength below as well as above ground4 ,many will be puzzled by the little gallery and second arch which disfigure the four corner arches4 ,it is believed that some signs of settlement were noted or feared during the work1 and that ,wren took this mode of strengthening the supports4 ,the latest addition to the glories of the ,cathedral is the new reredos1 set up in the year #ahhh1 at a cost of over #cj1jjj4 ,this is an enormous structure1 apparently suggested by the sumptuous altar in the ,oratory2 it rises to a vast height1 and is a rich composition of rare marbles1 gildings1 and statues4 ,notwithstanding1 the effect on the ,cathedral is most unhappy1 and instead of being an ornament it is really a disfigurement1 as any one can see for himself4 ,it seems like a great solid screen2 it does not harmonize with the style of the ,cathedral1 and seems to cut off a portion of the choir4 ,the side columns have quite a 8skimpy0 air1 and appear to do no duty1 having nothing to support1 suggesting the lines on those in front of old ,carlton ,house3 8,care colonne1 che fate l8 ,non siamo in questa verit40 ,the depth and mistiness of the apse behind is lost4 ,the accomplished architect of the fane had these objections in view when he designed a fine baldacchino1 supported on rich twisted columns1 which would have left the view open and increased the sense of distance4 ,it is really melancholy to find how architects have lost this sense of appropriateness in all their attempts4 ,in a side chapel on the right is seen the ,duke of ,wellington's monument1 an ambitious structure1 somewhat after the pattern of ,queen ,elizabeth's monument in the ,abbey4 ,there is a sad story of disappointed hopes and failure associated with it4 ,the artist1 ,alfred ,steevens1 was an enthusiastic person1 full of ardour1 and accomplished4 ,he could paint as well as mould1 and saw here a chance1 as he fancied1 of 8immortalizing himself40 ,he flung himself into the work1 but only to pass from disaster to disaster4 ,he had modelled his style a good deal after the ,elgin marbles1 and in ,holford ,house there is a great chimney-piece of his execution1 of which the model is shown in the ,south ,kensington ,museum2 figures in rather contorted attitudes1 with brawny1 muscular1 and fleshy limbs2 these were his favourite peculiarities1 and as they contrasted with the tame conventional school of his time1 it was considered genius and not extravagance4 ,full of high aspirations1 he accepted the commission which was to give him immortality1 and agreed to execute it for the sum of #ad1jjj4 ,considering that the whole was nearly twenty feet high1 and comprised carvings and marbles1 and bronze castings and much delicate detail1 this was cheap4 ,but the artist was a careless1 unbusiness-like man2 the cash was served out to him as he asked for it by ,mr4 ,penrose1 the architect of 8the fabric40 ,he took his time over the matter1 and one day it was discovered that almost the whole sum was spent and scarcely half the work executed4 ,the ,illustration3 ,,chimney ,,piece1 ,,by ,,steevens4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,duke ,,of ,,wellington',s ,,monument4 modelling was fairly complete1 but there were the castings1 the erection1 etc42 the artist had no more money to go on with1 and ruin stared him in the face4 ,in this condition he fell into the hands of ,mr4 ,ayrton1 a rough official1 without delicacy1 and who only looked to his strict duty4 ,this unfeeling but still conscientious man--at least1 to the nation--peremptorily called on the artist to deliver what he had been paid for to perform1 and1 on his failure1 actually seized on his studio and all his models1 by way of execution4 ,the unfortunate sculptor wrote a piteous letter1 appealing to ,mr4 ,gladstone for mercy1 which had no result4 ,there was much hubbub4 ,mr4 ,ayrton was abused by some and praised by others1 for doing his duty by the nation4 ,at last1 after much clamour1 and appeals ad misericordiam1 it was resolved that he should have another chance2 further time was given1 some more money was granted1 and the ill-fated artist set to work with what spirit he could muster4 ,before he could do much he died1 and the 8job0 being now left on their hands the ,government had to make what they could of the business4 ,an artist was found who undertook to complete the whole for #e1jjj or #f1jjj more1 and it was finally set up at a total cost of #bg1jjj4 ,there can be no question that the poor artist was in the wrong and behaved badly2 but at the same time it must be said this improvidence was owing to a good spirit4 ,he wished to furnish the best of work and the best of material4 ,in this view1 the visitor should note the exquisite and perfectly pure character of the marble columns1 and that there are no exceptions to this excellence is owing to the generous recklessness of the sculptor1 who rejected many pieces before he accepted one that was suitable4 ,the beautiful delicacy of the tracery on these columns is worth notice1 and could only be brought out by a material of a corresponding delicacy4 ,the general result1 however1 is unsatisfactory4 ,the artist intended to have a small equestrian figure on the top1 which the rough ,ayrton declared would exhibit the ,duke as 8riding over his own recumbent body10 so an emblematic group was proposed instead4 ,this pedestal1 however1 is still left vacant4 ,the monument is1 moreover1 unsuited to the place1 and so large for the area that no proper view of it can be obtained4 ,the large window behind still further hinders the effect4 ,at the time it was judiciously suggested that it should be shifted and placed across the chapel1 with the wall for a background4 ,the sarcophagus on which the ,duke reposes is oddly balanced on a small base1 and his head and feet project between the columns4 ,steevens has done other work1 but there is a certain violence and extravagance in his conceptions which must modify the high opinion once entertained of him4 ,st4 ,paul's does not offer so much farcical entertainment as the ,abbey in fantastic memorials2 but the figures displayed have an unvarying tameness and platitude4 ,few would recognize ,dr4 ,johnson in the undraped man with the head bent down1 the work of ,bacon1 and which is reared at the corner of the choir4 ,here we find a number of ponderous generals and commanders1 not one of whom shows the spirit displayed by the effigies at ,westminster4 ,still there are some of interest1 one or two of ,flaxman's1 such as that of ,howard3 the ,napiers1 however1 are dreadful4 ,all the modern work is rather indifferent2 witness the black doors to the sham tomb1 flanked by two 8lumpy0 figures4 ,worst of all are the amateurish relievos let into apsidal spaces in the aisles1 in memory of regiments4 ,the iron gates to the choir aisles are really fine pieces of work1 solid and yet airy in treatment4 ,the treatment of the choir1 under modern rearrangements1 has had the effect of narrowing it to an extraordinary degree4 ,the organ1 divided in two and perched aloft at each side1 has helped this effect1 and the stalls encroach too much4 ,it is forgotten now that the arched screen gallery placed at one of the doors stood across the entrance to the choir with the organ at the top1 the fine commemorative inscriptions to ,wren below1 8,si monumentum requiris1 circumspice40#ab ,the wonderful solid railings round the ,cathedral are the admiration of the ironfounder4 ,it has been noted that those of ,st4 ,martin's-in-the-,fields appear to have come from the same foundry4 ,like everything connected with the great ,cathedral they have a little history4 ,they cost1 to begin with1 nearly #aj1jjj4 ,they are of a fine colossal pattern1 to show1 as it were1 that their service is worthy of the church they protect4 ,if we would contrast with them specimens of poor workmanship1 we shall find them at the ,law ,courts1 which are fenced round with fragile and pretentious railings1 which look as if a strong arm could pull them down in a few moments4 ,of the ,st4 ,paul's railings an art-writer has said truly3 8,these celebrated railings are examples of that old art of working in iron which once flourished in ,england and died out almost suddenly4 ,their history is singular4 ,when the ,cathedral was completed tenders were invited for supplying the ironwork1 and it was found that one of the tenders sent in was so much lower than all the others that it was at once accepted4 ,the rails were duly delivered1 and proved to be of cast iron4 ,the specifications had1 by accident1 never mentioned hammered or wrought iron1 and all the other conditions prescribed had been fulfilled4 ,so the railings had to be accepted2 and they are to-day almost as perfect as when they were first put up4 ,the casting certainly was of the finest description4 ,hammered iron would have shown corrosion long ago2 but the skin to some extent protected the surface4 ,in the cast-iron cannon of early date the skin was invariably left on1 and so the outsides of the pieces actually show less rust than the insides4 ,a railing of hammered iron fixed into stone coping with lead soon becomes a battery in which the ironwork suffers constantly4 ,the damp and fog and rain1 unequally affecting the two surfaces1 set up electrical action1 and the iron gradually gives way4 ,had those railings round ,st4 ,paul's been of the best wrought instead of the best cast metal1 we should to-day have seen the bases all attenuated and eaten away like the posts to which gondolas are moored at the doorway of a ,venetian palace40 ,a portion1 as we have said1 is now in ,america4 ,of all the many questions that have exercised the artistic world the treatment of the interior dome of ,st4 ,paul's has caused the greatest perplexity4 ,experiments of all kinds have been made to try the effect4 ,nearly all the angles have been fitted with costly mosaic work1 but any one can see for himself that the effect is not what might be expected1 or in the least satisfactory4 ,the reason is1 that the colouring is too sombre and heavy1 and not of the gay1 bright1 and radiant character which mosaic demands4 ,the prominent portions have been gilt1 but in a 8niggling0 way1 and1 the stone remaining soiled and stained1 the effect is bad4 ,the ,whispering ,gallery was treated experimentally by such artists as ,sir ,frederick ,leighton and ,mr4 ,poynter1 who set up round it simulated figures and other decorations1 but without result4 ,the truth is1 these decorations do not suit our skies and fogs1 nor the rough state of the rest of the ,cathedral4 ,the only treatment would be painting the whole in gay cheerful colours1 as in ,st4 ,peter's2 but this again1 for many reasons1 would not be desirable4 ,about the year #ahbe an accomplished architect1 ,mr4 ,elmes1 brought forward a plan for improving the churchyard1 and which would have set off the ,cathedral with extraordinary effect4 ,he proposed to take down all the houses surrounding it and rebuild them after a large uniform plan so as to follow the outline of the ,cathedral4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one of the pleasantest incidents in these ,london explorations is the sudden discovery of some quiet sequestered nook or corner1 so sheltered and forgotten that the great hum and roar of the streets does not reach it4 ,these agreeable surprises occur oftener than one would imagine1 and in places where we would least dream of looking for them4 ,nowhere is the current of life and traffic so congested as on ,ludgate ,hill3 the stream surges up and down the hill1 yet here we come upon such an oasis4 ,turning out of ,paternoster ,row1 and passing near its aorta1 as we might almost style ,stationers' ,hall ,court1 we stand before a red arch and gateway1 quite modern1 but not out of keeping4 ,this is the entrance to ,amen ,court1 happily named1 a little sequestered square1 where the canons of ,st4 ,paul's live when they are 8in residence40 ,nothing more lazy1 dreamy1 or retired can be imagined4 ,the hum of the ,city seems without1 and shut out as by walls4 ,the inclosure is quite monastic4 ,you enter at one gate1 pass round three sides of a square1 and out by another4 ,there is a central block of old1 grimed1 well-worn1 and well-caked brick houses1 in front of which spreads out a vast expanse of ground ivy1 spread out like a carpet3 who would think of or expect such a thing8 ,there is a grass plot and flower beds and more old brick houses1 with bits of shining brass on which are inscribed the canons' names4 ,here is life dozed away2 but the sound of the ,cathedral bell reaches us4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,old ,,suburban ,,mansions4 ,it is always pleasant to see some old1 well-preserved mansion1 with its pictures and doorways in good condition1 the attendant housekeeper directing attention in her prim 8show-woman0 way to the carvings by 8,grumbling ,gibbons0 7a phrase once actually uttered74 ,more grateful1 however1 is it to come by chance on some neglected1 unsung mansion which is celebrated by no flourishings of housekeepers1 and which lingers on in its modest seclusion4 ,such used to be ,hoghton ,tower in ,lancashire1 with its long-forsaken court and leaden statue in the centre1 its terraces and balustrades1 all sad and dilapidated1 but now restored to its old uses4 ,there are still to be found about ,london suburbs a few of the old and picturesque family mansions built in the days of ,king ,william or ,queen ,anne4 ,these veterans of ripe1 time-defying brick1 spacious and even elegant in their proportions1 excite more interest than many of us are able to explain4 ,some of the best have been levelled4 ,a few still exist--usually altered and added to1 for the use of schools or 8institutions02 but not many of them are likely to last much longer4 ,last year we heard of a fine old house at ,wandsworth that had been doomed3 it was to be cleared away by some builder of suburban villas4 ,it was a very interesting specimen of its kind4 ,it stood back a little from the road--presenting a rather imposing front of ripe and hard old red brick1 with a richly-carved tympanum curiously protected from the incursions of the birds by a wire netting--a building well disposed and balanced1 with two little low wings or 8dependences0 peeping from behind luxuriant shrubs4 ,over all was that sort of red rust which gives a grateful look of ripeness to old brickwork4 ,the doorway was well and richly carved4 ,welcome1 on entering1 was the prospect of the old hall1 dusky1 panelled in oak1 and crossed by three airy arches1 well carved1 with light pillars suggesting a colonnade4 ,beyond was the stair1 rising effectively in short lengths4 ,the elegant1 twisted rail1 slight but stable1 the solidly-moulded balustrade--were admirably effective and interesting4 ,the wall of the stair was richly dight with allegorical painting2 whilst in the carved ceiling1 among the clouds and vapours1 were stately medallions with portraits4 ,the colours1 though somewhat faded and overlaid with grime1 were in good order1 and when cleaned would no doubt make a brave show4 ,verrio's work--a country job--we may easily believe it to be4 ,all through the mansion was abundant panelling and doors1 with cornices richly cut4 ,there was a perplexing little room1 seemingly sliced off some greater apartment1 the ceiling of which also displayed pictorial glories--two tremendous dames seated on clouds1 one handing a sealed letter to the other4 ,in the broad ceiling over the stair a medallion picture1 said to be a portrait of the ,duchess of ,york2 and another believed to represent ,queen ,anne4 ,in all this there was a sense of surprise mingled with a tranquil charm1 a kind of new sensation4 ,it was pleasant to think that the hard and grinding ,london practical spirit had overlooked this graceful relic4 ,the spirit of ,anne seemed to flutter through the old chambers4 ,but it was on passing through to the back1 to the old-fashioned 8grounds10 that this sentiment was intensified4 ,looking up we could see that its back faade was as architectural as the front1 displaying another richly-carved pediment and scutcheon with what appeared to be a cipher4 ,the solemn brickwork1 rusted and mellow1 looked down on an old-fashioned1 low-lying plaisaunce4 ,from the richly-carved doorway we entered upon a stone platform1 two gracefully-curved flights of steps sweeping down to the garden4 ,here you could scarcely believe that you were close to the high-road and to the ever-jingling tram-cars4 ,beyond1 there were shady old trees and velvet lawns1 strongly marked by an old-fashioned air of tranquillity4 ,this old place is said to have been the residence of the ,princess ,anne and her husband4 ,for my part1 ,i have no hesitation in accepting the tradition4 ,in any case1 let us hope that the spoiler will not be allowed to intrude4 ,there are but few of this pattern in or near ,london1 and none so interesting as this 8,wandsworth ,manor-house40 ,another house is also interesting1 not merely from its merits as a picturesque structure1 but also from its associations4 ,half way up ,highgate ,hill1 which leads us to a cluster of old houses and on to ,hampstead1 where there are many more1 we come to a solid1 impregnable-looking building1 rising in its garden1 and standing retired behind a low wall and surrounded by old trees4 ,this is ,cromwell's ,house1 which1 the tradition runs1 was inhabited by him1 or by one of his generals--,ireton1 most probably4 ,this fine old building impresses us by its massive and picturesque air1 its high roof and 8shaggy0 eaves1 its heavy solid cupola1 and its rich and beautiful carvings4 ,the very wooden gates of the period have been retained1 with their delicate carvings in low relief4 ,the tone and colouring of the brickwork is of a mellow genial crimson1 almost a raspberry tint1 the mouldings are all delicate1 yet bold and firm1 a model for modern artists in brick2 they are as sharp ,illustration3 ,,cromwell',s ,,house1 ,,highgate4 as on the day they were wrought and will stand time and weather for a century to come4 ,the doorway is heavy and massive4 ,the whole aspect of this fine old mansion suggests that we are a hundred miles away from ,london4 ,when we enter1 we find nothing but deep-brown oak1 heavily corniced doors1 a hall all set off with the same material1 sombre and mysterious4 ,beyond is the stair1 which has a celebrity of its own3 it is laid out in the always effective style of short flights of half a dozen steps1 with then a turn at right angles1 and a landing1 as though our fathers1 like ,hamlet1 were 8short and scant of breath10 and liked to ascend leisurely4 ,there are fine massive balustrades and--here is the curiosity of the thing--at intervals rise carved oak statuettes of the ,parliamentary soldiers with singular and pleasing effect4 ,it is astonishing that these bizarre ornaments have escaped destruction hitherto1 and that accident or design has not damaged or destroyed them4 ,the old house is now a children's hospital1 and nurses and matrons pass up and down the ,parliamentary staircase4 ,but this occupancy suggests misgivings1 as a hospital1 once it begins to flourish1 has a fashion of expanding or levelling regardless of antiquarian associations4 ,the choice piece of ground1 the gardens behind1 and the fine healthy1 stimulating air are tempting enough2 and a few years may see the ,cromwellian house levelled1 and an imposing modern1 but hideous pile reared in its place4 ,a scientific pilgrimage in search of the old ,london houses and mansions would discover even much more that is interesting and novel4 ,london abounds in such4 ,but here the same old story of disaster has to be repeated--the best are going or gone4 ,not by the slow processes of the leveller and builder1 but through some onsets which work wholesale4#ac ,illustration3 ,,fairfax ,,house1 ,,putney4 ,among the solid old houses in the ,london suburbs1 few attracted the pedestrian more powerfully than the imposing residence at ,putney1 known as ,fairfax ,house4 ,this pile of old brick was a welcome adornment to that pleasing bit of ,putney which was close to the bridge4 ,its great length1 old ivy1 quaint gables and grounds1 gave it a particular attraction4 ,yet1 in #ahhf1 the word went forth that it was to be levelled1 and the ground built over4 ,many protests were made1 among others1 by a lady who had been a former resident4 8,i lived10 she pleaded1 8for nineteen years in that dear old house1 and would take any trouble to prevent its destruction4 ,it is older than he mentions4 ,the house was built by one ,dawes1 a merchant1 in the reign of ,henry ,,viii4 ,queen ,elizabeth used to breakfast in the oak-panelled drawing-room1 waiting for the tide1 to ford the river on her journeys from ,sheen to ,london4 ,this gave it the name of the ,queen's ,house1 by which it is called in the older documents1 and by which it was known till the present name was given after ,general ,fairfax was quartered there4 ,the house was added to in the reign of ,queen ,anne2 this date is given on one of the two sun-dials on the walls4 ,much more lofty rooms were built over the low drawing-room4 ,besides its picturesqueness and historic interest1 the old house has the merit of being built in a substantial style only too rare in these days4 ,the best preservation would be if some rich man would buy4 ,could not the garden be saved also8 ,such a variety of fine old specimen trees is rarely to be met with even in much larger grounds3 and the house would be much spoilt by having the garden destroyed40 ,but some practical-minded surveyors1 in whose hands was the sale of the house1 came to demolish the story3 8,many erroneous statements have been published1 and we may state that there is no shut-up room in the house4 ,there was formerly an enclosed space in the cellars1 but this was opened some years ago1 and nothing whatever was discovered4 ,there is no indication of any subterranean passage1 and it would be difficult to propound any theory to account for its supposed existence4 ,there is every reason to suppose that the house was never visited by ,queen ,elizabeth1 and this supposition is strengthened by the fact that no portion of the house 7which we have carefully inspected7 appears to be of older date than her reign4 ,if ,queen ,elizabeth was ever entertained in the oak-panelled drawing-room1 as has been stated1 the room must then have presented a totally different appearance1 as the present panelling is about the date of the ,restoration1 and much of the work in the house is of considerably later date4 ,it is also practically certain that ,fairfax never took up his quarters in ,fairfax ,house1 although it is probable that his ,commissary-,general1 ,ireton1 might have done so40 ,it is probable that few owners of moderate income1 who were offered a large sum for some relic of antiquity1 would decline1 no matter how sthetic their tastes4 ,the result of the discussion was that the house was levelled1 and over its fair gardens was built a row of practical and unlovely shops4 ,in the year #ahhh1 a number of famous and historic houses were offered for sale by ,messrs4 ,lumley4 ,these included the old ,shaw ,house at ,newbury4 8,this may claim to rank1 from an historical point of view1 among the most interesting places in the southern counties4 ,the beautiful ,elizabethan mansion house1 built by ,john ,doleman just three centuries ago1 is that same ,shaw ,house1 otherwise #8,doleman's1' which figures so prominently in the exciting story of the second battle of ,newbury4 ,it is one of the few remaining sixteenth-century houses which1 while it is in good preservation1 has suffered nothing from the rash hand of the restorer1 and its bowling-greens1 fish-ponds1 yew walks and paths along the ,lambourne1 and even the defensive works thrown up by the ,royalist army1 are still there to illustrate its remarkable history40 ,on the same day was offered for sale ,carshalton ,house--whence ,dr4 ,radcliffe was summoned to attend the death-bed of ,queen ,anne1 and did not go4 ,this mansion has its richly-timbered grounds and 8fayre0 gardens1 and beautiful iron gates4 ,there was also 8submitted to public competition0 ,chalfont ,park and ,lodge1 which was praised by ,horace ,walpole2 also 8,the ,oaks10 associated pleasingly with ,general ,burgoyne's drama 8,the ,maid of the ,oaks10 an old castellated red-brick mansion1 standing in well-wooded grounds4 ,gatton ,house1 with its marble hall1 was also sold1 once connected with the notorious and corrupt old borough4 ,this was not bad for a single day's work4 ,the probability would be that the buyer would turn his purchase to immediate profit1 level1 and sell materials1 and lay out the grounds for villa residences4 ,yet one more agreeable old mansion1 whose fall is hovering in the balance1 or has been already determined1 is the pleasing ,raleigh ,house1 out at ,brixton4#ad ,it stood1 or stands1 in some charming grounds1 old-fashioned1 and rather secluded4 ,for some years an agitation has been going on in the district to secure it as a park4 ,it is nearer to ,london1 however1 that the old houses disappear with the rapidity of a pantomimic change4 ,the temptation of a garden and 8grounds0 is irresistible4 ,now where a single house stood you can trace a street of villas or terraces4 ,a keen1 sympathetic antiquary1 living at ,stoke ,newington1 ,mr4 ,andrews1 kept mournful watch on this1 and some years ago recorded these baleful efforts3-- 8,like autumn leaves1 the ripe old red-brick mansions of the seventeenth and early part of the eighteenth century1 which stood in their spacious grounds surrounded by lofty buttressed walls1 and which gave a peculiar character to our ,london suburbs1 are falling around us4 ,only a few months have passed since ,i recorded the demolition of ,fleetwood ,house2 last month the end of ,illustration3 ,,raleigh ,,house4 ,kensington ,house was narrated1 and ,i have two others to add to the series this month4 ,the flat little branch line which ran out of ,lower ,edmonton was terminated at its ,enfield end by a fine old red-brick mansion of the period of ,queen ,anne1 which was utilized as the terminal station4 ,this alteration would seem to necessitate the erection of a new station and the removal of the old one2 so that probably before these lines are in the hands of the reader1 the pick will be at its cruel work upon the fine old pile4 ,the front of the house has good specimens of carved and moulded brickwork4 ,the central portion of the front is1 perhaps1 one of the finest pieces of ,english brickwork in existence4 ,it consists of an elaborate entablature1 with a segmental pediment and four pilasters1 which divide the front into three spaces1 the central space1 which contains a large window1 being twice as wide as the lateral ones1 each of which contains a niche1 semicircular in plan1 with a semicircular head1 filled in with a well-carved cherub's head4 ,above the niche is a panel containing swags of fruit and flowers1 well carved out of brickwork4 ,the entablature is very elaborately moulded and carved1 the cornice having delicately-moulded dentils4 ,each pilaster has a carved composite capital4 ,the bricks of which this portion of the front is formed are small1 and the joints are almost imperceptible4 ,all the carving is out of the solid brickwork1 and none of this work appears to have been cast4 ,the front contains1 in addition1 four windows1 with carved brick architraves and label-heads4 ,the other features are the usual ones found in houses of this period4 ,all the rooms are panelled4 8,the other old house is at the foot of ,denmark ,hill1 ,camberwell1 and was till lately known as #8,denmark ,hill ,grammar ,school4' ,it was erected by ,sir ,christopher ,wren upwards of two hundred years ago1 and is said to be the last specimen of his work in the neighbourhood4 ,it was once the residence of ,mrs4 ,thrale1 and during her occupancy ,dr4 ,johnson was1 no doubt1 a frequent visitor here1 as he was at ,kensington ,house4 ,the mansion was1 on the #afth ult41 sold in upwards of a hundred lots for old building materials1 and two hundred small houses will shortly spring up on the site40 ,the changes which have taken place in the ,city have been so imperceptible that we are scarcely conscious of the alteration of old landmarks and lines of streets4 ,they have been well summarized by a laborious antiquary in one of the daily papers3-- 8,the amount of rebuilding that has taken place in the last ten years far exceeds that necessitated by the ,great ,fire4 ,with the exception of the ,regent's route1 cut through from ,carlton ,house up to ,regent's ,park1 there is no important thoroughfare that has not changed its appearance in the last few years4 ,the ,strand and ,piccadilly are on the maps what they were long ago1 but one by one1 and sometimes in small groups1 so many houses have been pulled down and rebuilt that their appearance is considerably altered4 ,where entire rebuilding has not been effected1 refronting has been adopted in many cases1 as1 e4g41 in ,gower ,street1 ,hans ,place1 and several houses in ,mayfair4 ,mount ,street and its neighbourhood is new1 ,cheyne ,walk1 ,chelsea1 is not recognizable1 while ,flood ,street and others adjoining have been swept away4 ,the aspect of ,whitehall is greatly changed of late years1 and ,spring ,gardens is all but gone4 ,michael's ,grove1 ,brompton1 has undergone a thorough transformation4 ,the whole area about ,lower ,sloane ,street1 where was the ,old ,chelsea ,market1 with its neighbouring courts1 has been cleared1 and is already partly rebuilt4 ,the completion of ,lennox ,gardens and ,cadogan ,square was followed almost immediately by the rebuilding of ,leete ,street1 ,draycott ,place and ,street1 and part of the ,king's ,road4 ,shaftesbury ,avenue and the new ,charing ,cross ,road are showing their influence right and left of them1 and the whole of that part of ,london is becoming new1 while their existence has already altered the character of life in the celebrated ,seven ,dials neighbourhood40 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,old ,,town ,,mansions4 ,the old mansions of nobles and gentlemen in ,grosvenor ,street1 ,brook ,street1 ,hill ,street1 ,cavendish ,square and ,portman ,square are generally of a fine and dignified pattern4 ,there is an imposing air about the halls4 ,the staircase is laid out in a noble style4 ,the reception rooms are grand1 and disposed in an original way1 a surprise to us who are accustomed to the modern pattern of 8front and back drawingrooms40 ,some of these old mansions offer a pleasing study1 and excite admiration from their good effect4 ,the ,burlington ,hotel has lately added to its premises a couple of old and stately mansions of this grand pattern4 ,the decoration is the most interesting feature1 consisting of garlands and panelling1 wrought in a sort of massive stucco and laid profusely on the walls1 with a rich but heavy effect--8surfaces10 as they are called1 of the boldest pattern4 ,everywhere are medallions and flowers4 ,close by was a more interesting pile which for years many passed by without even a look of curiosity4 ,this was a large building at the bottom of ,old ,burlington ,street1 apparently a factory or warehouse4 8,few persons living10 says an agreeable reminiscent1 writing in ,february1 #ahhg1 8can recollect the old ,western ,exchange1 which in #ahbj was one of the sights of ,london4 ,it ran parallel with the ,burlington ,arcade1 the entrance being from #aj1 ,old ,bond ,street1 to which house it is still attached1 and was at one time the grand banqueting hall4 ,this hall is #agj feet by #aje feet1 is very lofty1 and has spacious galleries all round1 supported by handsome ,doric columns1 highly decorated4 ,there are numerous ante-rooms covering a large space of ground at the rear of several houses in ,old ,bond ,street1 the whole abutting on the ,burlington ,arcade1 to which at one time there was an entrance4 ,its existence dates back to about the end of the sixteenth century1 when the northern part of the street ended here4 ,new ,bond ,street was then an open field known as ,conduit ,mead1 named from one of the conduits which supplied this part of ,london with water4 8,in #ahbj this place was converted into a bazaar1 known1 as already stated1 as the ,western ,exchange4 ,though a fashionable resort before dinner of the idle and well-to-do1 it did not last many years4 ,since then it has had a chequered existence1 being occupied by commercial firms for various purposes4 ,it is now about to be demolished1 to erect on its site #8commanding premises' for a ,west-end firm of coach-builders1 and thus one more of the few old ,london houses with a history will soon have disappeared40 ,in various streets of the neighbourhood are to be found some fine1 well-preserved houses of excellent pattern4 ,in ,clifford ,street there is an ironmonger1 or dealer in chimney-pieces1 and as we enter his 8store0 we are surprised to find ourselves in one of the handsome architectural halls of the old days4 ,low1 but richly adorned1 columns1 fluted1 and with ,corinthian capitals1 support the ceiling1 which is as richly worked with panels and devices4 ,on the left a stair rises1 in very short flights of half a dozen steps1 between two of the columns1 and the balustrades are quite monumental in their solidity4 ,all is as stout and solid as it was a century and a half ago1 when no doubt it was constructed4 ,such a sight as this is a pleasing surprise to the traveller in ,london4 ,many will recall the fine old 8,kensington ,house10 a long1 tall1 high-roofed building of many windows1 which stood behind a low wall in that suburb4 ,it was ever interesting to pass by1 for one thought of ,louise de ,querouaille1 ,duchess of ,portsmouth1 who lived there2 of the ,french school held there after the ,revolution by the ,prince de ,broglie as principal1 to whom ,king ,charles ,x4 was pupil2 and of ,mrs4 ,inchbald1 who lived here when it was a boarding-house4 ,it was a pity to lose so fine a mansion1 and with such gardens behind4 ,in #ahgb this and another fine old house1 with wings1 were levelled to make way for ,baron ,grant's imposing but ugly palace1 and a space of seven acres was cleared4 ,many will recall the gigantic green lattice work reared at each side to fence out the adjoining houses4 ,the edifice and grounds cost close upon #cjj1jjj1 equivalent to a rental of #ae1jjj a year4 ,by the time it was completed its owner was ruined1 and he never lived in it4#ae ,in some of the old-fashioned streets in ,westminster we find noblemen's or gentlemen's houses disposed inside after a pattern which might be commended to the study and imitation of our modern architects4 ,not long since we were in a house in ,park ,place1 whose interior seemed strikingly original and elegant4 ,the staircase was in a sort of well1 and the drawing-room landing took the shape of a kind of balustraded gallery1 whence you could look down on the company ascending4 ,the drawing-room had a piquant window1 whence there was a view of the stairs4 ,though this was a small house there was a general tone of spaciousness4 ,there are modest houses in the little streets leading out of the ,strand which display the same elegance of arrangement4 ,one of the most pleasing1 or quaint1 survivals is a little tranquil corner in ,westminster known as 8,queen ,anne's ,square10 or ,gate4 ,a very few years ago this might have altogether escaped the town traveller1 so abandoned was it2 but now it has come into fashion2 the great 8,mansions0 tower over it1 the ground is coveted1 and is increasing in value every hour4 ,here are some houses of a truly antique pattern1 high-roofed1 with broad eaves1 dormer windows1 and1 finally1 some seven or eight doorways all of the same pattern1 carved elaborately1 each taking the shape of a sort of projecting canopy with pendent bosses4 ,the whole is in perfect keeping1 and is after one design--pillars1 door-case1 and railing4 ,the effect is charming1 and elaborate as the doorways are1 the workmanship is so sound that they are in admirable condition1 and have stood wind and weather for a couple of centuries4 ,the artistic visitor will note the beautiful proportion of the pilasters1 the due and effective breadth of the mouldings1 while even the railings--simple and in such contrast to the pretentious and modern railings--are in keeping4 ,in the corner of the square is the statue of ,queen ,anne4 ,but already the refashioning has set in2 stories are being added1 the dormers swept away1 and presently the houses will be modernized and rebuilt1 the doorways coveted by the dealers1 or disposed of for a good price in ,wardour ,street4 ,one of the quaint oddities of the place is the grotesque faces which dot the walls1 each different4 ,within a couple of doors of the ,adelphi ,theatre are to be seen two houses1 8quaint and old10 belonging to the ,charles ,,ii4 era--one said to have been the house of ,drayton the poet--carved and original4 ,i suppose few who pass hurriedly by1 observe them4 ,the old houses in ,london1 of great pretensions to beauty1 are very few4 ,of course there are a goodly number of simply antique mansions4 ,in ,james ,street1 and looking on the ,wellington ,barracks1 is a quaint old ,queen ,anne house1 extremely simple in treatment1 but original4 ,it is well worth looking at from its cheerful1 gay brickwork1 and the arrangement of the windows1 disposed irregularly4 ,it has quite the suburban or ,richmond-like air1 and ought to be on a common4 ,indeed1 there is a quaint air of old fashion about this ,james ,street rarely found in a ,london street4 ,perhaps a gem of a house1 as it might be called1 is the one in ,great ,queen ,street--,no4 #ef1 which was before alluded to4 ,it consists of a most original1 red-brick front1 with pilasters adorned with rich and even elegant ,corinthian capitals2 above runs a no less rich cornice1 while some piquant dormer windows give point and emphasis4 ,happily it has fallen into the hands of a worthy firm who deserve credit for having maintained it in its old perfect shape2 but the necessities of trade have entailed the 8excavation0 of the lower storey1 which of course destroys the effect4 ,still1 as it is1 this charming relic--the tradition runs that it was the work of ,inigo ,jones--is ever welcome to the passer-by1 from the rich warm1 mellow tint of its brick--its 8closeness10 the whole being as smooth as a billiard table--and the general soundness of the work4 ,this must have been built two centuries ago4 ,what house of our day will stand for half a century1 even with abundant renewings and repairs8 ,two of the most beautiful and elaborate ,old ,london houses are those to be found side by side at the end of ,mortimer ,street1 out of ,regent ,street4 ,there is a grace and richness in the carvings and general design which suggest some of the old ,flemish houses in ,antwerp and ,bruges4 ,very few1 ,i fancy1 have ever noted this piece of architectural embroidery1 which is as solid as it is interesting4 ,but it is melancholy to think of all that has been swept away1 even recently4 ,forgotten now is the so-called ,shakespeare ,tavern1 that stood a few years ago in ,aldersgate ,street1 an extraordinarily picturesque specimen of the framed house1 richly carved1 overhanging the street1 all gables and bows1 a wonderfully effective example of the old wooden structures4 ,in a short time we shall be looking for such things in vain1 and have only pictures and photographs to remind us of them4 ,further down1 on the opposite side of the street1 stood1 at the same period1 that curious specimen of a nobleman's town mansion1 ,shaftesbury ,house1 with its huge stone pilasters and rambling faade4 ,this also is levelled4 ,it is something1 however1 to have seen these things4 ,nor must ,i forget a welcome surprise1 or 8treat0 as an enthusiast would put it1 in the way of old houses1 which occurred many years ago1 when it was announced in the papers that there was a special old house in the ,city1 in ,leadenhall ,street1 on the eve of being pulled down1 and which every connoisseur ought to see before its destruction4 ,i repaired thither with the rest1 and was more than gratified1 for a more instructive or effective survival could not be imagined4 ,it was an old mansion of a thriving merchant in the days of ,queen ,anne4 ,outside it was gloomy1 with an archway1 under which you entered into a courtyard1 round which spread the houses and offices4 ,the front was clearly devoted to the business of the office2 in the dwelling1 just behind1 the merchant and his family resided4 ,but in what state6 and what evidence of wealth and taste6 ,there was a noble staircase with ponderous balustrades2 the walls and ceilings were painted in allegorical devices--gods and goddesses and clouds2 rooms all panelled in oak with carved cornices--such was the spectacle6 ,this was the fashion of the day1 the combination of business with opulence4 ,the merchant had not then his box in the country1 to which he repaired at evening1 but lived in the town4 ,here was a glimpse of the old ,city--state and trade commingled--merchant and family and clerks and wares all under the same roof4 ,in a few days the pickaxes were busy on the paintings6 ,illustration3 ,,room ,,in ,,the ,,sir ,,paul ,,pindar ,,tavern4 ,so lately as ,december1 #ahgg1 an action was brought by the owner of the ,sir ,paul ,pindar ,tavern in ,bishopsgate ,street to restrain the neighbouring hospital from pulling down the adjoining old house4 ,the two houses were said to be to some extent framed together1 so that parts of the rooms of one would be immediately above or below the rooms of the other4 ,the two had probably formed originally one house4 ,the buildings were old and interesting1 and the plaintiff deposed that he attributed much of the value of the good-will 8to the antique and quaint appearance of his house40 ,it appeared that the one house was separated from the other by a timber-framed partition1 and that a portion of this had been removed to enable the ,south ,kensington authorities to get some large and handsome ceilings4 ,already ,sir ,paul ,pindar's house leans ominously1 as though the foundations were giving way4 ,this elegant old mansion might be placed in a museum1 so profuse and delicate are the carvings and carved panellings4 ,mr4 ,birch tells us it was built about the year #afej1 the owner being a wealthy merchant1 who gave a sum of #aj1jjj to old ,st4 ,paul's ,church4 ,the ceilings of the two rooms are exceedingly rich1 one representing1 in flat relief1 the sacrifice of ,isaac1 the other being divided into geometrical patterns4 ,what will become of this work when the old building has to be taken down8 ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,paul ,,pindar',s ,,house4 ,mr4 ,birch notes with much praise the fine old mansions of ,st4 ,helen's1 their fine design and material1 of 8cut brick40 ,the date #afdf is on one of the pilasters4 ,he thinks--and is probably right--that it is the work of ,inigo ,jones1 who was employed on the church1 where some of the screens and also the doorways are of his design4 ,in ,no4 #i is to be seen a good fire-place4 ,to the same architect also1 ,mr4 ,birch attributes 8a very noble chimney-piece0 in the house ,no4 #be1 ,bishopsgate ,street--,crosby ,hall ,chambers4 ,it is a duty of rather mixed experience1 the hunting up these relics1 and the request to be admitted to see a room or hall upstairs is sometimes received suspiciously1 but often enough very cordially4 ,in some cases the ,city mind cannot understand the taste that prompts such inquiries4 ,but on the whole there is a courtesy and cordiality of reception which is gratifying1 the owner seeming flattered that his property should attract the notice of the curious4 ,mr4 ,birch1 always a sympathetic observer1 describes an old chamber in the ,ward ,schools of ,st4 ,botolph1 ,billingsgate1 as a perfect gem1 with its fine oak panels running round1 in each panel an excellent painting in chiaro oscuro4 ,another imposing chamber is that one at ,islington where the ,directors of the ,new ,river ,company meet1 with its fine ceiling wrought with an oval in ,inigo ,jones's manner4 ,but in truth there is an abundance of these old apartments in ,london1 stately1 dignified1 but comparatively unknown and difficult to find4 ,in ,hanover ,square and ,george ,street there is quite a ,dutch tone1 as any one will see who pauses and glances from one house to the other4 ,removing the shops1 in imagination1 as well as the plaster with which the old brickwork has been encrusted1 and peopling them with fine company1 carriages waiting at the door1 we can see what the old pattern was4 ,many are rich in pilasters and cornices1 and it will be noted that most of the windows are slightly arched4 ,they are1 in fact1 of the same pattern as some of the stately mansions in ,grosvenor ,square inhabited by the 8nobility and gentry10 and would have the same effect if occupied by such tenants4 ,a curious and elaborately adorned house stands on the right of the church--the fashionable ,st4 ,george's4 ,illustration3 ,,room ,,in ,,sir ,,paul ,,pindar',s ,,house4 ,to an artistic eye one of the pleasantest sights is an old-fashioned mansion standing in its garden1 with an elegant gate of twisted iron1 monograms1 and a gilt helmet1 it may be1 interlaced1 with sinuous leaves gracefully bent4 ,through its openings we see the straight flagged walk leading to the fan-shaped steps1 with the smooth flowing rail of hammered iron1 opening out in a graceful curve4 ,the doorway is tall and narrow1 with an overhanging cornice4 ,the windows exhibit a feeling of design and balance4 ,there are the high1 the solidly imperishable carved eaves which no damp can penetrate4 ,the whole has an air of grace2 it suits its garden1 and its garden suits it4 ,out at ,clapton1 nearly opposite to the ,salvationist ,barracks1 is a house of this pattern2 pleasing1 if only as a survival of the well-designed suburban house1 and which will well repay a walk4 ,it is now a ladies' school4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the larger mansions in ,london1 which answer to noblemen's 8htels0 in ,paris1 are few1 and are not very imposing of their class4 ,of this grand and pretentious kind there are barely half a dozen4 ,the old ,northumberland ,house1 with its well-known lion--now levelled--was perhaps the only one with historical associations4 ,the ,brothers ,adam1 who have done so much for the metropolis1 do not seem to have been sufficiently appreciated in this line4 ,their work is found abundantly in the country and suburbs1 in houses of 8noblemen and gentlemen40 ,the speculator is ever casting hungry glances at these tempting morsels4 ,one of the finest of these mansions1 so interesting from its associations1 was ,chesterfield ,house1 with its graceful faade1 flanked by colonnades joining the two wings1 its harmonious yet unpretending combination of spacious rooms and fine staircase4 ,of late years this mansion passed through all the vicissitudes of a 8letting house10 and was finally disposed of to a wealthy magnate who is said to have shown much ability and skill in 8exploiting0 his purchase4 ,in the gardens a row of magnificent mansions1 stables1 etc4 was reared4 ,the ground covered by the wings was also built over1 and the house1 shorn of its charming colonnades1 now disposed against the blank brick walls at right angles to the main building1 serves as a residence for the proprietor himself4 ,it was whispered that this clever arrangement of the purchase had recouped the whole outlay1 and that the mansion is now rent free4 ,the room where1 as the tradition runs1 ,johnson waited1 is now lit with the electric light6 ,devonshire ,house1 whose gloomy and rather dilapidated wall is familiar to all who pass through ,piccadilly1 is 8a neat1 plain1 well-proportioned brick building10 a description that well suits its unpretending merits4 ,there is also ,lansdowne ,house adjoining1 on the north1 which has a large expanse of garden and grounds4 ,it is one of the earliest works of the ,brothers ,adam1 and after their favourite pattern1 a central block with a pediment and four columns1 two lower wings adhering1 as it were1 to it4 ,it is said that the reception apartments when thrown open for festivities will hold a larger number of guests than any other ,london house4 ,it has its grand gallery1 one hundred feet long1 with a famous collection of statues and pictures4 ,perhaps1 says a certain guide book1 in an amusingly odd criticism1 8there is no other collection in which the human countenance appears with such glorious attributes of mental expression and artistic execution40 ,it may be said1 however1 that this at least applies admirably to the famous ,reynolds portrait of ,sterne1 with its very original attitude and ,voltairean glance4 ,the ,duke of ,westminster's mansion in ,upper ,grosvenor ,street had probably originally one of those dismal walls which excited ,sir ,w4 ,chambers's reprobation4 ,there is now in front a striking1 open colonnade1 or 8columniated screen10 as the architects call it1 with two gateways1 probably suggested by that in front of old ,carlton ,house4 ,through this is seen the rather ordinary mansion itself1 which somehow suggests an 8htel0 in the faubourg4 ,facing the park are the gardens1 which have been curtailed by the erection of a somewhat ponderous gallery to hold the pictures4 ,here is one of the most famous ,london collections1 with ten ,claudes1 eleven ,rubenses1 and seven ,rembrandts1 and over one hundred works by masters of the first and second rank4 ,this is the remarkable feature in the case of these noble ,london mansions1 viz41 the curiosities of the picture gallery or art collection1 suggesting the show palaces at ,rome and ,genoa4 ,a sad specimen of failure1 after abundant promise and lavish outlay1 is offered by ,apsley ,house4 ,this was an old brick house which the ,iron ,duke purchased for nearly #aj1jjj1 and proceeded to patch and remodel1 with the most unprofitable result4 ,there are many stories of his dissatisfaction and disappointment at the result1 and of the costly shifts to which he and his architect1 ,wyatt1 were led to resort to4 ,it was admitted that it would have been better and cheaper to have reared an entirely new edifice4 ,here is a gallery and many choice works of art1 the most interesting of which is ,canova's colossal statue of ,napoleon--the first object which greets the visitor4 ,few would imagine that in that fast-decaying city1 ,dublin1 are to be found some of the finest and most architectural specimens of the nobleman's house4 ,it is pitiable to see these stately piles falling into ruin1 or turned to baser and1 at least1 unsuitable uses4 ,there are some half a dozen still remaining1 worthy of admiration from their beautiful proportion1 noble and spacious apartments1 and exquisite stucco4 ,the ,duke of ,leinster's in ,merrion ,square is now occupied by the ,royal ,dublin ,society4 ,another1 in ,william ,street1 belongs to a commercial firm2 ,lord ,alborough's1 a name long associated with ,mr4 ,holloway and the 8cure of a bad leg of long standing10 with its private theatre and chapel forming two wings1 has become a barrack4 ,lord ,charlemont's1 in ,rutland ,square1 designed by ,sir ,w4 ,chambers1 is a public office4 ,the friezes1 ceilings1 and other decorative works in these places are truly astonishing and indeed incomparable1 and1 it is said1 a number of ,italian artists were brought over specially for the work4 ,nothing indeed shows the decay of taste so much as the contrast between the older patterns of chimneypiece and the new4 ,not many years ago there was a sort of bande noire established in ,dublin1 who bought up all these artistic fittings1 with the result that almost every old house in the county was ruthlessly stripped of its adornments1 which were taken away to embellish newly-built houses in ,london4 ,one private gentleman1 who was concerned in a building speculation1 secured no less than forty or fifty chimney-pieces at one swoop6 ,an imposing pile of building rises on one side of ,piccadilly1 between the ,arcade and the ,albany1 whose great archway leads to the most popular of exhibitions1 that of the ,royal ,academy4 ,this pretentious and florid mass is already grey and ancient-looking4 ,yet not many years back its place was filled by a long1 prison-like1 well-grimed1 and very dead wall1 literally blackened with the dirt of a century1 and more4 ,in the centre was a huge1 massive gateway1 that might have opened into ,newgate4 ,this forlorn-looking place was old ,burlington ,house1 which seemed as though no one ever lived in1 or entered it4 ,few supposed that within there was a building and architectural combination of an original order1 which had often excited the admiration of connoisseurs--the work of the dilettante ,earl of that name1 whose skill is still to be admired in the spacious ,york ,assembly ,rooms1 for which he furnished designs4 ,in his alterations of his house in ,piccadilly there was much pleasing grace4 ,it was of only two stories1 which can still be noticed1 but they are now groaning under the superimposed third story laid on them by the modern architect4 ,they seem to protest---- ,lie heavy on him1 earth1 for he ,laid many a heavy load on thee4 ,those who about twenty years ago passed by its grim portals might have wondered how this monastic air could have recommended itself to the ,english nobility1 for it was to be noted that all the great houses in ,london1 with an exception or two1 preserved this air of hostile and barricaded exclusion4 ,long ago ,sir ,william ,chambers1 the architect of ,somerset ,house1 after remarking how in ,italy and ,france the gates of palaces are always of open ironwork1 so as to allow the house within to be seen1 added this pleasant criticism3-- 8,in ,london many of our noblemen's palaces towards the street look like convents2 nothing appears but a high wall1 with one or two large gates1 in which there is a hole for those who choose to go in or out1 to creep through3 if a coach arrives the wide gate is opened indeed1 but this is an operation that requires time4 ,few in this city suspect that behind an old brick wall in ,piccadilly there is one of the finest pieces of architecture in ,europe40 ,here he alludes to the well-known colonnade1 which1 on the conversion of the place to its present purposes1 was carted away ignominiously to ,battersea ,park4 ,it was a happy and original idea of the noble architect's4 ,for as he looked from the windows of his house1 his nice artistic sense was offended by the blank space of the wall in which his gateway was pierced1 and he filled it up with this imposing semicircular colonnade1 which must have formed a stately and ennobling object for the eye to rest on4 ,horace ,walpole gives this natural account of the surprise produced on its first introduction to him4 8,i had not only10 he says1 8never seen it1 but had never heard of it4 ,i was invited to a ball at ,burlington ,house2 as ,i passed under the gate at night1 it could not strike me4 ,but at daybreak1 looking out of the window to see the sun rise1 ,i was surprised at the vision of the colonnade that fronted me4 ,it seemed one of those edifices in fairy tales that are raised by genii in a night time40 ,of another mansion planned by ,lord ,burlington1 but since destroyed1 ,lord ,chesterfield said in his lively way3 8,that to be sure he could not live in it1 but intended to take the house over against it1 to look at it40 ,this was as handsome a compliment as the sarcastic peer could offer4 ,but there were other additions to be supplied to the scene4 ,the house itself was flanked on each side with stately dependences joined to it by corridors1 a system of arrangement to which the older architects were partial4 ,some forty or fifty years ago1 one of the ,cavendish family remodelled the house1 abolished the gardens1 and allowed the familiar ,arcade to be cut through them2 while not many years ago the final change was made1 and the house1 purchased by ,government1 was given over to what may be styled the ,artistic and ,scientific ,societies4 ,the beautiful colonnade was levelled and carried off to ,battersea ,park1 where the stones now lie piled on each other1 and are decaying away4 ,the late ,mr4 ,ferguson1 an admirable1 critical architect1 has pointed out the shocking1 meagre1 treatment that the house has received--the new story being heavier than the one underneath1 and the monstrous stone arcade placed in front1 as if on purpose to even further shorten the story below4 ,any unprofessional person can see for himself how discordant is all this1 but 8the job10 as it may be called1 was not done by the architect of the new buildings4 8,burlington ,house1 at present1 is only remarkable as an example to show how easy it is to destroy even the best buildings by ill-judged additions or alterations2 an upper story has been added more solid1 with an order taller than that in which it stands1 so as utterly to crush what was a piano nobile of the building4 ,the result is1 that what a few years ago was one of the most elegant is now one of the very worst architectural examples in the metropolis40 ,another interesting pursuit for the 8,traveller in ,london0 is the visiting of old houses where famous persons have lived or died4 ,it is a curious sensation1 this1 of halting before some cenotaph of this kind1 especially when it wears its old habit1 and has not been altered4 ,you think how many times they ascended those steps and entered the always open door4 ,there was his room--there his study4 ,in most instances the reflection is1 how poor1 how mean the tabernacle6 ,never did this recur with such force as on a visit to ,enfield to ,charles ,lamb's old house--a poor1 stricken little dwelling--one in a mean cluster1 so straitened and small1 with a little doorway through which you could scarce squeeze4 ,yet here he gave parties1 and lived amid madness and misery4 ,friends came down from ,london to see him4 ,the ,society of ,arts has furnished aid in this direction1 and like some ,old ,mortality goes round ,london recording1 and keeping alive1 these memories by fixing pretty1 circular tablets on the front of the more notable mansions4 ,this good work is being gradually extended1 but it takes time2 for it entails negotiation with the proprietors1 some of whom are slow to understand what is intended4 ,but1 in truth1 if one were to diligently search the 8lives0 and 8memoirs10 an enormous list could be made4 ,the ,american1 ,mr4 ,l4 ,hutton1 has done this recently1 with singular painstaking4 ,the difficulty is1 however1 that in the last century 8numbers0 were not in fashion1 and people gave generally the name only of the street4 ,sir ,h4 ,wood1 the secretary of the ,society1 has given an account of his pleasant labours1 by which it would appear that the complete list of tablets to the present time is as follows3-- ,james ,barry1 #cf1 ,castle ,street1 ,oxford ,street2 ,edmund ,burke1 #cg1 ,gerrard ,street1 ,soho2 ,lord ,byron1 #af1 ,holles ,street2 ,george ,canning1 #cg1 ,conduit ,street2 ,john ,dryden1 #dc1 ,gerrard ,street2 ,michael ,faraday1 #b1 ,blandford ,street1 ,portman ,square2 ,john ,flaxman1 #g1 ,buckingham ,street1 ,fitzroy ,square2 ,benjamin ,franklin1 #g1 ,craven ,street1 ,strand2 ,david ,garrick1 #e1 ,adelphi ,terrace2 ,george ,frederick ,handel1 #be1 ,brook ,street2 ,william ,hogarth1 #cj1 ,leicester ,square2 ,samuel ,johnson1 #ag1 ,gough ,square1 ,fleet ,street2 ,napoleon ,,iii41 #c;,a1 ,king ,street1 ,st4 ,james's2 ,lord ,nelson1 #adg1 ,new ,bond ,street2 ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 #ce1 ,st4 ,martin's ,street2 ,peter the ,great1 #ae1 ,buckingham ,street1 ,strand2 ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 #dg1 ,leicester ,square2 ,richard ,brinsley ,sheridan1 #ad1 ,savile ,row2 ,mrs4 ,siddons1 #bg1 ,upper ,baker ,street2 ,sir ,robert ,walpole1 #e1 ,arlington ,street4 ,we find also--,henry ,cavendish1 ,sir ,humphrey ,davy1 ,charles ,dickens1 ,thomas ,gainsborough1 ,count ,rumford1 ,percy ,bysshe ,shelley1 ,joseph ,mallord ,william ,turner1 and ,josiah ,wedgwood4 ,it is hoped that arrangements may1 in most of the above cases1 soon be completed4 ,this is not so interesting a list as might be made2 many more of greater importance might be added4 ,sterne1 for instance1 lodged in ,old ,bond ,street1 at a cheesemonger's1 as ,mr4 ,cunningham ascertained2 ,james ,boswell in ,halfmoon ,street and ,downing ,street2 ,william ,penn1 in ,norfolk ,street1 ,strand4 ,the site1 at least1 of the ,turk's ,head ,coffee ,house1 where the ,literary ,club met1 might be easily ascertained4 ,theodore ,hook's and ,charles ,lamb's house1 in ,colebrooke ,row1 should certainly be noted4 ,there is another admirable society especially devoted to cherishing the interest in old ,london buildings1 and which has already worked admirably4 ,this is 8,the ,society for ,photographing ,relics of ,old ,london10 and which has been excellently directed by ,mr4 ,alfred ,marks1 of ,long ,ditton4 ,already no less than eighty-four pictures have been taken1 many of which are already the sole and faithful records of what have been swept away4 ,these are very different from the average photograph1 being artistic to a high degree1 done in low tones with effective shadow1 of large size1 and mounted on a bluish grey card1 so as to throw out the picture4 ,the list includes--the 8,oxford ,arms0 ,inn1 ,warwick ,lane2 houses in ,wych ,street and ,drury ,lane2 ,lincoln's ,inn2 ,st4 ,bartholomew the ,great1 and adjacent houses in ,cloth ,fair2 ,temple ,bar2 houses in ,leadenhall ,street2 ,gray's ,inn ,lane2 ,brewer ,street1 ,soho2 the 8,sir ,paul ,pindar20 ,staple ,inn1 ,holborn ,front2 ,canonbury ,tower2 ,barnard's ,inn2 ,christ's ,hospital2 ,churchyard of ,st4 ,laurence ,pountney2 houses in ,great ,queen ,street and ,aldersgate ,street2 twelve views of the ,charterhouse2 the ,southwark ,inns2 old houses in the ,borough and ,bermondsey2 ,st4 ,mary ,overy's ,dock2 ,sion ,college2 ,oxford ,market2 ,little ,dean's ,yard2 ,ashburnham ,house2 ,banqueting ,house1 ,whitehall2 ,water ,gate1 ,york ,house2 ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields2 ,lambeth ,palace ,gate ,house1 ,great ,hall1 and 8,lollards' ,tower02 old house1 ,palace ,yard1 ,lambeth2 old houses1 ,aldgate2 8,the ,golden ,axe10 ,st4 ,mary ,axe2 ,no4 #cg1 ,cheapside2 ,no4 #gc1 ,cheapside2 old house1 ,great ,ormond ,street2 old house1 ,queen ,square1 ,bloomsbury2 shop1 ,macclesfield ,street1 ,soho4 ,another old mansion whose loss is to be lamented is that of the ,tradescants1 in ,south ,lambeth4 ,it had fine old grounds attached1 and venerable trees4 ,indeed1 in ,lambeth1 up to a recent date1 there was an abundance of picturesque1 heavy-eaved houses1 often sketched by the artist4 ,this1 of the ,tradescants1 had been visited by ,charles ,i41 ,pepys1 ,atterbury1 and others4 8,on this spot1 which until the last few weeks 7#ahha7 remained a rare pleasaunce amid bricks and mortar and smoke1 were grown the first apricots ever seen in ,england4 ,these1 tradition declared1 were stolen from the ,dey of ,algiers' garden by ,john ,tradescant1 who had joined an expedition against the ,barbary pirates4 #8,tradeskins' ,ark' was a favourite show place of the ,londoners1 and its contents subsequently became the foundation of the ,ashmolean ,museum in ,oxford4 ,in the gardens grew noble trees1 which long relieved the dinginess of the decaying neighbourhood4 ,but the axe has been laid at the root of the tall trees4 ,the shrubs have been torn up1 the absurd little temples to ,flora have fared roughly at the hodman's hands1 and this winter every trace of the #8,ark' itself has disappeared40 ,not long ago the public was invited to take farewell of a great merchant's mansion1 declared positively to be the last-surviving specimen of the kind4 ,vast crowds came accordingly1 and visited every portion of this interesting old place1 which however was not so imposing or effective as the old destroyed house in ,leadenhall ,street4 ,i went with the rest4 ,it was situated in the interesting ,austin ,friars1 where you enter from the street under an arch and find yourself in the grounds and inclosure of the old ,augustine monastery1 now covered with houses1 but still laid out in curious winding passages1 and not unpicturesque4 ,on the right is the old ,dutch ,church4 8,with difficulty10 says an explorer1 8we find the old house1 which is like a manor house--,no4 #ba--;having its steps and garden--waste enough4 ,it could be traced on maps1 and had a regular pedigree1 from its first possessor1 ,olmius1 a ,dutch merchant1 in ,king ,william's time1 from whom it passed to the ,french family of ,tierrenoult1 from them to the ,minets--eminent bankers in the days of the ,first ,french ,empire--and from them to ,thomas ,le ,marchant1 whose descendant held it as representative of the firm of ,thomas1 ,son1 and ,lefevre4 ,from these last holders the present owner1 ,mr4 ,john ,fleming1 acquired the property40 ,it is described as 8a large red-brick structure1 lined throughout with quaintly carved panels and wainscoting1 and its many rooms are capacious1 lofty1 and comfortable4 ,entering the old hall through a fine doorway1 the merchant's counting-house is seen to the right1 and his morning room and many remains of ware rooms to the left4 ,below this are capacious cellars1 containing mysterious hiding places1 and a remarkable vaulted strong room with an iron door4 ,here1 too1 was an old stone well1 the water of which was used by the present owner until he discovered that there were some human bones at the bottom of it4 ,in the vaulted kitchen there is a veritable old ,dutch oven1 faced with fantastic blue tiles1 representing courtiers caracoling on fat ,flanders mares1 and the figures alternate with illustrations of tulips and tiger-lilies4 ,outside are the old red-tiled stables1 and brew-house with gabled roof2 and these look on part of the ,garden of the ,mendicants1 still containing a gnarled old fig-tree that has at spasmodic intervals borne fruit1 but ends its life next week4 ,returning to the hall we mount a broad staircase with large twisted balustrades and rails1 every step of which is ornamented with intricate floral decoration4 ,the panelling was of a rather meagre kind1 with small mouldings up a narrow stair1 and getting on to the red-tiled roof1 with a stone parapet surrounding it1 we can see what may be called the scheme of this extraordinary old property4 ,the house is surrounded by other old buildings--all alike sentenced to destruction next ,monday morning--and scraps of gardens1 and over the way we see the huge modern buildings that now stand on the site of the ,drapers' ,gardens1 which existed in many a living person's memory4 ,there was something pathetic in the forlorn look of the whole1 particularly of this abandoned bit of ,city garden1 with its broad flight of riveted ,purbeck flag steps and old iron handrails approaching it4 ,lofty1 comfortable1 highly respectable1 and in its true sense #8snug' is the dining-room on the first floor1 with its many ingeniously-contrived cupboards and good woodwork4 ,the outside displayed the sad-coloured tint of old and grimed brick40 ,coming by a day or two later1 ,i found the hoardings already up1 and the 8breakers0 at their work4 ,turning out of ,high ,street1 ,kensington1 close by the station1 and descending 8,wright's ,lane0 for a hundred yards or so1 we find ourselves before another of these surviving old mansions--,scarsdale ,house4 ,there is the venerable brick wall running along the road and enclosing a garden as old1 while the mansion1 with its tiled roof1 turns its shoulder to the road and looks toward its fair garden4 ,a pleasing gateway1 with piers surmounted by well-carved vases of graceful pattern4 ,entering we find ourselves in a spacious garden of the old ,manor ,house pattern1 a broad walk1 with piers halfway down--remains1 probably1 of a terrace--and at the bottom a sort of ruined pavilion or summer-house2 steps lead down from the old doorway into the garden1 and the house1 with its tiled roof and dormer windows1 forms a pleasing background4 ,there is a pleasant air of repose and abandonment over all1 and no one would suppose he was in the heart of a busy quarter of ,london4 ,within we find all in keeping4 ,the spacious reception and drawing-rooms are long and lofty1 and 8walled0 with old panelling1 heavily moulded1 which have not been disfigured with paint or even varnish4 ,the staircase is in short flights1 with broad landings1 and has fine substantial balusters of oak1 with richly-twisted rails4 ,the doorways are black as ebony1 and carved elaborately2 and an entrance to one of the bedrooms is deeply embayed1 and offers an effective union of arched and square doorway combined1 supported on carved pillars4 ,there is an abundance of recesses and shadowy places1 and the whole has quite a picturesque air4 ,long may ,scarsdale ,house be spared6 though railway companies and speculative builders have the valuable ground in their eyes1 and would be glad--the latter1 at least--to erect a showy ,scarsdale ,terrace1 or ,mansions1 8suitable for noblemen1 gentlemen1 ,members of ,parliament1 or bachelors of position40 ,another interesting house is to be found in a mean street just out of ,leicester ,square1 next ,orange ,street ,chapel1 where the great philosopher ,newton lived--a poor1 whitened1 tumbling-down place1 that will not hold together long4 ,it is a melancholy spectacle4 ,some thirty years ago it was a sort of restaurant1 dignified by the name of 8,htel ,newton40 ,persons before that date recalled the aspect of the house1 which appropriately displayed the actual observatory on the top1 used regularly1 it was said1 by the philosopher4 ,a ,frenchman who occupied the house1 and who carried on the calling of an optician1 professed to have many of the philosopher's instruments1 which he offered for sale to the curious in such matters4 ,after he passed away the observatory was removed1 amid much lament over such a heathenish sacrifice4 ,it came out1 however1 that the whole was an imposture2 the observatory had been constructed by the ,frenchman himself1 and the sale of the instruments was akin to the sale of the bits of bronze which professed to be portions of the adjoining statue of ,charles ,i46 ,flaxman's house is close to that interesting square--so suggestive of ,bath--,fitzroy ,square4 ,canning's house is in ,conduit ,street1 but has been fashioned into a shop4 ,the name1 however1 does not excite much interest1 as we are too near his time2 though this objection would not hold in the case of ,lord ,beaconsfield1 whose house in ,curzon ,street1 ,mayfair1 might be acceptably distinguished by a tablet4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,old ,,squares4 ,the old1 smaller squares in ,london are very interesting from their tranquil1 retired air and antique pattern1 and venerable trees4 ,none is more characteristic than ,queen ,square in ,bloomsbury1 with its pleasant ,queen ,anne and ,georgian houses running round4 ,most of these inclosures were laid out originally after the ,dutch manner1 which is still apparent4 ,it must be a curious solitary sensation to live in one of these retreats1 and they are affected by students and literary men4 ,old fashion1 indeed1 reigns in ,queen ,square1 though now they have pulled down some of the houses to rear hospitals4 ,the houses have a pleasant1 tranquil air1 though within they are gloomy enough4 ,everyone knows the curious half solemnity1 half chill1 inspired by an old ,queen ,anne house1 such as one has experienced in ,church ,row1 ,hampstead4 ,here1 you would think you were miles away from town1 in some sleepy suburb4 ,at the upper end lived ,dr4 ,charles ,burney--the father of the brilliant ,fanny ,burney--in a house which had been inhabited by ,alderman ,barber1 and to which ,swift was accustomed to resort4 ,this house1 ,i fancy1 was one of those recently pulled down to give place to the hospital4 ,in this worthy mansion one has the interest that one takes in all connected with ,johnson4 ,not far away is another antique square1 very old-fashioned1 and with good houses1 ,red ,lion ,square4 ,the inclosures of both these places have more the air of 8grounds0 than of the prim and trim modern square4 ,there is a certain wildness1 and the grass grows carelessly4 ,but it is now completely invaded by business1 and every house is subdivided into offices4 ,curious little foot-alleys lead into it from various quarters4 ,another interesting little square is the one yclept ,golden4 ,many a ,londoner scarcely knows of its existence1 and many more have never seen it2 yet it is within a stone's throw of ,regent ,street4 ,it is prettily proportioned1 the grass flourishing with extraordinary greenness1 and in the centre rises an effective statue4 ,not so many years ago private persons of high respectability lived here1 among others ,cardinal ,wiseman4 ,now it is entirely given over to commercial offices1 and has a busy air in consequence4 ,it would seem strange now to look for any person of condition residing here4 ,some of the most forlorn and dismal places are those curious squares found in the long roads that lead out of ,london4 ,there is one such near the ,old ,kent ,road1 built in a pretentious style and now utterly gone to seed and decay4 ,all the doorways1 of a curious pattern1 are the same1 so are all the windows4 ,no one walks there1 no custom appears to visit it4 ,it seems one mass of abandonment and we hurry away depressed4 ,soho ,square is really quaint and interesting3 it is in a sound and flourishing condition2 and so full of interest1 that a small book has been written on its history4 ,nothing is more pleasing than the sudden glimpse that is obtained of it from ,oxford ,street1 or from ,dean ,street1 its fine old trees spreading out umbrageously4 ,the old houses have a quaint1 solid air1 notably those at the corners4 ,still flourishes the old ,soho ,bazaar at one corner1 a visit to which in days gone by was thought a treat and a wonder for children4 ,the houses1 with the streets surrounding1 are valuable as suggesting how old ,london of a hundred and fifty years back must have looked4 ,it can have been little altered1 and though shops have been opened in many of the lower stories1 these have in many instances retained their old parlour shape4 ,one is struck by the handsome quality of the mansions1 the sound1 solid doors1 and the 8detached0 character of each house2 that is1 each was finished by itself1 and not built in 8rows40 ,a long blank wall pierced with windows1 now a chapel1 was formerly ,mrs4 ,cornely's ,ridotto ,rooms4 ,on the same side of ,soho ,square we may note a singularly handsome house1 architectural in its bold pilasters and cornices1 and the cheerful red of its brick1 which suggest that famous old ,inigo ,jones's house in ,great ,queen ,street4 ,this imposing-looking edifice belongs to the flourishing firm of ,crosse and ,blackwell1 who have taken pains to keep it in sound condition1 and have fitted up one of the handsome old chambers as a sort of baronial hall1 with oaken panellings and ornamental chimney4 ,wardour ,street is suspiciously close at hand1 but the spirit that prompted the work was good4 ,some of the houses display curious devices--faces1 roses1 and fleur-de-lys4 ,close by1 in ,oxford ,street1 we find the wine-famed ,messrs4 ,gilbey in occupation of a rather stately building with a heavy porch and architectural front4 ,it is long forgotten now that this was erst the ,pantheon1 originally one of the most beautiful buildings ever erected in ,london1 as we can learn from the fine series of engraved plates published in its heyday4 ,the interior was burnt early in the century1 and it was reconstructed1 but not with the same magnificence4 ,it has a curious history therefore--being used as an opera house1 and a place of entertainment for assemblies4 ,a well-known man of fashion in ,sheridan's days1 ,colonel ,greville1 was much concerned with its fortunes4 ,indeed1 a history of the ,london squares would have extraordinary interest and romance1 and there are many odd details associated with them4 ,who knows1 for instance1 that the eminently grave and respectable mansions round ,russell ,square were actually built out of the square itself8--the bricks being obtained from an immense pit dug in the centre1 which still lies in a hollow4 ,the air of ,portman ,square used to have a reputation for extreme salubrity and mildness1 and ,mrs4 ,montagu--who lived in one of the corner houses1 and entertained her chimney sweeps there--used to declare that 8it was the ,montpelier of ,england40 ,one of the most genuine and truly old-fashioned squares is ,berkeley ,square--where the trees are ancient1 their branches spreading away close to the ground4 ,the grass seems extra rich and green1 as though long laid down4 ,of a sunny day there is a most picturesque effect from the shade cast on the grass by the branches4 ,we seem to be straying in some old park1 and there is a tranquil1 retired air4 ,these little effects are overlooked by the incurious sojourners in town4 ,belgrave ,square dates from only the year #ahbe1 and was the work of the ,messrs4 ,cubitt1 the houses being designed by an ,italian4 ,hanover ,square1 and ,george ,street adjoining1 is certainly one of the most notable and characteristic portions of ,london1 for its almost picturesque old houses4 ,these are in fine condition1 but so familiar is the locality that few will perhaps have taken note of them4 ,the square and street date from the time of ,george ,i41 and1 it is stated1 8exhibit many examples of the ,german style of architecture in private houses40 ,indeed1 we have only to pause before some of the houses at the upper end of ,george ,street to see the truth of this4 ,within there are fine specimens of staircases and panellings4 8,the view down ,george ,street1 from the upper end of the square1 is one of the most interesting in the whole city2 the sides of the square1 the area in the middle1 the breaks of building that form the entrance of the vista1 the vista itself1 but above all1 the beautiful projection of the portico of ,st4 ,george's ,church1 are all circumstances that unite in beauty1 and render the scene perfect40 ,mr4 ,malton says1 8,this view has more the air of an ,italian scene than any other in ,london40 ,harewood ,house1 on the north side of the square1 was built for the late ,duke of ,roxburghe1 but purchased by ,lord ,harewood3 it was designed1 as can be seen at the first glance1 by the ,adams4 ,these tall houses of ,george ,street1 with their bright cheerful tint1 their long windows1 have within fine spacious staircases of infinite variety1 walls handsomely panelled and richly decorated1 and1 above all1 fine ceilings elaborately wrought in good old stucco work4 ,in some of the houses the drawing-room walls are set off with medallions in low relief of the ,wedgwood pattern4 ,this old stucco work is now a lost and beautiful art4 ,mr4 ,aitcheson1 the accomplished architect1 has recently explained its true principles1 which are totally at variance with the modern system4 ,one of ,illustration3 ,,berkeley ,,square4 the most attractive of the houses here is the ,arts ,club--a fine1 interesting specimen1 with rather florid ceilings exhibiting very delicate work1 fine inlaid marble chimney-pieces1 and a 8flowing0 staircase4 ,though a small mansion1 it offers that curious air of spaciousness which arises from the sense of proportion being duly felt and carried out4 ,while wandering through the immediate district of ,hanover ,square1 where the same school of architects seems to have inspired the work1 ,i came on a house of pretension which many an explorer would overlook1 and which has certainly escaped the notice of the careless wanderer4 ,at the top of ,old ,burlington ,street is a large mansion1 a centre block and two wings1 which now does duty as two or three distinct establishments4 ,one wing forms the entrance and hall1 with a circular stair built into a sort of rotunda1 from which open richly-carved doors and doorways4 ,the other wing is pierced by a long tunnel which leads by a kind of alley to ,st4 ,george's ,church4 ,the centre block is given over to a house agent4 ,here too is abundance of mouldings and decorations1 with a monumental fireplace1 over which is a sort of panelled chimney-piece4 ,this contrast with the practical uses for which the place serves is curious4 ,behind is a large building or hall which can scarcely be made out from the street1 so built in is it4 ,this is now known as the ,burlington ,hall1 and used as a ,young ,men's ,association4 ,this place1 with all its dependences1 must date from the middle of last century4 ,portman and ,cavendish ,squares offer a great variety of mansions1 well built and well designed--such specimens of the interiors as ,i have seen are remarkable for their noble stone staircases1 florid ironwork railings1 and heavily panelled walls4 ,the beautiful solid work with which noblemen and gentlemen used to adorn their mansions can be well illustrated by a casual instance which lately came under my notice4 ,a gentleman who was fitting up his ,west ,end house was informed by his builders that a mansion was being pulled down in ,grosvenor ,street1 ,i think1 and that some of the fittings could be secured for the usual 8old song40 ,among these were a set of massive mahogany doors--portes battantes--of the finest description1 the mouldings being set off with richly gilt brass4 ,st4 ,james's ,square has a cheerful dignity of its own3 one of the most dramatic incidents of the century took place in one of the houses4 ,when the issue of the battle of ,waterloo was unknown1 a wealthy ,mrs4 ,boehm was giving a grand ball1 at which the ,regent was present4 ,all the rank and fashion of ,london were there1 the windows lit up and open1 for the night was sultry2 the crowd gathered thickly1 looking up at the festivity and the clustered figures4 ,it was after midnight1 when a roar came from the distant streets1 which increased and swelled1 and was borne into the room4 ,the dancing stopped1 and those looking on witnessed an indescribable scene of tumult and joy4 ,a chaise and four approached--flags projecting from the windows3 an officer1 ,major ,percy1 leaped out1 carrying his flags1 rushed upstairs1 and coming up straight to the ,prince1 knelt on one knee and announced the great victory4 ,poor ,mrs4 ,boehm's ball was ruined1 for the ,prince and everyone departed instantly4 ,but the scene rises before us on some of the summer nights when festivity is going on in the square4#af ,how very few 8,west-enders0 have penetrated so far as ,fitzroy ,square1 which1 though close to ,tottenham ,court ,road1 is somewhat difficult to find4 ,there is an attraction in its stately faades1 one side of which is the work of the ,brothers ,adam1 and has quite the flavour of ,bath4 ,another side was designed by an inferior artist2 while the remaining ones are in the ordinary style4 ,anyone who would wish to feel thoroughly 8old-fashioned0 should come and live here4 ,not many years ago1 before the era of studio building set in1 it was much affected as a haunt of artists2 but now it offers a curious 8running to seed0 air4 ,it is1 however1 well worth a visit1 and a person of taste1 by contrasting the two sides1 will see how skilfully a true architect can lay out a pile of buildings4 ,illustration3 ,,mansion ,,in ,,cavendish ,,square4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,the ,,old ,,taverns4 ,old inns in ,london may perhaps owe their repute to the share they have in the scenery of ,pickwick and ,nickleby4 ,the ,london inns and inn-yards1 still used as houses of entertainment1 are among the last few survivals which link us to the antique customs of old ,london4 ,these are now being swept away with a pitiless rapidity1 and in a dozen years more not one will be left4 ,the enormous1 sheltering1 tiled roofs1 the galleries1 balustrades1 crannies1 winding stairs1 joined to make these singular structures picturesque1 with their lights and shadows1 suggestive of the buildings in an old ,normandy town4 ,the strange part is that these hostelries seem to do business up to the moment of their extinction2 and even when that occurs1 the traffic is transferred to a parasite public-house bearing the same name4 ,in most cases1 however1 the tradition of its being a halt or starting place for carriers and country waggons is maintained1 as the great railway companies have seized on many to serve as their goods depots4 ,hence we find the ,bricklayers' ,arms and such places1 from under whose archways now rumble forth the ,pickford vans1 instead of the favourite 8,mouldy's ,iron ,devil10 the six or eight-horse waggon of our grandsires4 ,the old inns were frail and precarious structures2 and it is a marvel that they should have survived so long1 the vast expanse of tiled roof being warped and bent in eddying waves1 while the crazy stairs and galleries of ancient wood were rotten with age4 ,many of the ,dickens inns were in the ,city1 notably the one in which ,mr4 ,squeers put up when he used to repair to ,london to collect victims for his school4 ,mr4 ,squeers's house1 with many other curious places1 was swept away when ,snow ,hill was abolished1 and the ,holborn ,viaduct carried through to ,newgate ,street4 ,two picturesque specimens--the 8,old ,tabard10 in the ,borough1 and the 8,warwick ,arms10 close to ,paternoster ,row1 would have found admirers in ,nuremberg or ,rouen4 ,the latter was a remarkable specimen from its size and elaborateness1 with its huge roof1 rambling galleries and crannies1 cavernous dark shadows1 and general air of mystery4 ,the tiled roofs of these buildings seemed to grow bent and warped from age and weakness1 and fall into those wavings and twists which form an element of the picturesque4 ,the wood of the balustrades grew black and grimed2 it was strange that what appeared so crazy should have held together so long4 ,the 8,tabard10 though it did not date from ,chaucer's day1 as many innocently fancied1 was a genuine structure of the seventeenth century4 ,the wonder1 in truth1 is that any of these fragile structures should still be in existence4 ,perhaps the most remarkable and most interesting of the old inn-yards was that of the 8,four ,swans10 which stood till some eight or ten years ago in ,bishopsgate ,street4 ,this was considered the most perfect and best preserved of all1 having more galleries1 and having been the scene of a stirring adventure during the ,roundhead and ,cavalier wars4 ,its neighbour1 the 8,green ,dragon10 was levelled about the same time4 ,what a pleasing twang1 it may be said1 is there about the titles of these hostelries1 which contrast with the more prosaic designations of latter-day life6 ,of these old inns1 with their yards and galleries1 there are but two or three in which the business of entertainment is still carried on4 ,there is the old 8,bell ,inn10 a grimed1 caked1 red-brick1 ancient building1 with its sign of the ,bell1 a china shop in front1 and an archway according to the old pattern4 ,entering1 there is the true old-world flavour--the galleries1 the tumble-down stairs fashioned of wood-panelling with projecting eaves1 the files of bells outside1 the kitchen to the left as in a foreign hotel1 strange little rickety stairsteps as from the cabin of a ship1 with also the occasional appearance of a figure in one of the galleries4 ,the inn life here1 from these arrangements1 is certain to correspond--every one is1 as it were1 in evidence4 ,you can hardly dream of the noisy ,holborn just outside4 ,it is very different in the regular hostelries1 where everything is at the top of the house or at the bottom1 not1 as here1 all round about it4 ,london has many of these quaint surprises to those who wish to see them4 ,here is to be seen the low arch1 under which the coaches and waggons drove into the inn-yard1 with its galleries running round1 from which chambermaids looked down or called to those below4 ,even now it seems a strange order of things and a quaint arrangement1 and you wonder how business is carried on at such places4 ,it is1 however1 when we cross ,london ,bridge and enter the ,borough that we come to the region of inn-yards4 ,here began the road to ,canterbury1 and here1 in the old times1 the waggons and coaches arrived with their goods and passengers2 and we are at once struck with the innumerable yards and small inclosures into which these vehicles used to drive4 ,there were a large number of these inns1 most of which remain in some shape1 surviving at least as public-houses4 ,there were the old 8,king's ,head10 the old 8,white ,hart10 the new 8,white ,hart10 the 8,old ,george10 the 8,queen's ,head10 the 8,nag's ,head10 and the 8,spur40 ,few only of the old pattern remain1 and their days1 or hours in one case1 are certainly numbered4 ,the first is the old 8,king's ,head10 of which a fragment--some thirty or forty yards long--still stands all ruinous and forlorn1 with its two ancient galleries or balustrades in a sadly tottering state1 its anatomy exposed in a heartless fashion at each end4 ,one could be sentimental and mournful over it4 ,it is surrounded by new spick and span brickwork1 and a new 8,king's ,head0 insolently confronts it and seems to flourish4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,white ,,hart4 8,in the ,borough10 says the author of 8,pickwick10 8there still remain some half-a-dozen old inns which have preserved their external features unchanged4 ,great1 rambling1 queer old places they are1 with galleries and passages and staircases1 wide enough and antiquated enough to furnish materials for a hundred ghost stories4 ,it was in the yard of one of these inns--of no less celebrated a one than the #8,white ,hart1' that a man was employed in brushing the dirt off a pair of boots30 the introduction as the world knows1 of ,mr4 ,pickwick to the immortal ,samuel ,weller4 ,the yard is then described3 8,it presented none of that bustle and activity which are the usual characteristics of a large coach inn4 ,three or four lumbering waggons1 each with a pile of goods beneath its ample canopy about the height of a second-floor window of an ordinary house1 were stowed away beneath a lofting which extended over one end of the yard2 and another1 which was to commence its journey in the morning1 was drawn out into an open space4 ,a double tier of bedroom galleries with old clumsy balustrades ran round two sides of the straggling area1 and a double row of bells to correspond1 sheltered from the weather by a little sloping roof1 hung over the door leading to the bar and coffee-room4 ,two or three gigs or chaise-carts were wheeled up under different little sheds and pent-houses40 ,the guests1 it would appear1 slept in rooms giving on the galleries all round2 for1 we are told1 8a loud ringing of one of the bells was followed by the appearance of a smart chambermaid in the upper sleeping gallery1 who after tapping at one of the doors and receiving a request from within1 called over the balustrade0 to ,sam4 ,presently the 8bustling landlady of the #8,white ,hart' made her appearance in the opposite gallery1 and after a little vituperation1 flung a pair of lady's shoes into the yard and bustled away40 ,it is curious to think that this scene was a description of what was going on about fifty years ago1 and was kept up for many years after 8,pickwick0 was written4 ,the picture of that morning--the chambermaid coming out of the room in the gallery1 the landlady throwing the boots down to ,sam--still rises before us as we turn into the yard4 ,two sides of the inclosure now remain1 but it shows how imposing an establishment must have been the house that in ,dickens's time would be called 8the celebrated #8,white ,hart ,inn4'0 ,the huge tiled roof is there1 and the double tiers of galleries1 with the doors of the guests' chambers4 ,but a wooden shed has been built round the lower portion1 close to where ,sam stood and was questioned by ,mr4 ,perker and ,mr4 ,wardle4 ,clothes-lines hang across the galleries1 and a few years ago squalid women could be seen looking down and surveying the intruders1 just as the chambermaid and landlady looked down upon ,mr4 ,weller4 ,a waggon lies up in ordinary in the corner1 as it did in ,dickens's day4 ,the whole is black1 grimed1 rusty1 and decayed1 and fills the mind with a sort of melancholy1 as things 8fallen from their high estate0 do4 ,by the right rises a flight of stairs leading to the gallery1 close to which is a quaint1 short balcony4 ,such is the old 8,white ,hart10 or all that is left of it1 which1 however1 still accommodates a certain number of tenants4 ,on the other side is the newer 8,white ,hart10 with its long row of glass windows1 seeming a comfortable place enough4#ag ,our next halt is at the 8,george10 which has really a bright and ,illustration3 ,,the ,,george ,,inn1 ,,borough4 bustling air of business4 ,it is a not unpicturesque courtyard from its very irregularity1 the old wooden galleries being alternated with buildings of a different pattern1 some projecting forward4 ,the galleries are gay with paint and plenty of flowers2 and altogether one might seem able to take one's ease in one's inn here very fairly4 ,even more picturesque is the 8,queen's ,head10 a little lower down1 a very effective gathering of irregular buildings4 ,it has its two galleries on the left1 but another portion has been boarded in for greater room and comfort4 ,a tall archway in the centre block offers a ,de ,hooghe-like glimpse of another court beyond1 while a bow-windowed bar-parlour has been built out in front1 and suggests a ,captain ,cuttle flavour4 ,here1 too1 is the heavy tiled roof1 over which rises a little peaked cupola1 not without effect4 ,one hardly hears the hum of the ,borough without4 ,who 8puts up0 at these places8 ,what sort of 8entertainment for man or beast0 is there8 ,how long do the guests stay8 ,these are questions of high mystery4 ,the people who dwell here must have ways of their own1 and be influenced by the dispensations under which they abide4 ,this conversing from aloft1 with occasional pausing to look down and see what is going on1 lends a sort of vitality to what would otherwise be a sleepy and antiquated kind of existence4 ,to this old arrangement1 as is well known1 it is that we owe the form of our theatres4 ,the old inn-yard being a favourite place of entertainment1 the guests would gather in the galleries to look over2 the floor suggested the later pit2 while the stage was set up1 facing the archway1 at the far end4 ,in ,covent ,garden1 under ,inigo ,jones's loggia1 are found some old inns of a thoroughly ,pickwickian sort1 with the bars and snuggeries which are fitting background for a gathering of ,dickens's men and women4 ,these are 8,the ,tavistock0 and 8,the ,bedford10 in high favour with country bachelors4 ,they must be as old almost as the colonnade itself2 while the 8,bedford ,coffee ,house0 has quite a history of its own1 resplendent with the names of ,churchill1 ,hogarth1 the steak-ordering ,duke of ,norfolk1 and many a son of fame besides4 ,still flourishes also the 8,hummums10 where ,parson ,ford saw the ghost1 as described by ,dr4 ,johnson2 but it has been rebuilt4 ,on the top of ,hampstead ,heath1 and situated in a most picturesque spot1 is 8,jack ,straw's ,castle10 a little inn which has a reputation of its own4 ',tis said to be the highest point in the quarter1 and though so close to town1 has an antique and truly rustic air4 ,the pleasant ,hampstead mornings1 with the keen air of those northern heights1 the glimpses of cheerful old red-brick houses1 the vicinity of ,church ,row1 one of the most effective 8bits0 of old brick architecture in the country1 the delightful undulations of the ,heath1 all make 8,jack ,straw's ,castle0 a most acceptable hostelry1 though ,john ,sadleir was found hard by1 with his silver poison cup lying some yards away4 ,readers of ,forster's 8,life of ,dickens0 will recall the many rides of the novelist1 accompanied by his 8trusty0 friend1 to this inn1 and the pleasant tte--tte dinners that followed4 ,indeed1 a pleasant volume might be made on 8,the ,history of ,old ,inns1 and ,those who ,frequented ,them40 ,one of the most famous is of course the 8,red ,lion0 at ,henley1 where ,johnson and ,boswell stayed--,johnson1 indeed1 had a particular predilection for taverns4 ,he was one of their most ardent votaries2 he remains their most eloquent apologist4 ,in the inn at ,chapel-house1 after 8triumphing over the ,french for not having in any perfection the tavern life10 he went on to enlarge upon them in a discourse which has become historical4 8,there is no private house10 he declared1 8in which people can enjoy themselves so well as at a capital tavern4 ,let there be ever so great plenty of good things1 ever so much grandeur1 ever so much elegance1 ever so much desire that every body should be easy2 in the nature of things it cannot be3 there must always be some degree of care and anxiety4 ,the master of the house is anxious to entertain his guests2 the guests are anxious to be agreeable to him2 and no man1 but a very impudent dog indeed1 can as freely command what is in another man's house as if it were his own4 ,whereas1 at a tavern there is a general freedom from anxiety4 ,you are sure you are welcome2 and the more noise you make1 the more trouble you give1 the more good things you call for1 the welcomer you are4 ,no servants will attend you with the alacrity which waiters do1 who are incited by the prospect of an immediate reward in proportion as they please4 ,no1 ,sir2 there is nothing which has yet been contrived by man1 by which so much happiness is produced1 as by a good tavern or inn40 ,thus did he discourse to ,boswell2 while to ,hawkins he asserted that a tavern chair is the throne of human felicity4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,taverns4 ,the old ,london taverns and chop houses are disappearing year by year1 but there are a few quaint survivals which are interesting4 ,take it that on some winter's evening1 we have passed through old ,holywell ,street1 where the gas is flaring wildly over the doors1 and emerge at the foot of the picturesque ,st4 ,clement ,danes' tower1 in whose belfry windows are red lights1 while its bells are clanging away noisily1 worked by the strong arms of 8the ,college of ,bell ,ringers40 ,we hurry on1 passing through the old ,bar1 which once seemed like entering a fortified town1 and only wanted a drawbridge2 then see to the left1 over a little low porch1 the illuminated beacon of 8,the ,cock10 cheerfully inviting entrance4 ,the long bent passage1 with the swing-door at the end1 had an air of ineffable comfort--there was a glimpse of the cozy bar beyond4 ,to the right hand1 as the swing-door opened and shut1 you saw the jovial red curtains within1 the blackened mahogany boxes1 the hats hung up1 and the sanded floor4 ,it seemed like a whiff of the 8,old ,maypole40 ,you understood at once the significance of ,dickens's old inns1 which he seemed to revel in4 ,how snug that corner seat near the fire--just holding two--with the stout table in front--the kettle singing close to you--from below came the sound of cheerful hissing1 as the tender chops or 8dinner steak0 was being prepared 8to follow0 or not1 as it might be--to be succeeded again by the peculiar 8rare-bit10 the unapproachable stout1 fine port1 and finer whiskey6 ,it was a curious sensation to find refuge here after a weary day1 and look round on the characteristic figures1 mostly solitary1 dried up1 old lawyers1 who have spent their day in company with deeds and papers4 ,they would have their tumblers of old ,scotch--more as a companion for their thoughts--and you could see their faces wandering placidly to the fire as if tracing some of their favourite quiddities and quillets there4 ,here1 too1 was to be found the adventurer come to seek his fortune in the great town1 brooding over the buffets already met with1 planning how to fend off others1 yet finding a soothing comfort in the placid retirement of the old hostel4 8,i may here mention10 wrote an old ,city solicitor named ,jay1 8that the #8,cock ,tavern' in ,fleet ,street has been a noted resort of lawyers for more than two centuries4 ,when ,i first went there1 no chops or steaks were cooked1 but gentlemen and tradesmen went there in the afternoon to smoke their pipes 7cigars being then very little used74 ,the landlord at that time held a high position in ,whitbread's brewery4 ,it was at this time kept open during the night1 and until the early hours of morning were far advanced it was often a difficult matter to find an unoccupied seat4 ,the gentlemen who frequented it were members of the ,temple and other ,inns of ,court1 and used their own silver tankards bearing their crests1 which were exposed to view against the wall of the bar or coffee-room2 and ,i have still many pleasant reminiscences of oyster and other suppers furnished at this house2 a man from a neighbouring fishmonger's being specially retained to open oysters for the numerous customers1 who with sharp appetites kept him fully employed40 ,to many persons who have never entered a tavern in their lives1 8,the ,cock0 had a certain charm of association1 mainly owing to its having been celebrated in verse by the ,poet ,laureate4 ,perhaps few1 again1 are familiar with all he has said or sung upon the subject1 contenting themselves with the oft-quoted lines to the 8plump head waiter at #8,the ,cock1'0 which gave that personage an immortality4 ,the lines on 8,will ,waterproof's0 visit have an extraordinary charm of pensive retrospect and solitary meditation1 and convey an idea of the tone of the old place1 and of the fancies it is likely to engender in some solitary and perhaps depressed guest4 ,a series of pictures and moods is unfolded in this charming poem1 a sort of dreamy rumination and pleasant sadness2 visions float upwards in the curling fumes of the smoker's 8long clay40 ,but only a great poet could extract a refined quintessence from the mixed vapours of chops and steaks4 ,,will ,,waterproof',s ,,lyrical ,,monologue4 ,,made ,,at 8,,the ,,cock40 ,o1 plump head waiter at 8,the ,cock10 ,to which ,i most resort1 ,how goes the time8 ',tis five o'clock4 ,go fetch a pint of port3 ,but let it not be such as that ,you set before chance comers1 ,but such whose father-grape grew fat ,on ,lusitanian summers4 99 99 99 99 99 ,and hence this halo lives about ,the waiter's hands that reach ,to each his perfect pint of stout1 ,his proper chop to each4 ,he looks not like the common breed ,that with the napkin dally2 ,i think he came like ,ganymede1 ,from some delightful valley4 99 99 99 99 99 ,ah1 let the rusty theme alone6 ,we know not what we know4 ,but for my pleasant hour1 'tis gone1 ',tis gone1 and let it go4 ',tis gone3 a thousand such have slipt ,away from my embraces1 ,and fallen into the dusty crypt ,of darken'd forms and faces4 99 99 99 99 99 ,this sketch of the 8head waiter at the #8,cock1'0 is the portion of the poem that is the best known and oftenest quoted4 ,but the rest is full of noble1 sad pictures4 ,the region about is a sort of tavern-land2 there used to be a strange ramshackle place opposite1 8,tom's10 or 8,sam's10 or 8,joe's10 7we forget which71 with the old 8,rainbow02 and hard by was 8,carr's0--the older 8,carr's10--which owed its repute to a sentence in 8,household ,words10 which praised the 8capital cut off the joint1 washed down by a pint of good ,burgundy40 ,you passed through a little squeezed and panelled passage to enter 8,the ,cock10 and at the end of the passage was seen the little window of the 8snuggery10 or bar1 most inviting on a winter's night1 with something simmering on the hob4 ,there sat one whom we might call 8,miss ,abbey0--like ,dickens's directress of the 8,fellowship ,porters0--to whom came the waiters1 to receive the good hunches1 8new or stale80 which she1 according to old unvarying rule1 chalked down1 or up1 on the mahogany sill of the door4 ,all was duly sawdusted4 ,the ceiling of the long1 low tavern room seemed on our heads4 ,the windows small1 like skylights1 opened upon the hilly passage or lane outside4 ,there were 8boxes0 or pews all round1 with green curtains1 of mahogany black as ebony4 ,but the coveted places--say about a sharp ,christmas-time--were the two that faced the good fire1 on which sang a huge kettle4 ,the curious old chimney-piece over it was of carved oak1 with strange grinning faces1 one of which used to delight ,dickens1 who invited people's attention to it particularly4 ,there was a quaintness1 too1 in the china trays for the pewter mugs1 each decorated with an effigy of a cock4 ,on application1 those in office produced to you a well-thumbed copy of ,defoe's 8,history of the ,plague10 where allusion is made to the establishment1 and also a little circular box1 in which was carefully preserved one of the copper tokens of the house--a little lean1 battered piece1 with the device of a cock1 and the inscriptions 8,the ,cock ,alehouse10 and 8,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,,att4 ,,temple ,,barr1 #afee40 ,the ,intelligencer1 ,no4 #de1 contains the following advertisement3 8,this is to notify that the ,master of the ,cock and ,bottle1 commonly called the ,cock ,alehouse1 at ,temple ,bar1 hath dismissed his servants and shut up his house for this long vacation1 intending 7,god willing7 to return at ,michaelmas next1 so that all persons whatsoever1 who have any ,accompts with the said master1 or ,farthings belonging to the said house1 are desired to repair thither before the #hth of this instant ,july1 and they shall receive satisfaction40 ,it is a pity to find that there is not the conservative continuity in the line of waiters which should be found in such a place4 ,they seem to come and go--go rather than come4 ,they used to be all 8in key10 as it were--had grown stout and old in the service4 ,latterly1 time1 in its whirligig changes1 had brought round changes almost revolutionary1 and we found strange1 unsuitable beings in office4 ,one was a dry1 wiry man of despotic character1 who administered on the new modern principles1 unsuited to the easy-going manners of the place4 ,he dealt with the customers in a prompt1 almost harsh style4 ,he knew and recognized no distinction between old frequenters and new4 ,i fancy he was not popular4 ,his place was really in the new 8restaurants02 but here among the 8boxes0 and pews1 and on the sanded floor1 he was an anachronism4 ,with the old habitus he was a perfect fly in the ointment4 ,when he found himself unpopular1 he adopted a strange device to recommend himself--the compounding a curious sauce1 which he called 8,pick-ant10 and which he invited guests to try4 ,it did not much avail him1 and death has since removed him to pay his own score4 ,mr4 ,mark ,lemon1 who had to pass the tavern every day on his road to the 8,punch0 office1 lower down1 has laid a scene in one of his novels at the little tavern4 ,in early days1 when the then unknown ,tennyson dwelt in lofty chambers up behind the balustraded parapet of ,no4 #eg ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields 7west side71 he used to resort to the 8,cock0 for his quiet five-o'clock dinner1 where after a pint of the special port1 he probably wrote the famous verses on ,will4 ,an ,american visitor was fortunate enough to see the poet engaged in discussing the favourite delicacies of the place3-- 8,i had the good fortune the other day to come upon ,tennyson taking his chop and kidney at that house1 some three doors above the old ,temple ,bar1 which he has made famous1 the #8,cock4' ,i had the curiosity to look for the #8half pint of port' in the poem1 but ,i saw at the bard's elbow no wine1 fruity or crusted1 but a plain pewter of stout1 which the author of #8,locksley ,hall' discussed like any northern farmer of them all4 ,he is aged and worn1 and bent in the back1 with hollow chest2 but ,i think these are rather the effects of a brooding habit of mind and body than the marks of physical debility1 for he looked tough and muscular4 ,tennyson is not a beauty4 ,there was the head-waiter at the #8,cock1' and it was fine to see him waiting on the ,laureate4 ,the man was tremendously conscious of his distinction1 and kept watching guests out of the corner of his eye1 to see if they were admiring him4 ,his manner to ,mr4 ,tennyson was delightful1 at once respectful and friendly--just as if he felt himself a partner in the work which has given the #8,cock' a sort of literary reputation40 ,illustration3 ,the ,old ,cock ,tavern ,there were old rites and customs of service maintained according to tradition4 ,your good clay pipe was brought to you1 and the twist of good and fragrant tobacco4 ,an anchorite or ,temperance ,league man would find it hard to resist the apparatus for mixing the 8brew0 of 8hot drink0 or 8,scotch10 the little pewter 8noggin10 the curling rind of lemon with the more juicy fragment of the interior1 and the tiny glass holding a sufficiency of sugar1 with the neat black jug filled from the copper kettle always boiling on the hob4 ,alas6 we have now to lament the fate of the pleasant1 social snug old 8,cock40 ,in course of time the buildings around it fell into decay1 or were demolished4 ,the ,law ,courts were built and opened2 the fish shop close by was taken down and removed to another district4 ,to this state of things it came at last--that every house near it had gone1 and there only remained a sort of little tunnel with the swinging glass door1 with the gilt1 defiant ,cock above1 while behind was the old tavern1 standing solitary in its decay4 ,people wondered at this vitality1 and how in the general wreck and destruction the old hostel was not swept off4 ,but the heroic ,colnett kept his ground4 ,the old liquor1 the old pipe and 8screws0 were still supplied as of yore4 ,the customers were staunch4 ,but1 what consternation1 when1 one morning it became known that the gilt presentment of the bird--the supposed 8,grinling0--had disappeared1 had been stolen in a vulgar way1 much as the famous ,gainsborough ,duchess had been cut from her frame6 ,now it was felt indeed that the charm was gone2 there was nothing to rally round4 ,still we clung to the old place4 ,but1 somehow1 with the loss of the bird it was felt that a change had come over the place4 ,but the last stroke came4 ,one day it struck the visitor that the chop had lost the old succulent flavour4 ,it was a good chop1 but had not the aroma4 ,so marked was this that inquiry was made4 8,the meat was good--the best ,spiers and ,pond could supply40 ,what6 ,had it come to this6 ,spiers and ,pond6 ,yes1 it was true--the eminent caterers had taken over the place--the 8,cock0 of the ,plague1 of ,pepys1 of ,tennyson1 and of the ,templars6 ,this was a sad business--the knell of the place was rung4 ,as the bird was gone the nest might go too4 ,after that blow ,i fled the place and never returned4 ,the end was not long in coming4 ,the eminent firm of caterers did not long pursue their venture4 ,in a very short time hoardings began to be set up1 the tunnel was invaded1 and the 8,cock0 closed for ever4 ,farewell now to the dreaming1 ruminating winter's night1 the mellow ,scotch1 the screw of ,birdseye4 ,the last incident connected with this destruction was1 however1 appropriate enough4 ,one of the famous old tankards1 adorned with a suitable inscription--8a pint pot neatly graven0--was sent to the ,poet who1 we say1 had done so much for the place4 ,the ,laureate wrote gracefully3-- 8,mr4 ,earringford1 ,i have this morning received the #8,old ,cock' ,tavern tankard4 ,will you give my best thanks to ,messrs4 ,spiers and ,pond for their present1 and tell them that ,i shall keep it as an heirloom in my family1 as a memorial not only of the old vanished tavern1 but also of their kindness4--,yours faithfully1 8,,tennyson40 ,on the site of the old ,tavern1 where was the fish shop1 etc41 the ,bank of ,england has just reared a splendid and imposing ,italian edifice1 which harmonizes well with the ,law ,courts4 ,the proprietor has moved to the other side of the street1 taking with him all his properties--the old mahogany boxes1 fireplace1 tankards1 etc4--reconstructing a sort of ghostly 8,cock40 ,even the gilt bird1 a very spirited piece of work1 even if not ,grinling's1 flourishes away over the door4 ,but it is not the same thing--can never be4#ah ,there were two other taverns almost vis--vis1 and each with antique claims4 ,one1 8,the ,rainbow10 which boasts a remote pedigree4 ,but though you enter in the favourite ,fleet ,street style1 through a narrow passage1 the place itself has undergone much restoration4 8,dicks'0 the other1 was down one of the ,temple lanes1 dark and grimed1 and somewhat rudely appointed1 as though it wished to rest its claims entirely upon its 8chops and steaks10 and upon nothing else4 8,dicks'0 used to be labelled outside 8,ben ,jonson's ,noted ,house10 and boasted of having enjoyed the custom of that eminent man4 8,dicks'0 however1 has gone4 ,it has fallen into the hands of ,germans1 who hold a table d'hte4 ,the art and science of cooking chops is not nearly so highly esteemed as it used to be in the last century1 when noblemen and gentlemen frequented taverns1 and clubs did not exist1 save at taverns4 ,the history of the lately revived ,beefsteak ,club is familiar2 its huge gridiron is still to be seen in its old feasting room at the ,lyceum ,theatre1 with its admirable motto1 8,if it were done when 'tis done10 etc4 ,the greatest chop and steak eater of his day1 and patron of this club1 was the ,duke of ,norfolk1 a gross and coarse feeder1 who often astounded visitors by his consumption of successive steaks brought in 8hot and hot10 and consumed voraciously4 ,fleet ,street1 interesting in so many ways1 is remarkable for the curious little courts and passages into which you make entry1 under small archways4 ,these are 8,johnson's ,court10 8,bolt ,court10 8,racquet ,court10 and the like4 ,indeed1 it is evident that the strange little passage which led to the 8,cock0 must have been originally an entrance to one of these courts on which the tavern gradually encroached4 ,much the same are found in the ,borough1 only these lead into greater courts and inn yards4 ,but in ,fleet ,street there is one that is specially interesting4 ,we can fancy the ,doctor tramping up to his favourite tavern1 the 8,cheshire ,cheese40 ,passing into the dark alley known as 8,wine ,office ,court10 we come to a narrow flagged passage1 the house or wall on the other side quite close1 and excluding the light4 ,the 8,cheese0 looks1 indeed1 a sort of dark den1 an inferior public-house1 its grimed windows like those of a shop1 which we can look in at from the passage4 ,on entering1 there is the little bar facing us1 and always the essence of snugness and cosiness2 to the right a small room1 to the left a bigger one4 ,this is the favourite tavern1 with its dirty walls and sawdusted floor1 a few benches put against the wall1 and two or three plain tables of the rudest kind4 ,the grill is heard hissing in some back region1 where the chop or small steak is being prepared2 and it may be said en passant1 that the flavour and treatment of the chop and 8small dinner steak0--are there breakfast and luncheon steaks also8--are quite different from those 8done0 on the more pretentious grills which have lately sprung up4 ,on the wall is a testimonial portrait of a rather bloated waiter--,todd1 ,i think1 by name--quite suggestive of the late ,mr4 ,liston4 ,he is holding up his corkscrew of office to an expectant guest1 either in a warning or exultant way1 as if he had extracted the cork in a masterly style4 ,underneath is a boastful inscription that it was painted in #ahab1 to be hung up as an heirloom and handed down1 having been executed under the reign of ,dolamore1 who then owned the place4 ,strange to say1 the waiter of the 8,cheshire ,cheese0 has been sung1 like his brother at the 8,cock10 but not by such a bard4 ,there is a certain irreverence2 but the parody is a good one3-- ,waiter at the 8,cheshire ,cheese10 ,uncertain1 gruff1 and hard to please1 ,when 8tuppence0 smooths thy angry brow1 ,a ministering angel thou6 ,it has its regular habitus2 and on ,saturday or ,friday there is a 8famous rump-steak pie10 which draws a larger attendance2 for it is considered that you may search the wide world round without matching that succulent delicacy4 ,these great savoury meat pies do not kindle the ardour of many persons1 being rather strong for the stomachs of babes4 ,well1 then1 hither it was that ,dr4 ,johnson used to repair4 ,true1 neither ,boswell1 nor ,hawkins1 nor after them ,mr4 ,croker1 take note of the circumstance2 but there were many things that escaped ,mr4 ,croker1 diligent as he was4 ,there is1 however1 excellent evidence of the fact4 ,a worthy solicitor named ,jay--who is garrulous but not unentertaining in a book of anecdotes which he has written--frequented the 8,cheshire ,cheese0 for fifty years1 during which long tavern life1 he says1 8,i have been interested in seeing young men when ,i first went there1 who afterwards married2 then in seeing their sons dining there1 and often their grandsons1 and much gratified by observing that most of them succeeded well in life4 ,this applies particularly to the lawyers1 with whom ,i have so often dined when students1 when barristers1 and some who were afterwards judges4 8,during the time ,i have frequented this house there have been only three landlords--,mr4 ,carlton1 ,mr4 ,dolamore1 and ,mr4 ,beaufoy ,moore1 the present one2 and during each successive occupation the business has increased4 ,i may here mention that when ,i first visited the house1 ,i used to meet several very old gentlemen who remembered ,dr4 ,johnson nightly at the #8,cheshire ,cheese'2 and they have told me1 what is not generally known1 that the ,doctor1 whilst living in the ,temple1 always went to the #8,mitre' or the #8,essex ,head'2 but when he removed to ,gough ,square and ,bolt ,court he was a constant visitor at the #8,cheshire ,cheese'1 because nothing but a hurricane would have induced him to cross ,fleet ,street4 ,all round this neighbourhood1 if you want to rent a room or an office1 you are sure to be told that it was once the residence of either ,dr4 ,johnson or ,oliver ,goldsmith6 ,be that as it may1 it is an interesting locality1 and a pleasing sign--the #8,old ,cheshire ,cheese ,tavern1' ,wine ,office ,court1 ,fleet ,street--which will afford the present generation1 it is hoped1 for some time to come1 an opportunity of witnessing the kind of tavern in which our forefathers delighted to assemble for refreshment40#ai ,doctor ,johnson died in #aghh--;and this solicitor's acquaintance with the place began scarcely twenty years after the ,doctor's death4 ,the old frequenter's memory would therefore have been very fresh4 ,his style too1 is pleasant4 ,this worthy reminiscent dedicates his labours1 in a quaint inscription1 8,to the ,lawyers and ,gentlemen with whom ,i have dined for more than half a century at the #8,old ,cheshire ,cheese ,tavern1' ,wine ,office ,court1 ,fleet ,street2 this work is respectfully dedicated by their obedient servant1 ,cyrus ,jay40 ,on the other side of ,fleet ,street we can see the 8,mitre ,tavern10 closing up the end of a court--but not the old original 8,mitre10 where ,johnson sat with ,boswell4 ,it was pulled down within living memory1 and with it the corner in which the sage used to sit1 and which was religiously marked by his bust4 ,yet1 even as it stands in its restoration1 there is something quaint in the feeling1 as you enter a low1 covered passage from ,fleet ,street1 and see its cheerful open door at the end4 ,there are other taverns with such approaches in the street4 ,the 8,old ,bell0 is curiously retired4 ,the passage to the 8,mitre0 is as it was in ,johnson's day1 and his eyes must have been often raised to the old beams that support its roof4 ,even in its modern shape it retains much that is old-fashioned and rococo4 ,it is like a country tavern in ,london1 with its 8ordinary0 at noon--and a good one too--and its retirement2 so close and yet so far from the hum and clatter of ,fleet ,street4 ,from the old tavern we pass into the open place where ,st4 ,clement ,danes stands--one of the most ,dutch-like spots in ,london1 to which idea the quaint and rather elegant tower lends itself4 ,to hear its chimes1 not at midnight1 but on some ,december evening1 when the steeple is projected on a cold blue background1 while you can see the shadows of the ringers in the bell-tower1 offers a picturesque effect4 ,the bells fling out their janglings more wildly than any peal in ,london3 they are nearer the ground1 and the hurly-burly is melodious enough4 ,those tones the ,doctor often heard in ,gough ,square and ,bolt ,court1 and within he had his favourite seat1 to this day reverently marked by a plate and inscription4 ,yet ,st4 ,clement's is in a precarious way1 and before many years its fate will be decided4 ,it is perhaps ,gough ,square1 to which one of the little passages out of ,fleet ,street leads1 that most faithfully preserves the memory of ,johnson4 ,it is rather a court than a square2 so small is it that carriages could never have entered1 and it is surrounded with good old brick houses that in their day were of some pretensions4 ,the ,society of ,arts has fixed a tablet in the wall1 recording that 8,here lived ,samuel ,johnson40 ,the houses are of a good1 sound old brick2 some have carved porticoes1 and one is set off by two rather elegant ,corinthian pilasters4 ,there is a pleasant flavour of grave old fashion and retirement about the place1 and little has as yet been touched or pulled down4 ,johnson's house faces us1 and is about the most conspicuous4 ,he had1 of course1 merely rooms1 as it is a rather large mansion2 a little shaken and awry1 queerly shaped about the upper story1 but snug and compact4 ,it was lately a 8commercial family boarding-house10 and the hall is 8cosy0 to a degree1 with its panelled dado running round and up the twisted stairs1 in short easy lengths of four or five steps1 with landings--which would suit the ,doctor's chest4 ,the whole is in harmony4 ,we can see him labouring up the creaking stairs4 ,a few peaceful traders are in occupation of the ,square--printers1 and the like4 ,it is an old-world spot1 has an old-world air1 and suggests a snug country inn4 ,but1 turning back to ,essex ,street1 and not many doors down on the left1 at the corner of a little cross passage leading to the pretty ,temple gate1 with its light iron work1 we come on the 8,essex ,head ,tavern10 an old1 mean public-house of well-grimed brick4 ,it was here1 in his decay1 that ,johnson set up a kind of inferior club4 ,boswell is angry with ,hawkins for calling it an 8alehouse10 as if in contempt2 but certainly1 while the 8,cheshire ,cheese10 the 8,mitre10 and the 8,cock0 are taverns1 this seems to have been more within the category of an ale or public-house4 ,it has been so rearranged and altered to suit the intentions and purposes of the modern 8public10 that there is no tracing its former shape4 ,in the passage there is a little room known as the 8parlour10 underneath which accommodation has been found for a cobbler's stall4 ,the proprietors should surely have ,johnson's 8rules0 hung up4 ,probably they never heard of his name4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,magpie ,,and ,,stump1 ,portsmouth ,street4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,city ,,walks4 ,the charm of exploring the ,city is ever novel--to me at least4 ,not every one has thoroughly fallen under the spell2 for an occasional visit is not enough4 ,one should linger1 and come again and explore1 and be led hither and thither by the humour and attraction of the moment4 ,at the different seasons of the day1 morning1 noon1 and evening--nay1 on the ,sunday even1 when it becomes an astounding wilderness--it offers quite different aspects1 and a succession of surprises4 ,it is in truth another city1 another people1 we never can get rid of the notion that we are entering a foreign town4 ,often has been described the aspect of the overwhelming tide of busy men1 all hurrying and crowding and pushing past at a brisk speed2 the carriages1 waggons1 carts1 incessantly moving in a crowded procession2 the hum and roar in the ears4 ,the vast size1 solidity1 and imposing stateliness of the buildings astonish us4 ,but more pleasing is the picturesque irregularity1 and windings and curves of the bye-streets or alleys1 changed by the tall and massive structures which line them into ,genoa-like streets1 lacking only the grilles and the gloom4 ,here is the contrast to the ,west ,end2 and here is seen the different spirit which animates the merchant1 as compared with the smaller trader4 ,his ideas are magnificent3 he must have his trading palace and warehouses beetling1 lofty1 and of granite or ,portland stone1 a great arch or portal for the entrance2 a sort of ,city architecture has been engendered specially to meet his wants4 ,most 8,west-enders0 rarely travel beyond the ,exchange and the banking streets adjoining4 ,but until ,cornhill is passed1 this peculiar aspect we have been describing is not met with4 ,it is when we reach ,mincing ,lane1 and ,mark ,lane1 and ,leadenhall1 and ,fenchurch ,street1 that we come upon these grand and endless ranges of business palaces4 ,sometimes1 as in the case of ,fenchurch ,court1 the greater thoroughfares are joined by a long paved footway1 lined with these vast storied buildings4 ,it seems a bit of ,brussels city2 the office windows1 it may be1 looking out upon a small patch of churchyard1 allowed to linger on in a grudging way4 ,this irregularity is often as surprising as it is picturesque2 witness that fine1 massively pillared doorway1 last fragment of some noble mansion1 which is the entrance to a descending covered way1 leading first to a tavern and thence into ,leadenhall ,street4 ,it is in these imposing alleys that we come upon some conventual-looking ,city ,hall1 its great gates closed1 its windows forlorn-looking1 and barred like some disused monastery4 ,a fine imposing view1 which gives the best idea of the state and magnificence of the ,great ,city1 is to be found at a spot exactly in front of the ,mansion ,house4 ,from here no less than eight distinct vistas are to be obtained along nine distinct streets and alleys1 each exhibiting something worthy of admiration1 and the whole offering contrast and variety4 ,add to this the tide of life running at its strongest1 and the busiest 8hum of men0 conceivable4 ,in front is the ,mansion ,house itself1 a heavy pile1 of little pretension or merit4 ,beside it1 a short street is terminated by the quaint spire of ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,walbrook1 which contrasts with the rude stonework of the church itself1 and is considered a gem in the way of church building1 and held by ,wren himself to be his masterpiece4 ,next stretches away the comparatively new ,queen ,victoria ,street1 with its rows and blocks of stone mansions1 the huge pile of the ,national ,safe ,deposit ,company being conspicuous4 ,near to it opens up the busy ,cheapside1 with the stately and original ,bow ,church half-way down1 projecting its friendly clock face over the street4 8,within the sound of ,bow ,bells0 is a familiar ,city phrase1 but ,i confess ,i have never heard the sound1 though most have heard ,sir ,j4 ,bennett's odd chimes over his shop4 ,next1 at right angles almost1 comes ,princes ,street1 with a church at the end1 and some banking houses built in the curious ,soane style4 ,then interposes the ,bank of ,england itself--a not unpicturesque structure considering its straggling shape4 ,then ,threadneedle ,street1 with its vista of almost ,genoese buildings1 mostly banks--gloomy and massive1 and straying from the level line with picturesque irregularity4 ,between it and ,cornhill rises the ,royal ,exchange1 with its ambitious imposing portico of many pillars1 commanding all issues4 ,half way down ,cornhill1 rising with a charming irregularity1 is the showy tower of ,st4 ,michael's4 ,next to the right is ,lombard ,street1 with more dungeon-like banking houses1 while between this and the next street stands the very unique and much admired church of ,st4 ,mary ,woolnoth1 set off by a luxuriant tree which projects its leafy branches over the road4 ,next comes ,king ,william ,street1 with glimpses of the 8tall bully10 the ,monument1 and at the end the ,sailor ,king's statue4 ,and so the circle is complete4 ,let any one stand on the central 8refuge10 as we have been doing1 and turning1 survey deliberately each issue1 and he will feel surprised to find how much he has habitually overlooked1 and how much there is to admire4 ,but the stranger who would gather the most impressive notion of the grandeur of the ,city should pause at ,fenchurch ,street1 before entering ,cornhill4 ,here the crowd1 the block1 the hum1 the roar1 even the crowd pushing on1 and the state and solemnity of the buildings and streets1 will most affect him4 ,here are the darkened streets of the great banks--some carrying on their business in huge palaces where the street is so narrow that the lamps have to be lit2 others preferring to retain the old-fashioned structures4 ,there is one very striking building at the corner of ,throgmorton ,street--,the ,national ,provincial ,bank of ,england1 monumental almost1 and of really good architecture1 displaying a row of statues on the top4 ,another building of great state and pretension is the ,consolidated ,bank1 in ,threadneedle ,street4 ,through all the doors are pressing and pouring in a stream of persons1 all in a hurry4 ,every place--telegraphic1 shipping exchanges1 etc4--seems crowded to overflowing4 ,business is everywhere4 ,perhaps the grandest and stateliest of all these ,city streets is ,lombard ,street1 not from its associations merely1 but from the imposing character of its mercantile palaces4 ,as we enter from ,threadneedle ,street end there is quite an air of magnificence in the massive1 richly-wrought buildings which line both sides of the narrow winding way in a sharp curve4 ,the great pile at the corner1 where the 8,crdit ,lyonnais0 carries on its business1 has a stately effect4 ,a picturesque incident of the ,city streets is the recurrence of lanes of warehouses striking out of the busy highway1 and which1 all narrow1 and lined by lofty warehouses1 wind down1 where they can1 to the river4 ,these alleys1 not so long since1 could be found in one long1 uninterrupted course from the ,strand to ,wapping1 but the ,embankment has cut off the earlier series4 ,in the ,city nothing is so genuine or so truly mercantile as these not unpicturesque little descents1 with their cranes1 lofts1 and waggons waiting below4 ,one of these vistas1 which suggests a scene in a foreign city1 is the view down ,fish ,street ,hill1 the ,monument rising on the left1 the bottom closed by the imposing effective church of ,st4 ,magnus and its elegant steeple4 ,a fine old tree blooms beside it4 ,hard by is the steep and gloomy ,st4 ,botolph's ,lane1 filled with its venerable and busy warehouses1 every floor having its crane4 ,there is something pleasing in this old-fashioned shape of trade1 and the whole suggests the traditional view of the ,london merchant and his business4 ,in some ,november evening1 when the air is fresh and cool and clear1 and there is a dark 8gloaming0 over the whole city1 it is pleasant to go down to the ,embankment and embark in one of the swift river steamers bound for the ,city4 ,how inspiring is the evening air6 ,the river is lined with lights1 and seems twice its ordinary size4 ,landing at ,london ,bridge1 we take our way up one of the narrow winding warehouse-lined streets1 which lead up to the busy main thoroughfares4 ,nothing is more ,illustration3 ,,fresh ,,wharf ,,and ,,st4 ,,magnus ,,steeple4 poetical than the church towers which rise in these lanes3 one in ,martin's ,lane1 whose church has been removed1 looks1 with its projecting clock-dial1 like a perfect ,italian campanile4 ,there are glimpses of shadowy gardens and inclosures1 such as that on ,laurence ,pountney ,hill1 which might be a patch of some foreign town4 ,on one side of ,cannon ,street the windings of the lanes are singularly picturesque either by night or day1 and the newer1 later buildings fall in harmoniously4 ,this is owing to the irregular shape of the ground4 ,illustration3 ,,college ,,hill--,,whittington',s ,,house4 ,few views could be found more suited for the etcher than the one to be seen as we look down ,college ,hill4 ,on the left are the two richly-carved monumental gates1 side by side1 leading into the courts of what is supposed to have been ,whittington's house4 ,higher up is a modern1 red-brick1 not ineffective building1 of a gorgeous pattern4 ,the eye is then led down to the bottom of the steep and winding lane1 which seems closed by the elegant steeple of a church in wrought clean grey stone1 so high and airy in its treatment as to recall the charming old ,town ,hall at ,calais4 ,from its side is projected the well-gilt clock-face1 richly glowing on a well-carved bracket4 ,in truth there is this perpetual charm and flavour in the old ,city which few are aware of--a sort of antique air which recalls old ,flemish cities4 ,the flagged square behind the ,exchange seems like a mart--the busy hum1 the perpetual1 headlong va-et-vient1 the general bustle and brightness1 are all suggestive1 and the bye streets1 such as the old ,thames ,street1 that skirts the river1 the oddly-named ,garlick ,hill1 and others1 have all a strange1 foreign effect1 being narrow lanes1 yet having fine old churches and towers rising to a great height4 ,the infinite variety of these ,wren steeples is well known1 and there is a curious effect in the reflection that1 alone and deserted and useless as they appear1 crowded into dark corners1 so that even with the utmost 8craning back10 you can scarcely see to the top1 they still produce their effect for the world at a distance1 and are seen rising gracefully from afar off--from river1 rail1 and bridge--producing a solemn and imposing effect4 ,a pleasant and almost poetical contrast can be furnished by viewing one of the busiest of ,city streets under different conditions2 much as in a ,diorama we are shown the same view by day or by night4 ,if at the busiest hour of the day we descend from ,london ,bridge into ,thames ,street1 which passes under one of its arches1 we shall see a curious specimen of antiquated trade1 and very much what might have been noted a hundred years ago4 ,the side next the river is lined with wharves and rather tottering warehouses1 while innumerable steamers1 crowded together in apparent confusion1 are discharging their cargoes of fruit and vegetables1 principally oranges1 lemons1 onions1 currants1 etc4 ,the air is heavy with the odours of these articles1 intermingled with that of dried and fresh fruit1 stores of which line the other side of the street4 ,an enormous army of porters are engaged in carrying these wares from the vessels1 and they are borne on peculiarly-constructed cushions which rest on their heads and shoulders4 ,there is thus a perpetual procession2 while the street is blocked up by waggons loading and unloading1 and in the air the cases are seen swinging and ascending to the different lofts4 ,further on we come to ,billingsgate1 where the fish is discharged1 with a confusion of its own1 which however is more apparent than real4 ,this scene is really extraordinary1 and is1 a survival2 for all this work should surely be carried on at the docks1 and not in a thoroughfare4 ,but would we see the strangest of contrasts--we need only visit this street on a ,sunday in the winter time1 between five and six o'clock4 ,then it seems literally a ,street of the ,dead4 ,we have often walked from end to end almost without meeting a single person4 ,the silence is oppressive3 instead of the former ,babel of shoutings1 clatter of carts and confusion1 every house and shop and warehouse is fast closed and ,illustration3 ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,tower ,,from ,,london ,,bridge4 deserted1 as if it were ,plague-time4 ,the lamps flicker feebly1 and we might without stretch of imagination conceive it was now the middle of the night4 ,heavy shadows hang over the corners4 ,the church towers loom out at the corners of the ascending alleys2 but the doors are closed and their bells are silent4 ,we hear the sound of foot-falls echoing loudly as some one draws near--a solitary policeman1 who continues his patrol sadly4 ,we are separated by but a row of houses from the great river1 but that highway is really silent4 ,the steamers are at rest4 ,the lamp-light here and there flashes feebly on the names of the great dealers and middle-men1 set up over their mean and tottering shops1 where thousands of pounds are 8turned over0 in a day4 ,billingsgate is fast closed1 not an oath nor a word of its famous vocabulary is in the air4 ,this air of solitude and desertion is one of the most extraordinary sensations associated with the ,city1 and the impression is worth experiencing4 ,we ascend by one of the alleys1 and come once more into something like life and motion and see the clattering cabs and omnibuses hurrying by4 ,again1 what can be better than the view as you walk towards ,cripplegate1 through winding streets1 and begin to see the old gaunt1 quaint1 weather-beaten tower of ,st4 ,giles's ,church rising above the houses8 ,there is nothing in ,london better than this solemn tower1 formed of old stones half the way up1 the other half of grimed1 caked brick1 the whole surmounted by an odd and quaint belfry4 ,we might think we were in some ,belgian town4 ,then1 the old churchyard behind1 with the path winding round by a short cut to other streets2 the old wooden houses that adjoin it1 overhanging the street1 and that seem 8caked0 to it2 and1 finally1 the strange doorway of the church1 decorated with its significant supporters--a skull on one side and an hour-glass on the other--wrought in the spirited fashion of ,cibber4 ,in the ,city there are many strange places like this1 with narrow winding streets and antique names4 ,of a bright1 sunshiny day1 for instance1 there is one portion which is picturesque1 animated to a degree1 and worthy of a painter4 ,standing in the street and looking down towards the ,monument and the point where ,king ,william and other streets converge towards ,london ,bridge1 the buildings and warehouses and churches all rise and cross each other at various angles1 catching the light in different ways4 ,there is the statue1 such as it is2 the elegant steeple of the church in ,thames ,street2 the glimpse of the bridge and the river2 the enormous busy traffic2 and the effective ,monument itself4 ,then going on1 we look down on the picturesque ,thames ,street1 passing under the arch1 and which is as it might have looked two centuries ago4 ,here is the picturesqueness of trade4 ,the ,london merchants and their men thus carried on business centuries ago4 ,then the river itself1 8noble0 certainly--with the vessels and steamers crowded in rows at the wharf sides1 and the huge landing warehouses--seen from the middle of the bridge1 is a wonderful sight to behold4 ,another picturesque surprise awaits us on turning out of ,cannon ,street into a sort of bye-lane or slope that leads down towards the river4 ,this ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,giles',s1 ,,cripplegate4 little1 concealed quarter is charmingly irregular1 an odd miscellany compounded of straggling lanes and inclosures1 churches1 churchyards1 halls1 old houses1 and lofty mansions of fine old brickwork4 ,one has been partially rebuilt and furnished with additions and excrescences which have not improved it4 ,turn to the left1 along a road cut through the old burying ground1 and you are led into a curious little old-fashioned1 rambling sort of square--half business1 half residential4 ,a 8vestry hall0 gives on the disused burying-ground1 as also some mouldy business houses1 while here begins ,laurence ,pountney ,hill1 which takes us out into the main street4 ,i fancy it is at this point there is to be seen the finest old brick house in ,london1 taking it all in all4 ,this is a rather sweeping statement1 but it can be justified4 ,down this quaintly-named ,laurence ,pountney ,hill1 stand two grimed1 solid old houses--handsome1 truly1 in their design and decoration4 ,we look first at the elaborate1 richly-carved1 and wrought doorways1 so original and florid in design2 and indeed lift our eyes in admiration to the lofty and stately faade of this fine and ripe piece of antique brick1 well-toned1 full of dark shadows1 and marvellously effective4 ,the cornice is like nothing that is to be seen in ,london1 the supports being grouped three together1 thus giving a fine effect4 ,there has been some alteration in the house1 and of odd taste1 and an addition has been built out right in front4 ,but the two doorways1 with their shell-shaped crests and lace-like carvings1 are truly wonderful4 ,the general effect of this charming1 tranquil little retreat1 devoted to business1 with its trees and old graveyard and carvings1 its secular air of solitude as you turn in from the noisy street1 is singular and pleasing4 ,one or two of the old windows display the old heavy flat sashes1 in contrast to the new plate-glass4 ,going a little to the left we find ourselves in a small square1 surrounded by warehouses1 old and new1 some gloomy and grimed1 while we pass on between two miniature churchyards1 each displaying a few altar-tombs1 and some twig-like trees4 ,a forlorn enough prospect for the clerks busy at the windows4 ,these curious patches of churchyards are raised1 like terraces1 while a path descends between them4 ,such strange combinations1 common enough in the ,city1 always suggest pictures in ,dickens's stories1 and add so great an attraction to his incidents4 ,they make ,city figures live again in the old courts and lanes2 such as those houses of business where we find the ,cheeryble ,brothers4 ,there still linger on about the ,city several shops of the old pattern1 which also recall the flavour of ,dickens's scenes and characters4 ,there is a sort of pride in preserving these places intact and in their old fashion4 ,close to the ,exchange may be seen a small1 obscure-looking confectioner's1 with a sort of bow window filled in with small panes4 ,it seems such a shop as would be found in a sleepy country town--say ,dorking4 ,this is the well-known 8,birch's0--a poorish-looking place for entertainment1 it might be thought4 ,yet there is nothing in this assumption4 ,nowhere in ,london can you fare more sumptuously or at such varied prices4 ,the little shop has flourished for much more than a hundred years1 and its original proprietor became an alderman4 ,the ,birch family has disappeared2 but 8,ring and ,brymer0 hold sway1 artists who contract for all the great ,city dinners at the ,mansion ,house and elsewhere4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,doorways--,,laurence ,,pountney ,,hill4 ,in ,fenchurch ,street there is a curious old grocer's warehouse--,davidson's--with the low1 small-paned windows1 bowed out1 and running all along in front1 while an old-fashioned crane is seen projecting4 ,overhead the shop displays its sign--three gilded hundredweights3 within1 the place is low and more old-fashioned4 ,nearly opposite is another well-gilded tavern sign--a spirited ,spread ,eagle1 as well carved in its way as the well-known 8,cock0 in ,fleet ,street1 which has the reputation of being ,grinling ,gibbons' work4 ,all through the ,city the wary explorer will still meet with these signs--the most curious of which is the half-moon which projects from a shop in ,holywell ,street4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,old ,,city ,,halls ,one of the pleasantest surprises in our ,city wanderings is when we stray into some unfrequented street with a bizarre name1 and pass by an antique but sound old doorway1 porte-cochre-like1 but with an air of solemn desertion which suggests a back street in some old-fashioned ,french town4 ,it seems a nobleman's 8,htel10 relic of former magnificence4 ,thus we pause in ,addle ,street 7odd name67 arrested by the ,brewers' ,hall1 a really interesting place4 ,here is a fine1 solid1 old-fashioned structure1 with bold roof and oval windows1 a flamboyant gateway1 floridly carved1 and ancient massive wooden gates which open with a 8hatch10 really remarkable in its effect4 ,lifting the latch we enter the silent inclosure1 which might be one of the old retired colleges at ,cambridge1 and not an antique survival in the heart of ,london4 ,the courtyard is original3 the faade fronts us with its rows of louvre windows1 pierced in the ripe and red old brick2 the long windows below them1 with their small leaded panes1 furnish light to the great ,hall1 and are framed in a rich mass of carving1 flowers and fruits4 ,to the right a fine bold staircase leads to the ,hall4 ,not a soul is to be seen2 and our footfalls echo in the deserted court4 ,in every direction we see old1 flamboyant black oak4 ,how imposing is the entrance to the ,banqueting ,hall1 and really monumental--a massive ponderous gateway of black oak1 with pillars and pediments and capitals1 and figures soaring and gesticulating aloft1 and flanked by solid panelling6 ,within there is the great oaken gallery1 the tall windows1 with the leaded panes4 ,there is nothing finer in ,london than the great fireplace and mantel1 which rises to the ceiling and offers an extraordinary display of the carver's art4 ,below1 it takes the shape of a sort of gateway1 supported by solid pillars2 while above there is a stately shield and inscription set in flourishings1 and garlands of fruits and flowers1 wrought in the most lavish and effective fashion4 ,a courteous superior official in charge shows us these things1 and all that there is to be shown1 with a hearty interest1 as though rarely disturbed4 ,the ,illustration3 ,brewer's ,hall ,court-yard4 8,brewers0 have now little raison d'tre4 ,the old kitchen below has its interest--a vault-like place used once a month when the 8,brewers0 feasted4 ,it is interesting as retaining all the old culinary apparatus1 a venerable old table1 and a curiously-florid leaden cistern1 with a seventeenth-century date and decorations1 suspended in a corner4 ,it is in sooth an interesting old-world place1 dating from #afgc4 ,in a small and compact court in ,monkwell ,street we come upon the ,hall of 8,the ,barber ,surgeons40 ,on the right1 as we enter1 is an old portal1 with a capacious1 elaborate1 well-carved shell over the door1 filled in with the arms of the guild1 very boldly wrought1 and with abundance of flowers4 ,these pronounced and florid doorways are always pleasant to see4 ,but this is one of the places where the restorer has been at work1 pulling down or shifting4 ,the old ,hall has gone long since2 but there is a charming1 exquisitely-proportioned chamber of small size1 enriched in all its details1 as indeed is all the ceiling1 with fine carvings or stucco work4 ,the lantern is peculiarly ,inigo's1 and is to be seen at ,ashburnham ,house and in other mansions of his work4 ,on the walls are of course the famous ,holbein--the ,barbers receiving their charter from ,henry ,,viii4--and some choice characteristic portraits by ,lely and others4 ,one admires1 too1 the old oaken stairs1 broad1 and of short flights4 ,the ,barbers1 it seems1 give pensions to certain working folk1 beginning from about #f a year3 they have some thirty-six on their list2 and ,i noted a number of them waiting patiently in the offices to put forward their claims4 ,the little descending streets and lanes that lead down out of ,cannon ,street1 with turns and intersecting lanes1 make up quite an antique quarter1 so well stored are they with strange1 gloomy old buildings and corners of an old-world character4 ,on ,dowgate ,hill1 almost the first house we meet is the old ,hall of the ,skinners' ,company1 with its gate and archway1 and small courtyard4 ,within we are confronted with one of those elaborately magnificent old doorways1 porch rather1 all embroidered with massive and yet florid carvings1 which make us all wonder at the imagination and free hand of the worker4 ,there is the usual spacious and good hall1 and broad oaken stair1 solid oak balusters and fine door-cases1 with garlands and old mouldings2 but upstairs we are shown what is the pride of the place1 the great 8,,cedar ,,room10 a fine long chamber1 entirely panelled in this precious wood1 believed1 though nothing is known1 to have been a present from some ,indian connection of the ,company4 ,much reasonable pride is taken in this unusual adornment2 the air1 too1 is scented with its fragrance4 ,but here again the improvers have been at their work4 ,there is a fine architectural cornice running round1 intended to give support to a flat ceiling1 but it was thought that the effect would be heightened by raising the ceiling1 and accordingly a 8coved0 one has taken the place of the old one1 which is out of keeping and character4 ,the whole1 too1 has been gaudily decorated2 the cedar everywhere copiously overlaid with gilding1 panels let into the coving and adorned with 'scutcheons1 etc4 ,far better and more appropriate had the old venerable panelling been left unadorned4 ,in one of the little steep darkened lanes that descend towards ,thames ,street from ,queen ,victoria ,street1 ,little ,trinity ,lane1 we are attracted by a very remarkable doorway1 richly carved and elaborate1 yet strangely out of keeping with the poor mean house to which it is attached4 ,this is ,the ,painter-,stainers' ,hall1 one of the most retired and least pretentious of the ,halls1 and yet1 like many an unassuming person1 recommended by extraordinary gifts4 ,entering a shabby room to the left1 we find1 as usual1 a widow-like woman waiting her turn1 while some one else is pressing her claims at the desk4 ,the whole seems to have the air of a discounting office in a rather small way of business4 ,the ,painter 8,stayners0 have a legacy of #hj1jjj to administer1 the interest of which supports some two hundred pensioners4 ,going up a rather rickety stair1 we are introduced to the old ,hall itself1 a genuine thing enough1 of suitable dinginess and subdued old fashion4 ,it has unhappily been spoilt by thrusting an adjoining room into it1 the wall being supported by pillars and arches4 ,a quaint feature1 too1 is the door through which we have entered1 a little low arch supported by pillars1 over which projects a small balcony1 where1 as ,i was informed1 the ladies sit during festivals4 ,the panelled walls are covered with pictures1 which are made to suit the panels1 and thus seem to belong to the walls4 ,there is a dark monastic air over the whole1 and a curious1 old-world1 sequestered look4 ,here are held the little dinners of the society1 8the ,worshipful ,company of ,painters1 otherwise ,painter ,stainers10 as they are careful to describe themselves1 though1 if not careful1 one is apt to use the phrase 8,paper ,stainers40 ,the modest ,hall was formerly more attractive than it is now1 and the glories of its ceiling have long ago disappeared4 ,the little corporation is highly interesting1 as1 previous to the founding of the ,royal ,academy1 it was the body that represented the interests of ,english painters4 ,decorative painting1 such as was largely employed in ornamenting carriages1 ceilings1 and barges1 seems to have come under their supervision1 and the society was occasionally invited to give a certificate as to whether such work was fitly executed4#bj ,few could imagine what is the number of these ,city ,companies2 there are close upon eighty1 each with its funds1 officers1 charities1 and dinners4 ,only about one half are provided with ,halls2 the rest dine at restaurants or at one of the noted ,city taverns1 where the invariable 8,ring and ,brymer0 cater4 ,turtle is of course the ,city luxury1 and one of the sights of the city is the aquarium at 8,the ,ship and ,turtle10 where may be seen through the glass from fifty to a hundred turtles at a time1 paddling lazily about and waiting unconsciously the hour of sacrifice4 ,on ,dowgate ,hill also1 we find another of these quaint ,halls4 ,a rather elegant1 modern1 pierced gate of ironwork closes up an archway1 and1 looking through1 we see an inviting ,court within4 ,entering through the arch1 which passes under a deep mass of houses1 we find ourselves in a charming little courtyard with quite an ,italian air1 set round with an arcade supporting a rubicund brick building with elegant windows and airy carvings2 some modern additions and renovations have been combined1 with excellent taste4 ,there is mural painting too4 ,such is ,dyers' ,hall--a pleasing1 piquant little place4 ,while lamenting the loss of the old patterns of ,hall1 pulled down1 or destroyed by fire1 we must admire the sumptuous1 and even magnificent1 buildings which have taken their place2 such as the massive1 floridly decorated faade of the ,drapers' ,hall in ,throgmorton ,street4 ,this street1 as it bends or winds1 has a majestic1 almost ,genoese1 air2 its great gloomy buildings rise solemnly on each side of the narrow street1 foreign in tone2 towards the close of the business day1 the street becomes filled with crowds of animated noisy figures pouring out of the ,stock ,exchange1 and debating their bargains in the open air4 ,this scene--the narrow street1 the stately shadowy buildings frowning down on the figures--suggests one of the retired picturesque streets in ,ghent1 or even in some ,italian city4 ,the busy1 substantial negotiators have a burgher-like air1 and the whole is utterly different from anything to be seen in the trivial ,west ,end4 ,the ,drapers' ,hall is a vast and ponderous mass1 already blackened with age1 though young in years1 but very striking in character1 with its enormous and richly florid cornice1 bold windows1 and heavily arched portals4 ,as we look through the iron rails1 we can see a retired court1 curious contrast to the noisy scene without4 ,the old 8,drapers' ,gardens0 used to stretch down the whole street that turns out of ,throgmorton ,street1 and were admired for their tranquil air of old fashion4 ,gradually they have been encroached upon2 warehouses have been reared1 and a fragment only now remains4 ,even this remnant1 however1 is welcome1 and the promenade down the alley leaves an impression as of something old-fashioned and rural4 ,such are a few of these very striking 8survivals40 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,allhallows1 ,,st4 ,,olave',s1 ,,ely ,,chapel1 ,,etc4 ,the old ,city ,churches offer an inexhaustible field for a ,london explorer4 ,there is nothing more touching than the air of utter abandonment of some of these forlorn structures1 appropriately situated in some fast-decaying quarter4 ,they seem closed for ever2 and with many are associated strange histories4 ,the gloomy1 ancient church of ,allhallows ,barking impresses the visitor in an extraordinary way4 ,it is difficult to give an idea of the blighted1 solemn desolation of this woe-begone fane4 ,the name of the place in which it stands1 8,seething ,lane10 seems fitting enough4 ,the neighbouring houses have fallen away from it and have been excavated out of existence by ,metropolitan ,railways1 etc41 and1 as a last degradation1 a house has been built over its porch4 ,one face of it projects along ,tower ,street on a sort of abject terrace--a squalid1 abandoned churchyard1 with a few starved trees flourishing their bare branches4 ,the old mould1 quite grassless1 lies thick4 ,there the gaunt tower1 with its meagre1 decayed lantern1 and its worn1 stripped sides1 rises blighted by neglect4 ,the two low aisles that range beside the nave have the same piteous air4 ,not far away is another of these blighted fanes1 ,st4 ,olave's1 ,hart ,street1 whose dismal entrance gateway is set off with a gruesome representation of skulls and cross-bones elaborately carved1 offering with its decayed and rusted iron gate a truly depressing prospect4 ,this seems a souvenir of the ,plague time4 ,it is a strange1 gruesome feeling1 looking through the close railings of the barred gates1 into this rueful inclosure4 ,entering from 8,seething ,lane10 under a quaint gateway1 we pass across the forlorn graveyard4 ,the interior is interesting and original in the shape of its arches and aisles1 and well lined with mural tablets4 ,two are in memory of ,samuel ,pepys and his wife1 with their alabaster busts and inscriptions4 ,it is pleasant to find oneself in company with the piquant and agreeable chronicler4 ,wandering on1 we come to a very effective and picturesque structure--the old ,cripplegate ,church1 which affects one with the strangest feelings of a forlorn kind4 ,its grim old square tower rises in an abandoned fashion1 as though it felt that no one cared for it1 that it is but an obsolete survivor amid the lines of new and magnificent warehouses that have been built about it4 ,on its top platform is perched a sort of kiosk-shaped lantern2 from within1 as ,i stand below1 booms out the solemn melodious bell4 ,its clock-face is fixed1 not at the centre1 but at one side1 with bizarre effect4 ,the church is hedged round by ancient buildings with projecting framed bow-windows1 and the florid gate of its churchyard is set off with a well-carved hour-glass1 lying on its side1 flanked by a skull and crossbones--grim supporters4 ,this is gruesome enough4 ,on the top of each are two more upright hour-glasses4 ,the church within has been trimmed up1 painted and decorated1 in an unpleasing modern way4 ,milton's tomb1 which faces the door1 has been 8done up handsomely10 with a ,gothic canopy1 and altogether made smart and pretentious3 all round the walls are curious black tablets with florid carvings as black4 ,illustration3 ,,allhallows ,,barking4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,olave',s1 ,,hart ,,street4 ,the district about is truly interesting2 we could wander for hours through the irregular streets1 which meander in the most agreeable way1 and suggest ,antwerp and other ,flemish towns4 ,every now and again we come on a church4 ,rome is held to be over-supplied with churches1 one1 it is said1 for every day in the year2 but there must be nearly as many in ,london1 set down in corners and paved lanes1 whence rises some majestic tower in picturesque fashion4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,savoy ,,chapel4 ,even the modern places of business contribute to the effect4 ,one effect1 common enough1 is that of finding a pretty garden1 encompassed by lofty business buildings1 traversed by a walk for pedestrians only1 which had erst been a churchyard1 converted to profane use4 ,one specimen of this treatment1 and suggestive enough too1 is to be seen close to ,mincing ,lane1 where the 8,clothworkers0 have their garden4 ,here used to be the churchyard of ,allhallows ,staining--quaint name4 ,the church was levelled1 but the old tower was left1 and stood solitary and picturesquely for a time4 ,then it also was cleared away4 ,the churchyard was levelled1 the tombstones carried off1 and the whole built over and turned into a yard6 ,i have often thought that one of the great charms in exploring ,london is the abrupt change which often occurs when we pass from the roar and clamour of some modern crowded thoroughfare into some sequestered1 silent inclosure1 which seems almost monastic in its privacy4 ,this peculiar sensation can be secured in many districts4 ,it is thus strange to turn out of the ,strand near to ,wellington ,street1 and descend the steep incline into the old ,savoy4 ,there we come upon the rather forlorn graveyard1 with the chapel and its grim1 rude tower1 which is somewhat after the fashion of an ,italian ,campanile1 and which1 in spite of conflagrations and restorations1 still retains its sad1 gloomy aspect4 ,the inclosure has been built round1 the old place has been sadly straitened and profaned4 ,a theatre behind it1 roystering clubs1 baths1 etc41 facing it2 but the ancient trees remain1 and the graveyard has a garden-like aspect4 ,what is called a fashionable wedding--performed by the excellent and popular chaplain--lights up as it were the old place2 the denizens of the neighbouring courts and streets gather2 showy carriages cluster on the steep incline1 and the bridal procession offers a not unpicturesque effect as it has to wind its way across the graveyard1 and becomes the admiration of all4 ,for the view within little can be said1 as the whole is bare enough1 having been restored and coloured in the 8heartless0 days4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,savoy4 ,but we now come to a gem of its kind--one of the antiquarian treasures of ,london--yet little known and little visited4 ,in one of the streets leading out of ,holborn ,circus--at the threshold of the ,city1 of banks and mercantile business--we find a retired street1 or cul de sac1 of modest old-fashioned houses1 which are approached through a carefully guarded gate4 ,this is ,ely ,place1 and here1 a little way down on the left1 is to be found this rare cynosure4 ,it is interesting in every view--from its historical associations1 the strange vicissitudes through which it has passed1 its narrow escapes from destruction or conversion to profane uses1 and its precious and native grace4 ,the old houses of the street have a sleepy air1 which is in keeping1 and no clatter of carts or carriages disturbs the solitude4 ,the place is given over to commission agents1 native and foreign1 while the celebrated firm of solicitors1 8,lewis and ,lewis10 together with the graceful chapel1 divide the attractions of the street4 ,illustration3 ,the ,crypt4 ,s4 ,etheldreda's ,hume ,nisbet ,the chapel stands back from the roadway1 from which is a descent of steps which leads to the level of the lower chapel or crypt4 ,for here is the singular interest of the building2 there are two chapels1 one under the other1 and apparently of equal pretension4 ,entering1 we find ourselves in gloom1 ,cimmerian almost1 in a long1 low crypt1 with lights glimmering at the far end4 ,the ceiling still shows the original1 roughly-hewn beams1 like the timber framing in the hold of a vessel1 while down the middle a row of eight short1 blunted columns supports it1 from each of which the supporting timbers radiate1 fan-like4 ,the lancet windows at the side are remarkable as revealing the enormous thickness--it seems about twelve feet in depth--of ,illustration3 ,s4 ,etheldreda's ,church4 the almost ,roman wall1 though on the right-hand side either necessity or convenience has prompted the filling of these recesses with confessionals4 ,on the left1 near the altar1 a flight of steps leads up through a ,gothic door to a cloister1 whence other stairs wind on to the elegant chapel above4 ,here opens a perfect surprise1 from its two vast windows1 which through all vicissitudes and disfigurements have been treated tenderly1 and have excited the admiration of architects and amateurs4 ,the grace or proportion displayed in window and wall1 the unobtrusive decorations1 the fine old ribbed roof--these and other attractions make this chapel one of the genuine treasures of ,london4 ,scarcely any locality in the ,city so plainly tells its story as does the little quarter round the chapel4 ,it is dedicated to ,st4 ,etheldreda1 and up to about a hundred years ago had always been intimately connected with the see of ,ely and the ,cathedral city itself4 ,as an instance of the religious associations still lingering in the district1 there will be noted close by1 in ,holborn1 one of those remarkable old inns1 of which only a few are left1 in ,southwark chiefly1 which retain the old inn-yard with two tiers of galleries4 ,this specimen is a very antique one2 of ripe old brick1 but sound and in good condition4 ,its sign is ,,the ,,old ,,bell1 and many will have noticed it4 ,now we find that about the year #abij ,bishop ,kirkely bequeathed to the convent at ,ely his mansion house called the ,bell1 or 8le ,bell10 together with some cottages in ,holborn4 ,illustration3 ,old ,roman ,font discovered under the ,crypt of ,s4 ,etheldreda's ,there must be octogenarians in the district whose parents could have described to them the vast group of buildings and gardens which stood here so lately as a century ago--the old ,palace of the ,bishops of ,ely1 with banqueting hall1 cloisters1 and dwelling house2 the 8fayre plaisaunces0 and gardens were to be seen then1 though in sad disorder2 and the whole must have offered a very striking specimen of the many old spacious inclosures of which there are now but few left4 ,by-and-by there will be none4 ,to ,grose we owe a carefully-drawn plan1 which gives the position of every building and outhouse1 and shows what a large establishment it must have been4 ,the whole inclosure with its gardens1 cloisters1 etc41 covered the space of ground between ,hatton ,garden and ,saffron ,hill4 ,it is easy to follow the disposition of the buildings by this plan4 ,the large arched gateway stood a little beyond the ,prince ,consort's equestrian statue4 ,the old banqueting-hall was near where the porter's lodge at the entrance of ,ely ,place stands1 and the cloisters covered the ground between it and that on which the right-hand row of houses is built4 ,it had often been proposed by the ,bishops to sell their property2 and in #agfh the ,government thought seriously of buying it for a prison4 ,at last ,dr4 ,keene1 ,bishop in #aggb1 obtained an ,act of ,parliament authorizing him to dispose of the whole to the ,crown1 it being proposed to erect ,government offices on the site4 ,the sum was #f1ejj1 and a clear annuity of #bjj to the ,bishop4 ,this ,dr4 ,keene had been consecrated in the little chapel in the year #ageb1 and indeed much ,protestant parochial work seems to have been carried on there through all its vicissitudes4 ,six ,bishops1 it is recorded1 died within the precincts4 ,with the sum paid by the ,government1 and #c1fjj 8dilapidations0 to be recovered from the ,bishop1 it was proposed to build a new mansion4 ,this was accordingly done1 and the present plain1 stone-fronted house to be seen in ,dover ,street1 marked with a mitre1 furnished succeeding ,bishops with a less responsible1 if less picturesque residence4 ,then the work of levelling and devastation set in4 ,the entire pile1 cloisters1 banqueting-hall1 etc41 were razed to the ground4 ,the chapel only was left4 ,the fate of the pretty chapel1 thus spared1 was to be precarious4 ,it was to pass through all sorts of changes1 some of a degrading kind4 ,it was humiliating to find this monument associated with all the vulgar elements of the 8proprietary chapel10 a chaplain being secured to 8draw0 a congregation1 the crypt being1 as in the case of the chapel of 8,rev4 ,charles ,honeyman10 let off for stores or wine-vaults1 to increase the receipts4 ,but it would not do4 ,it may have been that there was something in the place uncongenial to true ,protestant feeling2 but it is unquestionable that the long tide of ill-luck and ill-omen which had steadily pursued it since it was diverted from the old faith1 was destined to continue4 ,worshippers would not come4 ,the chapel was once more closed4 ,the incumbent went away1 and was made ,bishop of ,barbados4 ,in vain the ,bishop of ,london appealed in a powerful address1 saying what a matter of regret it was that so 8valuable a building1 in every respect calculated for purposes of public worship1 should remain unoccupied40 ,the ,archbishop of ,canterbury joined his efforts1 and by the united exertions of the two prelates1 it was contrived to reopen the chapel after a closure of nearly three years4 ,in #ahcf1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,d',arblay1 no doubt the son of the lively ,fanny ,burney1 tried what he could do4 ,but 8a few ,sundays only had elapsed when ,mr4 ,d',arblay was attacked by an illness which1 after a short and severe struggle1 terminated in his death40 ,it was no wonder the ,bishops found it difficult to keep the place open4 ,we next find it handed over to a ,welsh congregation1 which seems to have held possession without disturbance or interference until the expiration of the lease in #ahgf4 ,they removed to the antique1 ,dutch-like ,church1 on ,st4 ,bennet's ,hill1 ,paul's ,wharf4 ,on ,wednesday1 ,january #bh1 #ahgd1 the chapel was put up to auction1 by order of the ,court of ,chancery1 at the ,mart1 ,tokenhouse ,yard4 ,there was much interest excited1 and ,sir ,gilbert ,scott1 the eminent cathedral architect1 who always took a warm interest in the little chapel1 was present4 ,after some bidding it was sold to a 8,mr4 ,m#8,guinness of the ,royal ,exchange40 ,who was this gentleman8 ,what would he do with his purchase8 ,it became known that the chapel had passed into the hands of the ,order of ,charity1 directed by ,father ,lockhart4 ,in a very short time money was subscribed and the work of restoration taken in hand4 ,the pretty fabric at this time indeed presented a sad and piteous spectacle4 ,the churchwardens had done their worst with it4 ,galleries1 panelling1 and a neat1 flat1 plastered ceiling had overlaid all the old ,gothic work2 the windows were rudely mauled1 doors broken in the wall1 etc4 ,it was not1 therefore1 without some trepidation that the architects began their work4 ,but some agreeable surprises greeted them4 ,in breaking through the plaster ceiling they found the old fourteenth-century timbers of the ,gothic roof fresh and sound1 and wanting but little restoration4 ,the old west window1 which was totally obscured by walls and rubbish1 it was found could be cleared4 ,from the crypt a vast amount of rubbish1 or dbris was removed1 disclosing a chapel1 that very little would restore to its old ecclesiastical purposes4 ,sir ,gilbert ,scott took interest in the work1 and the ,duke of ,norfolk1 after subscribing liberally1 presented the large and beautiful stained-glass window which fills the east end1 and is said to have cost close on #c1jjj--;a very richly-bright performance of the jewelled glass pattern1 abounding in florid and elaborate designs1 for which the graceful and numerous divisions furnish an opening4 ,it is indeed a feast of rich and mellow colouring4 ,unfortunately it is so built round that it is impossible to restore the two effective side-towers with their peaked cones4 ,these were bold1 of hexagonal shape1 and of three stories4 ,they gave a support and finish1 which1 in its present shape1 the faade lacks4 ,another marked feature was the niches at the side of the great window1 which were deeply sunk1 as if to hold statues1 and not1 as now1 almost flush with the surface of the wall4 ,this is an important architectural aid1 as breaking the monotony of the wall4 ,it was 8,charles ,cole1 ,esq41 architect and builder0 as he was1 who removed the four 8towerlets0 and squeezed the chapel in between two 8neat0 dwelling houses4 ,let us hope that by-and-by1 these adjuncts will be restored4 ,but there is yet a more effective view still of this charming monument which would escape the careless visitor unless he were directed4 ,going to the bottom of the street1 he will turn to the left1 passing through an archway into a curious sort of inclosure1 half 8industrial tenements10 half stabling4 ,there he will see displayed to him the whole flank of the old ,ely ,chapel1 worn1 grey1 well rusted4 ,the exceeding beauty and fair proportions of the building are here shown at their best1 and one will find much delight in contemplating the four beautiful windows1 displaying their extraordinary grace1 and contrasted with the steep1 tiled roof4 ,these windows would well repay the architect's study1 from their symmetry and the charming way in which they are proportioned to the wall space1 while the restorer has done nothing to interfere with the grave and solemn tones of the old wall4 ,at the end can be seen one of the old corner towers1 much disfigured and overlaid1 but worthy of restoration1 and projecting from this corner1 at a right angle1 are some ruined fragments of what seems the old cloister4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,old ,,st4 ,,bartholomew',s1 ,,st4 ,,helen',s1 ,,and ,,other ,,churches4 ,illustration3 ,,doorway1 ,,st4 ,,helen',s4 ,after walking beside the handsome and imposing ,smithfield markets for a short distance1 we reach the open square where1 close to ,bartholomew's ,hospital1 stands one of the most extraordinary old churches in ,london1 second only in interest to the other antique memorial whereof the worthy ,dr4 ,cox was lately incumbent1 viz41 ,st4 ,helen's4 ,all that is connected with this venerable fane is characteristic2 the approaches and surroundings are piquant1 and will surprise the antiquarian visitor4 ,it suggests one of the lorn1 abandoned-looking churches we occasionally meet with in one of the 8dead cities0 of ,belgium4 ,we enter under a ,gothic arch1 cut through an old brick house1 one of whose two stories overhangs4 ,this arch is full of grace and very perfect1 but a portion of it has been ruthlessly built into the adjoining house1 while1 with painful incongruity1 a 8dealer in pickled ox-tongues0 proclaims his occupation in large letters over the gate4 ,passing in we find yet stranger contrasts1 for here is seen a sort of 8,tom ,all-alone's10 a strangely solitary and gloomy churchyard1 desolate to a degree1 surrounded by backs of gabled houses a couple of centuries old1 all rickety and tottering1 but inhabited2 while the small contracted churchyard shows its old tombstones1 scarcely able to keep themselves erect4 ,on the wall to the right are some loose tablets1 while facing us rises the old brick tower4 ,there is something so solemn1 so grimed and neglected1 about the air of this building as to be almost pathetic4 ,this old tower1 in its stern and stout decay1 has ever a strange effect4 ,it shows all that mournful neglect which so affected ,mr4 ,ruskin in the case of the old ,tower at ,calais4 ,it suggests its brother of ,chelsea1 and is capped by one of those quaint1 old-fashioned belfries so common in the ,city4 ,there is always something melancholy and grim in these solemn remnants1 standing up stark and stiff1 and still unshaken1 though their 8day0 has long since gone by4 ,here too is the old rusted clock with its faded gold characters4 ,even the little1 disused doorway and balcony half-way up have an odd1 bizarre look4 ,no church has ever met with such rude1 pitiless treatment as this4 ,one would think that it was regarded with the dislike some unnatural mother has to her child1 for every kind of affront and neglect seems to have been heaped upon it4 ,everyone was welcome to treat it as he listed4 ,a long and handsome nave once covered the ground now devoted to the churchyard1 and was ruthlessly levelled some centuries ago4 ,aisles and chapels were cut away bodily1 and converted into dwellings4 ,a blacksmith's forge was formed out of one of the transepts1 while a fringe factory was actually carried on over the ,lady chapel1 or all that remained of it4 ,a walk round the grand and maltreated old building--one of the most curious and original sights in ,london for the antiquary--reveals how encrusted it is on all sides with lawlessly encroaching tenements which have preyed on it during centuries4 ,it is one of the most curious feelings to go round outside1 groping as it were in search of these adjuncts1 and to actually find them4 ,round the old church are to be found ,rouen-like streets1 highly antique and picturesque1 such as 8,cloth ,fair10 with old1 overhanging houses1 and space for but a single carriage to pass2 the backs of most of which tenements are caked and crusted to the old fane4 ,overpowered as it is1 we can see it struggling uneasily with these oppressive neighbours4 ,by diving down ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,helen',s4 strange lanes and passages and culs de sac we obtain stray peeps at its venerable figure4 ,here is an old dilapidated ,gothic window sunk down in a pit1 with a fragment of a chapel covered with fine mouldings4 ,indeed1 this little quarter could scarcely be matched as a characteristic specimen of a certain phase of ,london life in the ,city1 where the herd of workers cluster together thickly and economize every inch of space4 ,at front1 sides1 and rear of the old fane1 old and new wooden and brick houses are heaped together in disorder1 according as the convenience of the site offered favourable opportunity4 ,close by is a little flagged square with a dozen alleys starting from it1 with two or three old mansions of last century4 ,no alley runs straight for a dozen yards together1 but winds and twists1 and perhaps brings you back1 to your surprise1 to the point from which you started4 ,a plan of restoration has been happily carried out1 and within a very short time4 ,so reverently and temperately has it been done1 that this rare1 desirable impression of age has not been disturbed4 ,before its restoration1 the spectacle that this old fane presented was truly unique and astonishing4 ,it was left to a grim and desolate abandonment1 the old iron gates half hung from their hinges2 all was ruin4 ,the sense of desolation for the visitor was oppressive4 ,one stared with a sort of awe as one wandered among the grimed and blackened columns--stumbling over the uneven floor4 ,the shadows settled everywhere--we expected to see the ravens and night birds flitting about4 ,the grimness and dilapidation were extraordinary1 but still the effect was unique--the air of size was increased by the sense of 8vast neglect0 and desolation4 ,no one seemed to care for it and its unutterable griminess1 or indeed what became of it2 you went away overcome by its gloom and the desolation of the whole4 ,but now what a change6 ,the vicar has prompted and carried out the work with admirable discretion4 ,the intruding fringe factory has been bought1 the blacksmith's forge will soon be disposed of1 and the clang of hammer and anvil will no longer be heard within the church itself4 ,the architect1 ,mr4 ,ashton ,webb1 has done his work in a judicious and effective way4 ,there is none of that glaring effect of a dazzling new white stone1 so painful in restored cathedrals2 all is of a subdued and mellow buff1 and old stones have been either left in their places1 or others of sound condition have been worked in4 ,the effect is really charming4 ,at the altar end the apse has been restored1 continuing the ,norman arcade all round4 ,the quaint old oak roof has been retained and repaired4 ,the old altar-tombs of rich1 well-coloured marbles1 are in their place1 and we gaze with astonishment at that noble and elaborate one of the ,mildmay family 7circa #aehi71 and at the eccentric little tablet of black marble that is perched high up on the side wall4 ,the architects speak with delight of the beautiful ,norman arches and the sturdy cylindrical columns supporting the 8triforium0 or gallery1 which was so long built out by a wall4 ,the finest1 almost overpowering1 effect is produced by the grand central lantern1 which leaves a sense of dignity and size4 ,piquant1 also1 is the little projecting loggia with its mullions1 whence old ,abbot ,bolton--his cipher1 8a bolt10 is to be seen--used to look down on the devotions below4 ,in short1 there is nothing wanting in this interesting building that can attract4 ,if objection may be taken1 it is to the oak-work of the gallery and stalls1 which is not bold enough to harmonize with the rest1 and the same may be said of what ,lamb would have called the rather 8pimping0 character of the leaded panes over the apse4 ,these should have been bolder and even ruder4 ,such is this venerable old fane1 to which the wholesale restorers and 8trouble tombs0 should repair to learn how to carry out their duty4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,ethelburga4 ,it is a strange effect1 the looking down near ,london ,bridge ,station into the low-lying graveyard below1 out of which rises the venerable old church of ,st4 ,saviour's1 ,southwark4 ,it is cathedral-like in its proportions1 and grim and stark in its flint-built walls4 ,though well preserved1 it has the usual air of solitariness and desolation common to most ,city churches4#ba ,it is really a grand1 cathedral-like1 old place4 ,inside it is 8boxed up0 and partitioned off in a curious way enough2 but its tombs are full of touching interest4 ,there is a simple stone in the floor inscribed with a name familiar to all1 8,philip ,massinger1 a stranger40 8,john ,fletcher1 died ,august1 #afbe10 is on a second stone2 and 8,edmond ,shakespeare1 died ,december1 #afjg10 says the stone under which the poet's brother rests4 ,and then we step across the piece of old ,roman mosaic in the floor to that part of the church where ,john ,gower's memory is kept fresh by an imposing monument4 ,a thorough restoration of this old fane is now in progress4 ,the old churches in the desolate portions of ,london1 by ,shoreditch and ,whitechapel1 ,wapping and ,southwark1 though many were built by ,wren1 seem blighted by the squalid districts in which they stand4 ,we may commiserate the fate of the vicars in charge1 who pursue their calling under cheerless conditions4 ,the old forlorn and disused ,rolls ,chapel1 which always suggests some maltreated ,dutch church1 contains an artistic gem which is worthy of a special visit4 8,it is little known10 says the judicious ,mr4 ,hare1 8that within its walls is one of the noblest pieces of sculpture that ,england possesses--a tomb which may be compared for beauty with the famous monuments of ,albergati at ,bologna1 and of ,guigni at the ,badia at ,florence40 ,this praise is not a whit too extravagant2 for elegance and beauty of design nothing can approach it4 ,it is in memory of ,dr4 ,john ,young1 ,master of the ,rolls in the time of ,henry ,,viii4 ,a plain arch incloses a casket-shaped sarcophagus on which the figure reposes4 ,on the surface within the arch is a representation of ,our ,saviour1 flanked by cherubs wrought in delicate relief1 after the fashion of ,donatello1 with exquisite pictorical effect4 ,the graceful original design of the sarcophagus suggests one of those ,florentine chests intended to hold trousseaux1 and along the bottom runs an airy scroll as if carelessly cast down1 and without the usual formality of such things4 ,much of the effect is due to the beautiful sense or instinct of proportion1 and to the simple lines of the inclosing arch1 which is not elaborated in any way3 it is supported by short pillars and their capitals according to the usual form4 ,this severity and reserve produce the happiest result in giving effect2 while the beauty and mellowed richness of the tones of colouring and the air of gentle repose are extraordinary4 ,the whole is the work of ,torrigiano1 ,henry ,,vii4th's ,italian artist1 whose chef-d'uvre is in ,westminster ,abbey4 ,one of the most picturesque and interesting streets in ,london is ,bishopgate ,street1 which even now presents a very fair idea of how an old ,london street looked a couple of centuries ago4 ,many of its old wooden houses remain4 ,here are strange old churches that have never been altered or restored2 curious1 retired little courts and squares1 old inns1 an old hall or palace1 like ,crosby ,hall1 with a fine carved house1 ,sir ,paul ,pindar's2 while the traffic of the street and the general air seem to take insensibly the tone and complexion of an old-fashioned1 obsolete kind4 ,the course of the thoroughfare winds and bends in an original way1 and it seems now to be1 what it used to be1 a busy highway1 one of the great roads that led away out of ,london to the country4 ,still do the waggons and carriers depart in numbers1 and the old inn yards whence the coaches used to set off1 are used for kindred purposes4 ,how interesting are the old objects here clustered together6 ,the ,crosby ,hall ,palace1 now a restaurant2 the retired ,crosby ,square1 into which you pass by an archway from the street2 the quaint old church of ,st4 ,ethelburga1 the truly interesting church of ,st4 ,helen's1 in ,great ,st4 ,helen's1 also entered by an archway4 ,from this a few winding turns lead us to the ,ghetto1 or ,jew quarter1 ,bevis ,marks1 ,st4 ,mary ,axe and ,houndsditch1 names that have1 from association1 a curious scent or flavour4 ,anyone possessed of taste and curiosity1 whether he be architect or amateur1 should be glad to see ,crosby ,hall1 one of the most graceful and pleasing buildings in ,london4 ,it is curious to think that this busy1 bustling eating-house was once the ,palace of 8,crook'd-back ,richard40 ,the framed and gabled front hangs over the street1 displaying the well-restored 'scutcheons4 ,there is an abundance of painted windows3 when we pass into the squares1 one of which are on each side1 and see the great towers and mullioned windows that stretch behind1 sheltered from the street1 then the extending beauty of the relic strikes one4 ,loud and noisy as is the hum and clatter of ,bishopsgate1 all becomes mysteriously still in the old-fashioned tranquil square1 and if it be growing dark the light within will illuminate the 8richly dight0 panes1 and the tall window is shown in all its beauty as it reaches from the ground almost to the top of the elegant tower4 8,we doubt10 says a good critic of these ,lancastrian windows1 8if there be any specimen1 in any style1 more graceful or more void of superfluities and affectations40 ,if we enter the other square on the left1 the picturesque ,great ,st4 ,helen's1 through the archway1 we shall see the other end of the old hall1 with an elegant window projecting1 looking like a fragment of an old abbey4 ,within the ,hall we find1 thriving and busy1 a spacious restaurant1 crowded to excess at lunching hour4 ,the grand old hall1 where ,king ,richard is supposed to have feasted1 is now crowded with an enormous multitude of hungry ,city men4 ,the proportions of this grand chamber1 its ,lancastrian arched windows1 placed high up1 and the beautiful oriel recess or window1 have always excited admiration4 ,many years ago it was used as the home of a literary society1 but is now put to more practical uses4 ,in spite of the vulgarizing associations of the public restaurant1 there is imparted a sort of vitality and dramatic animation which seems in keeping1 and at least makes the old building glow with health and vigour4 ,illustration3 ,,gateway ,,to ,,great ,,st4 ,,helen',s1 ,,and ,,almshouses4 ,in the last century this place was actually degraded into a packer's ,illustration3 ,,belfry1 ,,st4 ,,helen',s ,,church4 warehouse2 the hall was ruthlessly cut into two stories1 while a covered flight of steps led up to the first2 and in a print of the time the packer with a chest on his back is actually shown ascending4 ,this flight was built against the beautiful oriel4 ,one is tempted to expatiate long on this charming little corner and dainty bit of art1 whose grace the true connoisseur will recognize and appreciate4 ,who could think of such a gem being found in an eating-house or restaurant8 ,the grand hall thus has quite a baronial and banqueting appearance1 and for exquisite detail and beauty 8is one of the most perfect things domestic architecture ever produced40 ,it is said1 indeed1 that this building is the only existing remnant of the domestic architecture of old ,london1 and dates from the year #adff4 ,illustration3 ,,monument ,,of ,,sir ,,william ,,pickering4 ,the two squares or 8,places0 adjoining1 as they may be more properly called1 are in their way full of a picturesque interest4 ,great ,st4 ,helen's is a sort of surprise as we pass from the din and hurly-burly of the crowded street into its tranquil1 secluded retirement1 where all sounds seem distant or muffled4 ,round us are old houses of sound red brick1 devoted to business1 but with a snug 8,cheeryble0 air4 ,on the left is an almshouse1 not of much accommodation1 with an inscription that it was founded by a ,lord ,mayor ,judd1 a name still of importance in the ,city4 ,opposite is a fine1 handsomely-carved doorway1 worthy of study1 while at the farthest corner rises a much-grimed old mansion1 a fine specimen of old brickwork1 set off with pilasters and enriched capitals and tablets1 after the pattern of ,inigo ,jones2 within one of these is a fine old staircase of much effect4 ,but in the centre is the old1 well-known church itself--an aged1 crumbling1 sad-coloured1 quaint-looking place1 turning towards us the ends of its two forlorn aisles1 rather bent or stooped with its years4 ,between these rises a poor1 attenuated lantern1 on which again is perched another1 with quite an antique old-world air1 and a certain tone of squalor in its two lanky windows4 ,in front is a poorish strip of churchyard through which a walk has been cut1 leading to a door4 ,but on the right there is a fine1 pretentious doorway1 with its ,jacobean1 bold 8flourishings0--a cherub with puffed cheeks1 and fine mouldings1 while the old timbers and bolts are still to be seen4 ,a worthy old sextoness1 who has her show business well by heart1 is fetched from a queer little old house to do the honours of ,st4 ,helen's4 ,the interior of this venerable church1 with its straggling shape1 its one transept1 its magnificent and dignified old tombs1 is truly surprising4 ,not less curious is the way it speaks of the old arrangements that have passed away4 ,the absent transept signifies the place where the ,st4 ,helen's nuns used to hear mass4 ,the ruins of the convent were to be seen in the last century4 ,but the grand1 stately tombs1 with their canopies and the reposing knights in armour--one of which1 our sextoness boasts1 8is superior to anything in the ,abbey0--are really a surprise4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,wren',s ,,churches4 ,few who pass through the ,city or travel by the river pause to think and compare the innumerable spires and towers that rise in all directions1 and lend a ,flemish grace to the prose of ,city life4 ,the most conspicuous are the work of ,sir ,christopher ,wren4 ,no little charm1 it may be said1 is found in the effective grey of the ,portland stone1 with its black staining in the shadows--due to deposits of ,london smoke4 ,but while all praise is due to ,wren for his excellence and versatility1 it must be remembered that no architect has ever received such a commission as the building of some forty great churches--everyone having an important tower or spire1 and situated in every conceivable and favouring locality4 ,to crown all1 this lucky artist was intrusted with the rearing of one of the most famous cathedrals in ,europe4 ,the variety is shown in the different materials he uses1 there being nine steeples of stone1 nineteen spires of timber and lead1 with twelve solid towers of stone4 ,the great secret of their excellence is the admirable workmanship and system of construction4 ,it is declared1 on architectural authority1 that they are now as sound as in the year they were erected2 and1 certainly1 no one ever sees them under repair4 ,the mixture of square tower and tapering spire is most original1 and the junction between the two is varied in the most pleasing manner4 ,the most famous are ,bow ,church1 or ,st4 ,mary-le-,bow1 ,cheapside1 and ,st4 ,bride's1 in ,fleet ,street4 ,these are1 however1 meant to be rich and elaborate1 as being in busy and important thoroughfares4 ,those in more retired places1 lanes and alleys1 are not a whit less effective1 though not so pretentious4 ,a favourite pattern with ,wren is the contrasting of a very plain1 square tower with a short stone campanile of two or three little stories1 with most graceful results4 ,other good specimens are ,st4 ,michael1 ,college ,hill2 ,st4 ,james's1 ,garlick ,hill2 and ,st4 ,stephen1 ,walbrook4 ,some steeples soar aloft from the towers--full-fledged spires--while there are some fantastic1 which seem unworthy1 and1 indeed1 difficult to conceive in a man of such genius4 ,the spire of the well-known ,piccadilly church1 ,st4 ,james's1 is attenuated2 ,st4 ,edmund's1 in ,lombard ,street1 ,st4 ,swithin's1 ,st4 ,martin's ,ludgate1 ,st4 ,mary ,abchurch1 and a few more are of this rather poor pattern4 ,the fashions of his towers are very familiar--having1 generally1 four rich pinnacles1 or rather towerlets1 rising from the ground at each corner4 ,mr4 ,taylor1 the architect1 has written a very pleasing book on ,wren's towers and spires1 with airy sketches of each1 so that the reader can compare for himself4 ,how admirably situated is ,st4 ,bride's1 in ,fleet ,street1 at the end of the recessed opening or narrow court1 and where it rises with original effect6 ,there is an additional piquancy in this perpetual recurrence of steeple and spire1 as if suggesting the piety of the ,city1 and the excessive devotion of ,london2 the truth being that these are but religious cenotaphs--survivals--having no congregations4#bb ,there is a curious story associated with ,st4 ,bride's steeple1 which can be seen from ,fleet ,street through the picturesque opening beside the ,punch office1 made within living memory4 8,the steeple10 ,mr4 ,godwin tells us1 8was actually curtailed of eight feet of its height1 the alteration being made out of his own whim by a stone mason40 ,if we look at it closely1 we shall see how rudely and abruptly the extremity is finished off4 ,illustration3 ,,wren',s ,,steeples--,,st4 ,,mary-,,le-,,bow4 ,one of the most impressive views--and least known--is that to be gained from the top story of the new1 or newest1 ,post ,office at ,st4 ,martin's-le-,grand4 ,as we look from this aerie the effect is one of entrancing surprise and mystery4 ,out of the mist of the ,city rises quite close to us the vast dome of ,st4 ,paul's2 below lie all the roofs1 while round1 far and near1 are seen dotted about the innumerable towers and spires1 on which we look down1 instead of looking up to1 as is usual4 ,there is nothing so grand1 so vast1 so full of awe as this in ,london--everything seems so vast and crowded4 ,apropos of ,london towers1 one of the most truly graceful and effective is that of ,st4 ,clement ,dane's ,church in the ,strand1 though it is encumbered with a clumsy church behind4 ,often of a winter's evening1 as you come down ,holywell ,street1 or ,booksellers' ,row1 you hear its merry chimes jangling out1 growing more and more noisy and riotous as you approach4 ,it may be some moonlight night1 when its graceful outlines are projected against the bluish sky behind1 while the tower windows1 lit up from within1 show where the ringers are at work4 ,such a revel of pleasant jangling1 all in wildest confusion1 and having quite a ,christmas tone6 ,one is inclined to linger on1 and think it some street corner in ,ghent3 or else recall old ,samuel ,johnson1 who used to repair here many a time and oft4 ,there is here a regular 8,college0 of ringers1 who practise their 8triple bob majors0 with regularity and skill4 ,a tablet recently set up in the porch records how on ,jubilee ,day a peal was rung of some #ej1jjj changes1 which perforce took some hours4 ,it were vain1 of course1 to praise the matchless ,bow ,steeple1 the best view of which is gained from the ,royal ,exchange4 ,its originality1 solidity1 and airiness are extraordinary4 ,if a fault might be hinted at1 8the centre core behind the columns1 one could have wished10 says ,mr4 ,taylor1 8had been slightly thicker40 ,the tone and colour--everything is charming4 ,within1 however1 it hardly seems to correspond4 ,indeed1 many of ,wren's interiors are disappointing--giving the air of some large1 gloomy hall or chamber1 rather than that of a church1 set off with ponderous carvings4 ,he had another favourite system1 exhibited in ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,walbrook1 and ,st4 ,james's1 ,piccadilly1 and also imitated by his pupils1 of rows of slight pillars1 dividing the interior into aisles1 and which support vaulted roofs4 ,these are also made to do duty in supporting the galleries4 ,architects have fallen into raptures over one of ,wren's ,city churches1 this ,st4 ,stephen's1 ,walbrook1 which1 externally1 seems mean and neglected4 ,says one3 8,if the exterior and belfry of this church have uncommon grace and decorum for that age1 it is the interior that constitutes its fame4 ,though a simple cell inclosed by four walls1 the tameness of that form wholly disappears behind the unique and varied arrangement of its sixteen columns4 ,they reproduce and unite almost every beauty of plan to be found in all the cathedrals of ,europe4 ,now they form the ,latin cross1 with its nave1 transept1 and chancel2 anon they divide the whole space into five aisles1 regularly diminishing from the centre to the sides2 again we perceive1 in the midst1 a square apartment with recesses on all its sides--a square1 nay1 an octagon--no1 a circle4 ,it changes at every glance1 as we view the entablature1 or the arches above it1 or the all-uniting dome4 ,with the same harmonious variety we have every form of ceiling brought together at once--flat1 camerated1 groined1 pendentive1 domical--yet no confusion4 ,the fitness to its destination is perfect2 every eye can see the minister1 and every ear is within hearing distance of him in every part of the service4 ,it is the most beautiful of preaching-rooms2 and though only a sketch1 and executed only in counterfeit building1 would1 if carried out in ,wren's spirit instead of his employers'1 form the most perfect of ,protestant temples40 ,of this church1 ,ralph1 an art critic of one hundred and fifty years ago1 declared that 8it was famous all over ,europe1 and was justly considered ,wren's masterpiece4 ,perhaps ,italy itself can produce no modern building that can vie with this in taste or proportion3 there is not a beauty which this place would admit of1 that is not found here in its greatest perfection40 ,architects relish the ingenuity of the arrangement2 for the whole roof and dome is supported by the columns1 and are quite independent of the main walls4 ,it should be remembered that it was built before the erection of the present ,mansion ,house2 which has intercepted much of the flood of light that ,wren reckoned on to set off his airy columns and arches4 ,the barbarous churchwardens at one time even wished to block up the windows on one side1 but were checked4 ,illustration3 ,,wren',s ,,steeples--,,st4 ,,james',s4 ,it is easy to interpret the impression of beauty left by the interior1 which is owing to the elegance of the cupola in the centre1 which seems to be supported airily on these grouped columns4 ,but succeeding visits to the church more and more betray the blemishes caused by modern treatment and so-called improvements4 ,the revealing of the long bases of the columns1 by clearing away the pews1 leaves an impression that the visitor is below the level of the floor4 ,the columns now seem 8lanky10 as if the ground had been cleared away and their bases exposed4 ,the introducing of gaudy colouring into this and the adjoining church of ,st4 ,mary ,woolnoth has much impaired the architectual effect1 multiplying details and destroying the simplicity of the whole4 ,it is clear that a uniform tone1 a suggestion of stone colour1 is what is required4 ,this charming fabric has further attraction in the monumental and florid organ1 with its gallery and doorway below forming one structure1 all of the darkest and most solid oak1 suggesting what is to be seen in some ,flemish church4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,stephen',s1 ,,walbrook4 ,as we stand by the ,mansion ,house we see beside us an elegant-looking church of ,italian pattern1 and situated picturesquely at the corner of two streets4 ,we enter1 and find ourselves in a beautifully proportioned square chamber1 richly decorated with cornices1 pilasters1 and oak carvings4 ,the rector and churchwardens claim1 indeed1 that it is 8the most striking and original in the metropolis1 and without a prototype in ,england40 ,so beautiful did it appear to the ,french architect1 ,servandoni1 that when planning his famous church of ,st4 ,sulpice1 in ,paris1 he reproduced in facsimile this faade4 ,it will be noted that it is of a curious kind--a sort of double tower--and has impressed many with the admiration which its enthusiastic rector and churchwardens feel for it4#bc ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,mary ,,woolnoth4 ,this really original church has been described as 8an exquisite example of the ,italian style4 ,the interior is no more than a gracefully designed chamber1 after the pattern of the ,roman atrium1 with twelve coupled and richly-decorated columns running round40 8,it is impossible10 says an enthusiast1 8to leave the description of this delightful interior without noticing the galleries2 they are so designed that1 though prominent1 they do not interfere with the general effect1 nor destroy the simplicity and elegance of the design40 ,as we have said1 the variety exhibited in ,wren's churches is always extraordinary4 ,nothing can be more original and graceful than the interior of ,st4 ,swithin's1 opposite the station in ,cannon ,street1 with its elegant cupola painted by ,sir ,j4 ,thornhill4 ,the most charming exterior in its unpretending way1 from its just proportions1 is that of the church on ,ludgate ,hill4 ,it will be noted how delicate and yet efficient are the mouldings and ornaments1 and the perfect grace of the spire--so airy1 and yet so exactly suited to the plain building below4 ,it may be added here that there are some curious and interesting things to be seen in a pilgrimage round the ,london churches4 ,as in the grim ,all-hallows ,barking1 there is the font1 elaborately carved with grotesque figures by ,grinling ,gibbons1 and in ,st4 ,alban's church1 ,wood ,street1 on a pillar over the pulpit1 an hour-glass in a brass frame--no bad hint for preachers de longue haleine4 ,under ,bow ,church1 in busy ,cheapside1 we may see the genuine old ,norman arches and vaultings2 few know that a court used to have its sittings here1 and hence took the name of the ,court of ,arches4 ,perhaps the most singular and eccentric specimen of a steeple to be found in ,london is that of ,st4 ,luke's1 near ,clerkenwell4 ,this is an enormous1 ponderous obelisk1 some thirty or forty feet high1 with its plinth and steps1 perched on the top of a heavy tower4 ,there are also other freaks in this direction which excite our astonishment4 ,there is a stately old church--the work of ,hawkesmoor--in ,hart ,street1 close to the ,british ,museum4 ,it is well grimed and blackened over1 but there is something imposing in its ,pantheon-like portico1 and above all its extraordinary1 and possibly unique1 steeple4 ,this is of a very daring and original pattern1 and consists of a pillared lantern1 on which rises a sort of heavy1 massive stone pyramid that ascends in graduated steps4 ,carried to a great height1 it terminates in a circular pedestal1 with a garland running round it1 and on the pedestal is--what8 ,the reader is little likely to guess4 ,a gigantic statue in ,roman guise of ,his ,majesty ,george ,i46 ,there is something quaint and exceptional in this form of steeple4 ,and yet1 so judicious and effective is the architecture of the whole1 so impressive1 that there is really nothing grotesque in the result4 ,during a short interval lately the adjoining houses were levelled and the whole of the church exposed to view1 with excellent effect4 ,many who have never noticed it before have been struck by its originality and dignified air4 ,but now the builders are erecting hoardings1 so this glimpse will have been but a temporary one1 and by-and-by the church will be shut out once more4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,modern ,,churches4 ,after passing in review these stately fanes1 centuries old1 we turn to survey what the genius of modern architecture has contributed in this way to the adornment of ,london4 ,the contrast is extraordinary4 ,in the churches built within a century or so1 we find little expression or meaning2 nothing that tempts us to linger--their builders seem uninspired4 ,there are indeed but two or three that have any pretension4 ,one1 ambitious and vast1 is ,sir ,gilbert ,scott's gigantic ,gothic temple at ,kensington1 which replaced a quaint old-fashioned church4 ,in spite of its cost and size1 it is singularly bald and unsatisfactory4 ,the tower and spire are of unusual proportions2 but the whole is inexpressive and cold4 ,so awkwardly placed is it1 that the door cannot be reached without an exposed walk through the inclosure1 and on weddings and such festive occasions a long covered way has to be erected to enable the parties to reach their carriages under shelter4 ,we may also turn to the remarkable church of ,all ,saints1 in ,margaret ,street1 the work of an architect of much feeling and ability1 ,mr4 ,butterfield4 ,we should note how on a small patch of ground he has grouped his church and presbytery1 so as to convey the idea of space and of something imposing4 ,the mixture of black and dull red bricks is very happy and successful1 and the beauty of the lines of the spire1 seen from many quarters1 is remarkable4 ,we always look upon this pile with interest1 as carrying out with perfect success the aims intended4 ,the little inclosure in front is cleverly disposed1 and1 though next the street1 has quite a monastic air4 ,within1 the effect of gorgeous and rich details is quite overpowering1 the walls being one mass of costly marble1 fresco paintings1 pictures wrought in encaustic tiles of delicate hues1 and painted windows4 ,the defect1 however1 is the excessive darkness--8inspissated gloom10 ,dr4 ,johnson would call it4 ,nothing in medival work can exceed the magnificence of the reredos and the wall that rises above it1 disposed in arches and tiers1 and set off with painted figures and mosaics4 ,the workmanship everywhere cannot be surpassed--iron work1 gilding1 carvings1 all are of the best4 ,the beautiful lines of the lancet-shaped arches should be noted1 with the sharp and delicate carvings of the capitals4 ,nothing1 indeed1 has been spared on this great and costly work4 ,many of the houses opposite are given up to pious works1 and occupied by large communities of ,sisters1 who are seen at every hour flitting through the neighbouring streets4 ,the churches erected by ,roman ,catholics display far more variety and architectural graces4 ,the ,catholic chapels of fifty years ago were chiefly foreign1 sheltered by the various ,embassies4 ,such was the little ,french chapel close to ,baker ,street2 those in ,spanish ,place1 near ,manchester ,square2 the ,bavarian in ,warwick ,street1 and the ,sardinian ,chapel in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields4 ,this latter building was sacked and burnt by the mob in the fury of the ,gordon ,riots4 ,the same fate befel the still more modest chapel in ,warwick ,street1 ,golden ,square4 ,these ,embassy chapels have still a foreign air in their interior arrangement1 displaying a faded gaudiness and old-fashioned elaboration4 ,passing ,warwick ,street ,chapel we may note its shabby exterior1 suggesting some struggling conventicle2 but this unobtrusiveness was designed purposely1 in the hope of its not again attracting the notice of the 8religious0 mobs4 ,fifty years ago the place was in the highest vogue1 for here the most eminent singers used to lend their voices to the services1 and the late ,mr4 ,braham flourished off1 and made the old rafters ring again with his stentorian notes4 ,not far away1 just out of ,soho ,square1 is to be seen another grimed and neglected-looking edifice1 a stretch of gloomy brickwork1 with rows of windows1 having the general air of a disused ,assembly room4 ,this1 curious to say1 was actually its original function4 ,for1 over a hundred and twenty years ago1 it was the well-known 8,mrs4 ,cornelys'10 where her masquerades and ridottos1 the most brilliant in ,london1 were held4 ,mrs4 ,cornelys1 after being patronized by all 8the nobility and gentry10 came at last to 8selling asses' milk0 in the suburbs1 and died in a wretched way4 ,her 8rooms0 after some vicissitudes were 8converted0 into a chapel4#bd ,the chapel in ,soho ,square is not the only instance1 by-the-way1 in ,london of a building converted from profane to pious uses4 ,there are several in ,london which1 after serving to entertain frivolous audiences1 changed hands1 and gathered congregations of a more serious kind4 ,even the late ,court ,theatre had done duty as a ,methodist conventicle1 and the balcony which used to hold the worshippers merely changed its name to the 8,dress ,circle40 ,many will recall a floating legend of their childhood1 how1 after one church or chapel had been thus 8converted10 and a masquerade was given in the sacred precincts1 a mysterious figure of ,satan1 whom no one could identify as a mortal1 had been seen flitting about4 ,within twenty years or so an extraordinary change1 and even revolution1 has taken place4 ,though these old fanes still linger on1 a number of handsome and imposing churches have risen1 some spacious1 others magnificent in their decorations1 most of them excellent in design2 not a few1 in attraction and interest1 are superior to modern ,protestant structures4 ,the most distinguished of these contributors to the glories of ,london are the ,pugins1 father and son1 ,hansom1 ,scholes1 ,clutton1 ,bentley1 and ,herbert ,gribble2 the last1 designer of the ,oratory4 ,the name of ,hansom is recalled to the ,londoner at almost every hour1 as the one who has most increased the 8public stock of harmless pleasure0 and convenience1 being the inventor of the famous vehicle so poetically named by ,mr4 ,disraeli1 8the gondola of ,london40 ,in the grandiose and ambitious style there are the three great cathedrals of ,st4 ,george's1 ,southwark1 the ,pro-cathedral1 ,kensington1 and the ,oratory4 ,next in order may be placed the ,jesuits' ,church in ,farm ,street1 and that of the ,carmelites at ,kensington4 ,then there is the great church at ,moorfields1 with the handsome and spacious ,italian ,cathedral in ,hatton ,garden4 ,crossing the river we pass into the ,southwark district and come to a tongue of land close to the ,kennington ,road4 ,here1 nearly fifty years ago1 the elder ,pugin obtained1 as he fancied1 the one great chance of his life1 that of rearing a grand ,metropolitan ,cathedral after his own unfettered designs and aspirations4 ,but never was there to be so piteous a tale of hope deferred and frustrated4 ,the structure was conceived on the most costly and ambitious scale1 and would have taken a quarter of a century and perhaps a quarter of a million to complete4 ,it was wonderful1 however1 that in those early and straitened days so much could have been accomplished4 ,the builder of our day1 who surveys this pile1 will be astonished to learn that it cost but the bagatelle of #cj1jjj4 ,it could hardly be erected now for double that sum4 ,its length is some #bdj feet1 its width about #gj4 ,the committee of prelates and influential laymen who undertook the work had conceived the idea of a fine agglomeration1 consisting of a great ,cathedral1 with a presbytery1 convent and schools attached4 ,pugin was called on to supply a complete plan1 which he prepared1 as may be conceived1 with enthusiasm4 ,on an appointed day it is related that he attended1 and submitted a series of his always beautiful drawings1 a cathedral1 chapter house1 cloisters1 convent1 etc41 forming a vast and picturesque pile of buildings4 ,these were received with admiration1 when a practical member of the company put some questions as to the cost4 ,another followed with a question as to the time necessary for carrying out the ambitious design4 ,the architect1 without directly replying1 quietly contrived to get back all his drawings into his hands1 rolled them up1 took his hat1 and walked away from the astonished committee without a word6 ,illustration3 ,,interior ,,of ,,the ,,oratory4 ,being later asked for an explanation1 he replied1 in his rough style3 8,i thought ,i was dealing with people who knew what they wanted2 but your absurd questions showed me my mistake4 ,no cathedral was ever1 or could be1 built within the lifetime of a single man4 ,as to its cost1 how can ,i tell8 ,building materials may increase to double their present price in a few years40#be ,he was induced to supply a more modest1 though still an ambitious1 design1 and this had eventually to be re-shaped1 as the funds fell short4 ,the original plan1 still preserved1 was a truly magnificent one1 with its great central tower1 and lofty soaring proportions1 with which contrast the rather mean dimensions of the present edifice1 which is low1 but of great length4 8,it was spoilt10 he said1 8by the instructions of the committee that it was to hold #c1jjj people on the floor at a limited price2 in consequence1 height1 proportion1 everything was sacrificed to meet these conditions40 ,illustration3 ,,confessional ,,in ,,the ,,oratory4 ,but let us hear ,mr4 ,ruskin on this excuse3 8,st4 ,george's was not high enough for want of money8 ,but was it want of money that made you put the blunt1 overloaded1 laborious ogee door into the side of it8 ,was it for lack of funds that you sunk the tracery of the parapet in its clumsy zigzags8 ,was it in parsimony that you buried its paltry pinnacles in that eruption of diseased crockets1 or in pecuniary embarrassment that you set up the belfry foolscaps with the mimicry of dormer windows1 which nobody can ever reach1 nor look out of8 ,not so1 but in mere incapability of better things4444 ,employ him by all means1 but on small work4 ,expect no cathedrals of him2 but no one at present can design a better finial4 ,there is an exceedingly beautiful one over the western door of ,st4 ,george's2 and there is some spirited impishness and switching of tails in the supporting figures40 ,there is some truth in these bitter lines--but there is more injustice4 ,probably the writer has long since repented of his warmth4 ,pugin's tempestuous nature was1 it may be conceived1 fretted and goaded by the unavoidable checks and restraints necessarily laid upon him4 ,but as it stands he has succeeded in leaving a fine work behind1 which one day a wealthy congregation will take in hand and1 perhaps1 adapt to the original design4#bf ,illustration3 ,,our ,,lady',s ,,altar ,,in ,,the ,,oratory4 ,we pass to the last built of the important ,catholic edifices1 and which1 perhaps1 after ,st4 ,paul's1 is the most imposing and ambitious ecclesiastical building in ,london1 namely the ,oratory4 ,for spaciousness1 splendour of adornment1 fine music1 and the style of the services this is an extraordinary institution1 considered as the work of an unestablished and unendowed communion4 ,some forty years ago the ,oratorians were to be found at a public room in ,king ,william ,street1 ,strand4 ,during the second ,great ,exhibition1 of #ahfb1 they moved to ,south ,kensington1 where they erected a new church next door to the ,museum4 ,here was also built a large monastery1 a hall for ,societies1 etc41 the final development of which was the present imposing fane4 ,some years ago a competition was declared1 and the design of ,mr4 ,h4 ,gribble selected4 ,whatever objections may be taken to particular details and treatment1 there can be no question as to the successful result1 and the crowds who visit it1 much as sightseers do foreign cathedrals1 are impressed and astonished at its proportions and magnificence4 ,at almost every hour of week days some of the curious are found there2 while on ,sundays1 after the services1 a long stream of visitors promenade round and round1 surveying the chapels and altars4 ,the cost of this building is said to have been close upon #hj1jjj1 and though completed inside1 its faade and outer dome has still to be supplied4 ,this will entail a further cost of over #bj1jjj4 ,its construction was followed with much interest by architects1 owing to the fact that concrete1 cast in situ1 was used for the dome and arches of the nave and transept1 a practice adopted by some of the old ,italian architects4 ,the altar of ,our ,lady1 in the right-hand transept1 is really a most extraordinary prodigy in marble work1 either for its vast dimensions or its elegance of florid treatment4 ,the mixture of colours1 the flowing grace of treatment1 the blending of statuary with rare marbles1 the exquisite easy manipulation1 in times1 too1 before marble-machinery was known1 all join to make it a most astonishing work4 ,not but that there is something meretricious in the composition1 and severe critics would hold that it was of a 8debased school40 ,it is believed that such a work could not be attempted now at a less cost than eighty or a hundred thousand pounds4 ,the design1 too1 is original1 that of a sort of pillared temple formed of exquisitely-tinted marbles4 ,the columns are all fluted1 and the flutings filled with inlaid marbles4 ,spirited statues to the number of eleven are grouped with the main fabric1 and reposing figures and fluttering cherubs are disposed with all the ease and freedom of terra-cotta4 ,we feel a sort of artistic pang as we think of the fate of this striking work1 which was long the ornament of an ,italian church at ,brescia1 erected by the family of a local architect1 as an inscription records4 ,under the suppression of religious orders in ,italy the church was levelled1 and its altar sold for the bagatelle of #b1jjj4 ,no doubt it looks a little out of keeping with the waste of bare unfurnished wall about it1 and seems to be a stranger under our cold skies1 exciting much the same feelings experienced when we look on the magnificent ,rood-screen to be seen in the museum next door4 ,this piece of ambitious rococo work did duty in the splendid cathedral of ,bois-le-,duc1 where only a few weeks ago we were looking at the ,illustration3 ,,the ,,sanctuary1 ,,farm ,,street4 spot it filled1 and where something seemed to be lacking4 ,the scrapers and polishers and restorers had been at their fatal work1 so execrated by ,lord ,grimthorpe2 ,renaissance work was pronounced unfit for a ,gothic cathedral2 and it was ruthlessly pulled down and sold for a song to our ,government4 ,it may be said that such opposing styles are not to be always condemned2 they represent the form and pressure of their era2 and there is often something piquant in the combination where the works are of merit4 ,our own cathedrals often present such contrasts4 ,the apse of the ,oratory is now being decorated with painting1 gilding1 and marbles1 and when completed will no doubt present a rich appearance4 ,some forty years ago the ,jesuits obtained permission to build a church in the most fashionable quarter of ,london1 a privilege that was obtained not without difficulties1 and was subject to the condition that they should also take charge of a poor and impoverished chapel in the slums of ,westminster4 ,it was almost impossible to secure a suitable site in ,mayfair or near ,grosvenor ,square1 so the church was built in what is no more than a stable lane1 then known as ,berkeley ,mews1 at the back of ,mount ,street1 but which has assumed the name and dignity of ,farm ,street4 ,the church is a beautiful1 well-designed ,gothic building1 built by ,scholes1 added to1 and altered by ,mr4 ,clutton4 ,the coup d'il1 to one standing at the door1 is striking and attractive1 from the display of painted glass1 which fills not only the great altar window1 but all the clerestory1 as well as from the rich garniture of the sanctuary4 ,the sanctuary and chapel1 close by1 present a spectacle of costly enrichment1 the walls being a mass of coloured marbles1 deep green and mellow strawberry tint1 encompassing elaborate mosaic pictures1 and gilded carvings4 ,there is a small arcade to the right which opens into the adjoining chapel3 an organ picturesquely projects on the left2 beneath are gilt grilles and gates1 while the richly-carved altar1 all pinnacles and niches and figures1 fills the centre4 ,the altar is the work of the elder ,pugin1 and is a fine specimen of his manner1 suggesting much1 but too crowded with details4 ,the communion rails are his design also1 the pulpit1 we believe1 is from the same 8eminent hand40 ,the new organ is one of the richest and most powerful in ,london4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,the ,,charterhouse4--,,the ,,new ,,river4 ,within a few hundred yards of ,smithfield will be found the ,charterhouse1 a visit to which 8soothes0 the mind with all manner of antiquarian associations4 ,the old square in which it stands--,charterhouse ,square--has quite an antique flavour2 and here is to be seen many a quaint old house devoted to 8boarding10 or to unpretending hotel life1 and which looks snug and comfortable4 ,we can fancy simple folk from the rural districts coming to town and putting up there4 ,these places seem to belong to a mode of society now antiquated or gone by1 or to the manners and customs such as are described in 8,pickwick0 and 8,nickleby40 ,it must be pleasant for the stranger to look across at the old1 quaint lantern of the ,charterhouse and hear the recurring chimes4 ,unhappily1 the old square1 which is so suitable an introduction1 has been already nibbled at by the builders and 8jobbers40 ,a visitor1 writing to the ,world1 touches 8the key0 of the place3 8,anyone going any day to ,grey ,friars will always find the monastery gates swing wide1 a courteous guide at his post in the lodge1 and a delightful treat in store in the shape of sundry shadowy grey quadrangles1 some beautiful panelled tapestried rooms where ,princess ,elizabeth1 journeying from ,hatfield en route for her coronation1 tarried five days1 and a preserved ,jacobean chapel full of interesting monuments4 ,the bell rings at six1 just as it did when ,lovelace jotted rhyme on the covers of his exercise books2 and as the tolling ceases the stray visitor sees creeping in old gentlemen 7with chapeaux bras of spreckled straw1 slouched cavalier1 or decorous chimney-pot71 so like ,codd ,ajax1 ,codd ,soldier1 and true ,codd ,gentlemen--so like that surely they must be the same6 ,in ,wash-house ,court1 the last remnant of the monastery1 the porter shows the windows of the rooms supposed to be occupied by ,colonel ,newcome1 and he declares that dozens of questions are asked referring to ,thackeray's creations40 ,there has been a prodigious deal of building and restoration in the ,charterhouse1 with much of what is styled ,churchwardens' ,gothic4 ,the old church has been so well panelled and painted in this sense1 that it offers little that is ancient--though the porter throws open a cupboard to show the stones of the venerable old wall4 ,the old dining-hall1 with its gallery and scutcheons1 is more potent4 ,after all1 the most effective portion is the old1 quiet1 deserted courtyard1 all rusted1 with its two mullioned windows and moss-grown pavements4 ,it seems like one of the old colleges at ,cambridge4 ,this institution is in the balance1 as it were4 ,there are schemes in the air for removal to the country1 for reforms1 and pensioning off4 ,one of the most satisfactory monuments in ,london is the sad-looking old gateway in ,lincoln's ,inn4 ,the restorers were slowly working their way down1 clearing away and rebuilding in view of increased rents1 and the old gate would probably have been swept off1 but that some one has raised the cry of alarm4 ,we can ill spare this fine old piece1 which dates from #aeah4 ,the effect of entering under the archway--the decayed old timbers of the massive door1 the highly-picturesque little towers1 the corners and crannies on the left1 the glimpse of the winding stair1 and the old ,inigo ,jones chapel on the right1 make this a pleasant bit of antiquity4 ,there are many turns and corners in the ,city which forcibly suggest 8bits0 of foreign towns4 ,one of the most effective is a narrow alley which leads out of ,newgate ,street to the entrance of ,christ's ,hospital1 where the white tower of the church rises with picturesque effect close to the old copper-red archway that leads into the hospital4 ,here is an old churchyard1 on which looks the effective brick building1 with its high roof and eaves of the time of ,wren1 while the quaint statue of ,king ,edward1 arrayed in old-fashioned garb1 is perched in a niche4 ,this little corner and alley wears quite a calm and peaceful air of retirement4 ,contrast between different styles is always welcome and original4 ,as the busy pedestrian hurries through ,newgate ,street1 he has perhaps often paused to note the quaintly-attired1 half-monastic1 ,christchurch lads enjoying their football1 their fine hall and arcades rising behind4 ,there are said to be over eight hundred of these lads on the foundation1 which dates from the time of ,king ,edward the ,sixth4 ,it is curious to note how the old monastic tone and ritual of the foundation has lingered on to this hour4 ,on each ,thursday in ,lent this is strikingly shown by an antique and interesting ceremonial1 when hundreds of ,city folks1 burghers1 and others1 flock to see 8the public supping0 of the lads1 conducted with much obsolete observance and character4 ,the hour named is half-past six1 but long before the time the company crowds the picturesque corridors and cloister4 ,entering by the tall ,wren steeple through the rubicund brick gateway1 crossing the court1 the great ,hall is seen with its huge emblazoned windows illuminated from within4 ,this vast chamber1 of extraordinary length and loftiness1 is a modern work1 but a signal success4 ,the dimensions and spaciousness are really extraordinary1 and it will readily hold several thousand persons4 ,it has its music gallery at one end1 with an organ large enough for a cathedral1 and at the other end rows of raised seats for eager spectators4 ,down the room are set out the rows of long oaken tables to accommodate the eight hundred lads1 or it may be a thousand4 ,very soon the spectators are settled in their places1 and the boys begin to defile in regular divisions1 seating themselves with their backs to the tables1 until the wished-for moment arrives4 ,there is a conventual simplicity in the fare--a bowl of milk with a plain 8hunch0 of bread4 ,each table is provided with two long candles1 profusely garnished with flowers1 so as completely to hide them4 ,this is a traditional custom1 and a pretty effect is produced when1 on a signal being given1 all are lit at the same moment4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,charterhouse4 ,the last ,thursday night in ,lent had a special attraction1 as a ,royal ,duke1 who is working ,president of the ,school1 was to visit the place4 ,he made his solemn entry1 attended by various of the civic fathers in robes1 with wand-holding governors following4 ,a particularly gorgeous beadle1 in a yellow robe1 led the way1 while the organ struck up the ,national hymn4 ,down the side of the room was hung what is probably one of the largest pictures in the world1 being about seventy feet long by some fifteen high4 ,this portrays the foundation of the establishment1 and exhibits the ,king1 surrounded by innumerable figures1 possibly representing the professors and their scholars1 of his time4 ,on these he is conferring the honour of the foundation4 ,a young collegian ascended the pulpit1 and began a series of prayers of antique fashion1 in which every class according to their degree1 was duly prayed for4 ,he was careful to include members of the 8,most ,honourable ,privy ,council10 the ,sheriffs1 ,town ,councillors1 ,aldermen2 while profoundest gratitude was expressed to the founders1 and to all those kind friends1 governors1 masters1 and others who devoted their time to the school4 ,so many had to be 8remembered0 in these prayers that considerable time elapsed1 during which the eight hundred were anxiously and voraciously contemplating the cates which they dare not profane4 ,but there was the 8,old ,hundredth0 to be gone through1 and very melodious were the tones of the lads2 and yet another hymn1 and finally a prayer1 when with picturesque effect all those little monks went on their knees1 each in his place4 ,there was a simplicity in all this which was very pleasing4 ,after about twenty minutes of devout suspense1 during which time ,justice ,greedy's 8clapper0 must have been noisily heard at work in the clamorous stomachs of the lads1 the welcome signal was given1 and they were permitted to fall on the victuals4 ,later the signal was given to break off1 by sharp blows on the table1 when there followed a fresh series of old observances which showed the monastic origin of the place4 ,the lads who had waited on each other now brought huge baskets to carry away the fragments of bread1 etc41 the tables were cleared1 and the long white cloths carefully folded1 which led on to the last and most interesting part of the exhibition1 when each division of the eight hundred passed in its turn before the ,president4 ,every two advanced together and made him a low bow1 or 8bob10 which was carefully returned2 each division closed up with the servitors1 one carrying the basket on his shoulder1 another the knife-box1 a third the cloth1 while a small monk not unpicturesquely wound up the procession1 bearing the two garlanded lights4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,canonbury ,,tower4 ,the outlying districts of ,london have each a curiously marked colour and flavour of their own4 ,thus 8the ,borough10 the district about ,bishopgate ,street1 the ,city itself--and ,islington1 all have a distinct and recognizable air4 ,it would take long to define the elements of each1 but the skilled denizen has no difficulty in distinguishing4 ,islington has a bustling1 almost foreign air1 and in some sense deserves its epithet 8merry40 ,a little beyond ,islington there begins a district of so special and curious a kind as really to have effect on the mind and spirits of the traveller4 ,for here he finds a succession of tame1 spiritless villas and terraces1 gardens and small squares1 not dilapidated1 yet all running to seed as it were4 ,there is a general look of monotonous hopelessness that cannot be described4 ,no one seems to be about or doing4 ,there is one compensation--the good1 clear1 inspiring air4 ,this is felt as we mount those gently-rising hills which lead out of the main road1 and land us among the still more saddening squares and abjectly-correct terraces4 ,one of these is ,canonbury ,road1 at the top of which the atmosphere is positively 8bracing10 and here--that is1 a little way on--we come to a most interesting old memorial1 well worthy the long jaunt from the ,west ,end4 ,in strange contrast with its associates rises a grim and gaunt old brick tower1 solid1 massive1 and lofty1 against whose veteran sides lean some old gabled houses1 part of the structure4 ,a thick and friendly coat of ivy covers a goodly proportion of the old body4 ,an antique rail surmounts the top1 while a meagre weathercock gives point and finish to the whole4 ,there is a certain majesty and breadth about this venerable relic1 which rises here to a great height1 wrapped in the dignity of its own desolation4 ,there is always1 indeed1 a sense of sadness in the spectacle of one of these old brick towers1 all scarred and weather-beaten with the storms and batterings of fortune4 ,standing before the low-arched doorway1 a genuine portal1 the door itself a bit of oak1 framed and duly knobbed1 ,i remind myself that this picturesque tenement is associated1 oddly enough1 with some of the pleasantest literary memories4 ,like its medival neighbour1 old 8,st4 ,john's ,gate10 it was the refuge and shelter of the destitute 8hack0 more than a hundred and twenty years ago4 ,a regular line of littrateurs have had the odd fancy of deserting their busy ,grub ,street1 and of lying perdu here1 either from choice or necessity2 and it is easy to call up the rather ungainly figure of ,doctor ,goldsmith toiling up ,canonbury ,hill1 and hiding here from his creditors4 ,a worthy woman--albeit garrulous--guides us over the old tower4 ,after saying that 8she knew ,oliver's life well10 she added1 8,them poets seem to be always poor and in want40 ,it was astonishing to see the number and spaciousness of the chambers in the old place1 and their picturesque rambling disposition4 ,one was struck with admiration at the two spacious rooms on the second and third floors1 finely proportioned and baronial1 each adorned with ebony-toned oak panelling reaching to the ceiling1 and each with an elaborately carved mantelpiece1 such as would have rejoiced ,charles ,lamb at ,blakesware4 ,the delicacy and finish of the work cannot be surpassed4 ,there are old solid doors1 black as ink1 hanging on hinges a yard long2 fragments of old oak banisters2 while in the upper stories windows with diamond panes are still seen4 ,the stair mounts in an irregular way3 off which are curious chambers and many odd 8crannies40 ,about #agff1 the bookseller ,newbery1 as we learn from the pleasant account of him just published1 contracted with a ,mr4 ,fleming1 the then tenant1 to board and lodge the poet for #ej a year4 ,according to this authority1 ,goldsmith's room was that on the second floor1 and here he is described as reading to one of the younger ,newberys passages from his ,,ms4 ,george ,daniel1 the bibliophile1 who made a pilgrimage to the tower--if he did not reside there--and gathered up the traditions1 found that the first-floor room was believed to have been the ,doctor's1 and 8an old press bedstead in the corner0 was shown in proof4 ,two families1 the ,tappses and the ,evanses1 had been in care of the place for over #adj years3 and ,mrs4 ,tapps used to retail many stories about the poet to her niece1 who was in possession at the time of ,mr4 ,daniel's visit4 ,washington ,irving was so much interested by the place that he took up his abode there for a time4 ,other tenants have been the eccentric ,dr4 ,hill1 of ,garrick's happy epigram-- ,for physic and farces ,his equal there scarce is3 ,his farces are physic1 ,his physic a farce is2 with ,smart1 the mad poet1 who wrote an epic in ,bedlam2 ,humphreys1 another poet2 8,junius0 ,woodfall2 ,chambers1 who wrote an encyclopdia2 and ,speaker ,onslow4 ,a later resident was ,seymour1 the artist1 associated with the earlier numbers of 8,pickwick10 who shut himself up here with a fellow student to study 8,high ,art10 a line he fortunately abandoned for what was his real gift4 ,what rooms in ,london offer so curious a succession of tenants8 ,some time ago a 8,young ,men's ,association0 fixed itself here1 but the young men are fled1 and once more 8desolate is the dwelling of ,morna40 ,the view from the platform on the roof was almost confounding3 the vast champaign spreading away below to the wooded hills of ,hampstead and ,highgate2 while the keen inspiriting air blew from these heights4 ,it was a surprise even for a fair and spirituelle antiquary of our acquaintance1 who was tempted up to the dizzy elevation1 and could scarcely credit that ,london offered such a spectacle4 ,st4 ,paul's seemed to lie at your feet4 ,this old brick tower dates from the fourteenth century1 and belonged to the canons of the gloomy ,church of ,st4 ,bartholomew1 another fine but fast-decaying monument4 ,it belongs to 8the ,marquis0--that is1 to the ,marquis of ,northampton--of whose provident care and attention this fine old relic is well worthy4 ,if such relief be much longer delayed it will come too late4 ,a few hundred pounds would do much in the way of restoration4 ,it would make a museum1 or even1 as a show-place1 would benefit the district1 drawing visitors4 ,there is an ominous rumour that it is intended to pull it down1 as cumbering the earth1 and to sell the ground for building4 ,the ,west-end ,londoner who has never explored the quarter that leads to the northern heights will be agreeably surprised by the antique1 original flavour of 8,merrie ,islington40 ,at night or evening the bustle1 glare of lights1 jingling of bells1 and converging of tramcars1 the enormous crowds waiting or passing1 the fine clear air1 the steep hilly streets1 the glimpse of the open country1 and the general animation make up quite a foreign scene4 ,there is even a half-rural air1 with the stunted or 8pollarded0 trees1 the terraces and mouldering gardens in front1 and the little superannuated houses2 carriers' carts are waiting loaded and ready to set off for villages and towns a few miles away4 ,here converge half a dozen streets1 two or three steep hills1 and innumerable lines of tramways and omnibuses4 ,every instant the cars and 'busses are arriving and departing1 enormous crowds are waiting to get in and go their way1 and the jingling of the bells1 the metallic sound of the wheels1 the chatter of voices1 supply a sort of music of an original kind4 ,the most picturesque effect arises from the trains of cars perpetually coming up the hills from the town below1 and arriving as it were1 unexpectedly--arriving from round the corners1 and crossing each other in bewildering confusion4 ,when all is lighted up the spectacle for bustle and animation and crowd quite suggests a busy foreign city1 from the glare of innumerable lights1 to which ,islington seems highly partial4 ,the ,islingtonians1 it may be noted1 are healthy-looking folk1 for the place is high and the air inspiring1 as any jaded ,londoner journeying from the west will find4 ,close beside us are two well-known places of amusement1 the 8,grand ,theatre10 some fifteen years an obscure music hall1 suddenly becoming celebrated1 owing to ,genevive de ,brabant and ,miss ,emily ,soldene2 to say nothing of the two 8,john-,darms10 as the ,french comic soldiers were invariably known at ,islington1 one of them performed in broken ,english by a droll ,frenchman4 ,before us is the ,agricultural ,hall1 where the ,mohawk ,minstrels1 highly appreciated1 perform4 ,old ,sadler's ,wells ,theatre introduces us at once to the ,new ,river1 officially constituted and recognized by a large reservoir and offices1 where it 8pulls itself together10 as it were1 after its long forty miles' journey from ,amwell in ,hertfordshire1 before beginning its work in ,london4 ,the old theatre1 brimful of curious associations1 still struggles on1 and presents itself as a very quaint1 old-fashioned pile4 ,in prints of old ,sadler's ,wells--and very pretty they are--we are shown this rural playhouse on the bank of the ,new ,river itself1 with a row of trees between1 and a man in a cocked hat fishing4 ,as is well known1 this position by the river used to be turned to dramatic uses1 the waters being let in for aquatic spectacles4 ,the shade of ,grimaldi must haunt the place4 ,the track of the ,new ,river can still be made out1 running beside the theatre1 but it is now covered in4 ,the old mansion in ,clerkenwell which serves as the head office of the ,new ,river ,company is worthy of the energetic1 gallant1 and beruffled ,sir ,hugh ,myddelton1 the ,lesseps of his time4 ,his statue is to be seen in ,islington2 and in all the annals of ,english pluck and perseverance there is nothing better or more encouraging than the indomitable pluck of this intrepid water purveyor--himself 8a company40 ,the board room of the building is a fine1 picturesque apartment in a good old style2 its ceiling1 a good piece of florid decoration1 laid out in carpet pattern1 or like a flowerbed1 with rich stucco borders--a circle within a square1 and a border round that again4 ,panelling runs all round1 and there is an elaborately-wrought mantel1 with carvings and other decorations4 ,corinthian pillars flank it1 one on each side1 and the whole chamber has a lightsome1 spacious look and general air of state4 ,among ,lamb's quaint and interesting recollections of his time at ,christ's ,hospital1 one1 of a little boy's scheme which was never carried out1 seemed always highly original4 ,he once1 he tells us1 planned an expedition to discover the source of the ,new ,river2 that is1 to follow its course to the original spring in ,hertfordshire4 ,but1 as may be conceived1 this was far too arduous an undertaking for a schoolboy4 ,the ,new ,river seems to have been always associated with ,lamb's course in a mysterious way4 ,in his school-days the summit of holiday enjoyment was to be taken to it to bathe3 an extraordinary proceeding1 which nowadays would be a high crime against manners4 ,at one time he fixed his residence on its very bank1 at ,colebrooke ,row1 and his letters have constant allusions to his 8old ,new ,river40 ,he was proud of his little house4 8,you enter without passage into a cheerful dining-room1 etc40 ,it was from this mansion1 as readers of 8,elia0 know1 that ,george ,dyer1 the blear-eyed pundit1 walked straight into the river1 and was fished out1 having had a narrow escape indeed4 ,he lived to marry his charwoman in his old age1 to his great comfort4 ,it is impossible to pass this house without being affected with dismal associations4 ,it stands in a most desolate stretch of houses1 and the buried river in front seems to add to the forlornness4 ,since ,lamb's day the river has been covered in1 and is1 as it were1 lost to view4 ,but as we come to ,canonbury it suddenly shows itself in a rather cheerful fashion between green banks and trees4 ,following it diligently1 we see it rippling away between its banks--very pellucid on the whole1 and not too broad for an active jumper to clear at a bound4 ,it does not seem more than two or three feet deep4 ,here there are abundance of shady trees2 and the houses have their little gardens coming down to the edge1 with cosy seats1 a stray ,japanese umbrella spread--all exactly as if it were some real river and not an unpretending make-believe runnel4 ,but has it not come all the way from 8pleasant ,hertfordshire10 and recreated many a cit's heart1 who of a summer's evening has his afternoon tea at the river's edge8 ,presently our old ,new ,river dives underground once more1 and seems hopelessly lost4 ,here ,i was completely puzzled to find it again4 ,with much difficulty and many inquiries1 and many false scents too1 ,i caught it up2 when ,i saw it strike out across the country1 meandering over a rich green pasture in diligent fashion1 with a pretty open walk beside it4 ,thence it passed under the road1 by some old-fashioned houses with gardens and overgrown with creepers4 ,here is the prettily-named region of the ,green ,lanes1 and an old-fashioned line of houses called ,paradise ,row1 which looks out on spreading 8park-like meadows10 to use the auctioneers' term2 and here our river seems to have regularly got free and started off across the grass1 never stopping till it reaches ,stoke ,newington4 ,here1 however1 it meets with rough usage2 for the company have erected large buildings1 pumping-engines1 and reservoirs1 and1 as it arrives from ,hertfordshire1 it is detained prisoner until it accumulates in volume4 ,in short1 the amount of agreeable twirling and general aquatic vagaries pursued by the pleasant little stream during its course must be extraordinary4 ,it brings pleasure and rurality wherever it goes4 ,i was sorry to part company with it1 and would gladly have pursued it further on its rural course4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,the ,,queen ,,anne ,,style--,,old ,,doorways4 ,the so-called 8,queen ,anne style0 has within the past few years displayed itself in every shape of extravagance1 running riot1 as it were1 in fantastic freaks of brick4 ,entirely new quarters1 as in the regions close to ,sloane ,street1 have sprung up1 entirely covered with these singular edifices4 ,they seem to be dark1 uncomfortable tenements1 with peaks and gables of the most elaborate kind1 and are certain to require constant repairs4 ,considering that ,england has been the country of bricks1 it is astonishing that so little is known of the principles of brick-building1 which the modern development seems to defy4 ,in foreign countries nothing can be more satisfactory than the treatment of this material1 always used in a way that will best set it off4 ,the effect of brick is produced by the display of broad surface1 and by the exhibition of masses of brick1 as in towers4 ,being of one geometrical size and pattern bricks have little cohesion2 whereas stones1 of irregular sizes and patterns1 can be blended into masses difficult to separate or dissolve4 ,all these florid gables are certain to disintegrate2 and1 further1 owing to the system of laying bricks in masses of mortar1 the process of disintegration is made more certain4 ,the lumps of mortar soon dry up and powder away1 and the bricks do little more than rest upon one another4 ,bricks or tiles are very friable and brittle1 and any bold cutting or carving1 though it may look stout and effective at first1 will certainly decay and drop off in fragments1 owing to the lodgment of wet in the cracks1 etc4 ,any one that studies the old brickwork will discover that the mouldings1 pilasters1 etc41 are of the most delicate character and in low relief1 so as to attract rain or decaying dirt as little as possible4 ,the rather piquant ,hans ,place used to be one of the most retired and picturesque inclosures in ,london4 ,in shape it is an octagon1 the houses thin1 narrow1 and compact1 well suited to the person known to auctioneers as 8the bachelor of position10 or the old maid of snug resources4 ,the little 8,square10 with its low railing1 ancient trees and flowers1 had a monastic air4 ,the place was completely shut out and shut in also4 ,at this moment it is being regularly and gradually rebuilt1 and the uniform narrowness of the space filled by each house gives opportunity for a ,bruges-like picturesqueness of design and variety4 ,rents have gone up amazingly1 as the houses have gone up2 and the 8bachelors of position0 have given place to families of a more opulent class4 ,a very striking entrance to the little square has been made from ,lennox ,gardens1 between two stately mansions with towers which correspond in design4 ,in a few years the whole will have been reconstructed1 and for variety of pattern and contrast there will be few things more effective in ,london4 ,the use of terra-cotta has certainly been carried to an excess4 ,it is now used as a building material1 like stone or brick1 instead of as mere 8dressing0 or ornament4 ,owing to its warping in the 8baking0 the jointing is bad and irregular1 and cracks speedily show themselves4 ,even the decorative portions1 garlands1 boys1 etc41 seem never in the airy spirit of the material1 and are too elaborate and 8undercut40 ,some years ago there was a fashion of profusely carving the brick1 in situ1 in rich and florid relief1 for which the material is too frail and perishable4 ,it is pleasant1 however1 to find that a 8brick style0 is now being gradually evolved1 much more suitably adapted to the material and its purposes4 ,in the long terraces now rising on the numerous ruthless clearances are to be seen specimens treated after genuine delicate principles1 that is1 masses of surface1 with bold1 simple1 and light projections1 instead of the toy1 or cardboard1 surfaces hitherto in fashion4 ,this new evolution is probably not intentional1 and has worked itself out on fixed principles4 ,indeed1 a diligent pilgrim through ,london will discover many modern1 pleasing houses of brick and terra-cotta1 which1 if somewhat bizarre1 have striking merit of design4 ,a remarkable group of this kind of edifice will be found at ,courtfield ,gardens1 near ,earl's ,court4 ,these mansions are of original and even fantastic design1 being built of a yellow terra-cotta1 and running wild in richness of decoration and general treatment4 ,the porches1 doorways1 windows are all irregular3 the work is costly and beautiful2 even the steps in front are inlaid with marbles and mosaics4 ,the visitor is taken by surprise4 ,it is pleasant to find that the beautiful type of ,bruges houses1 models of endurance and grace1 has been 8discovered0 by our architects4 ,so simple and yet so varied is this pattern that a large volume has been published1 depicting all the most notable examples4 ,charles ,lamb complained of the gradual destruction of the antique fountains that were being abolished in his time2 and in our day the lover of old ,london picturesqueness has to bewail the steady and certain destruction that is going on around him year by year4 ,old gateways1 old churches1 old houses1 with1 of course1 their old doorways1 are fast disappearing4 ,the old doorways1 of which there are very many in ,london1 with their attendant lamps and railings1 would not have held their place so long but for their fine1 solid workmanship needing no repair4 ,they add distinction and perhaps additional money value to the houses themselves4 ,in ,grosvenor ,street1 where there are many fine old mansions1 there are some effective doorways which exhibit the depths1 lights and shadows1 and the effective air of having a door's duty to do2 while the richness of the carving in the two little 8girders0 that support the mouldings are wonderfully pleasing4 ,here we find an unpretending but most effective doorway1 at ,no4 #ej1 quiet and pleasing1 with a fanciful carving of a ,lion's head2 ,no4 #dh is also worthy of notice4 ,illustration3 ,,doorway1 #gj1 ,,grosvenor ,,street4 ,in the same street there is one charming house1 ,no4 #gj1 of rich1 warm1 tinted brick2 and1 though grimed enough1 yet still with a dignity of its own4 ,it boasts a graceful doorway1 though it suffers from the window next to it being turned into a second door4 ,another porch in the same street1 and worthy of a glance1 from its unpretending yet effective grace1 is that of ,no4 #gc1 which is compact1 small1 yet deep1 with a little carving1 which is sufficient2 even the lamps lend effect4 ,in ,old ,burlington ,street1 at ,no4 #cj1 is to be found a plain and simple doorway1 very singularly effective and well proportioned4 ,the great noblemen's mansions in ,grosvenor ,square have all received ponderous portico decorations2 but the little doors they shelter betray the original form of entrance4 ,one of the most odious1 and at the same time favourite1 of these shapes is the conversion of the whole portico into a chamber or box1 by which shift a sort of mean hall is gained1 but there is no shelter4 ,in ,henrietta ,street1 ,cavendish ,square1 are to be found some doorways of distinct patterns1 examples1 also1 of architectural merit4 ,they are of stone1 and treated as stone should be1 with boldness and simplicity4 ,there is a grace in the device--two sprays crossed1 a bold head1 the arrangement of the lines being in the ,renaissance fashion4 ,these meritorious bits of art are ,nos4 #aa and #ab1 the latter disfigured by being painted raspberry colour4 ,crossing now the line which separates trade from fashion1 viz41 ,oxford ,circus1 we shall see what doorways are to be found in a promenade ,citywards4 ,off ,portland ,street1 in little-known ,mortimer ,street1 are two notable houses1 ,nos4 #gj and #gb4 ,these are treated from top to bottom in a rich style of 8embroidery0 that recalls some old ,bruges house4 ,sir ,paul ,pindar's ,house is justly admired3 but these have almost an equal claim to admiration4 ,there are borders1 and 8devices10 and 'scutcheons1 and a general air of grace and elegance4 ,like all such tasteful structures1 they appear to be in sound condition4 ,what is the history of these two houses8 ,we search in vain the folios of the untiring ,smith and his fellows4 ,the doorway of one has a richly-carved1 semi-circular border runner1 but broken and raised over the centre to admit of a panel decorated with sprays4 ,these attract little attention1 and will probably be soon swept away1 but they are certainly remarkable enough4 ,passing into ,holborn1 and halting not far from the well-known restaurant of that name1 we find a curiously retired little street1 almost a cul de sac1 and known as ,featherstone ,buildings4 ,here will be seen no less than seventeen richly-carved doorways1 each with its canopy and pilasters and deeply-embayed mouldings and recesses1 all1 too1 in excellent preservation4 ,a curious contrast this to the homely character of the owners or lodgers4 ,next we pass to a better-known street1 ,great ,ormond ,street1 which had almost a sort of reputation for its ornaments2 but1 unhappily1 the demolisher has been at work of late1 and but little is left4 ,there is one elaborate doorway of an imposing sort1 that of the office of the ,royal ,standard ,benefit ,society1 lofty1 arched1 and supported on columns1 a very elaborate and handsome piece of work4 ,opposite these is one really graceful and beautiful1 ,no4 #ag1 all embroidered1 with a sort of lace-work carving down1 and well-wrought 8ears0 supporting the canopy4 ,no4 #h is also worth attention4 ,only a few years ago there were several remarkable houses here1 notable for their railings1 lamps1 etc41 but they have been levelled4 ,illustration3 ,,doorway1 ,,painter ,,stainers' ,,hall4 ,passing down to the rear of the new ,law ,courts1 to ,carey ,street1 there was standing a few years ago a very remarkable house that might have been transported from ,normandy4 ,there was1 indeed1 nothing resembling it in ,london4 ,it was a corner one1 with a high wavy roof1 bold massive eaves and gables1 its upper storey hanging over the street and supported on a pillar4 ,its doorway was surprisingly elegant1 and nothing could exceed the grace and freedom of the carving of the two boys who supported it4 ,but it was carted away1 no doubt disposed of as a work of art1 and the house was soon after levelled4 ,illustration3 ,,extinguishers1 ,,berkeley ,,square4 ,pursuing our rambles as far as ,cannon ,street1 we turn into ,laurence ,pountney ,hill1 and there are surprised at the sight of an imposing coupled doorway1 treated in a masterly style2 the date1 #agjc1 showing us that this style of work was in vogue at the beginning of last century4 ,it will be noted in favour of this sort of work1 what a rich variety of treatment has been offered the specimens we have been considering4 ,passing yet lower down into ,queen ,victoria ,street1 we find among a number of levelled houses that old building known as the ,painter ,stainers' ,hall1 with a pleasing and effective doorway1 set off by carving of garlands and flowers1 with the shield and arms of the company in the centre4 ,finally1 making our way to ,college ,hill1 we find ourselves in front of what is called 8,whittington's ,house10 which is remarkable for its arched doorway1 treated in a florid and original fashion4 ,the circular window over it adds a point and character to the design4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,doorway1 ,,whittington',s ,,house4 ,in ,hatton ,garden there are many doorways of different types4 ,grecian triangular pediments supported on bold ,ionic columns1 and forming bold porches4 ,the rusticated style1 too1 is found here in abundance4 ,nos4 #ha and #ajb are worth looking at4 ,wandering down the wharves at ,lambeth1 and hard by the hideous iron bridge1 where we expect to find marble yards and trusses of hay and mounds of coal1 we come on a magnificent doorway1 richly carved and of the shell pattern2 carved1 also1 are its pilasters4 ,this work seems as sound as it was on the day it was set up4 ,in ,essex ,street1 ,strand1 on the right hand as we go down1 we shall find some half a dozen doorways of merit1 each of a different pattern and offering curious variety of treatment4 ,in the ,city1 close to ,tower ,hill1 and in ,seething ,lane1 and in quiet ,st4 ,catherine's ,court1 we shall find some really imposing doorways1 some grouped and thus made more effective4 ,so also in ,broad ,street1 off ,new ,oxford ,street4 ,in ,soho1 once a fashionable quarter1 in ,gerrard ,street and in ,dean ,street1 there are some fine examples4 ,there are some hundreds1 in short1 to be discovered in ,london2 and they are well worth searching for4 ,at ,no4 #h1 ,grosvenor ,square1 will be noted some airy and elegant treatment of old-fashioned iron railings1 and which have been but little restored4 ,it is not1 moreover1 limited to the doorway1 but extends along the area4 ,there are many doorways in ,london where a bit of 8flourish0 connects the brick wall next the door with the iron railing of the area with not unpleasing effect4 ,in ,greek ,street1 ,soho1 there are many of a solid kind1 and we have mentioned how rich the adjoining ,dean ,street is in such entrances4 ,these all speak of stately mansions to correspond1 fine stairs1 and spacious halls4#bg ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,chelsea ,,and ,,fulham4 ,every ,londoner of taste should make himself familiar with his river1 ever placidly winding on and offering a spectacle of grace that never palls4 ,it supplies a constant suggestion of rural beauty1 even if we go no further in search of it than to ,battersea1 where there is a quaint ,dutch tone4 ,at ,chelsea its many fitful changings begin4 ,but even here1 within a few years1 what violent alterations1 and how much has been lost6 ,here1 for instance1 is a sketch which ,i made not very many years ago1 which is scarcely recognizable now4 8,beyond ,battersea ,bridge the tiled houses begin at once2 the footways along the banks are sternly blocked1 and we begin to see those charming slopes and swards1 and snatches of old houses playing hide and seek with us between the trees4 ,here1 we might1 as it were1 suddenly awaken one who has travelled much1 and ask him1 as he rubs his eyes1 to name the river abroad on which he is sailing2 to say whether it was the ,dutch or ,german portion of the ,rhine1 the ,meuse1 or any other important river4 ,to the eye not too much familiarized1 it has a curiously foreign air4 ,but as we glide on and draw in to shore we observe a shaded walk1 sheltered by two rows of tall trees4 ,on a long1 irregular pier1 not of the correct hewn stone1 modern pattern1 but of earth and wood1 or piles1 and through the trees and that delightful shade which dapples all the walk in patterns1 though outside it the sun is blazing fiercely1 we see figures promenading1 and beyond them as background--a cosy row of red brick houses--an old-fashioned terrace1 of the brick of ,queen ,anne's special hue1 with twisted iron railings and gates in front4 ,at the edge of the road in front of the trees is an irregular wooden railing1 against which loungers rest4 ,below them are boats drawn up4 ,as we glide on we come to the centre1 where the trees open1 and a little suspension pier juts out to let the steamers land passengers2 and behind the pier the terrace breaks into a crescent4 ,here we land1 and find ourselves on #8,cheyne ,walk1 ,chelsea4' ,the whole has the air of one of those ,dutch views we see in picture shops4 ,there is a deal of grass-green paint2 ,dutch-built barges of a varnished yellow lying low in the water2 and as we walk along in the shade the strong ,dutch smell #8grows1' as from the canals1 and makes the delusion stronger4 ,one would like to live in this ,cheyne ,walk1 as many great people did a long time ago1 and as ,maclise did only yesterday4 ,there is his house1 with a little garden in front1 as they all have1 and a gate of elegant iron tracery1 with initials and flowers worked in4 ,inside they are all panels and stucco1 with noble chimney-pieces1 and gardens behind1 stretching far back with shady trees1 and some a fountain4 ,illustration3 ,,cheyne ,,walk4 8,everything is in keeping1 even to the old rickety timber bridge1 which crosses the ,thames1 ascending steeply1 and resting on what seems a series of birdcages1 but which is now disappearing piecemeal4 ,beyond the bridge there is a charming bit of the river2 and on some summer's evening after a sultry day1 when the water has a glassy1 lazy1 brimming look1 and a faint haze is over the low-lying banks on the other side1 and the houses and the church slope up in pyramid shape1 it has all the air of a continental scene4 ,here the ,chelsea watermen cluster and lounge1 leaning over the wooden paling1 and as they talk looking down into the glassy water1 which is as languid as they are4 ,some old ,manor ,house behind us1 revealed by its ,french ,mansard windows in the roof1 by its projecting eaves1 and its two great wings1 has now been plainly cut up into four houses2 and the centre one1 overgrown with ivy and creepers1 has all the windows open1 its balconies filled with the family reading or chatting1 the maids sitting working on the top balcony2 while through its door we see the cool1 shady hall and the green trees of the garden beyond4 8,the #8watermen' flourish here1 gradually driven from the other #8stairs4' ,so do their boats1 which are in vast numbers2 and indeed here is rowed the annual watermen's race for the coat and badge left by the ,irish actor1 ,dogget1 with money added by some of the ,london ,companies4 ,in the windows was the bill of the ,royal ,chelsea ,theatre1 where1 on this special night1 ,mr4 ,welkinghorn takes his benefit in the ,moor of ,venice2 with1 for a second piece1 the appropriate ,tom ,tug2 and on which occasion #8the ,chelsea watermen have kindly consented to attend in their coats and badges4' ,all this was primitive enough and welcome1 and scarcely to be expected in a ,london suburb4 ,here was once ,saltero's coffee-house1 familiar to readers of ,coleridge and ,lamb1 a river inn very popular once--indeed popular up to a late date4 ,salter was body servant to the great ,sir ,hans1 and came with him from ,ireland1 and then formed one of those queer1 good-for-nothing #8museums1' which captains of vessels often get together and bequeath to some country town1 where they are shown with pride40 ,this little picture is--if ,i may say it--a very faithful one of ,chelsea as it used to be4 ,the headlong rapidity with which everything that is pretty or interesting in ,london is being swept off is truly extraordinary4 ,it seems but yesterday--it is little over ten years ago--when ,london had its two charming al fresco gardens1 the ,surrey and ,cremorne4 ,the latter was a most original place1 lying as it did by the tranquil river4 ,so pretty a garden did not exist near ,london1 and there was a quaint air of old fashion somehow preserved1 suggesting ,ranelagh and ,vauxhall4 ,of a summer's evening it was pleasant to glide down by steamer1 touch at the crazy pier1 now passed away1 walk by the river's edge to where the old trees rose high1 thick1 and stately--you expected to hear and see the rooks--through which came the muffled sounds of music and glittering1 flitting lights4 ,even the gate was old and stately1 and its ironwork good4 ,within1 there was the blaze of light at the dancing platform2 the old-fashioned hotel--nobody surely ever boarded or lodged there1 or could--with bowed wings all ablaze with lamps2 the 8boxes0 running round for suppers2 the not unpicturesque bars2 the capital theatres1 for there were several dispersed about here and there and everywhere2 and the sort of procession headed by an illuminated placard announcing the name of the next show4 ,then would the band strike up a stirring march1 the drums clattering1 the brass braying1 and in military array lead the way1 attended by all the rout and crowd1 who fell in behind and tramped on cheerfully to renewed enjoyments4 ,the dancing was always an amusing spectacle1 from the rude honesty with which it was carried out2 not the least amusing portion the dignity of the ,m4,c4's4 ,the people sitting under the good old trees--the glaring booths--even the fortune-teller in his dark retirement1 as in a deep grove1 all this made up a curious entertainment never likely to be revived4 ,we cannot go back to these things4 ,the ,surrey ,gardens went before1 as these have gone1 long since4 ,now these elements are gathered up into aquariums1 great halls1 perhaps 8hugely to the detriment0 of the public4 ,so peace be with the manes of ,cremorne6 ,turning out of ,cheyne ,walk1 we find ourselves in ,cheyne ,row1 which seems still and old-fashioned as some by-street in a cathedral close4 ,here are small1 sound1 old red-brick houses of the ,queen ,anne period1 or so-called ,queen ,anne period4 ,and here1 at ,no4 #bd1 lived ,thomas ,carlyle1 in whom neighbours and neighbourhood might well take pride4 ,a compact dwelling1 next to the one with a verandah and substantial porch4 ,its neighbour on the other side boasts the good old eaves which it has lost--but en revanche it has its 8jalousies40 ,within1 there is a strange air of old fashion1 and the furniture as antique4 ,the inhabitants1 or vestry perhaps1 have honoured him4 ,for close by is a rather imposing square--yclept ,carlyle ,square--a nice and unusual shape of compliment4 ,they point out his house1 and at the photographers' and print shops1 during his life1 you could buy photographs of house and owner4 ,once1 and not long before his death1 the writer found himself sitting with the philosopher1 who in his kindly fashion had allowed himself to be modelled by very inexperienced hands4 ,this 8bust0--if it is entitled to the dignity--is beside me now1 in the old1 broad1 felt hat1 the grizzled beard below1 and the heavy coat up about his ears1 for he seemed to feel the cold4 ,that was a pleasant hour1 for he talked in his pleasantest vein4 ,there have been occasions when ,i have smoked a 8churchwarden0 with him1 but these were on rare festivals4 ,now the old house seems fast going to decay1 and is unlet1 strange to say1 though a tenant is sought4 ,there is over it that curious sense of blight which seemed to settle on the sage himself in his later days1 when even the visitor was struck by the chill1 forlorn look of the rooms and furniture4 ,the lower end of the 8walk0 is closed by the ,church4 ,there is nothing more picturesque in ,london than old ,chelsea ,church1 with its grimed old red-brick or brown-brick tower1 and its tablets and tombstones fixed outside1 high on the walls of the church1 up and down1 like framed pictures--an unusual adornment2 the effect1 as may be conceived1 is the quaintest4 ,so1 too1 with the little appendix1 or round house1 attached to it1 with the odd figures1 and the ,hans ,sloane altar-tomb under a sort of shed or canopy4 ,the tower1 however1 is the attraction1 suggesting something ,dutch1 and rising sad1 solemn1 and grizzled4 ,indeed1 the view here is quaint and pretty1 and recalls a bit of the ,scheldt2 especially in the time of the old wooden bridge1 kept together with clamps and bits of framing1 with the high hunchback look we see on the bridges over the ,rhine4 ,we now pass from the genuine antique to its imitations1 and reach the curious cluster of modern-old houses to which the new ,embankment has furnished ground4 ,some are bold and effective1 and the whole group1 which has gradually extended down the ,embankment for a long distance1 is worth a special visit4 ,they bear quaint names1 such as the ,old ,swan ,house1 the ,white ,house1 ,carlyle ,house1 ,shelley ,house1 ,river ,view1 and the like4 ,farnely ,house and its neighbours are good imposing monuments of brick4 ,shelley ,house1 with its attached theatre1 is in an adjoining street4 ,this place of 8amusement0 brought its owner endless annoyance and expense--a lawsuit finished it1 and now it stands unused4 ,the house with the curious white bow windows1 set in something that looks like the stern of an old man-of-war1 will attract attention2 we should note the 8,clock ,house0 with its handsome dial projecting2 likewise the house at the corner1 with its elaborate grilles over most of the windows4 ,but turning down ,tite ,street--,mr4 ,tite was an eminent architect of a few years back1 now of course almost forgotten--we come to the ,white ,house1 a curious1 quaint structure1 stiff as an ,american's dress-coat about the shoulders1 which is1 or was1 the dwelling of a well-known ,american artist1 celebrated for his 8nocturnes in green0 and 8symphonies in blue10 which caused jesters such merriment1 to say nothing of his ,peacock ,chamber1 one of those two1 or nine days' wonders which furnish society with something to talk of4 ,in the little square or tongue of ground near ,cheyne ,row will be noticed an elaborate lamp1 supported by contorted boys4 ,this was one of the rejected patterns for the series that was to decorate the ,embankment4 ,the one chosen consists of contorted dolphins1 and is not very effective4 ,at ,vauxhall ,bridge we come to a curious conceit1 that would have 8arrided0--,lamb's word--the heart of ,dickens4 ,here is a large yard devoted to the sale of ship timber1 for which old vessels of course are bought and broken up4 ,but there remain always the old figure-heads--strange1 curious1 gigantic efforts1 that make one wonder what manner of man the designer was4 ,nor are they without merit or spirit4 ,they rise towering with a strange stark air1 and look over the wall with much of the dazed astonishment the animals showed in ,charles ,lamb's copy of ,stackhouse's ,bible4 ,here are ,dukes of ,york with a fatuous expression1 the ,janet ,simpson1 or ,lady ,smith1 and ,iron ,dukes--all1 it must be said1 wrought rather vigorously1 and looking with eternal solemnity over the wall1 each some six or eight feet high1 to the surprise of the stranger4 ,the natives are familiar with them4 ,turning up from the ,embankment1 we pass a very antique row of houses1 ,paradise ,walk1 with its heavy-browed eaves1 grimed1 tiled roofs and little gardens in front1 a general decay over all4 ,this curious range of buildings1 which is in ,wren's style1 is worth a few moments' inspection1 especially the one with the effective bit of old iron gateway2 as well as the strange institution which forms the last house1 entitled 8,the ,school of ,discipline10 which1 it seems1 has been flourishing--for it would not have endured over sixty years otherwise--since #ahbe4 ,it was founded by the worthy ,elizabeth ,fry for the training of servant girls4 ,what the 8discipline0 is1 what the school1 are things not generally known4 ,it was hard by here that a few years ago a ghastly bit of sensation engaged the attention of the penny papers and their special reporters1 who invaded these sleepy precincts4 ,two young men arriving from the country1 flush of money1 took up their abode in some disreputable house1 where they revelled for a week till their resources were exhausted1 when both attempted suicide1 one succeeding4 ,it proved that they had embezzled the moneys of their employer1 and then fled to ,london1 burying themselves in this obscure region1 where they escaped detection4 ,further on we reach the green in front of the ,hospital4 ,this must have had a fine effect when the ,hospital could only be seen from the bottom of this great expanse2 but now the high road has been ruthlessly cut across it1 with no effect but that of convenience4 ,the old overhanging public-house1 the 8,duke of ,york10 is curious1 and gives the locale a sort of rural air4 ,but this1 indeed1 is shared by the ,king's ,road1 which has a sort of special country-town air1 as distinct as what merry ,islington offers4 ,this is the scene of ,wilkie's famous picture of the ,chelsea veterans receiving the news of the ,waterloo victory4 ,there is an air of retired and retiring simplicity in the shops and little by-streets4 ,the quaint 8physick0 gardens belonging to the ,apothecaries--a benefaction of ,sir ,hans ,sloane--will next attract the eye1 if only by the magnificent old yew which rises grim and sepulchral in the centre4 ,whether the apothecaries walk in this piece of ground and peep over the rails at the passing boats on the river is uncertain--they surely do not 8cull simples10 for they can buy them cheaper than grow them4 ,but it is a pleasing inclosure--a surprise1 considering its position--suited to calm tranquillity and meditation4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,putney--,,fulham4 ,the first glimpse of the river at ,putney ,bridge seems always new1 with a never-failing charm4 ,indeed1 all these clusterings on the river where a bridge crosses--,putney and ,hammersmith--have for the ,londoner walking out1 say of a ,sunday1 an air of picturesque old fashion4 ,the bridges at ,kew and ,richmond1 with their graceful ascent and elegant arches1 harmonize delightfully1 and their tone and colour and delicate greys contrast with the green of the foliage and the patches of red brick4 ,it is curious to note the two church towers at ,fulham and ,putney1 which rise so picturesquely at each end of the bridge4 ,the old ,putney wooden bridge1 with its piles and zigzag bulwarks1 has been swept away4 ,the fine new stone bridge is a great and much-desired convenience1 but the sentimentalist will lament its crazy wooden predecessor1 rising so steeply and propped on angular wooden cages that were patched and repaired over and over again4 ,this was dear to artists and etchers4 ,the best portion was the gloomy old 8,toll ,house10 with its antique roof of a ,nuremberg pattern1 grimed and shadowy4 ,this was so suggestive of mystery and romance that in the days of realistic dramas1 like the 8,streets of ,london10 it was taken into a 8sensation0 piece4 ,on the hoardings was a huge coloured picture1 representing the structure by moonlight1 with some such heading as--8,,the ,,murder--,,the ,,old ,,toll ,,house1 ,,putney660#bh ,on the ,fulham side there are a few antique houses with gardens and iron gates1 and one which is clearly the work of ,vanbrugh1 from its heavy gate-porch4 ,there is a little 8,georgian0 terrace of old-fashioned houses with gardens in front on the left1 leading to the church1 next to which stands the vicarage house and school4 ,here is a charming old churchyard with a public path through it4 ,the church itself has been restored in 8spick and span0 fashion1 but in the porch we are faced by a florid and truly gigantic mural tablet1 which covers the whole wall1 in memory of one ,elizabeth ,illustration3 ,,old ,,putney ,,bridge4 ,timpany4 ,this curious work of art is worth looking at1 as well as the strange monument to ,lord ,peterborough within--apparently a field-marshal1 standing on a pedestal1 with two smaller pillars beside him1 on one of which is laid carelessly his gauntlets1 on the other1 parts of his martial gear4 ,in this verdant churchyard lie many ,bishops of ,london--their palace is close by--with ,lord ,ranelagh1 who has a massive granite monument erected by his regiment--and also ,theodore ,hook1 of facetious memory4 ,passing out of the churchyard to the river-side we come to the well-known 8,bishop's ,walk10 a raised causeway that runs beside the moat which encloses the palace4 ,this pleasing path1 which commands the grounds1 is the playground of boys1 but is not without its dangers4 ,there used to be a notice3 8,this path is dangerous40 8,whether the danger arises from the episcopal cows which graze peacefully on the water-meadows adjacent1 and1 with their sleek coats and calm1 sleepy eyes1 seem as little mischievous as possible1 or from more occult sources of peril1 it is not easy to determine4 ,but a passer-by is better informed3 #8,it's the kids1' he states succinctly4 ,and it seems that the children of the neighbourhood #8snatch a fearful joy' in fishing for sticklebacks and newts from the grassy margin of the episcopal moat1 and some have tumbled in and been drowned40 ,nothing strikes us so much as the fine old trees and the numerous yews which rise sadly and solemnly beside the ,bishop's ,palace4 ,the view from ,the ,walk of the placid1 solemn retirement of the grounds1 with the cheerful old red of the house and its tiled roof peeping through the trees1 is very pleasant4 ,the late ,samuel ,read1 who had a charming gift for catching the spirit of these old houses1 and whom a practical publisher of ,christmas numbers once praised as 8the best moated-granger he knew10 would have revelled here4 ,entering by the gate1 left open1 we stroll up to the rather grim-looking quadrangle of solemn black and red brick in a diapered pattern4 ,nothing can be more pleasing than the still retirement of the inclosure with its circular and waterless basin in the centre1 and the imposing doorway facing the archway4 ,the windows are long and diamond-paned1 and flush with the wall--lank and gloomy-looking4 ,there is the picturesque lantern over the hall or chapel4 ,no one is to be seen4 ,it is scarcely wonderful that ,dr4 ,temple should be fond of this sequestered place1 or should have abandoned and shut up his town mansion4 ,if we pursue the river bank we come to ,hurlingham1 a fine old mansion1 the scene of many a fashionable joust--polo1 and the rest4 ,many a traveller by the ,river ,thames will have noted the ,crab ,tree ,inn1 a quaint and old--very old--house of entertainment4 ,indeed there are numerous old houses1 some of historic interest1 but rapidly tumbling into decay3 such is old ,munster ,house1 at the corner of ,munster ,road1 which is as awry and contorted with age as an ancient crone is with 8the rheumatics10 behind whose high walls is seen a large stretch of grounds1 solemn nodding yews1 and gloomy foliage4 ,passing on to ,parson's ,green we shall find plenty of fine old houses1 architectural even in style--,duncannon ,house and others4 ,we may note also ,arundel ,house1 by the road-side1 with its quaint grounds and projecting pavilion at the rear4 ,so many old trees and old gardens are found here that the birds1 as it may be imagined1 flourish exceedingly4 ,for those who love the pure 8old fashion10 and the ways of old fashion1 there is nothing more refreshing than a ,sunday stroll by these antique towns and villages4 ,familiar and 8,cockneyfied0 as are such places1 it is surprising what picturesque little 8bits0 will here repay a little quiet searching4 ,these have often engaged the artist1 but the antiquary and lover of the antique prettiness have not been so diligent4 ,numbers of little 8corners0 and old houses are revealed along these river banks as we walk4 ,at ,battersea1 when we turn out of the 8speculative builders0 region and enter 8,vicarage ,road10 with its old house and gate1 and railing of excellent ironwork1 we come straight on a sound1 solid old mansion of ripe brick1 standing in charming grounds1 with a velvet sward and fine old trees1 the river flowing beside--a perfect surprise1 for it has quite a manorial air4 ,there are a number of these old riverside mansions--retired1 snug1 and very close to ,london town1 with the air of being miles away4 ,some of these have been utilized for fashionable suburban clubs1 just such a one as 8,,barn ,,elms10 of which you have a most pleasing view as you walk along the river's bank from ,putney to ,town4 ,at ,hammersmith1 ,chiswick1 ,kew1 and a few other places there are terraces built along the river-side1 which bear the name of the ,,malls4 ,there is a quaint rococo tone in these titles2 and it is pleasant to fancy oneself living in some old house on ,chiswick or ,hammersmith ,mall4 ,for instance1 ,hammersmith ,mall has its row of old trees stooping over the river2 its files of pleasure boats drawn up by the boat-houses2 the ,dutch barges1 always furnishing colour4 ,there are curious winding lanes behind houses1 and yards which have been allowed to encroach on the banks and have thus driven back the path1 with a small canal and a bridge across4 ,across the river will be noticed a row of mellow old red-brick mansions1 snoozing1 as it were1 in the calm content of a tranquil old age1 with a welcome ,flemish air4 ,beginning our promenade at ,hammersmith1 we pause before a fine old ,williamite or ,queen ,anne mansion1 on the right1 of a cheerful red--8,the ,mall ,house10 it is called--with a suitable old gate of twisted iron1 and a little lawn in front4 ,in looking at an imposing specimen of this kind one is ever struck by the admirable proportions1 and the mode in which the windows and doorways are disposed to each other4 ,there is a grace--and proportion1 too--in the two or three steps which1 as it were1 unfold themselves with a slight rail on each side1 which expand fan-like1 without the unnecessary spikes4 ,this old mansion had originally overhanging eaves1 and no doubt a high roof2 but some modern occupant has raised the whole a story1 using common yellow brick instead1 with shocking and barbarous effect1 and the whole stands an extraordinary monument of wanton disfigurement2 for it would have been as easy and as cheap to have made the alteration somewhat in harmony4 ,i never pass this somewhat roughly used mansion without a feeling of sympathy1 if not sorrow4 ,further on we arrive at ,linden ,house1 a very solid structure of yellow brick1 after a style that was in fashion during the last century1 with wings1 bows1 and a little belfry--always a pleasing finish--and of an honest buff4 ,this style is to be found on ,clapham and other commons4 ,pursuing our walk to ,chiswick we find something to interest and please at every step--the ,eyot1 the barges again1 the genial1 tranquil air1 and the old houses with the older gardens1 such as ,cedar ,house1 with its spreading trees on the pretty lawn2 ,walpole ,house1 with its simple gate2 ,lingard1 or ,bedford1 ,house1 an imposing solid structure4 ,here is the unpretending-looking yard and factories where small steam launches and such fry are being manufactured by ,messrs4 ,thorneycroft4 ,we turn up ,chiswick ,lane1 and note1 on the left1 a row of genteel ancient houses--infirm1 no doubt1 and not a little 8ratty0--with a row of trim and pedantic old trees standing sentry in the path in front4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,chiswick1 ,,kew1 ,,richmond1 ,,and ,,their ,,suburbs4 ,this little town1 or village1 of ,chiswick is charming in every way1 from its church and pretty churchyard and its situation between river and road4 ,the walks hard by have the sylvan air of green lanes4 ,there is the 8,mall10 and ,chiswick ,lane1 up which as you glance from the river you can see the little red-rusted terrace of ,queen ,anne houses1 with its antique railings and rural surroundings1 a row of 8pollarded0 trees in front4 ,facing the church is an old roadside tavern1 8,the ,burlington ,arms10 most quaintly picturesque2 and on the other side a fine old detached house standing in its garden4 ,we are glad to find here one of the old burly independent and well-built 8,manor ,houses10 standing by the roadside and flourishing4 ,these must be comfortable structures to live in1 with their heavy eaves and solid walls1 gardens behind and lawns in front4 ,it is in the occupation of a ,chiswick doctor4 ,the churchyard1 which has quite the air of a garden1 has many tombs of pretension1 and almost a theatrical tone1 from the players and artists who sleep there4 ,somehow it seems more particularly associated with ,drury ,lane ,theatre and ,garrick1 whose name1 with many compliments1 is seen here and there4 ,here are his verses on ,hogarth's tomb1 which was carefully restored some years ago by a modern ,hogarth 8of ,aberdeen02 the visitor1 reading over the much-admired lines1 is invited to 8drop a tear40 ,here also is ,garrick's scene painter1 ,de ,loutherbourg1 who is declared on his tablet to be the equal of the greatest masters who are named1 which is certainly praise too extravagant4 ,not far off is ,holland1 another ,drury ,lane performer1 whom ,foote saw laid here in what he coarsely called 8the family oven10 his father being a baker4 ,following the pretty high road1 a little farther on we come to a fine old mansion1 standing back from the road in a sort of open square1 flanked by two rows of low houses of the pattern seen in a cathedral close1 a sort of thick shrubbery filling up the centre4 ,this is ,,boston ,,house1 which has behind and round it a vast and interesting garden that stretches away towards the river4 ,these beautiful old grounds cover seven acres1 and have noble old trees1 notably an immense and spreading yew which can be seen from the road1 with one of the oldest acacias in ,england4 ,this has long been a young ladies' school4 ,the old house retires shyly from the road1 and is flanked or sheltered by a few houses as old on each side4 ,thus there is a sort of quaint square in front4 ,lately a board was displayed1 announcing that the place was for sale1 and still later it was secured--the inevitable fate of such places--for a charitable institution4 ,illustration3 ,,hogarth',s ,,house1 ,,chiswick4 ,as we trudge along the high road we approach an object that should have extraordinary interest for the artistic mind4 ,a high wall runs along the path4 ,within it is to be seen a much-dilapidated old house1 its shoulder turned to the road1 and which1 like many a dilapidated old person1 has the air of having seen better days4 ,its squalor is so marked1 windows shattered and patched like an ,irish shanty1 that we wonder at finding such a spectacle on a country road4 ,there are children as squalid1 and a general air of discomfort4 ,this is ,hogarth's old home4 8,hogarth ,house0 it is called1 which he purchased about #agej1 when he had grown prosperous1 and whence he used to drive into town in his carriage4 ,the good old red brick seems sound enough1 and ,i fancy it would not be difficult to restore and repair4 ,it is surprising that some artist or littrateur does not purchase it1 as it could be secured no doubt 8for a song02 and there would be the additional gratification of earning public gratitude4 ,one 8fine morning0 it will be found that it has been swept away1 and a row of 8,hogarth ,villas0 erected in its stead4 ,indeed1 a week or so ago a warning voice--to which no one will attend--sounded a call that it was tumbling into ruin4 ,beside the river runs a wall which encloses the grounds and gardens of ,chiswick ,house1 the ,duke of ,devonshire's villa1 a classical structure1 built by that nobleman of elegant taste--,lord ,burlington1 whose work is to be seen not only in ,london1 but at ,york and other places4 ,his buildings all exhibit this character1 and are effective4 ,this ,italian villa1 with the cupola to its octagon room rising over the pillared pediment1 is in his best style4 ,not far away on the roadside is another villa1 with an ambitious portico and pillars which may have been designed by the same amateur4 ,it would be a surprise now-a-days to find a nobleman designing houses4 ,kew1 hackneyed and 8cockneyfied0 as it is1 offers charms of its own that do not stale by custom as we approach it by the river bank2 it seems to breathe a tone of soft and even melancholy tranquillity4 ,the beautifully-designed grey bridge1 with its gracefully-curved gentle ascent and descent1 seems to suit the umbrageous shore on the ,richmond side4 ,it should be noted that few rivers have been so fortunate in their bridges as the silvery ,thames4 ,they are always graceful1 and harmonize with the banks1 particularly those of ,richmond1 ,henley1 ,kew1 and many more4 ,there is a little ,mall at ,kew1 as there is at ,mortlake1 formed of stunted1 narrow1 and old-fashioned houses4 ,the ,green at ,kew1 notwithstanding the tea-houses and tea-gardens and the 8touting0 notices at the gates1 has a truly rococo and rural air which it is not likely to lose4 ,the cheerful white posts1 the church perched down in the middle1 the old houses round1 the grim1 forlorn palace and the cheerful trams1 all add to the effect4 ,there is a fine and imposing old house on the right as you face the gardens1 which was no doubt one of those occupied by the young ,princes during the unhappy residence of ,george ,,iii4 ,opposite is the porch and ancient dependencies of the palace1 so lately tenanted by the 8old ,duchess of ,cambridge40 ,the air seems thick with the memories of the terrible days when the king was seized with madness1 and the ,london road was alive with the carriages of ministers and physicians constantly posting down4 ,of ,richmond it is hard to tire1 and it happily still retains its air of old fashion4 ,the town itself1 in spite of many changes and new shops1 has an old1 drowsy1 and quaint air4 ,only a few years ago there stood close by the railway a terrace of ,queen ,anne houses1 of the brightest1 cheerfullest red and whose white doorways were miracles of elaborate carving4 ,they are gone now4 ,as you walk up the street it is always pleasant to think of the little bye lanes and twisting alleys that can lead you on at any moment to the spacious ,richmond ,green1 which1 as it were1 accompanies the town on its way4 ,i like to see ,billett's confection shop1 where are the only true and genuine 8maid of honour0 cakes--excellent1 special things1 in their way4 ,billett's shop in the early times seemed an awe-inspiring place1 and a palace of dainties4 ,there is an old-fashioned 8cut0 about the shop itself2 and there was a pleasant quaintness in this recent protest of the proprietor1 and his honest sensitiveness about his cake3-- 8,,sir1--,the writer of your admirable article on #8,richmond ,park and ,town' observes that #8,the pastrycook's shop seems to have wandered a little away from its old locality1 and it may be that its genealogy is doubtful4' ,i would simply say that the business has been in the hands of the present family for over fifty years1 and that the #8maids of honour' have been sold at this same shop for nearly #bjj years4 ,the house itself is about #cjj years old4 ,in conclusion ,i may add that the pastry has1 ,i hope1 lost nothing of its traditional flavour since the days when it is on record that #a1jjj was paid for the secret of how to prepare them4 ,the same sum of money has since been paid for the recipe4 8,yours truly1 8,j4 ,t4 ,,billett1 ,,jun41 the ,proprietor4 8,richmond1 ,june #hth40 ,to celebrate the recent jubilee1 ,billett gave away an extra 8maid of honour0 for every dozen purchased4 ,years ago1 in boyhood's happy hours1 ,richmond seemed a very imposing place to live in4 ,there was a regular society of great and small personages4 ,there were lady patronesses1 and people used to come all the way from town for 8our annual ,richmond ball10 always given at the ,castle ,hotel1 that seemed then1 with its fine river terrace and gardens and ball-room1 a most stately and awe-striking hostelry4 ,now it seems a poorish place enough1 and has lain unlet and abandoned for the last twenty years4 ,what music and fiddling and dancing was there6 ,what barges coming down in the season laden with cheerful company6 ,there is certainly a pleasing rococo tone1 recalling the old-fashioned flavour1 which has not yet departed4 ,the rows of genial red ,queen ,anne houses ranged round the common have even now a tranquil air--their tints are mellowed by age--and they have architectural effect which contrasts as effectively with the rows of the modern buildings as an elegant1 faded old lady does with some flaunting miss4 ,the mixture of hue on these old commons ever pleases2 the green--even the white rails--the sleepy tranquillity1 the old-fashioned people who doze away life4 ,there was a colony that included ,maria ,edgeworth's brother1 a genial old man1 who gave parties2 and ,i recall the great convulsion arising out of the dispute between rector and curate4 ,richmond was rent into factions1 but the curate1 weaker vessel1 was driven out4 ,he came round in a cab1 and bid adieu to all the friends who had stood by him in his trial1 which was thought very graceful of him4 ,illustration3 ,,maid ,,of ,,honour ,,row1 ,,richmond4 ,the ,green is one of the most piquant of ,greens1 from its delightful1 straggling air4 ,to look at the terrace that juts forward prominently--pleasantly named ,,maid ,,of ,,honour ,,row--is exhilarating from the gaiety and brilliancy of the houses4 ,never was brick so rubicund1 or sashes and railings so brilliantly white4 ,the ,maids would have been in spirits here4 ,the design is capital1 and the carving and ironwork all match4 ,would there were more6 ,but there are other old houses of merit dotted about1 while a little alley will lead you1 by surprise1 into the main street4 ,but the ,green seems to have lost its genuine air of old fashion since the day--some years ago--the old ,richmond ,theatre1 that filled in the far corner1 was removed4 ,it was reputed the oldest theatre in the kingdom1 and there1 in that very tier of boxes1 had the ,king1 ,george ,,iii41 often sat and enjoyed the play1 having driven over from ,kew4 ,there was something particularly quaint and picturesque in this cluster of buildings4 ,you ascended the stairs outside the theatre1 under a raised shed4 ,the curious old playhouse seemed to be exactly what should be found on such a common4 ,it recalled the old theatre at ,tunbridge ,wells which gave on the ,pantiles4 ,it almost revived one of ,dickens's theatres1 such as ,crummles might have managed1 for then it was really a picturesque thing1 with stairs mounting outside1 right and left to the boxes1 while you descended into a sort of well to reach the pit4 ,attached to it1 and growing out of it1 was a sort of hexagonal dwelling-house1 with a tree planted by ,queen ,elizabeth1 so the legend runs4 ,there was something of the old fashion of a weather-beaten three-decker in the look of the place3 it was a genuine thing--had the genuine flavour4 ,since then someone plastered it over and modernized it1 but the old balustrades and stairs outside were left4 ,this venerable tabernacle had a fitful time1 being on the whole more closed than open4 ,it nodded and dozed through the rest of the year4 ,what excitement when it was to be opened for two nights only1 with ,the ,green ,bushes1 a delightful entertaining piece1 and so romantic--in the suburbs1 and in 8boyhood's hour06 ,occasionally a company of ,london amateurs took it for one night1 playing ,london ,assurance1 having friends on the ,green2 then all old ladies and old maids made an exertion1 and the fly was sure to be ordered the night before4 ,at another corner of the ,green is the old ,sheen ,palace1 with its fine old archway1 under which you pass1 its indistinct blazonry and hexagonal towers4 ,this genuine fragment has been judiciously restored1 and fashioned into a snug dwelling-house1 which secures its existence4 ,on the river's bank1 just as we turn down to the bridge1 where there is one of the most beautiful and exhilarating views of the river1 we come to a remarkable old house1 a fine specimen of ,georgian brickwork4 ,this imperishable-looking1 rubicund structure is known as the ,trumpeter ,house1 from two curious figures placed in front4 ,it is in a sequestered corner of its own1 and might be built of iron1 so firm and hard is it1 defying time and damp4 ,behind is its old-fashioned sward1 with curious old trees1 a cedar of ,lebanon1 trimmed hedges1 and sunk fences stretching down to the river walk1 to which1 too1 it displays an imposing1 snowy portico and pillars on a background of cheerful red4 ,this must be one of the best specimens of brickwork in the land4 ,old ,richmond is full of suggestions and old associations4 ,there is a tablet to ,kean's memory affixed to the old church4 ,there is ,mrs4 ,pritchard's house1 ,sir ,joshua's1 ,thomson's the poet1 and many more4 ,in the middle of the town we come upon a friendly sign-post1 directing us in all directions--a hospitable custom adopted in all these places1 such as ,twickenham1 ,kingston1 etc4 ,on a pleasant road1 not far from the station1 we pass a fine1 portly1 red-brick mansion1 well known as ,miss ,braddon's 7,mrs4 ,maxwell71 which is notable for still preserving the quaintly-formed long garden1 or alley1 with a summer-house at the end1 as if for bowls4 ,isleworth1 a charming suburb for the suburban ,richmond1 looks very pleasing and picturesque from the opposite side of the river3 here you can see our long-lost ,charing ,cross ,lion1 who1 as many think1 was carted away into space1 or 8shot0 somewhere into the river4 ,but there he stands1 defiant as ever1 on ,sion ,house--another of his ancestral homes--associated1 too1 with charming ,sunday walks by the river1 say from ,kew to ,richmond1 where the ineffable softness of the stream on some balmy sunny day is best perceived4 ,hard by ,isleworth is an enclosed house and grounds--an antique villa a couple of centuries old1 well known as belonging to a sterling veteran actor long associated with the old ,haymarket4 ,in this charming inclosure he has dwelt for many years1 and by assiduous but enjoyable toil created a garden with winding walks and labyrinths1 having a picturesque old yew as something to begin with4 ,on one enjoyable riverside ,sunday ,i made my way down1 having been often bidden1 and here ,i was welcomed by one of the best specimens the profession can offer4 ,grateful is that bit of green-sward--like velvet--the table set out near the overshadowing yew1 the old porch at home1 the world and its hum shut out by the enclosing wall4 ,this is the home of the veteran ,howe--a link with the rare old ,haymarket days4 ,taking our way up ,richmond ,hill--noting the still rustic1 pleasingly old fashioned air of the houses and villas as we ascend--we shall1 of course1 pause to enjoy the oft-celebrated1 ever-admired view1 if a proper day4 ,it has a charm that cannot be surpassed1 notably the silver glistening of the riband that winds away below4 ,it is only when you live in the place that you learn the nature of the charm4 ,before reaching ,kingston we pass through ,norbiton1 where we welcome1 close to the roadside1 the unwonted music of the rooks1 now too rarely heard4 ,we can see their nests high in the tall trees1 and then one or two quaint 8demesne houses10 quite in keeping with the rooks4 ,it is likely that there are many who have never explored old ,kingston town1 and assume that it is of the same pattern as ,kew or ,putney4 ,it is a curiously attractive and original place enough1 and its market-place might be that of some old country town a hundred miles away4 ,here are plenty of framed and gabled houses overhanging the street1 and combined together with a really pleasing variety4 ,the number of old inns here clustered is truly extraordinary--,the ,wheatsheaf1 ,the ,sun1 ,the ,ram1 ,the ,griffin1 a former great posting-house1 with its archway and huge yard2 and even the ,assembly ,rooms1 still in vogue4 ,the ,market ,house is modern1 but harmonizes pleasantly2 there is a monumental drinking-fountain1 and a mysterious old stone1 known as 8the coronation stone10 fenced carefully round4 ,there is the old church and its churchyard just touching the street4 ,one ,sunday morning1 when ,i was wandering here1 there came across the old ,market ,place a small procession1 the town clerk leading1 his fellows behind1 one bearing a mace1 and behind the ,mayor6 in his gown1 for the little town boasts this privilege4 ,they were making for the church2 and the whole had a quaint air4 ,the ,thames here is charming1 and beside it are well-framed fishing inns1 such as 8,the ,anglers10 with names of the hosts that seem appropriate--by 8,j4 ,silver10 and the stranger 8,everproud40 ,there is the silvery-looking bridge close by1 with its graceful1 hilly curve4 ,another of these ,thames-side towns1 one that interests with an ancient quaintness1 is the pleasant ,teddington4 ,how charming is that walk from ,richmond1 by ,twickenham1 by the old-fashioned though fast modernizing ,strawberry ,hill1 ,teddington1 ,kingston1 until we reach ,hampton ,court6 ,the old ,high ,street1 ,teddington1 is really but little altered from the days of ,peg ,woffington1 who died there4 ,there are many old and curious houses1 and inns as old1 one kept by 8,cornhill0--odd name6 ,but at the far end of the town1 at the opening 8turn10 we come upon the row of three antique houses1 well rusted1 and with many well-leaded windows and having an air of sleeping tranquillity4 ,they are well overgrown with creeping plants and are labelled 8,mrs4 ,margaret ,woffington's ,cottages10 and are in fact the almshouses founded by the wayward1 eccentric being when she became 8good40 ,they were built out of the money left to her by 8,old ,sweny10 the manager1 to inherit which she had to conform to the established religion4 ,new almshouses1 however1 have been built in another quarter of the town1 and the old ones are let out to the inhabitants4 ,here is one of the most charming and picturesque old churches in the country1 of a most rural and attractive kind1 8standing in its own grounds0 as it were1 a garden-like churchyard1 where1 to use ,sir ,lucius's description1 8there is snug lying10 or the snuggest lying4 ,the old church is very low1 has its red-tiled1 well-rusted roof bending in the most sinuous lines1 with a quaint little lantern1 and double aisles4 ,teddington ,church1 it need not be said1 is figured in many a picture and has often done duty in a ,christmas number1 with the parishioners walking through the snow1 or the ringers 8ringing the old year out at midnight40 ,nothing is more welcome than the contrast between the ever-varying glimpses of the turns and windings of the river1 as revealed either at ,putney1 ,hammersmith1 ,kew1 ,richmond1 or ,hampton ,court4 ,at ,putney it assumes a sad1 ,dutch-like aspect3 it is straight1 and wide1 and bare4 ,at ,kew1 as we look upwards1 it has an umbrageous tone3 the banks are well wooded4 ,at ,richmond there is a beautiful and sylvan grace1 like a charmingly-painted scene in an opera2 while at ,hampton ,court there is something not only graceful1 but original1 varied1 and animated4 ,hackneyed as ,hampton ,court is--overdone and invaded by the crowds of holiday folk on a ,sunday--its graces never seem to pall on the visitor4 ,we pass from the station to the ugly iron bridge1 and get our first glimpse of the tranquil 8glistening0 river that winds away right and left1 truly 8silver0 in its surface1 like a stream that wanders through some daintily-kept plaisaunce or ornamented grounds2 while beyond is seen1 amid the grove1 the mellowed red of the old palace1 surely one of the most interesting piles in ,england4 ,nor are the attractions of the approach by other routes at all lessened4 ,if we arrive from ,teddington1 coming from ,strawberry ,hill1 we find a beautiful sylvan and health-giving promenade4 ,then comes the wall enclosing ,bushey ,park1 the famous avenue of chestnut trees1 and the 8round point10 with its circular sheet of water4 ,the little town itself is rural enough1 with its comfortable-looking hotels1 old-fashioned if not old1 and the busy scene before them--waggonettes1 carts1 carriages drawn up1 horses 8baiting0 within1 and huge crowds clustered round the handsome1 well-ornamented gateways4 ,within are the beautiful old gardens and the winding avenue which lead on to the wonderful ,palace and its grounds--that clustering of great brick courtyards and towers very little touched and 8improved0 by the restorers4 ,how imposing is the long and stately faade that looks across the gardens to ,bushey6 ,so solid and yet so rich in its decoration and stone dressings4 ,this is one of ,wren's most successful works2 so varied and original in its treatment4 ,with all our fantastical modern freaks1 no one seems to have caught or adapted this style1 the florid circular windows particularly4 ,how curious is it to look at the old tennis court1 where the ,king's nobles and gentlemen played the game--a solemn1 mournful place of recreation now4 ,the courtyard within and fine colonnade--how fine and dignified6 ,the florid embroidery in stone-work seems exactly to suit the cheerful1 sunshiny brick4 ,a walk in these wide loggias on a wet day would be a welcome diversion4 ,within are the superb suites of rooms allotted to favoured protges by the grace of the ,crown3 but few could form an idea of the great accommodation4 ,on one 8flat0 alone1 enjoyed by a single family1 there are seventeen or eighteen rooms4 ,the grand staircases at the side that lead up to these suites1 and ascend to the roof almost1 are pointed out as instances of ,wren's ingenuity4 ,he wished to make the ascent as easy as possible4 ,they were placed therefore in long low slopes1 each containing a vast number of steps4 ,from this court we pass into the portion built by ,wolsey1 which is the most charming and interesting of the whole4 ,here1 too1 we must admire the grace of the architecture1 the beautiful proportions of the gate-towers1 and the tone of the old brick1 softened into a ripe creamy pink4 ,very little has been altered or renewed1 everything is as ,henry and ,wolsey saw it--the extraordinary florid old clock1 and the effective and vigorous terra-cotta heads of ,roman ,emperors fitted into the brickwork with forcible effect4 ,they were a present from the ,pope of the time4 ,the great banqueting hall is an imposing work1 with its noble open roof and vast proportions4 ,but these things are really not to be appreciated on a visit--when we stare and have to pass to some other part of the 8show10 where we stare again4 ,in visiting old towns and old cathedrals we should reside1 and let the spirit of the place grow1 or steal gradually upon us4 ,when a feeling of companionship arises we get familiar1 and find ourselves looking on it again and again4 ,but with short and hurried glances little is really gathered--we have seen1 but not known4 ,it will be noted that what we have been considering is not the hackneyed or popular view1 which consists in following the lazy herd as it promenades wearily from room to room--the king and queen's chambers--or the waste of innumerable pictures1 including the ,hampton ,court beauties and the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold and other notable 8curios40 ,there is of course entertainment in this1 but the real attraction is in the place itself1 where we might wander for days4 ,now taking a flight in a totally opposite direction we light on the riverside at ,greenwich2 familiar enough1 8the ,ship10 or whitebait district at least4 ,but as we leave the town behind and ascend the steep ,croom's ,hill1 we come upon many a pretty bit1 and on plenty of sound old houses4 ,halfway up we note a curious garden pavilion of true ,jacobean design1 such as is found in old ,english gardens1 like those of ,stonyhurst4 ,it is of elegant design1 with open arches at the side and well-proportioned mouldings4 ,within1 the ceiling is richly stuccoed round a circular panel1 intended to hold a painting1 but now the whole is decayed and gone to ruin4 ,on a summer's evening the owners of the garden could sit here and overlook the road as well as the gambols in ,greenwich ,park4 ,there is the legible date on it1 #afge4 ,it must have been connected with some stately mansion in whose gardens it was situated1 but now swept away4 ,a little higher up1 and next the pretty ,catholic chapel1 is a genuine old mansion1 of rather ,renaissance design1 all white-washed over and sadly mauled1 older than the usual ,queen ,anne ones4 ,it is a pity that such are not carefully restored by some wealthy citizen1 for they would be effective4 ,on the other side of the chapel is a fine specimen of old red brick1 shining as a pippin1 and even sounder than on the day it was built4 ,still higher up on the hill1 and peeping over an inclosure1 is a fine steep-roofed old house in its garden1 its face turned to the park1 its back1 which we confront1 overgrown4 ,this mixture of green and red with the more delicate tint of the shingle roof makes a cheerful combination4 ,there are many old houses perched down in a delightfully irregular fashion here and there on the side of the hill1 each with its trees and inclosure making a settlement for itself4 ,most have a history of some sort--notable persons having resided in them4 ,at the top1 facing the open country1 the ,blackheath valley lying below1 we come to the ,ranger's ,house1 of rubicund brick and pleasing design1 but disfigured by a covered passage to the gate4 ,this was the late ,duke of ,albany's residence1 and long before his time was the mansion of the stout1 coarse1 and much-outraged ,princess ,caroline of ,wales1 about the time of 8the ,book0 and other disgraces4 ,as ,i often stand before it1 and knowing her history well1 the image of the high jinks that used to reign here rises before me1 the ,opposition ministers1 ,percivals1 ,gilbert ,elliots1 etc41 travelling down to dine1 and have what were very like games of romps in the gardens behind4 ,in the same line of road is a fine old crusted mansion of some pretension1 with solemn antique grounds behind1 and a compact1 snug1 and reverent air4 ,farther away from town are found other attractive spots--in the way of surprises--with much that is curious and original4 ,as specimens of this kind of voyage of discovery might be suggested ,edmonton1 ,enfield1 ,eltham1 or ,croydon4 ,we need not dwell on the unsophisticated and rural character of these hamlets and towns1 the fine invigorating air that sweeps along the high roads1 the sense of cheerful exhilaration4 ,in themselves the old coaching roads are full of interest4 ,eltham is a pleasant1 inviting1 and novel sort of place1 with a fair open country about it1 breezy pastures and fine old trees spreading away4 ,in many of these distant suburbs1 as they may almost be called1 there is this park-like wooded look1 as though we were in the heart of some rich country4 ,antique houses line the roadside--there are few new ones4 ,searching out the old ,palace1 we are struck with the 8rurality0 of the road1 the row of fine old trees which line it1 which was once an avenue4 ,one could hardly find more remarkable houses outside a ,christmas number4 ,those we see here are high-roofed and long-windowed--with the old panes--which must at least be as old as ,elizabeth4 ,each has its gardens round it1 and looks snug and comfortable4 ,here is an old 8moated0 house1 the water running lazily below--for the road is a bridge--actually round the foundations4 ,to this mansion much has been done by way of restoration4 ,coming to the ,palace1 it is delightful to meet with the elegant and original banqueting hall1 ruined fragment as it is4 ,it suggests the equally interesting ,crosby ,hall in the ,city1 and there is a bay or oriel window of the same character4 ,we know the pattern1 the wall running up for a dozen feet or so where the ,perpendicular windows begin4 ,there is a peculiar charm about this style1 something graceful and satisfactory4 ,but would we recreate ourselves with some of the finest specimens of old brick1 we must go yet further afield4 ,let us repair to ,tottenham1 that is1 beyond the town1 at the point where the road turns off to ,enfield4 ,there the country is charmingly old-fashioned1 the air delicious1 the route has the look of a coach road1 with its great flourishing trees4 ,here are the fine ,anne or ,georgian houses1 plum-coloured almost1 untouched and sound as on the day they were built4 ,the doorways are well carved4 ,more remarkable is the sort of ,manor ,house in its grounds1 known1 ,i think1 as the 8,lion ,house10 from the spiritedly carved lions which adorn the gate-posts4 ,if we walk on to ,enfield and ,edmonton1 we shall be yet more gratified4 ,enfield is really remarkable for the variety of its mansions4 ,as we walk along the pretty high road1 oddly called ,baker ,street1 we come upon many mansions in large expanses of grounds1 and enclosed within walls1 but their fine iron gates allow a satisfactory view4 8,lovers of ,queen ,anne architecture10 says a good authority1 8will do well to study here40 ,some of these houses are perfect pictures--such as artists revel in and portray for the ,exhibitions4 ,they are perfect surprises from their old-world air1 everything being in harmony4 ,one is known as ,enfield ,court1 which contains 8quaint specimens of brickwork and a fine terraced garden1 with clipped yews40 ,there is an old ,hall for the admirers of ,inigo ,jones4 ,indeed1 the various places of this kind which are within easy reach of ,london offer extraordinary and unsuspected entertainment4 ,but of all these suburban places1 perhaps the hackneyed ,hampstead and ,highgate offer an unfailing attraction4 ,nothing is more remarkable than the change from the dull heavy ,london atmosphere below to the keen1 inspiring1 vigorous air on these northern heights1 which is palpable and felt at once as we ascend4 ,in spite of the 8demolitions0 that meet us as we climb ,hampstead ,high ,street1 the place still seems to retain its old-fashioned1 quaintly-pleasing features2 its alleys and lanes straggle and wind and turn with delightfully-picturesque effect2 a row of venerable trees will line a raised path beside an old wall1 while houses and short terraces of the true ,hampstead pattern1 odd1 square1 and cheerful1 abound4 ,retired corners1 shady lanes1 small gardens enclosed within ancient walls1 old lanterns1 these are everywhere4 ,no wonder artists covet these old tenements1 and1 it is said1 give fancy prices for them4 ,winter and summer bring an equal1 though varied1 charm to the place4 ,in winter there is a pleasant air of shelter and retreat2 in summer umbrageous shade4 ,nothing can be more artfully arranged with a view to picturesque effect than the mixture of houses and general rusticity2 it is country and town blended in the most pleasing fashion4 ,the old gnarled trees rise on high paths overhanging the road1 and over the walls behind peep ,illustration3 ,,church ,,row1 ,,hampstead4 the cheerful red dormer windows of some quaint ,georgian mansion--8,the ,grove10 or ,grove ,house4 ,as we wander through the place the impression is always the same1 a pleasing1 old-fashioned tranquillity1 the alleys winding irregularly1 little shaded corners and open places4 ,and then the memory of ,clarissa--most pathetic of heroines1 and her painful1 sad story--too painful almost to read4 ,it used to be said that ,frenchmen were found here asking to be shown 8,the ,flask ,inn10 where the persecuted maid took refuge4 ,there is1 or used to be1 a ,flask ,inn in ,flask ,walk1 and there is another ancient 8,flask10 most picturesque1 at ,highgate4 ,but the original1 genuine ,inn might escape the curious4 ,it will be found on the breezy summit of the ,heath1 at the corner of ,heath ,street1 and facing the reservoir4 ,it is now a private mansion standing in a spacious garden4 ,on the other side of ,hampstead there is the attractive ,church ,row1 a unique range of 8,queen ,anne0 houses1 through whose windows can be seen glimpses of waving trees and shrubs in the gardens behind4 ,the bottom of the little street is closed by the church1 with its quaint1 copper spire--not older than the last century1 but old enough to harmonize fairly4 ,round it spreads away its rural churchyard1 with paths across it4 ,one of the most delightful walks1 familiar enough to ,londoners1 is that from the breezy summit of the ,heath round to ,highgate4 ,here stands the old inn1 ,jack ,straw's ,castle1 to which ,dickens and his trusty friend ,forster used to ride out on some 8shoemakers' holiday10 halting to regale themselves on a chop after their labour of the week4 ,at this old hostelry we have stayed for a week or so1 in snug quarters4 ,there was a certain piquancy and originality in the situation2 it was 8so near and yet so far0 from town4 ,the ceaseless halting at the door of the innumerable travellers' vehicles was curious to note4 ,no one seemed to have power to resist the attraction4 ,the fine old1 solid mansion beside it1 with its garden1 seemed enviable4 ,a quarter of a mile further on we come to that truly ,pickwickian inn1 8,the ,spaniards10 where ,mrs4 ,bardell was arrested3 a charmingly old-fashioned1 rural house1 with its tea gardens4 ,we never pass it without calling up the scene--the hackney coach waiting at the gate1 ,mrs4 ,b4 and her friends at one of the little tables1 and ,mr4 ,jackson entering with his assistant4 ,in catching this local flavour the novelist was unrivalled4 ,it is difficult to describe the particular charm of a walk through a country district1 but this to ,highgate is unrivalled4 ,how inviting too1 and antique1 is the town6 ,the group of old red-brick houses at the top--some detached1 with gardens as old--all are inviting4 ,here are some quaint inns--one curious one1 with the remains of the 8pike10 where persons coming to ,london were 8sworn10 a pair of horns being brought out to add effect to the ceremony4 ,it was here that an innkeeper stepped the horses of her present ,majesty1 and was allowed to display the ,royal ,arms as his sign1 with a commemorative inscription4 ,on the descent are some fine old country seats1 mansions with grounds well wooded and park-like4 ,most of these are being gradually absorbed by charitable or religious institutions1 which might seem at first sight a guarantee for their preservation4 ,but1 alas6 as the institution begins to flourish1 the old mansion is certain to be taken down and rebuilt4 ,one fine old place is in the hands of a religious order which has just completed an imposing ,byzantine temple1 whose ,eastern cupola is a landmark4 ,there are districts more familiar and of minor importance which are yet well worth exploring4 ,such are the inviting green lanes round ,barnes ,common and ,roehampton2 and on the roadside of the latter place we pass by what is perhaps the finest specimen of the old brick mansion near ,london4 ,this brilliant1 genial1 riant bit of brick is worthy the notice of our modern architects in that material--the novelty and stateliness of the design1 the combination of stone dressings with the brick1 being worthy of ,wren himself4 ,this is ,roehampton ,house1 ,lord ,leven's mansion4 ,the hackneyed ,clapham even has attractions of its own in many a fine1 old1 well-preserved house and grounds1 in that capital1 serviceable style of architecture which was fashionable about a century ago--a well-designed central block of yellow brick with a high roof and two wings1 to which it was united by a short colonnade4 ,in front was a small circular lawn1 protected by a sort of fence4 ,old trees filled in the back and flanks4 ,this combination was highly effective4 ,on one side of the common is a charming and original ,queen ,anne terrace1 ,church ,row1 which we have noted before--every house panelled1 old gates of twisted iron1 flights of steps and carved doorways4 ,there is surely no air so keen and bracing as that which sweeps with such vigour across the fine open common of ,blackheath4 ,the houses that fringe the common have a quaint air of old fashion1 somewhat sad coloured and of that dull 8gamboge0 tint which ,elia spoke of1 but they have a good snug appearance4 ,such is 8,montpelier ,terrace10 and 8,the ,paragon10 which must have been considered a great effort in their day4 ,the ,paragon is a semicircular row of 8desirable0 mansions1 built with some state and pretension--the pattern for a 8,paragon0 being usually two semi-detached houses joined by a low colonnade--while in front there is an oval inclosure4 ,there are ,paragons in most of the suburbs--as at ,streatham--and one close to ,london1 in the ,kent ,road1 a dispiriting and decayed place4 ,close by the ,paragon1 and on the gentle descent that leads down into the little town of ,blackheath1 is a clump of umbrageous planting1 with a little iron gate opening into pretty and well-sheltered grounds4 ,entering1 for it is open to all1 a walk leads us up to what is something of a surprise4 ,here we are confronted by a fine solid building of the ,wren pattern1 high roofed1 deep gabled1 and red bricked4 ,its many windows are set off with deep green 8jalousies10 and in the middle there is a pediment and pavilion with the two statues of the founder and foundress1 standing side by side1 in their old-fashioned dress2 below are carved flourishings and graceful garlands of stone flowers1 with a deep and spreading archway1 through which we see the interior of a square4 ,this is ,morden ,college1 a retreat founded for reduced or comparatively genteel persons4 ,the archway is lined with oak panelling and long oaken benches1 acceptable in the summer1 where the collegians mostly sit and gossip1 and perhaps smoke4 ,within the square a pretty colonnade runs all round1 convenient for pleasant walking in wet weather4 ,there is the old sundial looking down1 and a quaint clock-tower with a bell1 lantern1 and weather-cock4 ,altogether a drowsy1 picturesque old place1 dating from #afge4 ,few would suspect even the existence of this sequestered and interesting place1 which is absolutely hidden in its umbrageous shelter4 ,there is a dreamy poetical air over it1 and though fully tenanted it seems a perfect solitude--occasionally a 8collegian0 may flit across the court4 ,a chapel is on one side of the archway3 on a ,sunday1 opening the door gently1 you will see all the collegians assembled4 ,the building itself1 which seems sound1 has mellowed with time into an harmonious red4 ,illustration3 ,old ,richmond ,theatre4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,willis',s ,,rooms--,,the ,,palaces4 ,returning now from these delightful suburban walks1 we find ourselves once more at the ,west ,end4 ,the ,london traveller1 if he but learn the habit of diligently using his eyes as he walks1 is certain to find at every turn something to entertain him1 or something novel that he has not before observed4 ,on the other hand1 by cultivating incurious habits1 the careless observer will come to look on the streets as merely tedious places of passage from one point to another--and the more speedily the monotonous transit is effected the happier he is4 ,lately1 passing through ,king ,street1 ,st4 ,james's1 ,i paused before a familiar building1 passed by thousands in their daily rounds without its exciting speculation or notice4 ,yet what curious memories it excites6 8,,chinnock1 ,,galsworthy1 ,,and ,,chinnock 444 ,to be sold 444 fifty-five years' lease 444 #h1jjj square feet1 etc40 ,and had it actually come to this8 ,set out1 too1 upon an ominous black board hung on the old wall6 ,and this the once-famous ,almack's6 ,it had been offered already for sale in ,april on a fixed day1 but the bidders were not sufficient2 and so we have come to ,chinnock1 ,galsworthy1 and ,chinnock1 as per board1 who are willing to treat with private parties4 ,shade of ,lady ,jersey6 ,shade of ,lady ,tankerville6 ,ghost of ,princess ,lieven6 and spirit of the ,iron ,duke1 once refused admission because he had not on a white cravat or the suitable breeches6 ,it was in ,king ,street1 ,st4 ,james's4 ,here was the long1 well-grimed1 dingy waste of bricks1 prison-like1 and recalling ,mrs4 ,cornelys' old rooms1 now a chapel1 close to ,soho ,square4 ,yet that ,newgate-looking structure1 how it contrasted with the brilliant festivals inside6 ,a hundred and fifteen years of gaieties and revels--such is the exact life of ,willis's ,rooms4 ,we must feel sorry that they are now to 8go10 for they are the last surviving 8,rooms10 as they are called1 of the good old pattern left in ,london4 ,for a time we had the old ,hanover ,square ,rooms for concerts and dances2 good rococo things2 but they have been nibbled away into a sort of club or hotel4 ,but behind that old dingy waste of wall what balls1 festivals1 charity dinners1 bazaars6 ,it was in #agfe that a ,scot who came up to ,london conceived the design of erecting fashionable rooms on the pattern of the casinos abroad4 ,his name was ,mc,call1 the syllables of which he ingeniously reversed into the celebrated 8,almack02 and he brought his countryman1 the renowned ,neil ,gow1 from ,edinburgh1 to lend the music4 ,the building was erected hurriedly1 from the designs of ,robert ,mylne1 of course another ,scot1 who had built ,blackfriars ,bridge4 ,on the opening night1 in ,february1 the rooms were half empty1 for the fashionable world was suffering from colds and was afraid to go4 ,the walls were imperfectly dried1 and the rich ceilings were dripping2 though ,almack protested that hot bricks and boiling water had been used in the structure4 ,the place1 however1 grew into fashion1 and at the suppers1 ,almack himself1 8with his broad ,scotch face and in a bag-wig10 was seen attending2 while his wife1 in a sack1 8made tea and curtseys to our duchesses40 ,this worthy man died in #agha4 ,how ,almack's passed to ,willis is not clear4 ,the ,willises were a musical firm in their day4 ,gambling was carried on in the ,rooms1 and enormous sums were lost and won in a night4 ,its greatest days1 however1 were during the ,regency1 when the famous 8,almack's ,balls0 were given under the haughty control of 8,ladies patronesses10 the ,jersey1 the ,lieven1 and others1 and when the most exclusive system was in vogue4 ,gronow and ,raikes tell many stories of the arrogance of these dames1 when to obtain a 8voucher0 became a matter of favour and delicacy4 ,the ,almack's ,balls were continued in some shape1 and under less exclusive conditions1 until recently1 when they were finally given up4 ,it is a curious feeling to enter and promenade through these forlorn and ghostly chambers4 ,the doors stand open1 and we can wander in and up the grand stone stair--the banisters oddly encased in crimson velvet4 ,everything is laid out on a noble1 spacious scale4 ,gloomy and even dismal now seems the great ball-room on the first-floor--scene of so many 8festival dinners0 and dances--with its fine chimney-piece1 floridly embroidered ceilings1 8set-off10 as it was fancied1 with hideous modern colouring1 now faded and inexpressibly shabby4 ,the old scheme was white and gold4 ,but here are still the fine old ,english mirrors1 with their garlands and carvings2 and the tall pillars behind which ,neil ,gow and his fiddlers played2 and the chandeliers1 of ,venetian glass apparently1 with their chains and lustres and bulbous drops1 elegant enough4 ,here are all the old-fashioned 8rout0 seats and chairs and tables huddled together and piled up on top of one another4 ,many a 8bad quarter of an hour0 has been spent here whilst awaiting nervously the chairman's signal to 8reply to the toast02 and here is the very spot where ,i once sat 8peppering10 as it is called1 in an ,illustration3 ,,grand ,,staircase1 ,,buckingham ,,palace4 7,from a ,photo by ,,mr4 ,e4 ,,king47 unpleasant mood of suspense2 the long tables spreading away and crowded with unfeeling diners1 hundreds 8feeding like one10 who would desire nothing better than a 8break-down40 ,it is a curious1 agitating feeling when1 on a sudden hush1 one has to rise with a 8,mr4 ,chairman60 ,for a second every face is turned to see and wonder1 and ask whose the face is seen indistinctly afar off4 ,below is the 8concert-room10 a fine1 well-proportioned apartment4 ,around are many vast chambers3 one where the gambling went on1 and ,charles ,fox and ,lord ,carlisle lost huge sums4 ,it is difficult to give an idea of the dismal impression left as we promenade these ghostly chambers4 ,on the walls are a score and more of portraits--all of the one 8,kit-kat0 size1 many by a forgotten artist--,knapton4 ,these represent members of the still existing 8,dilettante ,society10 who used to meet in one of the rooms4 ,three of these pictures1 of a large size1 and exhibiting full-length groups1 were the work of ,sir ,joshua1 and are to be seen in the ,national ,gallery4 ,a history of this elegant club1 which has published splendid folios1 has been written by my friend1 the late ,sir ,f4 ,pollock4 ,and so we come out into old ,king ,street again1 to read once more on the prosaic board that the whole will be sold as 8a going concern10 with its licence1 goodwill1 etc41 and that this and a great deal more may be learned from the worthy auctioneers aforesaid4 ,there are plenty of these ghostly chambers in ,london1 and the feeling on disturbing their antique solitude is a curious one4 ,it is specially present when we invade the repose of the now disused ,,palaces1 some of which are interesting places enough1 but have a particularly forlorn and faded air4 ,no building has been so rudely1 even coarsely1 treated as the venerable old ,palace1 ,st4 ,james's1 whose gate tower is so interesting and piquant a monument4 ,portions have been burnt and re-built2 but the 8restorations0 seem always to have been carried out on the meanest and shabbiest fashion4 ,witness the meagre1 skimpy colonnade in the courtyard2 the wretched brickwork2 the poor1 8starved0 rooms2 the tottering chimneys 8stuck on0 outside1 and the patched air of the whole4 ,the old chambers within1 though spacious and imposing enough1 are strangely dingy1 and seem not to have been painted or 8refreshed0 for a century4 ,the place looks as though it were abandoned altogether1 which no doubt it is4 ,yet a small sum judiciously laid out in the way of trimming or restoration would do much2 were even mullioned windows substituted for the present unsightly and incongruous 8sashes40 ,hard by is that great modern pile1 ,buckingham ,palace1 the work of ,george ,,iv41 which took the place of the pleasant old ,buckingham ,house1 which1 as we can see from the prints1 was something after the pattern of ,marlborough ,house4 ,this lumbering1 uninteresting mass1 though built of stone1 is made more unattractive still by being painted over1 owing to the decay of the material4 ,within there are many vast chambers of state which1 on rare occasions of high festival1 are lit up and crowded with rank1 beauty1 and fashion4 ,the ball-room is a fine and richly-decorated apartment1 and the grand staircase is 8monumental0 enough4 ,no one who has not visited them can have an idea of the size1 or apparent size at least1 of the gardens and pleasure grounds behind1 which have been artfully protected from vulgar observation by large raised banks and thick planting4 ,it is a pity that this sacred preserve is not1 as in continental cities1 opened to the crowd2 it would be an addition to the few agrments of ,london4 ,it is now almost forgotten that in front of the palace1 before the erection of the present faade1 stood the ,marble ,arch1 that curious freak of ,george ,,iv41 who1 however1 intended that it should be enriched with a spirited group on the top4 ,the present situation1 where it is useful as an omnibus station1 seems unsuitable4 ,illustration3 ,,millais',s ,,studio4 ,another of these old derelict places is ,kensington ,palace4 ,this1 with its 8dependences10 still remains a very 8lively0 bit of architecture1 rather original in its design2 the irregular faade being judiciously broken up4 ,the various offices1 stables1 guard-houses1 etc41 even the little entrance gate on the ,kensington ,road1 have a welcome piquancy1 and are most effective in their way4 ,here we have the true old-fashioned tone4 ,a portion is inhabited2 and1 with the pretty gardens1 has the air of a flourishing country house2 but the state chambers are all chilly1 darkened1 and given over to desolation4 ,it is truly a pity that these fine old places could not be utilized as picture galleries or museums1 like ,hampton ,court2 the very fact of free circulation1 and the visits of the public1 would preserve them and save them from rusting away4#bi ,the wanderer or walker in ,london will find a district close by the ,palace very welcome and pleasing--the well-known ,campden ,hill4 ,for a spot so embedded in town it has a curious rural note of its own1 an old-fashioned air1 as though it declined altogether to go with the times4 ,the air1 too1 is tempered and softened2 there are numbers of pretty places1 with their spreading grounds1 old trees1 and older villas4 ,those persons who have been fortunate enough to secure ground here in good time are to be envied4 ,the curious part is that it is bounded all round by the most uninviting prosaic districts--on one side by the frowsy ,notting ,hill ,gate1 on the other by the common high road to ,hammersmith1 all crowded with omnibuses and carts4 ,but ascend the gentle hill1 from whatever direction1 and you find yourself puzzled by the antique simplicity and suburban air of the place4 ,of course there are eyesores and blemishes--the dreadful waterworks in the very centre1 to say nothing of numerous modern 8,follies10 fantastic freaks in the way of enormously tall houses1 and other monstrosities4 ,coming up the broad cross road which joins ,notting ,hill and ,kensington1 we ascend a sort of sheltered lane1 with all sorts of ancient tenements1 somewhat 8shaky10 each with its garden and enclosing wall1 such as one might encounter at ,kew or ,chiswick4 ,many of these have been judiciously adapted and added to by the thriving artist or littrateur4 ,this portion may be called the town side of ,campden ,hill2 and here are also the modern builders' terraces4 ,illustration3 ,,alma ,,tadema',s ,,former ,,studio4 ,here stands the modern ,campden ,house2 but a far more interesting structure is the old1 8,little ,campden ,house10 with its heavy roof and eaves1 and old-fashioned air1 but with an abandoned look1 presenting no tangible idea to the present generation1 yet in its day it and its enterprising owner furnished much talk and speculation in artistic circles4 ,mr4 ,wooler was passionately fond of theatricals1 and the private theatre in his house became celebrated1 the owner himself gravitating towards the genuine stage4 ,a striking evidence of the luxury of our time is found in the magnificent1 and even sumptuous1 workshops in which our painters pursue their labours4 ,this was prompted by the great artistic revival which occurred nearly twenty years ago1 when there was the 8sensation0 auctions at 8,christie's10 and the works of modern artists were fetching enormous prices4 ,all the great painters designed and built themselves these luxurious temples4 ,unluckily1 many of lesser light1 and lesser ability1 followed the example1 often with disastrous results4 ,the craze abated2 prices have fallen rapidly1 and numbers of these handsome structures now stand tenantless4 ,holland ,park1 and the district adjoining ,melbury ,road1 etc41 is the locality favoured2 and there is undoubtedly a kind of old-fashioned1 semi-rural tone about the place that justifies the selection4 ,there are also a few in ,st4 ,john's ,wood4 ,the ,house of the ,president of the ,royal ,academy is1 as might be expected from one of such taste and training1 the most striking and effective4 ,here we see the effect of a marked personality2 and there is even something sympathetic in the structure4 ,it has often been described1 by ,mrs4 ,haweis and others2 but more as though it were some glittering museum1 of whose treasures an inventory is given4 ,as we stand before it1 in ,holland ,park ,road1 we are struck by the fashion in which it harmonizes with the locality2 the sequestered lane1 the old-fashioned scraps of garden1 where the good old trees live and thrive1 and the lingering old houses4 ,there is a kind of gentle tone over the scene1 and a pleasant1 retired air4 ,the house1 though not large1 has an air of monumental solidity2 severe in style1 built of bricks1 which are beautiful from their rich and almost roseate hue--though we are inclined to make a somewhat diffident protest against the overhanging room1 supported on iron columns1 which has lately been projected at one side4 ,this somewhat enfeebles the solid and stately air of the whole4 ,behind there is a delightful garden1 not walled round1 or 8trimmed0 up1 but separated by a hedge or paling from the road4 ,there are old trees and grass1 and a general rustic laissez faire4 ,the interior is a poetical dream1 ,oriental or ,moorish in its magnificence4 ,with exquisite art the studio is planned as the 8note0 or central feature of the whole2 the stairs1 the halls1 and vestibule all prepare the visitor for the main attraction4 ,illustration3 ,,herkomer',s ,,studio4 8,turning aside10 says ,mrs4 ,haweis1 8from the foot of the stairs1 we pass through peacock-green arches1 with deep gold incisions1 into the third ,hall1 called of ,narcissus1 which strikes a full deep chord of colour1 and deepens the impression of antique magnificence4 ,a bronze statuette of the fair son of ,cephisus1 from that in the ,naples ,museum1 stands in the midst of it4 ,here the walls are deepest sea-blue tiles1 that shades make dark2 the floor is pallid 7the well-known mosaic of the ,csars' palaces71 and casts up shimmering reflected lights upon the greeny-silver ceiling1 like water itself4 ,the delicate tracery of the lattices brought bodily from the ,east1 and which rise to right and left1 having the complexity and colour of the skeleton of a leaf1 and guarded by glass outside2 the fine alhacen of carved wood which lines the central alcove facing us1 with its four rare ,persian enamels of women's figures1 and its shelves of ,persian plates2 the brilliant little windows that break the sunshine into scarlet and gold and azure flame2 the snow-white columns of marble that stand against red at every angle2 the fountain that patters and sings in its pool of chrysolite water--most perfect colophon to all the colours and the outer heat4 ,we wander round and enjoy the toss of its one white jet from a bed of water wherein descending ridges1 step-wise1 have the semblance of the emerald facets of a great green stone4 8,the hall takes the form of a ,greek cross1 with slender columns as aforesaid at the angles1 set against rose-red slabs4 ,but the entrance is flanked with columns of a larger girth1 made of red marble1 with golden capitals4 ,the walls are lined with ,syrian azulejos of soft and varying blue and white arranged in panels1 surmounted by a broad frieze1 as yet unfinished1 designed by ,walter ,crane1 in a beautiful running pattern of fawns and vines1 carried out in gold ,venice mosaic4 ,above it rise courses of black and white marble1 and above again the golden dome4 8,over the entrance we see the overhanging black of the ,zenana we have not yet visited1 that ,eastern nest that juts like a closed-in balcony high up the wall4 ,between it and the doorway lies a great purple panel blazoned with a verse of the ,koran in ,arabic1 and through the arch we see the distant staircase winding beyond the purple shadows of the intervening hall40 ,the studio itself is of a business-like1 practical sort1 though it is stored with choice treasures and inspiring bits of antique colour4 ,in short1 the artistic feeling of the accomplished man who prompted the whole is felt everywhere4 ,there is a good deal of the 8peacock blue10 and other colouring that combines with it4 ,this somewhat 8barbaric0 scheme of colour is scarcely suited to our country2 and the rich tint is likely enough to fade1 or grow darker and yet darker1 with time4 ,we select this studio as a typical one1 though it exceeds its fellows in magnificence and eastern luxe4#cj ,at ,palace ,gate1 at the entrance to ,kensington1 ,sir ,john ,millais has his studio1 in a substantial house1 designed by ,mr4 ,hardwicke4 ,the studio1 however1 is a simple building1 attached to the house4 ,mr4 ,alma ,tadema's studio was an old house in ,porchester ,terrace1 on the banks of the canal1 which he had fitted up and adapted to his purposes4 ,he has now1 however1 built himself a new one4 ,mr4 ,hubert ,herkomer's is down at his well-known artistic colony at ,bushey4 ,,index4 ,adam1 the ,brothers1 #ci ,adelphi1 ,the1 #dj ,all-,hallows ,staining ,church1 destroyed1 #bad ,all-,hallows ,barking1 ,church of1 described1 #baf ,all ,saints' ,church1 ,margaret ,st41 described1 #bdj ,amen ,court1 ,st4 ,paul's1 sequestered enclosure of1 #add ,anne's1 ,st41 ,church1 ,soho1 and its ,associations1 #gc ,austin ,friars1 ,house destroyed in1 #afg ,barn ,elms at ,putney1 #bge ,barnard's ,inn1 #aje ,barry1 the ,painter1 his ,adelphi ,pictures1 #dh ,bartholomew's1 ,st41 rudely treated1 #bba2 8,blacksmiths' ,forge and ,fringe ,factory10 #bbb2 judiciously restored1 #bbd ,bell ,tavern1 ,the ,old1 #agg ,berkeley ,square1 #agb ,billett's 8,maids of ,honour0 cakes1 #bhj ,blackheath1 its 8,paragons10 etc41 #bia 8,blew ,coat0 ,school1 ,the1 #ai ,bow ,steeple1 #bcd ,brewers' ,hall1 ,the1 described1 #bjh ,brick1 ,proper ,treatment of1 #beh ,bride's1 ,st41 ,steeple1 ,story connected with1 #bcc ,burlington ,house1 described1 #afc ,campden ,hill and its old ,houses1 #bi ,canonbury ,tower1 #bec ,carlyle1 ,thomas1 ,visit to1 before his death1 #bfi2 his ,house1 #bfi ,catholic ,churches in ,london1 #bda ,changes in ,london by demolition1 and rebuilding1 #aeb ,chapels1 ,the ,embassy1 #bda ,charterhouse1 ,the1 #bdi ,chelsea1 8,modern ,antiques0 at1 #bgj ,chelsea1 ,old ,church of1 #bgj ,chelsea 8,physick ,garden10 ,the1 #bga ,chelsea1 ,sketch of1 a few years ago1 #bff ,chenery1 ,mr41 ,a tenant in ,clement's ,inn1 #ajj ,cheshire ,cheese ,tavern1 ,the1 ,account of1 #aij ,chesterfield ,house1 #afa ,chiswick ,church and ,old ,houses1 #bgg ,christ's ,hospital1 ,public supping at1 #bej ,city1 ,charm of exploring1 #aie ,city ,companies1 ,vast number of1 #bji ,clapham1 ,church ,row1 #bai ,clement ,danes1 ,st41 ,romantic ,view of1 #bcd ,clement's ,inn1 its ,garden ,house1 #ajj ,clifford's ,inn1 described1 #ii ,clock ,tower1 ,the1 #be ,cock ,tavern1 ,the ,fleet ,street1 ,account of1 #ahe ,college ,street1 ,westminster1 picturesque1 #ah ,covent ,garden and ,st4 ,paul's ,church1 #eb ,cripplegate ,church1 #bjb1 #bab ,crosby ,hall1 fine ,oriel ,window in1 #bbi ,cornelys' ,rooms1 ,mrs41 now a ,chapel1 #bda ,cremorne ,gardens1 ,sketch of1 #bfi ,cromwell ,house1 #adf ,dane's ,inn1 #aja ,devonshire ,house1 #afa 8,dickens in ,london10 ,various associations1 #aae2 ,his ,wooden ,midshipman1 #aaf2 ,his sketches of the ,inns of ,court1 #aag2 ,his residences in ,london1 #aah ,dining ,halls in the ,old ,inns of ,court1 #ajg ,doorways1 ,old1 ,various specimens of1 described1 #bfj2 ,old ,carved1 in ,carey ,street1 #ajj ,drapers' ,hall1 #baj ,dublin1 ,old ,houses in1 #baf ,dyers' ,hall1 #bji ,edmonton1 ,fine specimens of ,brick at1 #bhh ,eltham1 #bhg ,ely ,chapel1 ,district round1 #bag2 ,the ,old ,bell1 #bag2 ,palace of the ,bishop1 #bag2 ,sold to ,government1 #bah2 ,precarious condition of the ,chapel1 #bai ,emanuel ,hospital1 ,westminster1 #bj ,essex ,head ,tavern1 #aid ,fairfax ,house1 ,putney1 #adh ,farm ,street ,chapel1 #bdh ,fitzroy ,square1 #age ,forster1 ,john1 ,scene at his house in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields1 #ic 8,fox-under-the-,hill0 ,tavern and ,dickens1 #dg ,fulham1 8,bishop's ,walk10 at #bgd2 ,old ,houses and ,church1 #bgb ,furnival's ,inn1 ,holborn1 #ajd ,garrick's ,house in ,southampton ,street1 ,strand1 #ea ,george ,street1 ,hanover ,square1 #agb ,george's1 ,st41 ,cathedral1 ,southwark1 #bdb ,george ,tavern1 ,boro'1 #ahj ,golden ,square1 #agj ,gough ,square1 ,johnson's ,house in1 #aic ,gray's ,inn1 #aab ,greenwich1 described1 #bhf ,hampton ,court1 described1 #bhe ,hammersmith ,mall1 #bge ,hampstead and ,highgate1 ,charms of1 #bhh ,hanover ,square1 described1 #aei ,hans ,place1 ,antique tone of1 #beh ,helen's1 ,st41 ,church1 #bcj ,highgate1 ,walk to1 #bij ,hogarth ,house1 described1 #bgh ,howe's ,house1 ,mr41 at ,isleworth1 #bhc ,hyde ,park1 described1 #gh ,inns1 ,old1 8,the ,flask10 #bhi2 8,jack ,straw's ,castle10 #bij2 8,the ,spaniards10 associated with 8,pickwick01 #bij ,isleworth1 #bhc ,islington1 ,old-fashioned air of1 #bee 8,jack ,straw's ,castle01 #aha ,james's1 ,st41 ,palace1 ,gateway1 and ,dial1 #hj ,kensington ,house1 #aee2 and ,palace1 #big ,kew ,palace1 #bgh ,king's ,head ,tavern1 ,boro'1 #agh ,kingston ,market ,place and ,inns1 #bhc ,lamb1 ,c41 his house in ,colebrooke ,row1 described1 #beg ,laurence ,pountney ,hill1 a ,picturesque ,enclosure1 #bjd ,law ,courts1 ,the1 criticised1 #acj ,leadenhall ,street1 ,old ,house in1 described1 #aeg ,leicester ,square1 ,statue in1 #acf ,leven's1 ,lord1 ,house1 at ,roehampton1 #bia ,lincoln's ,inn1 ,old ,gateway1 #ih ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields1 ,old ,taverns near1 #if2 ,fine ,houses in1 #ib ,london ,relics1 ,fate of1 #acb ,magnus'1 ,st41 ,tower1 ,poetical effect of1 #acb ,mansions1 ,old1 in ,london1 #aed ,marble ,arch1 ,the1 #big ,martin's ,st41 ,lane1 #gj ,mary ,woolnoth1 ,st41 #bcg ,masque of ,flowers in ,gray's ,inn1 #aac ,mitre ,tavern1 ,the1 #aib ,monuments in ,westminster ,abbey described1 #bh ,morden ,college1 ,blackheath1 #bia ,mortimer ,street1 ,richly decorated ,houses in1 #aeg ,national ,gallery1 ,the1 its ,pictures and ,painters criticised1 #eg ,nightingale ,monument in ,westminster ,abbey1 #ca ,new ,river1 ,the1 #bef2 its pleasingly erratic course1 #beg ,newton's ,house1 ,leicester ,square1 #afc ,olave's1 ,st41 ,hart ,street1 #bab ,oratory1 ,the1 described1 #bde ,painter ,stainers' ,hall1 #bji ,palace1 ,st4 ,james's1 described1 #bif2 ,buckingham ,palace and ,gardens1 #bie ,pantheon1 ,the1 #aga ,paradise ,row1 #bga ,parliament1 ,houses of1 described1 #bj ,paul ,pindar's1 ,sir1 ,house1 #aei ,peacock ,room1 ,the1 7note7 #cjb ,photographing ,london ,relics1 ,society for1 #aff ,post ,office1 ,general1 ,view from1 #bcc 8,private ,prayer10 ,result of opening a ,church for1 7note7 #bcg ,pugin1 the ,architect1 #bdb ,putney ,bridge1 ,old1 #bgb ,paul's1 ,st41 ,cathedral1 #acd2 ,dome of1 #acg2 ,monuments in described1 #ada2 ,railings round1 #adc2 ,reredos1 #aci ,quadrant1 ,the1 ,regent ,street1 #ij ,queen ,square1 #agj ,raleigh ,house1 ,brixton1 #aej ,regent ,street1 ,its merits1 #hi ,richmond1 ,its ,green1 and ,maid of ,honour ,row1 and ,old ,palace1 #bha ,richmond ,playhouse1 #bhb ,river at ,charing ,cross1 #abg ,rolls ,chapel1 ,beautiful ,tomb in1 #bbf ,roman ,bath1 and ,roman ,remains1 #di ,rooks in ,london1 #aab ,roubiliac1 ,the ,sculptor1 and his ,work1 #cj ,sadler's ,wells ,theatre1 #bef ,saviour's1 ,st41 ,southwark1 #bbf ,savoy ,chapel1 #bae ,scarsdale ,house1 ,kensington1 #afh ,severn1 ,m41 on 8,sketching in ,london01 #abg ,soane ,collection in ,lincoln's ,inn ,fields1 #id ,soho ,square1 #aga2 ,chapel near1 #bda ,somerset ,house1 #abf ,square1 ,st4 ,james's1 #agd ,squares1 ,old ,london1 #agj ,staple ,inn described1 #ajb ,steeples1 ,eccentric1 #bch ,steevens1 ,alfred1 ,sad ,story of1 #aci2 ,specimen of his art in the railings of ,british ,museum1 #bfe ,stephen's1 ,st41 ,walbrook1 #bcd ,sterne1 ,ghastly ,story connected with1 #ge ,street ,names1 ,origin of1 #ee ,studios1 ,some--,herkomer's1 #cab2 ,sir ,f4 ,leighton's1 #cjj2 ,sir ,john ,millais's1 #cjb ,sundial1 ,negro1 in ,clement's ,inn1 #aja ,tablets on ,celebrated ,houses1 #afe ,teddington1 #bhd ,temple1 ,inns in the1 described1 #aji ,the 8,antients0 in the old ,inns of ,court1 #ajc ,theodore of ,corsica1 his story1 #gc ,tottenham1 #bhh ,tradescants1 ,house of1 #aff ,trumpeter ,house1 ,richmond1 #bhb ,tyrrel ,monument1 #cd ,vanbrugh1 the architect1 and his work1 #fh ,vauxhall1 ,figure-heads at1 #bgj ,wade1 ,marshal1 ,grotesque ,monument to1 #de ,wandsworth ,manor ,house1 #ade 8,warwick ,arms10 ,the ,old1 #age ,waterloo ,bridge1 ,praise of1 by a ,french critic1 #abc2 and the ,embankment1 #abb2 ,the ,toll-keeper and ,dickens1 #abe ,wellington ,monument1 ,st4 ,paul's1 ,history of1 #aci ,westminster ,abbey described1 #bf ,westminster ,hall1 #bc ,white ,hart ,tavern1 ,boro'1 #agh ,whittington's ,house1 #aii ,willis's ,rooms and its associations1 #bic ,woffington's ,almshouses at ,teddington1 #bhd ,wren1 ,sir ,c41 his ,churches1 #bcb2 ,steeples1 #bcc ,york ,house and ,gate1 #df ,,footnotes3 #a ,this has turned out a singularly accurate prophecy4 ,chippendale's work now fetches an enormous sum whenever it appears at a sale by auction4 ,it lately brought close on #cj4 #b ,few are aware of the number of these medival obstructions1 of which there are some #bej in ,london4 8,in most parishes there are two or three2 in some the number reaches thirty or forty4 ,the whole metropolitan area is dotted with them4 ,there are nine in ,marylebone2 thirty in ,st4 ,pancras1 principally on the ,camden ,estate and ,crown property4 ,st4 ,george's1 ,hanover ,square1 has a dozen2 ,st4 ,mary1 ,islington1 twenty2 ,st4 ,giles's1 ,camberwell1 sixteen4 ,there are four each in ,st4 ,james and ,st4 ,john1 ,clerkenwell1 in ,chelsea1 and in ,woolwich4 ,paddington has five2 but the number increases1 sometimes by leaps and bounds1 until we reach such totals as #bg for ,wandsworth1 #bh for ,lewisham1 and #cf for ,fulham4 ,poplar has only one1 but it reconciles the deficiency to its self-respect by levying a toll4 ,the privilege of shutting out vehicles is highly prized in some parts of ,st4 ,pancras1 and highly paid for4 ,it makes a substantial addition to the rent1 and it constitutes a sort of permanent charge on the rates1 in the form of payment on the original cost of the roads40 #c ,of the wealth of the late ,earl an incidental proof carelessly escaped on the occasion of the fire at ,cortachy ,castle1 when it was stated that his lordship had brought sixty servants and some four or five thousand pounds' worth of furniture for this summer excursion1 just as an ordinary family would take a few articles to complete the furnishing of a house taken at the seaside6 ,further1 it was mentioned that fifty sovereigns belonging to her ladyship were saved2 they had been left on her table just as 8the gentle reader0 himself might leave some pence on the chimney-piece4 #d ,but1 as ,i write1 this memorial is being removed1 and the whole faade is being cased with stone4 #e ,lately died ,selby1 the ,liston-faced coachman1 with his low-crowned hat1 who drove to ,brighton and back in the surprisingly short time of seven hours #ea minutes1 for a wager4 ,his funeral was an extraordinary spectacle1 followed by more than a score of coaches1 laden with wreaths1 and driven by 8the fancy40 ,this recalls the interment of 8,tom ,moody40 #f ,mr4 ,dickens used to relate how1 at one of his last dinners when in this senile state1 the servant1 who had the whole rpertoire by heart1 would suggest and prompt4 8,tell the gentlemen1 sir1 about ,mr4 ,selwyn and the ,duke of ,queensberry1 sir10 etc41 on which the old man1 set a-going like some musical-box1 would start off on his narrative4 ,he was a sad spectacle4 ,nose and chin to shame a knocker1 ,wrinkles that would puzzle ,cocker4 ,one of the best stories told to us by ,mr4 ,dickens in a railway carriage--unpublished1 too--we must repeat2 but the voice cannot be supplied3 it was that of ,justice ,stareleigh1 as given at the 8readings10 very slow and funereal3-- 8,the ,honour-a-ble ,augustus ,stanhope1 one of the most fashionable bloods of his day1 fell in love with the lovely ,miss ,beauclerk1 who did not re-turn his passion4 ,he bribed her maid to secrete him in her cheea--mber4 ,when she came up to attire herself for a ball1 he emerged from his concealment4 ,she looked at him fixedly4 #8,why don't you begin8' she asked1 after a pause4 ,she took him for the 'airdresser60 #g ,it was in ,december1 #ahdh1 that the ,quadrant colonnade1 8one of the most elegant architectural features of the ,metropolis10 and certainly an effective addition to the pretentious glories of ,regent ,street1 was removed4 ,there were1 however1 sound utilitarian reasons for the step1 the colonnade being the resort and shelter of disorderly characters at night4 ,each of the columns1 it was stated by the auctioneer1 who sold them in lots1 weighed #ce cwt41 and had cost #ce to put up4 ,there were #bgj in all1 and #add realized about #a1jjj4 ,these now form unsuspected portions of other buildings in various parts of the country4 #h ,lately1 passing near ,camden ,town1 ,i noticed a crowd staring vacantly at the top of a very lofty old tree1 and was delighted to note an immense nest in process of construction1 with a couple of the 8inky-coated0 on solemn guard4 #i ,in the room in which ,i now write he has often sat1 and often has it re-echoed to his jocund laugh4 ,his paper-knife and paper weight marked ,c4 ,d4 are beside me4 ,his ghost should flutter near at hand4 #aj ,the architect of the bridge1 ,sir ,john ,rennie1 gives a curious account of the plans that were proposed towards the beginning of this century for the improvement of the river3--8,a committee10 he tells us1 8called the ,committee of ,taste1 was appointed1 in order to design such improvements as were imperatively required in the neighbourhood of ,charing ,cross1 the ,strand1 and ,holborn and ,oxford ,street4 ,this ,committee consisted of the late ,lord ,farnborough1 ,john ,wilson ,croker1 ,sir ,john ,soane1 ,sir ,robert ,smirke1 ,nash1 and others4 ,to its labours we are indebted for ,trafalgar ,square and the improvements in the ,strand1 ,cockspur ,street1 the ,haymarket1 the old ,opera ,house1 and those between ,oxford ,street and ,holborn1 which are really very good1 and the architecture1 although not altogether faultless1 is nevertheless1 taken as a whole1 very effective2 in fact1 nothing like these improvements has been effected since4 ,the new street from ,waterloo ,bridge to ,oxford ,street1 undertaken soon after1 has been a miserable failure2 instead of taking a direct line1 they availed themselves as far as they could of the old miserable intervening streets1 so that this thoroughfare1 which ought to have been one of the best in ,london1 is now one of the worst1 and the increase in the value of the property on each side has been very little4 ,but if this street had been made in a straight line1 and of ample width1 the shops and buildings on both sides would have been of a superior character1 and would have yielded far higher rents1 which would have gone a long way towards paying part of the expenses1 if not the whole4 8,about this time ,sir ,f4 ,trench1 who moved in the most fashionable circles1 and was a great amateur in architecture and fine arts1 was seized and enraptured with the idea of constructing quays along the banks of the ,thames between ,whitehall and ,blackfriars ,bridge1 and converting the space so recovered from the shore of the ,thames into a handsome carriage-drive and promenade ornamented with gardens and fountains4 ,he applied to the late ,mr4 ,philip ,wyatt and myself to assist him in preparing the designs and in obtaining an ,act of ,parliament to carry it into effect4 ,trench said he had no doubt that sufficient money would be obtained4 ,he accordingly1 with his great influence and indefatigable activity1 formed a committee of the highest class2 neither were the ladies excluded2 amongst others1 the beautiful ,duchess of ,rutland took the greatest interest in the undertaking1 and at the first meeting1 which took place at ,her ,grace's house1 she was unanimously voted to the chair1 and conducted everything in the most business-like manner4 ,lord ,palmerston1 then ,secretary for ,war1 took a leading part1 and it is singular that many years later his ,lordship1 then ,premier1 should have proposed a similar measure1 and the continuation of the coal duties for carrying it into effect1 which was adopted2 but when we proposed the undertaking and the mode of raising the funds1 notwithstanding our powerful committee1 the idea was considered chimerical4 ,for this and other reasons the project fell to the ground40 #aa ,as the great ,duke was the first to pay the halfpenny toll1 it might be interesting to know who was the last passenger to pay it2 for1 of course1 there must have been a halfpenny received which was the last4 ,i understand that the late ,mr4 ,thomas ,purnell--whose incisive criticisms in the ,athenum some years1 8fluttered the dovecots0 of the dramatists1 and which were signed 8,q40--claimed the distinction of being positively the last passenger that paid the halfpenny4 #ab ,a piece of ,irish wit may be quoted here4 ,it was proposed to erect a monument to a well-known ,dublin physician in one of the public cemeteries1 and the inscription was debated4 ,some one suggested this of ,wren's6 #ac ,there has been an enemy working underground during the past years--an ogre more wholesale and omnivorous than has yet appeared4 ,this arises out of the burrowing of the underground lines in the ,city--the grand teredo1 such as bored its way to the ,mansion ,house ,station from the ,tower4 ,it has been stated 8that there has been no such general demolition since the days of the ,great ,fire4 ,no less than #acj houses1 some of them the oldest in ,london1 and two of the ,city halls1 have been pulled down in order to construct the new thoroughfare which continues ,gracechurch ,street to ,tower ,hill4 ,the general destruction is added to by the tunnelling of the link line from the ,tower to the ,mansion ,house40 #ad ,with such rapidity are the blows struck1 and so capricious too is the spoiler in his work1 now hurrying on1 now suspending altogether1 that it becomes difficult to bring the record 8up to date10 as it were4 #ae ,it was sold 8in lots0 in #ahhb for about #aj1jjj2 the grand marble staircase1 which cost #aa1jjj1 went to ,madame ,tussaud's for #a1jjj1 where a portion may be seen4 ,the massive gilt grille1 or railing that faced the street1 cost #c1ejj1 and was bought for ,sandown for #cjj guineas4 ,being all levelled and cleared the ground was laid out and sold1 when it was found there was room for seventy-five houses4 #af ,many will have noted the curious iron posts fixed in the ground in front of one of the corner houses4 ,these are real cannon1 captured in one of ,admiral ,keppel's victories1 and presented to his family4 #ag ,since writing the above1 the 8,white ,hart0 has been demolished4 #ah 8,the fate of the ,cock ,tavern was decided yesterday1 when a special jury at the ,recorder's ,court in the ,guildhall awarded #i1jjj for the freehold1 and nearly #aa1jjj to the lessee and occupier1 in all about #bj1jjj4 ,it was proved that the profits were #b1jjj a year4 ,a casual visitor would have great difficulty in believing the fact4 ,the ancient dinner haunt was a small1 dingy snuggery1 greasy with the steam of fifty thousand dinners4 ,it hardly seated a score guests1 and served nothing but steaks1 chops1 and kidneys with ale and stout for liquor4 ,counsel for the lessee1 in addressing the court on the amount of award1 said he had himself seen only that day three of ,her ,majesty's judges at luncheon hour in the neighbouring law court sitting over their chop and pewter of ,london stout in ,the ,cock4 ,the only articles reserved in the old place are the mantelpiece1 a massive work in oak1 of the time of ,james ,i41 and the sign of the house1 which was carved by ,grinling ,gibbons40 #ai ,a sympathetic frequenter of the 8,cheshire ,cheese0 has sent me a glowing account of its alternations1 which ,i can cordially endorse4 8,the #8,cheese' is really the last of our old taverns1 conducted on genuine principles1 which one wishes to cherish4 ,when genial spring has brought forward vegetation the waiter's cheerful intimation that #8,asparagus is on1 sir1' recalls the fact forcibly to your notice4 ,when later1 #8',am and peas' can be secured1 the vision of early summer is perfect1 and is not even disturbed by boiled beans and bacon4 ,in the hot1 sultry days1 cool salads are appropriate1 and when these disappear there is a closing in of daylight and a general warning that the year is past its prime4 ,then does the #8,cheese' draw its blinds and light its gas1 stoke up its fires and announce its great puddings4 ,yet1 further ahead1 when raw ,november days come upon us1 the savoury smell of ,irish stew--that fine winter lining for the hungry--pervades the place1 and so the season goes round4 ,of all the changes brought about by the rolling year1 however1 none is so popular as the advent of the pudding1 though it means frost1 and damp1 and cold winds4 ,the pudding 7italics for #8the1' please7 has no rival in size or quality4 ,its glories have been sung in every country1 even the ,fort ,worth ,texas ,gazette having something to say on the subject4 ,the pudding ranges from fifty to sixty1 seventy1 and eighty pounds weight1 and gossip has it that in the dim past the rare dish was constructed to proportions of a hundredweight4 ,it is composed of a fine light crust in a huge china basin1 and there are entombed therein beefsteaks1 kidneys1 oysters1 larks1 mushrooms1 and wondrous spices and gravies1 the secret of which is known only to the compounder4 ,the boiling process takes about sixteen to twenty hours1 and the smell on a windy day has been known to reach as far as the ,stock ,exchange4 ,the process of carving the pudding on ,wednesdays and ,saturdays when it is served is as solemn a ceremony as the cutting of the mistletoe with the golden sickle of the ,druids4 ,the late proprietor1 ,mr4 ,beaufoy ,a4 ,moore1 could be with difficulty restrained from rising from his bed when stricken down with illness to drive to the #8,cheese' and serve out the pudding4 ,no one1 he believed1 could do it with such judicious care and judgment as he did4 ,the dining-room is fitted with rows of wooden benches and wooden tables without the slightest pretence of show4 ,but the cloths are white and clean1 and the cutlery bright1 while the china service is of that ancient and undemonstrative blue design which delighted our forefathers1 and is known as the willow pattern4 ,the glasses are large1 thick1 and heavy1 and might be used with effect in an argument4 ,but the silver is silver1 not ,brummagem1 and has seen more service than would destroy half the property of modern public-houses4 ,on the walls hang three prominent objects 7in addition to the usual advertisements of brands of champagnes and clarets71 viz41 a barometer1 a print of ,dr4 ,johnson1 and an old oil painting by ,wageman1 representing the interior of the room with a gentleman trying his steak with his knife1 a waiter holding up a port wine cork in the well-known attitude #8two with you'2 and a cat rubbing her oleaginous hide in anxious expectation against the leg of the settle4 ,this picture1 like one in the bar1 is an heirloom1 or rather a fixture1 which cannot be sold1 but must pass from landlord to landlord4 ,the fireplaces are huge and commodious1 capable of holding a hundredweight of coal at a time4 ,on a cold winter's day1 when their genial warmth penetrates every portion of the room1 and the merry flames dance and leap after each other up the capacious chimney space1 a man listens to the howling wind without1 or hears the rain pattering on the paved courts4 ,here gather poets1 painters1 lawyers1 barristers1 preachers1 journalists1 stockbrokers1 musicians1 town councillors1 and vestrymen1 with just a soupon of sporting celebrities1 and a decided dash of the impecunious #8,have beens4' ,the latter represent in the #8,cheese' colony the ,irish division in ,parliament4 ,up-stairs there are extensive ranges of kitchens1 where burnt sacrifices are being perpetually offered up in the shape of mutton and beef2 a dining room1 and a smoke-room1 dark-panelled and cosy1 where a man may forget the world and be lost to it during a much-coveted midday rest4 ,the privileged few who are allowed to go into the wondrous cellars--redolent of sawdust1 cobweb-coated1 and covered with dust--wander amidst avenues of wine-bins with wonder and astonishment at the space occupied underground as compared with the upper regions40 #bj ,they gave an entertainment on ,st4 ,luke's ,day1 and we find that on ,may #agth1 #afce1 ,mr4 ,inigo ,jones1 the ,king's surveyor1 was invited to dinner1 and very willingly came and dined with the company4 ,some of the invitations have the signature of ,verrio and ,sir ,godfrey ,kneller4 ,the ancient pictures on the wall are mostly gifts from the painters1 who were living men of the company4 ,one of the minutes in the books has justly furnished considerable entertainment from its quaint simplicity3 8,on the #ajth ,march1 #afgc10 is pronounced this censure3 8,that the painter of ,joseph and ,pottifer's ,wife and the ,fowre ,elements be fined #c #fs4 #h;d4 for such bad work40 #ba ,it may be added that the difficulties in getting admission to see old monuments in ,london seem insuperable4 ,as a general rule they are rarely open--or open at awkward hours4 ,no one about appears to know where the person in charge is to be found1 and he is usually 8out10 being busy with other functions4 ,the old ,city ,halls are jealously guarded1 and we recall how shocked the old lady housekeeper was at one of these places when admission was proposed4 ,application must be made to high officials1 who1 however1 are gracious enough in according permission4 ,the result1 however1 is long delay and loss of opportunity4 #bb ,it was thus that passing by ,st4 ,magnus's on one ,sunday afternoon1 the door open1 the organ pealing out1 we expected the usual 8,sunday service0 in the ,city1 with its dozen or so of congregation--the few old women1 the sleeping old men1 who had turned in for the purpose4 ,who could have thought of realizing so perfectly the traditional ,swift story of 8,dearly ,beloved ,roger08 ,for there was literally the minister and his clerk1 reading and responding1 the pew-opener sitting by the door1 and not a soul besides6 ,the pew-opener rose1 making a piteously imploring1 despairing appeal to remain2 the incumbent glanced over1 half-ashamed--but the intruder fled6 #bc ,some time ago there was a controversy in the papers as to the propriety of opening the churches1 ,city and others1 8for private prayer40 ,mr4 ,brook1 the rector of this pretty church of ,st4 ,mary ,woolnoth1 gave his experiences of an experiment he made in this way4 8,the abuse10 he said1 8of the privilege had been very great1 though certainly1 by reason of constant watchfulness1 not as bad as it used to be4 ,your readers will scarcely believe it when ,i mention that dozens and dozens of times men and women have actually made a public convenience of the sacred building2 others have come in and stripped themselves nearly naked in the darker corners1 for what reason no one can say2 others come for the sole purpose of altercation with the attendant1 and one lately even struck and seriously hurt her2 indeed1 if it were not for the friendly policeman on the neighbouring point1 such incidents would be of daily occurrence4 ,it was only a few weeks since a child was born on the mat in the entrance of the church1 though this is not so common as it used to be in days gone by2 and when ,i first became rector of the parish the church1 between one and two o'clock1 was regularly used as a luncheon room40 #bd ,this relic is now on the eve of being demolished4 #be ,all his visions therefore faded away3 the 8cloud-capp'd towers and gorgeous palaces0 dwindled gradually and shrank3 prose1 and questions of convenience1 took the place of this baseless fabric of a vision4 #bf ,a prelate once applied to ,pugin for a design for a new church4 ,it was to be very large1 he said1 the neighbourhood being very populous2 it must be very handsome1 as a fine ,protestant church was close by2 and it must be very cheap--they were very poor1 in fact had only --4 ,when could they expect the design8 ,the architect wrote back promptly3 8,my dear ,lord1 say thirty shillings more1 and have a tower and spire at once4 ,a4 ,w4 ,p40 #bg ,as a specimen of the unconsidered artistic trifles to be found in ,london by those who search for them1 the simple railing that runs outside in front of the grille of the ,british ,museum is worth a moment's attention4 ,the low posts1 or standards1 are capped with a little sitting lion1 exceedingly quaint and spirited in design4 ,this has often been sketched or hastily modelled by the sculptor1 for it is the work of the unfortunate ,alfred ,steevens1 who is only now being appreciated as he deserves to be4 #bh ,on the old familiar green cover of 8,pickwick10 ,mr4 ,pickwick is shown seated in a punt1 fishing1 and in the background is seen the old ,putney ,church1 with the quaint bridge4 #bi 8,there is one apartment10 says a visitor1 8looking out on an old-fashioned garden of circular laurel-beds and well-groomed hedges1 which has interest as the nursery of ,queen ,victoria--now bare like the rest1 save that it contains the toys that amused our ,queen's childhood4 ,here they repose1 a little dusty to be sure1 but not much the worse for their sixty and odd years of life4 ,on the mantelpiece is a headless horsewoman who still keeps her seat2 in a box1 carefully folded in tissue paper1 is a doll clothed in a muslin dress of fine quality1 with a delicately-worked lace cap tied under the chin1 almost hiding her bright fluffy hair4 ,then against the wall stands a three-masted1 fully-rigged ship1 six feet long1 its last voyage done4 ,by the side of the vessel is a large red doll's house of many furnished rooms1 with a kitchen1 containing a well-stocked dresser and a miniature wooden cook who had fallen on her face1 on whom ,i took pity and seated before the kitchen range4 ,i left the nursery1 and soon came to the room where the ,queen was born--an apartment of mirrors1 with paper 7one of the few rooms with wall decoration intact7 of a pleasing tint1 picked out with an heraldic device4 ,hard by is found the apartment where the ,archbishop of ,canterbury and ,lord ,conyngham kicked their heels till the timid attendant could make up her mind to rouse the sleeping ,princess1 and tell her she was ,queen of ,england40 #cj ,many years ago the town was excited by the description of a room which that clever1 erratic artist1 ,mr4 ,whistler1 had designed and painted for a gentleman of fortune1 ,mr4 ,neyland4 ,it was known as 8the ,peacock ,room10 and is all painted in blues and gold1 after the pattern of tints in the peacock's tail4 ,the dado is blue on a gold ground1 and above it the scheme is reversed1 being gold on a blue ground4 ,this rich and gorgeous arrangement is now1 probably enough1 somewhat faded4