LEIGH,

OR, as it is sometimes written, Lea, is a small village on the Essex shore of the Thames, and one of the first objects that strikes the eye of the mariner on the entrance of his vessel into that river. It is principally inhabited by fishermen at the same time it has a sufficient degree of trade to require the establishment of a custom-house. The parish church stands on an eminence, which rises to a considerable height from the water, with the Parsonage-house beside it, and forms a picturesque object. It is an ancient structure, but contains nothing worthy of particular notice. The tower is mantled with ivy, from which, in the language of the poet,

"The owl may to the moon complain."

The village is in the bottom by the side of the water; and, aided by the masts of the vessels that its trade collects thither, becomes a pretty feature of the landscape.

The View, as represented in the Plate, looks up the river, comprehending, with the objects already mentioned, Canvey Island, and Hadleigh Castle, in the distance. It is taken from the top of the Cliffs near South End.

About two miles below Leigh is the eastern termination of the jurisdiction of the City of London on the Essex shore of the river. A stone appears on the bank, called the Crow Stone. It is inscribed with the names of several of the mayors of London, who have officially visited the spot. Sir Charles Flower, Bart. who enjoyed the metropolitan chair during the year 1809, appears to have been the last whe viewed this point of his municipal power.

SOUTH END.

THIS place has, within a few years, risen into notice, and from being, in a great measure, unknown, even by name to the inhabitants of the metropolis, has lately risen to a comparative consequence in that class of provincial towns or villages, whose situation allures the idle and the gay, the opulent and the unhealthy, to seek for variety, pleasure, or salt water, during the summer season.

It is situated in the parish of Prittlewell, on the north eastern extremity of the shore of the Thames in the county of Essex. It is opposite to the Isle of Grain, which forms the south eastern or Kentish shore, forming one side of the mouth of the Medway. The Isle of Sheppy forms the other, and with the fortress and naval scenery of Sheerness, presents itself to the view of South End, across the broad confluence of those rivers. At the end of what is called the Nore Land is a floating light, placed in a hulk, for the safety of the navigation: around it the guard-ships are stationary, while the scene is ever varying from the numerous vessels, which British commerce is unceasingly receiving into its bosom; or dismissing, laden with its treasures, to every part of the world.

South End may certainly boast a very delightful situation, from its being placed in the highly cultivated shore of the finest river in Europe, where it assumes a grandeur suited to the ocean which it approaches. But while it possesses what may be denominated a large extent of marine prospect, it is not without its portion of sylvan beauty. At the same time its contiguity to London is a favourable circumstance, as the distance is only forty miles, and the road which leads to the metropolis is through a very pleasing country: from this ready communication, either by land or by water, it has an advantage over every other place of summer amusement of the same description.