quite a contrast to the splendour of the paintings. These rooms are situated House of Lords, and may be to many on the north side of the Bishops' Corrisomewhat an agreeable contrast; its dor, which leads from the Victoria lengthis 84 feet, width 45 feet, and height Hall to the Peers' Libraries in the river 43 feet. The ceiling is flat in the centre, front. The Commons' refreshment having its sides standing at about an rooms will be very similar to the Peers', angle of 45 degrees; it is divided into with the exception of being somewhat compartments by ribs, which continue plainer in detail. The clock to be down the sloping sides on to the caps of placed in the Clock Tower will be of cothe columns, which rest on carved lossal size, the dial being 30 feet in diacorbels; each compartment is subdivided meter. The entire cost of the Palace into smaller ones, with ribs having will be, when completed, not less than shields at their intersections emblazoned, one million and a half. To see the running all round the House between House of Peers, an order must be obthe ceiling and the window-heads in an tained from the Lord Chamberlain, oak frieze, carved with shields and available on Wednesdays and Saturdays, foliage. An oak gallery runs all round when the House is not sitting. To hear the House, supported by posts at in- the debates, it must be a peer's order; tervals, having carved heads and span- and to hear the Commons' debate, a drils springing from them, supporting the member's order, which is easily obmain ribs. Part of the underside of the tained.

gallery is coved, in order to improve the KENSINGTON GARDENS.-The entire sound, which would otherwise be in a circumference of these delightful grounds great measure absorbed by the project- is about two miles and three quarters. ing galleries. The strangers' gallery is at They were tastefully laid out by Bridgthe south end, in front of which is the man, Kent, and Brown, in the French Speaker's orders gallery; at the north style of the seventeenth century, under end is the reporters' gallery, over the direction of Caroline, Queen of which is the ladies' gallery, being be- George II. Though somewhat formal, hind a stone screen. The arrangement there is a pleasing variety of wild, culof the building is such that the Speaker, tivated, garden, and pasture ground. whose chair is at the north end of the The perspectives are charmingly arHouse, could see the Queen sitting on ranged; and the water is so disposed her throne in the House of Peers, pro- as to produce the best possible effect. vided all intervening doors were open. The gardens are open daily till sunset, Both the Commons and Lords Libra- and are much frequented during the ries consist of four commodious rooms season by fashionables in the afternoon looking on to the river; the ceilings are of the music days, and the public genewood paneling, decorated with various de- rally on Sundays. During the months signs in the Gothic style. The Peers' re- of June, July, and August the band of freshment room is 102 feet long, 19 wide, the Life Guards or Oxford Blues play in and 15 high. In the centre is an oak the afternoon (twice a week) in the screen, of elaborate workmanship, which gardens, near the Serpentine. constitutes the bar, into which provisions LONDON WALL.-Remnants of this are brought by means of a "lift" from interesting relic may be seen in St. Marthe kitchens below. The decorations of tin's-court, Ludgate-hill; behind some the ceiling, which is of wood, are ex-houses in the Old Bailey; and also in ceedingly simple, consisting of different Cripplegate Churchyard, where there is kinds of fruits in Gothic design. The a tolerably complete bastion, forming panels on the wall are at present filled the end of Barber-surgeons' Hall. with crimson paper but it is intended at There is also a part behind the houses some future time to fill them with in Trinity-square, on the west side of a

vacant plot of ground in George-street, the iron balcony, from which a noble Tower-hill. prospect of the vast metropolis and the LONDON STONE. Against Saint surrounding scenery is obtained. It Swithin's Church in Cannon - street, was commenced in 1671, and completed City. See Chapter VI. in 1677, on the spot where formerly MANSION HOUSE, City.--Erected by stood the parish church of St. MarDance. This is the residence of the Lord garet. The inscription on the pedestal Mayor during his official year, and was ascribing the conflagration to the completed 1753. The principal room treachery and malice of the Papist facis the Egyptian Hall. The beauty of tion, and which gave rise to the followthe exterior is much defaced by an ing couplet of Popeupper story; still the columns are fine

a stone

and the design bold. MINT, Tower Hill. Is building, designed by Mr. Johnson Like a tall bully, lifts its head and lies”and Sir R. Smirke. It consists of

"Where London's column pointing to the skies,

three storys, having a centre and wings; having been universally considered to the former ornamented with columns be unjust, has been erased. Open daily, and a pediment, displaying the British Sundays excepted, from eight o'clock arms; and the latter with pilasters. till sunset. Admission 6d. ExplanaThs building is well adapted to business, natory description, 6d. particularly to the purpose intended. MUSEUM-ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURHere are steam-engines, and also valu- GEONS, Lincoln's-inn-fields.-This colable mechanical contrivances. The lection is the result of the labours of Mint is inaccessible to strangers, unless John Hunter, and was made at an enorthey can obtain an order from the Mas-mous cost, reflecting the highest honour ter of the Mint, or have a special re- on the perseverance of the collector. commendation, or immediate business John Hunter was born at Long Calderwith the officers. The whole of the wood, near Glasgow, in the year 1728; interior is lighted with gas. and at an early age was employed in the

MONUMENT, Fish-street Hill.—This shop of a cabinet-maker. His brother's noble column, remarkable in itself, and celebrity as a surgeon induced him to still more so for the melancholy event follow his profession, and from that it was erected to commemorate, is of time he devoted himself with unrivalled the fluted Doric order. It was erected zeal to the study of natural history, by Sir Christopher Wren, in commemo- especially as relating to the human ration of the great fire of 1666, which species. The growth, development, and destroyed nearly the whole of the me- forms of organized beings, and their relatropolis, from the Tower to the Temple tion to each other, were the subjects of Church. On the west side of the pe- his investigations. The fossil remains destal is a bas-relief by Cibber, emble- of plants and animals of extinct races matical of this fearful event, in which he industriously collected, and arranged King Charles is surrounded by Liberty, them according to their order. Genius, and Science, giving directions 1768 he was appointed second surgeon for the restoration of the City. The to St. George's Hospital, and his mudiameter at the base is 15 feet, and the seum made astonishing progress; its height of the shaft 120 feet; the cone objects being the illustration (by preat the top, with its blazing urn of gilt paration of models and dissections) of brass, measures 42 feet, and the height natural history, comparative anatomy, of the pedestal is 40 feet; within the physiology, and pathology. He died of column is a flight of 345 steps of black disease of the heart, in 1792. The marble, by which access can be had to museum, when John Hunter died, con

In

66

tained 10,000 preparations; the collec- to the outside, while the internal artion of which cost £70,000. The col- rangements are so admirably adapted lection occupies two rooms; the larger for state occasions, that they are uniof which is 91 feet long, 39 broad, and versally allowed to be the most com35 feet high, and was purchased by the modious in Europe for drawing-rooms, College of Surgeons, of John Hunter's levees, &c. The state apartment in widow, for £15,000. It then contained which Queen Victoria was proclaimed 1,000 skeletons, 3,000 objects of natu- is usually designated the Tapestry ral history, 2,500 specimens of patho- Room," from its gorgeous tapestries, logy. The additions to the museum representing the amours of Venus and since Hunter's death have been very Mars. The large bay window of this large, and in one year are said to have room, facing the quadrangle, is the cost £3,000. The objects most likely spot where the sovereigns of England to be interesting to the casual visitor have been hitherto proclaimed. The folare the skeletons of the Megatherium lowing is a copy of the proclamation and that of O'Brien, the Irish giant, of Queen Victoria :- Proclamationwho measured, when dead, 8 feet 4 in.;" Whereas it hath pleased Almighty in contrast to this is the skeleton of a God to call to his mercy our late sovedwarf, 20 inches high. Here, also, is reign lord King William the Fourth, the skeleton of an elephant, 12 feet of blessed memory, by whose decease 4 inches high, with a giraffe on the one the Imperial Crown of the United Kingside, and a camel on the other. The dom of Great Britain and Ireland is most interesting object in the collection solely and rightfully come to the high is the skeleton of an extinct animal, a and mighty Princess Alexandrina Vicgigantic sloth, dug up at Buenos Ayres, toria. We, therefore, the Lords spiin 1841. Its limbs are three times the ritual and temporal of this realm, being thickness of those of the hippopotamus here assisted with those of his late Mawhich stand beside it. There are also jesty's Privy Council, with numbers of here several mummies, one unopened, other principal gentlemen of quality, supposed to be of great antiquity. The with the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and catalogue fills three quarto volumes. Citizens of London, do now hereby, Mode of Admission. By a personal with one voice and consent of tongue introduction by either of the fellows or and heart, publish and proclaim that members of the College, or by a written the high and mighty Princess Alexanorder from members, available from drina Victoria is now, by the death of twelve to four on Mondays, Tuesdays, the late sovereign, of happy memory, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Strangers become not only lawful and rightful in London may apply to the curator at liege lady, Alexandrina Victoria, by the the College. grace of God, Queen of Great Britain NATIONAL GALLERY OF PICTURES, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c., BY THE OLD MASTERS, Trafalgar- &c. To whom we acknowledge all faith square. For contents, see Chap. VIII. and constant obedience, with all humble

PALACE, ST. JAMES'S, Pall Mall.--and hearty affection, beseeching God, Built by Henry VIII., about 1537. by whom kings and queens do reign, The sovereigns of England have kept to bless the Royal Princess Alexandrina their court at St. James's ever since Victoria with long and happy years the Palace of Whitehall was destroyed to reign over us. God save the Queen. by fire in 1697. It is an irregular Given at our Court at Kensington this brick building, without any pretension 20th day of June, in the year of our to ornament; that part in which are Lord, 1837, and in the first year of our the rooms of state being only one reign." story high, gives a uniform appearanee

PARK, HYDE.-Between four and six

o'clock, p.m., from May to July.
also Chap. XVI.
ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL.-To offer tico of eight columns of the Composite
an encomium upon the building is to try order, supporting a sculptured pediment.
to "add perfume to the violet." Next The entablature represents the history of
to St. Peter's at Rome, St. Paul's of Lon- St. Paul's Conversion, in basso-relievo,
don is invariably named by foreigners. by Francis Bird. On the apex of the pe-
Sir Christopher Wren says, when he diment is a statue of St. Paul, and on the
searched the foundations of old St. sides, of St. James, St. Peter, and the
Paul's, he found clear indications of the four Evangelists: The north-west turret
original presbyterium, and it was his contains the belfry, the south-west the
opinion, that the Christians built a church clock, the pendulum of which, is 14 feet
upon this spot in the time of the Ro- long, weight at the end, 1 cwt.; minute-
'mans. Our limits will not permit us hands on exterior dials measure eight
to detail the early history of St. Paul's. feet, and weigh 75lbs. each; hour-hands
Underneath the cathedral is the five feet five inches, and weigh 44lbs.;
subterranean church of St. Faith's, length of figures two feet, two and a half
whither the stationers at the time of inches. The bell which strikes the hours
the great fiire, (1666) ran with their has been heard twenty miles off. It is only
stationery, hoping to secure it; it is tolled on the death of a member of the
needless to say all perished. The an- Royal Family, the Lord Mayor, Bishop
cient cathedral has been described as of London, or Dean of the Cathedral.
one of the great works of architecture The tower and dome are seen to great ad-
of the middle ages, and a most beautiful vantage from Blackfriars Bridge. The
Gothic; it was pre-eminent in this king-interior of St. Paul's is said, by critics, to
dom for dimensions and magnificence. bear no comparison with St. Peter's at
The famous Paul's Cross, which stood Rome. Observe the marble under the
before the cathedral, was a pulpit in the dome, the dark part being a complete
open air, from which divines and poli- mariner's compass. The cupola was
ticians preached their doctrines, and painted by Sir James Thornhill, the
their creeds to loungers from the court subject from the history of St. Paul.
and city. It was also used for promul- The wrought iron screens separating the
gating laws and giving force to oaths, as choir from the nave, and the carving of
well as for defaming those who offended the stalls, by Grinling Gibbons, should be
royalty. The first stone of the present noticed. The altar is by Sir Christopher
cathedral was laid in June, 1675; com- Wren. The first monument was placed
pleted 1710. It is somewhat remarkable in St. Paul's, 1796, viz., that of Howard
that during the 35 years of its building, the philanthropist, by Bacon.
one bishop filled the see of London, one crypt contains a monument to Lord
architect designed it, and one mason Nelson, and besides several other memo-
completed it, viz., Dr. Compton, Sir rials, a remarkable one of Donne, the poet,
Christopher Wren, and Mr. Strong. designed by himself, representing him
It is built of Portland stone. The west as a corpse. There are in the cathedral
front portico, facing Ludgate-hill, forms the following monuments :-

See the grand entrance, and consists of twelve
Corinthian columns, with an upper por-

The

N. Transept N. Transept Here are interred the following eminent