Anonymous

“ The Painted gallery is adorned with many admirable pieces. At one end is King Charles I. on a white horse, with the Duke d’Espernon holding his helmet; the King is an august and noble figure, with some dejection in his countenance; the triumphal arch, curtain, and other parts of the back ground, are finely executed, and so kept, that the King is the principal figure that strikes the eye; at a little distance it has more of the life than a picture, and one is almost ready to get out of the horse’s way, and bow to the King. ”

“ Guildhall is at the end of a tolerable vista, which shews the building to some advantage, though the Gothic front has nothing very extraordinary in it. The hall within is a fine one, but the entrance would have been better at the lower end than in the middle, for by this means all the beauty of the perspective is lost. The ascent of steps across the hall not being opposite the gate, as it ought to have been, is another material defect. ”

“ Gunnersbury House, near Ealing, a noble and elegant structure, built by Inigo Jones, or, as some say, by Mr. Web, who was son-in-law to Inigo Jones. Indeed the architecture shews that if the plan was not drawn by that celebrated architect himself, it was designed by some of his scholars, for the building has that majestic boldness and simplicity which grace all the works of that excellent artist. It is situated on a rising ground; the approach to it from the garden is remarkably fine. ”

“ Hatton garden, Holborn, a broad straight and long street, in which the houses are pretty lofty; but tho’ they are plain and unadorned on the outside, yet there being something like regularity in the buildings, they appear to great advantage; and the street affording a fine vista, may justly be reckoned among the handsomest within the liberties of the city. ”

“ The spacious hall was erected by Juxton, and the brick edifice between the gate and this hall was begun by Archbishop Sancroft, and finished by the immortal Tillotson.
From the present structure being thus erected at different periods, it is not at all surprizing that it has but little appearance of uniformity; but the edifice, tho’ old, is in most parts strong; the corners are faced with rustic, and the top surrounded with battlements; but the principal apartments are well proportioned, and well enlightened: the Gothic work about it is irregularly disposed, and it is in itself irregular. ”

“ The steeple is light, airy, and genteel, argues a good deal of genius in the architect, and looks very well both in comparison with the body of the church, and when ’tis considered as a building by itself, in a distant prospect. ”

“ All the figures are admirably performed; the boys are done with great judgment, and by being naked make a fine contrast. The figures are placed at one end near the corner, which varies the side of the picture, and gives an opportunity to enlarge the building with a fine portico, the like of which you must imagine must be on the other side of the main structure, all which together make a noble piece of architecture. ”

“ James’s palace, and her Majesty’s new building fronting the gardens at Somerset House in the Strand; the church and piazza of Covent Garden; the first of which is universally allowed to be a master-piece of the Tuscan order, the portico at the west end, majestic in its plainness, 250and the roof so happily contrived, by extending itself beyond the wall, as both to cast a shade, which adds to the solemnity of the sacred edifice, and at the same time serves to strengthen the wall, by resting thereon its center of gravity. ”

“ A fine new built street, that extends from the end of Bridge street into St. James’s Park. The great uniformity observed in the buildings, their grandeur, and the length and straightness of this street, form a noble vista, terminated at the end next the park by very handsome iron gates supported on stone piers, and by the tall trees of the park, which at a distance resemble a thick grove. 2. A very noble street which extends from Hanover square into Conduit street; this is also broad and well paved, and has several very fine houses built and inhabited by noblemen and people of the first rank. ”

“ No historian, orator or poet, can possibly give so great an idea of the eloquent and zealous apostle as this figure does: for there we see a person, whose face and action no words can sufficiently describe; but which assure us as much as those can, that that divine man must speak with good sense and to the purpose. ”

“ The tapestry is ancient but very rich, the lights being all gold, and the shadows silk; the subjects are, Hercules and the Hydra, and Midas with his ass’s ears. The chair of state and stools are of crimson damask fringed with the same colour. Over the chimney is a whole length of Christiern IV. King of Denmark, by Van Somer. This picture, as most of the large ones are, is decorated round the frame on the outside with festoons of fruit and flowers, finely carved in high-relief. ”

“ See the articles Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, and Gray’s Inn.
Though these societies are no corporation, and have no judicial power over their members, they have certain orders among themselves, which have by consent the force of laws: for small offences, they are only excommoned, or not allowed to eat at the common table with the rest; and for greater offences they lose their chambers, and are expelled the college, after which they are not to be received by any of the other three Inns of court. ”

“ The great road from Chichester and Portsmouth lies through the town, which has been always famous for good inns, the cleanest of linen, and other excellent accommodations; and as the river Wey is made navigable to this town, a great quantity of timber is carried down it to London, not only from this neighbourhood, but from the Sussex and Hampshire woods, above thirty miles off, from whence it is brought to Guilford in the summer by land carriage. ”

“ This Inn has its chief entrance out of Holborn through a large gate, though it is seated far backwards, and though with its gardens it takes up almost all the west side of Gray’s Inn lane. It consists of several well-built courts, particularly Holborn court, Coney court, and another at the entrance into the garden. The hall where the gentlemen of the society dine and sup is large and commodious; but the chapel is too small; it is a Gothic structure, and has marks of much greater antiquity than any other part of the building. ”

“ No more than two thousand pounds can be insured on one house in a policy: but halls, hospitals, and other large buildings, divided by brick or stone partitions, may each be insured in several policies.
At the expiration of policies, or whatever time the property in their houses ceases, all persons may on application to the office, receive the deposit, together with the dividends of profit made every year from the premium and interest of money, after the charges of the office are paid, deducting their proportion of contributions towards losses, during the time they have been insured. ”

“ Some of the inner rooms are too close and confined; but there are many others open and pleasant in themselves, with the advantage of being convenient, and of affording very agreeable prospects. For as this palace is situated on the bank of the Thames, it affords a fine view up and down the river, and, from the higher apartments, a prospect of the country each way.
The palace, with the rows of trees before it, and the church of Lambeth adjoining, when viewed from the Thames, make a very pretty picturesque appearance, and this is the view which is here given. ”

“ This fine room has an entrance into the portico on the back front, which is supported by columns, and from the finest of the prospect over the Thames, is a delightful place to sit in, during the 111afternoon in the summer season; for it being contrived to face the south east, the sun never shines on it after two o’clock; but extending its beams over the country, enlivens the beautiful landscape that lies before this part of the edifice. On entering the garden from the house, you ascend a noble terrace, which affords a delightful view of the neighbouring country ”

“ Here is also a handsome free school, and three charity schools; but tho’ the splendor of the town is much diminished, since the north road from London was turned through Ware, yet the county jail is still kept here, and the jail delivery in the castle. This town has the honour of giving the title of Earl to the Duke of Somerset, and of sending two members to parliament. The chief commodities of its market are wool, wheat, and malt, and it is said to send 5000 quarters of malt weekly to London by the river Lea. ”

“ Honey lane market, behind the north side of Cheapside, facing Bow church. After the fire of London, Honey lane, and other buildings, were converted into this market, among which was the parish church of Allhallows Honey lane. It is the smallest market in the city, being but 193 feet in length from east to west, and 97 from north to south. In the middle is a market house, which stands on pillars, has rooms over it, and is crowned with a bell tower. In this market there are 135 standing stalls for butchers covered over, and also several stalls for fruiterers ”

“ Leadenhall, a very large building of great antiquity in Leadenhall street, with flat battlements leaded at the top, and a spacious square in the middle. In this edifice are the warehouse for the selling of leather, the Colchester baize hall, the meal warehouse, and the wool hall.
Leadenhall Market, the largest market in the city of London, and perhaps in Europe, consists of five considerable squares, or courts, the first of which opens by a large Gothic gate into Leadenhall street. ”

“ Indeed here is the greatest variety of fine buildings that are any where to be met with in so small a compass, and they are so far uniform, as to be all sashed and to be pretty near of an equal height. The area of this square contains about five acres, and in the middle is a large garden surrounded with palisado pales placed upon a circular dwarf wall. This garden is laid out into walks, and adorned with an equestrian statue of King George I. gilt, which stands upon a pedestal in the center. ”

“ And therefore a seaman who can produce an authentic certificate of his being disabled, and rendered unfit for the sea service, by defending any ship belonging to his Majesty’s British subjects, or in taking any ship from the enemy, may be admitted into this hospital, and receive the same benefit from it, as if he had been in his Majesty’s immediate service.
There are at present near 2000 old or disabled seamen, and an hundred boys, the sons of seamen, instructed in navigation, and bred up for the service of the royal navy: but there are no out-pensioners, as at Chelsea. ”

“ Over the chimney piece is an old painting, said to be Raphael’s, representing Jupiter’s throne, by which is the thunder, and his eagle in the clouds.
The Queen’s gallery, which is about seventy feet long, and twenty-five feet wide, is hung with seven beautiful pieces of tapestry, representing the history of Alexander the Great, and done after the famous paintings of Le Brun; they are however not placed according to chronology, for some of the last actions of Alexander’s life are placed before those which preceded them. ”

“ It is of the Corinthian order, and makes a very good figure in the street, but has no affinity to the church, which is very heavy, and would be better suited with a Tuscan portico. The tower and steeple at the west, is a very extraordinary structure. On the top standing on a round pedestal or altar, is a colossal statue of the late 6King, supported by a pyramid. At the corners near the base are alternately placed the lion and unicorn the British supporters, with festoons between: these animals being very large, are injudiciously placed over columns very small, which makes them appear monsters. ”

“ Several of the inhabitants of Westminster having resolved to settle an hospital like that of Christ Church in the city of London, where poor orphans might not only be furnished with all the necessaries of life, but instructed in manual arts, in the year 1633 obtained a charter from King Charles I. by which they were constituted a body politic and corporate, by the appellation of The Governors of the hospital of St. Margaret’s Westminster, of the foundation of King Charles; to consist of twenty Governors, inhabitants of Westminster, with the right of purchasing lands, tenements, &c. ”

“ Hampstead, a pleasant village in Middlesex, situated near the top of a hill about four miles on the north west side of London. On the summit of this hill is a heath, which is adorned with many gentlemen’s houses, and extends about a mile every way, affording a most extensive and delightful prospect over the city as far as Shooter’s Hill, and into the counties all around it. This village used to be formerly resorted to for its mineral waters; and there is here a fine assembly room for dancing. ”

“ Guy’s Hospital, in Southwark, for the cure of sick and lame persons, was founded by Mr. Thomas Guy, a citizen and bookseller of London, who from a small beginning amassed an immense fortune, by his industry and frugality; and more particularly by purchasing seamen’s tickets in the reign of Queen Anne ”