property of the crown in the reign of Henry VIII. by exchange for other lands. In 1652 this park contained six hundred and twenty acres. During the Usurpation, it was sold in different lots, and produced 17,0687. 6s. 8d. including the timber and the deer. The crown lands being resumed after the Restoration, the park was replenished with deer, and surrounded by a brick wall,, having before been fenced with pales. It has been considerably reduced since the survey in 1652, partly by buildings between Hyde Park Corner and Park Lane, but principally by the planting of Kensington Gardens. A survey taken in 1790, makes its present extent appear to be three hundred and ninety-four acres, two rods, thirty-eight perches. In the upper part, adjoining to Kensington Gardens, are some fine trees, and the scenery is very pleasing. The large canal, called the Serpentine River (which has so often proved fatal to adventurous skaiters and desponding suicides) was made by queen Caroline in 1730; the water being supplied by a small stream which rises at Bayswater, and falls into the Thames near Ranelagh, dividing the parish of Chelsea from that of St. George, Hanover Square. Hyde Park has been long a favourite place for taking the air, and exhibiting fine coaches, fine horses, and expert horsenianship. Ludlow, in his Memoirs, has the following curious remark: "May 1, 1654. This day was more observed for people going a maying than for divers years past. Great resort to Hyde Park: many hundreds of rich coaches, and gallants in attire, but most shameful powdered haired men, and painted spotted women."-In Hyde Park also, the troops in and about the metropolis, are exercised and frequently reviewed with great strictness and regularity. * In Grosvenor Place is the LOCK HOSPITAL, the uses of which are sufficiently designated under the terms, poverty and sickness, the consequence of guilt. The establishment. is upon a most respectable footing; every attention is paid to the temporal comforts of the afflicted, and attached to the hospital is a neat chapel, which is constantly supplied * Lysons. by by eminent public preachers, who forcibly impress upon their audience the necessity of forsaking the error of their ways, to seek the paths of rectitude and wisdom. Near Hyde Park Corner, on the south side of the road, is ST. GEORGE'S HOSPITAL. The centre part was the scat of James Lane, viscount Lanesborough, who died there in 1724. He is recorded by Pope in this memorable line: Sober Lanesborough dancing with the gout!* This hospital first opened for the admission of patients, on the first day of January, 1734, and has ever since been supported by voluntary subscriptions and donations, and so well attended and managed, that now it is one of the most flourishing in the kingdom. Here are admitted the poor, sick, and lame, who are supplied with advice, medicine, diet, washing, lodging, and some of the more distressed even with cloaths. The physicians visit their patients on Mondays and Fridays, and on all intermediate days whenever occasion requires; but the surgeon attends every day; and on every Friday morning there is a general consultation of all the physicians and surgeons. No security for the burial of the patients is required, nor any money, gift, or reward taken of them, or their friends, on any account whatever. Those who die, if their friends are unable to bury them, are interred at the charge of the governors. And the money collected in the poor box at the door, is kept as a separate fund for furnishing those with little sums of money, whose distance from their habitations, or other particular necessities, require it. The apothecaries, who are governors, are appointed to attend by rotation as visitors, to see that the apothecary of the house takes due care of the medicines and patients. Two visitors are chosen weekly out of the subscribers, to attend daily, and take care, by examining the provision and patients, that the orders of the governors are punctually ob *This nobleman caused the upper gallery round the dome of St. Paul's cathedral to be gilt at his expence; hence it has been called "The Golden Gallery." served, served, that the patients are treated in every respect with care and tenderness, and to make a report in writing of their observations. Prayers are read daily to the patients; a sermon is preached every Sunday, the communion is administered every month, and the chaplain attends at other times to catechize and perform other religious offices, as often as their cases require; and when the patients are discharged, religious tracts are given to each of them, for their farther edification. A board of governors meet every Wednesday morning to do the current business of the hospital, to receive and examine the reports of the visitors, to discharge and admit patients, to receive the complaints and proposals of all persons, and to prepare such matters as are proper for the consideration of general boards. A general board of the governors meet regularly five times a year. The other regulations of this hospital are, that 1. No person is to be admitted a patient, except in cases of accident, without a note from a governor or contributor, specifying the name and place of abode of such patient, and that he or she is a proper object of this charity. "2. All recommendations are to be delivered every Wednesday morning by nine o'clock. 3. In case out-patients neglect coming two weeks successively on the day and hour they are ordered to attend, such outpatients shall be discharged for irregularity, except they have had leave from their physician. 4. No person discharged for irregularity is to be again admitted into the hospital, upon any recommendation whatever. 5. No patient is to be suffered to go out of the hospital without leave in writing; and to avoid giving offence, no leave is to be given to any patient to go into St. James's Park; or the Green Park, called Constitution Hill. 6. No governor, officer, or servant, must at any time presume, on pain of expulsion, to take of any tradesmen, pa tient, or other person, any fee, reward, or gratification of any kind, directly or indirectly, for any service done, or to be done, on account of this hospital. 7. No 7. No person subscribing less than two guineas a year, can recommend more than two in-patients in the year. "8. When there is not room for all the patients recommended at one time to be received into the hospital, those are taken in whose admission the board are of opinion, will most effectually answer the end of the charity; and the rest, if proper objects, are admitted out-patients, till there is room for them." This hospital enjoys a fine situation, and has all the benefit of a clear and pure air. It is a very neat, though not an expensive building; and though it is extremely plain, yet it is not void of ornament. It has two small wings, and a large centre. On the top of this part of the building is a pediment raised above the rest of the edifice, which is ornamented with an inscription, expressing the noble use to which the structure is applied. One of the grand western entrances into the metropolis, is marked by an ascent from Knightsbridge to the turnpike at Hyde Park Corner, which at night is enlivened by the lustre of several lamps, at once decorative and useful. The road is bounded on the north and south sides by the wall of Hyde Park, and by the railing of St. James's Park, so that the traveller after the fatigue of many miles, is gratified with the pleasing and picturesque appearance of this entrance, which has every thing to recommend it, but the uneven, and sometimes dangerous pavement of Piccadilly; otherwise the stately palaces of the nobility on the north side, contrasted by the fine landscape over St. James's Park, and bounded by the Surrey hills, form a tout ensemble, equally agreeable and interesting. Thus closes our account of the Circuit of London, and this portion of the present undertaking. ADDENDA. Comprising various necessary Corrections, and an Account of such Improvements as have taken Place in and about London since the Commencement of this Work. IT. vor 2 GRESHAM LECTURES. P. 114. after the first paragraph add: 'T were well if more care could be paid to these lec tures. They are, in many instances, very badly attended; why? we will not take upon us to determine. We cannot, however, resist the remark, that where such a fund has been appointed by the liberality of so great a benefactor, it is a pity that what was so well intended by Sir, Thomas Gresham, is not better conducted. The profes sors appointed by the corporation, or the Gresham committee, ought to be more than mere non-entities; they ought to be duly qualified, and well recommended for abilities and due attention to the charge imposed upon them; their situations ought not to be sirecures. The Gresham lectures, especially in this inquisitive age, would then be worthy the notice of those for whose instruction they were founded. It is an insult upon common sense, to see, probably, one or two gaping auditors lounging away an insignificant hour in listening to a drawling comment, which has nothing new, instructive, or interesting, as a recommendation of the subject. What would professors Gunter, Sir C. Wren, Briggs, Greaves, Dr. Bull, Sir W. Petty, Clarke, Winston, Maple, toft, Woodward, Ward, &c. say to all this? L. 22, after "name,” add, "is the EAGLE INSURANCE OFFICE, against loss or damage by fire." The capital of this institution is estimated at two millions. This office began by holding out to insurers the following VOL. VI. No. 145. 4 D advantages; |