SOUTH WALL. Near the chief magistrate's chair, is a fine half-length of the late Marquis CORNWALLIS, leaning his left hand on a rock; his right supported by his cane, his

head uncovered.

In the centre is an excellent picture of THE DEATH OF DAVID RIZZIO. The figures finely grouped, and the story most affectingly represented.

Below are two charming paintings:

I. CONJUGAL AFFECTION, OR INDUSTRY AND PRUDENCE; by R. Smirke, R. A.

The subject of this picture is intended to represent conjugal and domestic happiness, as the result of prudence, industry, and a well regulated life. It is supposed to be the family of a merchant or tradesman, whose personal exertions in his profession (assisted by the co-operation of a wife of congenial mind, no less assiduous in her proper sphere) have raised him, even in the prime of life, to senatorial importance in the councils of his fellow-citizens. A father, mother, and three children, are introduced. The time of the composition is supposed to be just when the father is quitting, for the business of the morning, a family who shares and returns his affection. The youngest, an infant female, is soliciting his caresses; an elder boy with a ledger, requesting instructions of his father, shews his future destination; and the other, leaning on his mother's knee, appears, by a book in his hand, to have been under her tuition. On the part of the wife, an affectionate attention to the companion of her life, is meant chiefly to be impressed on her countenance; and, sharing all the tender feelings which agitate the breast of her husband, the work of her needle, and the instruction of her child, are at that moment suspended.

The accompaniments of the group, or other decorations of the scene, are intended to explain the subject, and illustrate those excellent qualities, which are supposed to have given success to their mutual labours.

Behind the principal figure is an escritoir, on the top of which is placed a small statue, in the robes of an ancient magistrate, representing Sir R. Whittington, the celebrated mayor of this city; whose industry and good fortune have become proverbial. Its pedestal is formed of several steps: at each end of the lowest stands a beehive, to shew that industry is the basis of prosperity; and also,

also, that it is by gradations the man of business rises to honour and wealth. A clock is introduced, to shew, that a strict atten tion to the progress of time, is essential to regularity and promptitude in every profession; and its embellishments, the cock, the owl, and cornucopiæ, denote, that the dawn of morning, and the shades of evening, begin and terminate the labours of an industrious man;-those wise and well directed labours which are continually recompensed with abundance. The two uppermost pictures, which serve as ornaments to the apartment, represent Commerce and Agriculture; and the subject of the larger historical one below, is the Parable of the Talents (mentioned in Matthew, 25.), where the master commends and rewards the faithful servants, who had, by their assiduity, doubled the sum which had been committed to their care.

On one side, a servant attends with the gown of an alderman; intimating, that his master, who had arrived to that dignity, was then going to attend upon public business. The dog by his side, is the symbol of fidelity and attachment, the honourable charac teristics of his station. Near him, an open window discovers a view on the river, with shipping, wharfs, and other appearances of traffic, alluding as well to the particular avocations of the principal personage, as to the commercial importance of this great city.

Those emblematical accompaniments on the other side of the picture, are intended to illustrate the feminine and conjugal virtues, and such duties as are more immediately applicable to the wife. Implements of industry lie near her, on the table. The cat placed at her feet, is the emblem of that personal neatness, which not only gives a value, but is essential to female excellence. The bird singing in its cage, has an obvious allusion to the qualitier that properly belong to her conjugal situation;—a cheerful submission to the restraints which duty and affection impose: for the range of a virtuous wife is necessarily confined, as the chief objects of her worldly regards are, to the narrow limits of her own domains and cheerfulness as naturally diffuses happiness to all within the sphere of its influence, as light and heat are communicated by the sun; but in no instance is it more valuable, than in the twofold character of Mother and Wife: the husband finds in it a healing balm to the wounds inflicted by care, and their mutual offspring a source of harmony and peace.

Through

Through the opening of a window, on the same side of the picture, the spire of a church is seen; and is intended to shew, that religion, though it is the peculiar ornament, and best security of the fair sex, is still necessary to the successful exertions of industry, and the full enjoyment of its fruits; for without the bles sing of Heaven, the utmost efforts of man, and all his hopes of repose and happiness in society, are delusive and vain.

II. THE MISERIES OF CIVIL WAR; from Shakespere's Henry IV.

On the NORTH WALL, a fine portrait, by Sir Joshua Reynolds, of LORD HEATHFIELD, holding a key with both hands, in allusion to his office as governor and keeper of Gibraltar.

Mr. Northcote, has bestowed some of the best efforts of his masterly pencil by two extremely fine and characteristic representations of the MALE AND FEMALE TIGER, placed under the portraits of Marquis CORNWALLIS, and Lord HEATHFIELD.

Here are also portraits of those naval heroes, Earl Howe, Lord Viscount DUNCAN, and Lord Viscount NELSON.

THE DEATH OF WAT TYLER. This is a painting of very great merit. The complacent and magnanimous deportment of King Richard, contrasted with the surprise and resentment of the populace on account of the fallen traitor, are exhibited in a masterly manner.

The portraits of Lord RODNEY, and Lord Viscount HOOD, the naval heroes, during the American war; two pictures of SEA-FIGHTS; and several prints of the NEW Docks, ornament the wall without the inclosure.

Over the chimney piece, on the east side, is the model of the fine alto relievo, executed by Banks, for the front of the Shakespere Gallery, Pall Mall; and two pictures:

I. THE PROCESSION OF THE LORD MAYOR AND LIVERY COMPANIES TO WESTMINSTER HALL, BY WATER, ON LORD MAYOR'S DAY.

II. THE CEREMONY OF SWEARING IN MR. ALDERMAN NEWNHAM, AS LORD MAYOR, IN GUILDHALL, ON THE 8th oF NOVEMBER, 1781. This picture exhibits nearly M m

VOL. III. No. 61,

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the length of Guildhall; the figures are portraits of the principal members of the corporation at that time.

An admirable portrait of the late Mr. Alderman BOYDELL, the liberal donor of most of the paintings we have recited, habited in all the insignia of his office as lord mayor of London.

Mr. BOYDELL's portrait is appropriately attended by two pictures of MINERVA, and APOLLO.

Above these paintings are three fine imitations of alto relievo.

We close this account of the embellishments which grace the COMMON COUNCIL CHAMBER, by noticing an engraved plate, above the marble of the chimney, which records the following Resolution :

"At a Court of Common Council, Feb. 27, 1800, on the motion of Mr. Deputy Goodbehere, it was resolved, That the members of this corporation, grateful for the delight afforded them, as often as they assemble in this court, by the splendid collection of paintings presented by Mr. Aderman Boydell, entertaining an affectionate sense of the honour done them by that celebrated patron of arts, and proud of the relation in which they stand to him as fellowcitizens, do, in testimony of those feelings, request him to sit for his portrait, to an artist of his own choice: conscious, however, that hereby they are only requesting him to confer a new gratification on themselves and their successors, and unwilling that, amidst such and so many remembrances of sublime characters and illustrious actions, his portrait should be wanting, who, discerning in the discovery, and munificent in the encouragement, of merit in others, combined in his own character private integrity with public spirit, and solid honesty with a highly cultivated taste."

We have thus completed our intention of giving an ample description of Guildhall, respecting its more important divisions. It may be necessary to state that there are various offices, and courts within, and attached to the building, which to describe here would be needless.

The

The

The architecture of the great hall is in its original state, only in the lower range of windows, which are pointed, and bounded by tiers of trefoil pannels. The intermediate clustered pillars, and the arcades, are very beautiful. great eastern and western windows, are exquisitely divided X.6 by mullions and tracery, in the best antient florid style. X This hall is in length one hundred and fifty-three feet, breadth forty-eight, and altitude fifty-feet to the roof, which is flat, and divided into pannels. It is sufficiently capacious to contain nearly seven thousand persons.

GUILDHALL CHAPEL,

situate between Blackwell Hall and Guildhall, is dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen and All Saints, was founded in the year 1299, and called London College.

This chapel or college was surrendered among others. The chapel remained to the mayor and commonalty, who bought it of King Edward VI. and divers other messuages, lands, tenements, and hereditaments in the city of London, for the sum of 4567. 13s. 4d. upon their humble petition; the yearly value being computed to be 401. 6s. 8d. The date of the patent was April 10, to commence from the feast of the annunciation of the blessed Virgin, in the third of the said king's reign; and the city holds it in soccage of the manor of Greenwich,

Upon the front of this chapel are set up the figures, in stone, of King Edward VI. Queen Elizabeth, and of King Charles I. treading upon a globe.

This chapel having been much defaced, but not burnt down, in the fire of London, A. D. 1666; it was afterwards repaired and used as a place for Divine Service by the corporation; but the business increasing, it has fince been desecrated, and is now converted to the Court of Requests, as part of Guildhall.

Adjoining to this chapel, on the south side, was an extensive library, furnished with books for the use of the Guildhall and the college. This library was erected by the executors of Sir Richard Whittington, and by William M m 2

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