(2) art of engraving on wood. Most of the churches within the metropolis will be introduced in the body of the work, with the descriptions; but some of the armorial bearings of the incorporated companies will be printed by themselves, with additional care, and given in the numbers as extra embellishments; these will afford, to the curious, elegant specimens of the art of engraving on wood at the commencement of the nineteenth century. A most correct PLAN OF LONDON is nearly ready for delivery, and will be given in the course of a few numbers; including all the alterations in the streets, &c. and of the new buildings, executed by Mr. C. Russell, of whose eminence in that mode of engraving, there can be no occasion to suggest additional encomium. A correspondence has been established with gentlemen who make the historic, the topographic, and the scenic arts their study; they have promised their kind assistance, and we have to return thanks for the following useful communications: A NOBLEMAN, deep read in learning and science, but whose title the proprietors are not at present authorized to declare, claims grateful acknowledgments for the urbane manner in which his lordship promised his interest in the county of Kent. HATCH, Esq.; Dr. LETTSOM; De Visme, Esq.; demand every token of gratitude for their promotion of the work, and for the liberal manner in which they permitted engravings to be made from drawings in their possession of their respective villas. And in this class J. RAFFIELD, Esq. must be ranked among the friends of the undertaking. J. GRETTON, Esq. Belmont Place, Vauxhall, has furnished very valuable materials, with promises of more, in the most handsome manner. Mr. FREIDEBERG's favour and useful hints have been and shall be duly attended to. The communications from P. P. Vauxhall, contain much matter of information; his excellent documents have been of great use; and his future contributions will be gladly received. An UNKNOWN FRIEND, with kind promises concerning Mercers' Hall, is respectfully acquainted that the interest of this undertaking is formidable in that quarter; but his notices shall be treated as they deserve, with unfeigned respect. If Mr. A. W. will inform the Editor whence his AUTHORITY for his entertaining anecdotes are derived, Dr. H. will be obliged; they are certainly very amusing, but as truth, and not fiction is the object of this work, that gentleman is recommended to offer it to another repository of literature, where its sterling merit will ensure speedy publication. Not so respectable a lure is MIDDLETON'S TRIUMPH, an original MS. The paper-mark and other correspondent tokens declare its glaring defects; and such poetry, who, possessing the beauties of harmonious numbers, would write! The antiquities of Bu-hy, in Hertfordshire, are better noticed in Chauncy and Salmon. The descents also are void of authenticity. To shew that good humour is the characteristic of the Editor, he begs leave to inform the CORRESPONDENT who complains of inaccurate spelling, that it would be as improper to give the deed of Sir Henry Colet, or the letter of Sir Richard Gresham to Henry VIII. which are professedly in the language (3) language of those times, and from originals, as it would be ridiculous to introduce the antiquated costume of the house of Tudor into the polite court of George III. And had another CORRESPONDENT been any thing like an antiquary, he would have discovered that the present Holborn was antiently SPELT Oldbourne. This and the preceding are solitary censurers among numerous applauders. A long et cetera of correspondence will receive general thanks for general observations. The limits of these pages would be insufficient for present further notices on this head. Little more need be said, than to observe that the rays of information throughout a large circuit will be collected into a focus. It is supposed that the Description of the Metropolis will be comprized in three volumes, and the remainder will be devoted to the local history and beauties of the surrounding vicinity. To render this Work a standard for information, it has been necessary to make applications to various corporate companies, &c. The interruptions necessarily occasioned before answers can be obtained, constitute the sole cause of the present irregularity of publication: Such arrangements have, however, been adopted, that the third and future volumes will be duly delivered in their proper order. The embellishments for the work are many of them finished, and the whole in great forwardness. It is therefore hoped, that an apology, upon such grounds, will have due weight with, and indulgence from, a numerous class of liberal subscribers; especially when the object is to furnish the most recent and original accounts of places about to be described. To obtain these objects more effectually, Dr. Hughson, not doubting a continuance of former liberality and indulgence from those who consider they are conferring a public benefit by their exertions and information, with due deference proposes the following QUERIES, and will consider it a great favour, if they will condescend to give such information as may be consistent with their convenience; and should they have any manuscript or printed accounts of places, or lists of pictures, &c. in their various districts, the gift, loan, or a copy of them, will confer an additional obligation; and every security that may be required shall be given for their care and return. Their History? Queries respecting Corporations. Religious and other Foundations? Streets, their Names and Peculiarities? Descriptions of public Buildings? Cathedral, Collegiate, and Parish Churches? Walls and Gates, their History, and peculiar Circumstances? Corporate Companies and Guilds? Members of the Corporation. Mayors, Sheriffs, &c. Account of Trade, Manufactures, &c.? Accidents, Sieges, Battles in the Neighbourhood? Queries Queries respecting Corporate Companies. Time of their Foundation Charter. Description of the Hall, Pictures, &c.? Account of eminent Members of the Company? Account of Charitable Foundations? Free Schools, and eminent Persons educated there? Queries respecting Parishes. Antient and Modern Name, Etymology, &c.? Distance from London and the nearest Towns ? Extent, Manors and their Lords, with their Qualities? Castles, Forts, antient Manor or Mansion House, with a List of Pictures, and by what Masters, Ornaments, Figures, &c.? Church. In what Diocese situated? whether Rectory, Vicarage, Curacy, or Sinecure? List of Incumbents, with Anecdotes? Its Dimensions, Ornaments, general Description, Galleries, Organ, Monuments, Steeple, Bells, painted Glass, remarkable Inscriptions, antient Chantries, Legends, Patrons, or other Intelligence adapted to this Subject? Chapels of Ease. Where situated? their Foundation, Support, Incumbents? Dissenters of every Persuasion. Their various Classes, Places of Worship, &c.? Colleges, Almshouses, Free-schools, Hospitals, with their various Foundations, &c.? Monastic Houses, or their Remains? Curious Obelisks, Crosses, Inscribed Stones, Barrows, Tumuli; Roman, Saxon, or Danish Remains, or other Relicks of Antiquity discovered, with an Account, as far as can be traced? Markets, Fairs, Manufactures, Navigation, Bridges, Roads, Canals? Remarkable Persons, anecdotes of? Noblemen's and Gentlemen's Seats, Account of the Structure, List of Pictures, Account of Horticulture, &c. with the Descent of the Occupiers ? Romantic Scenes, Views, Situations, natural Curiosities attached to the Place. And any other analogous Information which they may be pleased to give on any of the above Subjects, addressed to Dr. HUGHSON, at the Publisher's, No. 112, Holborn-Hill. Printed by W. Stratford, Crown-Court, Temple-Bar. PREFACE. By way of introduction we shall present our readers BY with a short discourse illustrative of our subject. TACITUS describes the city of London " a famous mart of foreign and domestic trade;" were that judicious historian to see the extraordinary city, in her modern state, his opinion would be expanded in proportion to the extent and improvement it has undergone. The vast advantages which the capital of the British empire enjoys, from the wealth of its inhabitants, the universality of its commerce, its admirable policy, the variety of its establishments for learning, science, and trade, its charming situation on the banks of the noblest, because the most useful, river in the world, and the generality of health which its inhabitants enjoy in a world of structure and scenery, must be constant subjects of admiration. Yet these would never have raised the city of London to its present importance, had not the genius of Liberty made it her peculiar residence; and dispensed around her inestimable blessings. By her means the springs of trade and commerce have been fostered and supported; hence it is that every sea is covered with British traffic, and that all the productions of nature or art are imported to this common store-house of mankind! The enjoyment of rational liberty has afforded to the citizens of London, so high a degree of riches and politeness, that their stately houses, their splendid equipages, and the sumptuous arrangements of their household economy exceed the magnificence of princes; whilst the liberality of their dispositions, and the urbanity of their manners, render the hospitality they dispense, a happy refuge to those of all nations who prefer the security of life and property in their comforts, to the glittering pomp and slavery, or the arbitrary will of tyrannic sway. To the cultivation of genuine liberty is also owing the splendor and stateliness of the public buildings, which for aggregate beauty are no where to be excelled; whilst the surrounding seats and crouded villages manifestly indicate the happiness which the citizens enjoy without abatement. This felicity, however, is not the upstart mushroom of the day; it is the gradual product of ages, which has been bravely obtained, carefully preserved, and wisely managed; so that like the sun, its influence has irradiated every quarter of the empire, and caused the surrounding nations to pay due homage to British freedom, fixed as it is, on a basis never to be shaken. The city of London is the great centre of British trade, which, by the amazing circulation of various home commodities, supplies employment and riches to the remotest counties. It is not the country that brings riches to London; but London which dispenses riches to the country. The country may correspond with the city; but the latter corresponds with all the world; the country supplies the metropolis with corn, malt, cattle, poultry, fish, coals, wool, &c. but the remittances in spice, sugar, wine, drugs, tobacco, all foreign productions, and more especially money, from the capital, which keeps the various manufactures in motion, and supports millions of industrious artizans, is more than an ade quate |