several improvements, gave it the name of Uxbridge House.

Hence an avenue leads to Old Bond-Street, and again to Piccadilly, in which is Albemarle-Street. At the top of this is Grafton-Street, on the site of which stood Clarendon-House, built by the great Lord Clarendon. This his enemies called Dunkirk-House, calumniating him with having built it with the money arising from the sale of that town to the French.

Here is also the Society's House for the encouragement of improvements in arts and manufactures, or, The Royal Institution. The front of this house is barricadoed by double windows, to prevent the entrance of cold in winter, and heat in summer. Here is a room for experimental dinners, and a kitchen fitted up upon the late Count Rumford's plan. Adjoining this is a large workshop, in which a number of coppersmiths, braziers, &c. are employed, and over this a large room for the reception of such models of machinery as may be presented to the Institution. They have also a printing-office, &c.

Opposite Albemarle-Street is St. James's-Street, a broad descending avenue to the Royal Palace. This street contains several subscription-houses for the reception of noblernen, members of parliament, &c.

The front of St. James's-Palace next to this street appears little better than an antiquated gate-house; and, in fact, since the Prince Regent has been so much in the habit of prolonging his excursions to Brighton, this palace seems hastening to a state of desertion.

Arlington-Street forms an avenue from St. James'sStreet to Piccadilly, and contains several noblemens' houses. Opposite is Dover-Street, in which is the house appointed for the residence of the Bishops of Ely. Upon Hay Hill, according to Strype's Annals, Sir Thomas Wyatt and his insurgents were defeated in 1554, by the Royalists, in favour of Queen Mary.

At the foot of Hay Hill is Berkeley-Square, and in the centre, a fine equestrian statue of His present Majesty, by Wilton. The north side of this square is occupied by tradesmens' houses, but most of those on the west side are inhabited by persons of quality. At the top of Charles-Street, on this side, is John-Street Chapel. The south side of Berkeley-Square is occupied by the beautiful and stately structure and gardens of the late Marquis of Lansdowne; the house, fronted with stone, was built by the Adams: the gardens are well laid out.

Berkeley-Street is built on the site of Berkeley-House, a fine ancient mansion which belonged to the family of that name and title. At the corner of this street, in Piccadilly, is Devonshire House. This part of Piccadilly, as far as the turnpike, was formerly called PortugalStreet. Devonshire House was the last in the street long after 1700. The present building was constructed according to a design by Kent, and cost 20,000l. including 1000l. presented by the third Duke of Devonshire to the architect. The old house, according to Pennant, was frequented by Waller, Denham, and most of the wits in the days of Charles the Second.

The south side of Piccadilly, to the turnpike, is bounded by the iron railing of the Green Park, and the Ranger's house and garden. The north side is composed of an assemblage of mansions belonging to the nobility, some shops of tradesmen, livery stables, &c. On this side are also several good streets; StrattonStreet, Bolton-Street, and Clarges-Street, built on the site of Clarges House, leading to May Fair. This spot was originally called Brook Field, and when the ancient fair, granted by Edward the First to St. James's Hospital, on that saint's eve, ceased with the dissolution of most of the religious houses, this fair was removed to Brook Field, and here assumed the name of May Fair, from its being held on the first days of that month. In

process of time the resort of low company was productive of such disorders, that it was presented in 1708 by the grand jury of Westminster, and abolished for that time; however, having revived, it used to be covered with booths, temporary theatres, and in fact every enticement to low pleasures, particularly duckhunting in a pond, most of which continued till the fair received its final dissolution about 1764, but not till after a peace-officer had been killed in endeavouring to quell a disturbance. The principal exhibitions of this once famous place were mostly on an open space upon which May Fair Chapel and Curzon Street stood.

Relative to this once famous spot, the scene of much broad English humour, we are indebted to Mr. J. Carter, an eminent antiquary, who, but a few months ago, through the medium of the Gentleman's Magazine, communicated the following information :

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Fifty years have passed away since this place of amusement was at its height of attraction: the spot where the fair was held still retains the name of MayFair, and exists in much the same state as at the above period; for instance, Shepherd's-Market, and houses surrounding it on the North and East sides, with WhiteHorse-street, Shepherd's-court, Sun-court, Market

Westwards an open space extending to Tyburn (now Park) Lane, since built upon in ChapelStreet, Shepherd's-Street, Market-Street, HertfordStreet, &c. Southwards the noted Ducking Pond, house, and gardens, since built upon, in a large Riding School, Carrington-Street, the residence of the noted Kitty Fisher, &c. The Market-house consisted of two stories; first story, a long and cross aisle for butchers' shops, externally, other shops connected with culinary purposes; second story, used as a Theatre at fair time, for dramatic performances. My recollection serves to raise before me the representation of the Revenge, in which the only object left on remembrance is the "black

man," Zanga. Below, the butchers gave place to toymen and gingerbread-bakers. At present the upper story is unfloored, the lower nearly deserted by the butchers, and their shops occupied by needy pedling dealers in small wares; in truth, a most deplorable contrast to what once was such a point of allurement In the areas encompassing the market building were booths for jugglers, prize-fighters, both at cudgels and back-sword, boxing-matches, and wild beasts. The sports not under cover were mountebanks, fire-eaters, ass racing, sausage tables, dice ditto, up-and-downs, merry-go-rounds, bull-baiting, grinning for a hat, running for a shift, hasty pudding eaters, eel divers, and an infinite variety of other similar pastimes."

Down-Street, Hamilton-Street, and Park-Street are the only avenues of any consequence till we arrive at Hyde-Park Corner, one of the principal entrances of London from the western counties. The mass of buildings on the right side of the street, containing ApsleyHouse, &c. erected from the designs of the Adams, cannot fail of impressing strangers with an elevated idea of the opulence and splendour of the metropolis.

Park-Lane was called Tybourn Lane till its more fashionable inhabitants changed its name. Facing Stanhope-Street, in this direction, is Chesterfield House, built by the celebrated Earl of Chesterfield; the stone colonades leading from the house to the wings, are very beautiful; the stair-case belonged to the vast mansion of the Duke of Chandos, at Cannons.

Grosvenor-Square is entirely surrounded with magnificent houses, many of the fronts being of stone, and others of rubbed brick, with quoins, facios, windows, and door-cases of stone; and some are adorned with stone columns of the various orders. The centre is a spacious garden, ornamented with a gilt equestrian statue of King George the First.

Upper Brook-Street is a very fine avenue, and has long been inhabited by noble and opulent families.

Tybourn Turnpike is another considerable entrance to the metropolis, from the great western road. The view over Hyde-Park to the Surrey hills on the south, over Paddington to Harrow on the north-west, and the extent of prospect down Oxford-Street, constitute altogether a very beautiful avenue.

Oxford-Street extends about one mile from east to west, and looks into six of the principal squares— Soho, Hanover, and Grosvenor-Squares on the south; Cavendish, Manchester, and Portman-Squares, on the north.

Portman-Square is next in beauty, as it is next in dimensions, to Grosvenor-Square. It is built with more regularity, but the uniformity of the houses, and the small projection of the cornices, are not favourable to grandeur and picturesque effect. This square, begun in 1764, was nearly twenty years before it was completed.

Manchester-Square contains the residence of the Marquis of Hertford, originally inhabited by the Duke of Manchester, and afterwards by a Spanish ambassador, who erected a small chapel, in Spanish Place, on the east side of his mansion, from designs by Bonomi, which, for its classic purity of style, is admired by all lovers of architecture.

Cavendish-Square contains, in the centre of its enclosure, an equestrian statue of William, Duke of Cumberland, constructed, in 1770, at the expense of Lieut.Gen. William Strode.

Pursuing the route from Manchester-Square, we come to High-Street, Marybone, in which is situated the parish church of St. Mary-at-Bourn, vulgarly called St. Mary-la-Bonne. The foundation of the old church here was laid by Bishop Braybroke, about the year 1400,