other quays, it is necessary to give information for an officer, should he be wanted.

The Coal Exchange, situated in Thames-Street, nearly opposite Billingsgate, is a neat and very convenient structure, for the use of dealers in that article, and consists of a very handsome front and a quadrangle behind, where every branch of the coal business is transacted.

St. Dunstan's, in the East.-On the same side of Thames-Street, upon St. Dunstan's Hill, the eye is soon struck with the modern Gothic tower of this church, and which, when seen to more advantage at some distance, must excite both complacency and surprise, as one of the most airy structures that can be imagined. The lanthorn, which rises from this tower, is of a singular form, and the tower is divided into three stages, terminated at the corners by four handsome pinnacles, the spire rising in the centre on the narrow crowns of four Gothic arches, apparently insufficient in strength to support its weight. The walls of the church, which is eighty-seven feet in length and sixty-three in breadth, are supported by five Tuscan pillars and two semipillars in length, with plain arches and key-stones; over these, on each side, are clerestory windows, being a kind of Gothic ; a large one, at the east end, has four mullions and cinq-foil arches. The altar-piece, and the whole of the east end of the church, is very handsome. There are some good monuments here. The tower of this church was certainly a bold attempt in architecture; and there are only two others upon a similar-plan in Great Britain-viz. St. Giles's in Edinburgh, and St. Nicholas's at Newcastle.-The annexed view will certainly convey a more correct idea of this beautiful steeple than any words alone can express.

Billingsgate. Following the line of the New CustomHouse, this is now the first opening to the Thames from the Tower. Besides being the general fish-market,

this is also a harbour for small vessels loaded with salt, oranges, lemons, onions, and other commodities. In summer, also, the influx of cherries from Kent, &c. is very great. Here too the Gravesend boats ply constantly with each tide for passengers: their accommodations are considerably improved, and the fare is generally raised from Is. to Is. 6d. each person.

The scandalous abuses in this market have been repeatedly noticed by the present Lord Mayor, M. Wood, Esq. A petition on the subject of making an alteration here a few months ago, it seems, was not presented to the Committee of City Lands, because the customary fees had not been paid by the petitioners, which caused the Chief Magistrate to remark in the Common Council, “that had that not been mentioned, it was his intention to have brought the subject of the Fish-market under the consideration of the Court. A long time ago, a Bill had passed to prevent regrating or retailing fish in the market. A second Bill had been carried, by which persons were allowed, under the sanction of the Court, to retail fish. By that Act, the Court was to fix the hour at which retailing was to be permitted: but, from that time to the present, the Court, he believed, had never interfered, by which means much mischief was done to the public, particularly by a body of persons in the market, who were denominated bomerees. If the Court performed the duty which devolved on them under the Act, it would be highly beneficial to the inhabitants of the Metropolis. If nine or ten o'clock in the morning was fixed for retailing fish, it would be very useful to many perThe delay of the Petition alluded to, was a proof of the ill effects of selling offices connected with the Corporation. No business could be done without the payment of those fees a Petition could not go before a Committee, without a considerable delay in consequence. If an officer was to be thus remunerated, for

sons.

the purchase-money of his place, it would be much better to buy him out at once."

Darkhouse-Lane, the turning immediately joining Billingsgate to the west, contains a number of public houses, used by watermen, fishermen, females, and others: here, from the confined situation, candles are necessary all day, particularly in winter. As some of these houses are open all night, to accommodate persons waiting for the Gravesend boats, beds may be had for all, whether really going to Gravesend, or only pretending so to do. Strangers who act prudently will avoid the mixed company in a place like this, especially such as wish to escape the fangs of those called kidnappers or East India crimps.

Not far from this place, on the other side of ThamesStreet, is Harp-Lane, remarkable for nothing at present, excepting Bakers' Hall, the dining-room of which is decorated with a painting of Justice, with her attributes, the arms of the Company, and the representation of their patron, St. Clement. Harp-Lane, however, formerly contained the house of John Chicheley, Chamberlain of London, and nephew to the Archbishop of that name, who had twenty-four children, and gave this house to one of his daughters, as a part of

her portion.

On St. Mary's Hill stands Watermen's Hall, a small but convenient building for transacting the concerns of that company, who are under the control of the Lord Mayor and court of Aldermen. By an act of Parlia ment, in the reign of William the Third, it is provided "That should the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners of the Admiralty, at any time give notice to the Watermen's Company, that there is occasion for a cértain number of that fraternity to serve in the Royal Navy, then all such persons as shall be duly summoned and do not appear, shall not only suffer one month's imprisonment, but be rendered incapable of enjoying

any privilege belonging to the company for two years." Adjoining is Fellowship Porters' Hall. The Porters belonging to the metropolis are thus classed,-Companies' Porters, Fellowship Porters, Ticket Porters, and Tackle Porters, under different regulations. The parish churches of St. Mary-at-Hill and St. George, Botolph Lane, are both neat fabrics, especially the latter, which is in the most chaste Grecian style.

Proceeding up Thames-Street, the next object of attention is the parish church of St. Magnus, London Bridge, a very handsome edifice, built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1676; though the elegant steeple, which contains ten bells, was not finished till 1705. Within the church is a very good organ. The whole structure is elegant without being gaudy. When Sir Christopher erected it, he was obliged to project it over the footway, in which state it stood till " an accidental fire on London Bridge, in 1759, having damaged the church, an improvement was suggested to form a footpath, at the same time that the parish were unwilling to take down the beautiful steeple. A surveyor was employed, who had the ingenuity to discover that Sir Christopher, conceiving that such a convenience must at some future period be rendered necessary, had contrived the arch, on which the steeple stood, of such strength, that it required only to clear away the intermediate part of the building to render the improvement effectual. This was done; and St. Magnus's steeple and porch exhibit another instance of the vast abilities of the great restorer of London."

London Bridge.-Without a long detail of extensive historic documents relating to this bridge, suffice it to say, that the original passage over the River Thames was by a ferry; that William, of Malmsbury, men-: tions a bridge as early as the year 994; and that the wooden bridge stood opposite Botolph's Wharf, till Peter, of Colechurch, in 1176, first began a stone