Men and monkeys dancing upon ropes, or walking upon wires; dogs dancing minuets, pigs arranging letters so as to form words at their master's command, hares beating drums, or birds firing off cannons-these were favourite exhibitions early in the last century. Raree-shows, ladder-dancing, and posturing, are also of this date.

RACKETS is nearly coeval with Tennis, which it so much resembles; Rackets being striking a ball against a wall, and Tennis dropping a ball over a central net. There are Racket-grounds at the Belvedere, Pentonville; at the Tennis Court, Haymarket; and at Prince's Club Racquets Courts, Chelsea. Rackets was also much played in the Fleet Prison, taken down in 1844; in the Queen's Bench Prison; and at Copenhagen House, St. Pancras.

SALT-BOX MUSIC will be remembered by the middle-aged reader. It was played with a rolling-pin and salt-box beaten together, the noise being modulated so as to resemble a sort of music. It was formerly played by Merry Andrews, at country fairs. Bonnel Thornton composed a burlesque Ode on St. Cecilia's Day, which Dr. Burney, in 1769, set for Smart and Newbury. It was performed at Ranelagh, by masks: Beard sang the salt-box song, which was admirably accompanied on that instrument by Brent, the fencing-master; Skeggs, on the broomstick, as bassoon; and a remarkable performance on the Jew's harp. Cleavers were cast in bell-metal for this entertainment. All the performers of the Old Woman's Oratory, employed by Foote, were engaged at Ranelagh on this occasion. Price, landlord of the Green Man, formerly the Farthing Pye-house, was a famous salt-box player.

SKITTLES, corrupted from kayles of the fourteenth century, and afterwards kettle, or kettle-pins, was much played in and near London until 1780, when the magistrates abolished all Skittle-grounds. To this succeeded Nine-holes, or Bubble-the-justice," on the supposition that it could not be set aside by the justices, as it was not named in the prohibitory statutes: it is now called "Bumble-puppy," and the vulgarity of the term is characteristic of the company who play it. Nine-pins, Dutch-pins, and Fourcorners are but variations of Skittles; which games originated in the covering of open grounds in London and its neighbourhood with houses.

TEA GARDENS were the favourite resorts of the middle classes in the last century; and, in most cases, they succeeded the promenade at mineral springs. Such was Bagnigge Wells, Battle Bridge-road, taken down a few years since we remember its concert-room and organ, its grottoes and fountains, and grotesque figures, and bust of Nell Gwynne, who is traditionally stated to have resided here. Next were Sadler's Wells Music House, before it became a theatre; Tunbridge Wells, or Islington Spa; and the Three Hats, at Islington, mentioned in Bickerstaff's comedy of the Hypocrite: the house remained a tavern until 1839, when it was taken down. White Conduit House, Pentonville, was originally a small ale and cake house, built in the fields, in the reign of Charles I., and nanied from a conduit in an adjoining meadow. An association of Protestant Dissenters, formed in the reign of Queen Anne, met at this house: the Wheal Pond, close by, was a famous place for duck-hunting; Sir William Davenant describes a city wife going to the fields to "sop her cake in milk;" and Goldsmith speaks of tea-drinking parties, with hot rolls and butter, at White Conduit House. A description of the place in 1774 presents a general picture of the Tea Garden of that period: "The garden is formed into walks, prettily disposed. At the end of the principal one is a painting, which seems to render it (the walk) longer in appearance than it really is. In the centre of the garden is a fish pond. There are boxes for company, curiously cut into hedges, adorned with Flemish and other paintings. There are two handsome tea-rooms, one over the other, and several inferior ones in the house." The fish-pond was soon after filled up, and its site planted, the paintings removed, and a new dancing and tea saloon, called the Apollo-room, built. In 1826, the gardens were opened as a "Minor Vauxhall;" and here Mrs. Bland, the charming vocalist, last sang in public. In 1829, the small house, the original tavern, was taken down, and rebuilt upon a more extensive plan, so as to dine upwards of 2000 persons in its largest room. But in 1849 these premises were also taken down; the tavern was re-erected on a smaller scale, and the garden-ground let on building leases, for White Conduit-street, &c.

Next we reach Highbury, where originally stood the Barn of the Monks of Clerkenwell: hence the old name of the Tavern, Highbury Barn. In the fields, opposite Pentonville Prison, was Copenhagen House (Coopen Hagen, in Camden's Britannia, 1695), first opened by a Dane. In Islington there remain the Canonbury Tea Gardens, a very old resort (the tavern has been rebuilt); and in Barnsbury remains an old tea-garden. Hoxton had also several tea-gardens.

Toten Hall, at the north-west extremity of Tottenham-court-road, was the ancient court-house of that manor, and subsequently a place of public entertainment. In the parish books of St. Giles's-in-the-Fields, year 1645, is an entry of Mrs. Stacye's maid and others being fined "for drinking at Tottenhall Court on the Sabbath daie, xijd. a-piece." The premises next became the Adam and Eve Tea Gardens: before the house is laid the scene of Hogarth's March to Finchley; and in the grounds, May 16, 1785, Lunardi fell with his burst balloon, and was but slightly injured. The Gardens were much frequented; but the place falling into disrepute, the music-house was taken down, and upon the site of the Skittle-grounds and Gardens was built Eden-street, Hampstead-road, the public-house being rebuilt.

Chalk Farm, corrupted from the old village of Chalcot, shown in Camden's map, was another noted tea-garden. This was "the White House," to which, in 1678, the body of Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey was carried, after it had been found, about two fields distant, upon the south side of Primrose Hill. Several duels have been fought here: here John Scott (of the London Magazine), was shot by Mr. Christie, Feb. 16, 1821; and the poet Moore, and Jeffrey, of the Edinburgh Review, met in 1806. Chalk Farm now gives name to the railway station here.

The above were the most celebrated Tea-gardens north and north-west of London. Westward lay Marybone Gardens, open for public breakfasts and evening concerts to high-class company; fireworks being added. In 1777-8 these gardens were shut up, and the site let to builders; the ground being now occupied by Beaumontand Devonshire streets, and part of Devonshire-place. Next were the Bayswater Gardens,

once the " Physic Garden of Sir John Hill; and Ranelagh, the costly rival of Vauxhall, as well as a Tea-garden in the present century. Mulberry Garden, upon the present site of Buckingham Palace and its gardens, dated from temp. Charles I. Pimlico was noted for its tea-gardens and ale to our day: the Gun Tea Gardens, Queen's-row, with its arbours and grotesque figures, were the last to disappear: here were the Dwarf Tavern and Gardens; the Star and Garter, Five-fields-row, famous for its equestrianism, fireworks, and dancing; and the Orange, upon the site of St. Barnabas Church. Here, too, was New Ranelagh; and Jenny's Whim, Bowlinggreen, and gardens, the site now covered by St. George's-row: it was opened temp. George I. for fireworks; and it had its duck-hunting pond, alcoves, and character figures, and was much frequented for bull-baiting in the adjoining fields. Knightsbridge was noted for its Spring Gardens, and houses of entertainment. Southward were Cumberland Gardens and Assembly Rooms, the site now occupied by Price's Candle Company's Works, Vauxhall Bridge; Spring Garden, Vauxhall; the Dog and Duck, and Apollo Gardens, St. George's Fields; and Cuper's Gardens, through the site of which runs Waterloo-bridge-road. Bermondsey had its Spa Gardens in the Grange-road; and Cupid's Gardens upon Jacob's Island, the ill-fated locality in which the cholera (1848-9) first broke out in the metropolis, and where it lingered last.

Few of these old Tea Gardens remain. In the increase of London within the last half-century, the environs have lost their suburban character, and have become part of the great town itself; and steamboats and railways now, for very small sums, convey the over-worked artisan out of its murky atmosphere into pure air and rural scenery.

TENNIS, from the French Hand-ball or Palm-play, was played in London in the sixteenth century, in covered courts erected for the purpose. Henry VII. and VIII. were fond of Tennis; and the latter added to the palace of Whitehall "tennise-courts." James I. recommended Tennis to his son, as becoming a prince. Charles II. was an accomplished Tennis-player, and had particular dresses for playing in. We have a relic of these times in the Tennis-court in James-street, Haymarket, which bears the date 1676, and was formerly attached to the gaming-house, or Shavers' Hall. In

Windmill-street was another Tennis-court, which belonged to Piccadilly Hall, also a gaming-house. Another famous Tennis-court was Gibbon's, in Clare Market, where Killigrew's comedians performed for some time. There are in Holborn, Blackfriars, and Southwark thoroughfares known as "Tennis-courts," denoting the game to have been formerly played there.

THAMES SPORTS.-Fitzstephen relates of the ancient Londoners fighting "battles on Easter holidays on the water, by striking a shield with a lance." There was also a kind of water tournament, in which the two combatants, standing in two wherries, rowed and ran against each other, and fought with staves and shields. In the game

of the Water Quintain the shield was fixed upon a post in the river, and the champion, stationed in a boat, struck the shield with a lance. Jousting upon the ice was likewise practised by the young Londoners. Each mansion upon the Thames bank had its private retinue of barge and wherry, and the sovereign a gilded and tapestried barge. There were also public boats, with gay awnings, for tea-parties. All this gay water-pageantry has disappeared, including the state barges of the Sovereign and the Admiralty, the Lord Mayor, and a few of the wealthier of the City companies. 1850, the old Barge of the Goldsmiths' Company was let at Richmond, " for Pic-nic, Wedding, and Birthday Parties," at 51. 5s. per day. The great civic barge, the Maria Wood, is likewise let for similar occasions.

In

Of Boat-races, the oldest is that for Dogget's Coat and Badge, on August 1: the prizes are distributed by the Fishmongers' Company. We have also Regattas and Sailing Matches, to aid in the enjoyment of which steamers are employed.

THEATRES originated in Miracle Plays, such as were acted in fields and open places and inn-yards. The playhouse dates from the age of Elizabeth; and between 1570 and 1629, London had seventeen theatres. (See THEATRES.)

A

APOLLONICON, THE.

CHAMBER-ORGAN of vast power, supplied with both keys and barrels, was built by Messrs. Flight and Robson, of 101, St. Martin's-lane, and first exhibited by them at their manufactory in 1817. The denomination is formed from Apollon, and the Greek termination icon.

"The Apollonicon," says a contemporary description, "is either self-acting, by means of machinery, or may be played on by keys. The music, when the organ is worked by machinery, is pinned on three cylinders or barrels, each acting on a distinct division of the instrument; and these, in their revolution, not only admit air to the pipes, but actually regulate and work the stops, forming, by an instantaneous action, all the necessary combinations. The key-boards are five in number; the central and largest comprising five octaves, and the smaller ones, of which two are placed on each side the larger, two octaves each. To the central key-board are attached a swell and some compound pedals, enabling the performer to produce all the changes and variety of effect that the music may require. There is also a key-board, comprising two octaves of other pedals, operating on the largest pipes of the instrument. There are 1900 pipes, the largest twenty-four feet in length, and one foot eleven inches in aperture, being eight feet longer than the corresponding pipe in the great organ at Haarlem. The number of stops is forty-five, and these in their combinations afford very good imitations of the various wind instruments used in an orchestra. Two kettle-drums, struck by a curious contrivance in the machinery, are, with the other mechanism, inclosed in a case twenty-four feet high, embellished with pilasters, and paintings of Apollo, Clio, and Erato."

This magnificent instrument performed Mozart's overtures to the Zauberflöte, Figaro, and Idomeneo; Beethoven's Prometheus; Weber's to the Freischutz and Oberon; Cherubini's to Anacreon, &c., without omitting a single note of the score, and with all the fortes and pianos, the crescendoes and diminuendoes, as directed by the composers, with an accuracy that no band can possibly exceed, and very few can reasonably hope to rival. The Apollonicon was five years in building, and at an expense of about 10,000l., under the patronage of George IV. Its performances were popular for: many

years.

ONLY

ARCADES.

a few of these covered passages (series of arches on insulated piers) have been constructed in London; although Paris contains upwards of twenty passages or galleries of similar design.

BURLINGTON ARCADE.-When, in 1815, Burlington House was purchased of the Duke of Devonshire by his uncle, Lord George Cavendish, that nobleman converted a narrow slip of ground on the west side of the house and garden into a passage, with a range of shops on each side, called Burlington Arcade, making a covered communication for foot passengers from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens, Cork-street, and New Bondstreet. This Arcade was built by Samuel Ware, in 1819. It consists of a double row of shops, with apartments over them, a roof of skylights, and a triple arch at each end; it is about 210 yards long, and the shops, seventy-two in number, produce to the noble family of Cavendish 40007. a year; though the property, by sub-letting and otherwise, is stated to yield double that amount a year.

EXETER CHANGE (the second building of the name, but on a different site from the first) was an Arcade built in 1844, on the estate of the Marquis of Exeter, and ran obliquely from Catherine-street to Wellington-street North, Strand. It was designed by Sydney Smirke; and consisted of a polygonal compartment at each extremity, the intermediate passage being coved and groined, and lighted from above; it contained ten neat shops with dwellings over. The cove, fascia, piers, &c., had polychromic arabesque decorations: at each entrance to the Arcade was an imitative bronze gate; and the fronts in Catherine-street and Wellington-street, were of fine red brick, with stone dressings, in the Jacobean style. The "Change," however, proved unprofitable; it was taken down in 1863, and upon its site was erected a portion of the Strand Music Hall, externally and internally, of elaborate design.

LOWTHER ARCADE (named from Lord Lowther, Chief Commissioner of the Woods and Forests when it was built) leads from the triangle of the West Strand to Adelaidestreet, north of St. Martin's Church. It was designed by Witherden Young, and far surpasses the Burlington Arcade in architectural character: the ceiling vista of small pendentive domes is very beautiful, and the caducei in the angles are well executed. The length is 245 feet, breadth 20 feet, and height 35 feet. The sides consist of twenty-five dwellings and shops, principally kept by dealers in foreign goods, who, by mutual consent, hold in the avenue a sort of fair for German and French toys, cheap glass and jewellery, &c. At the north end of the Arcade is the Adelaide Gallery, where Mr. Jacob Perkins exhibited his Steam Gun. A living electrical eel was shown here from August, 1838, to March 14, 1843, when it died; and in 1832 was formed here a Society for the Exhibition of Models of Inventions, &c. The rooms were subsequently let for concerts, dancing, and exhibitions.

THE ARCADE OF COVENT GARDEN, miscalled piazza, was designed about 1631 for Francis, Earl of Bedford, but only the north and east sides were built, and half of the latter was destroyed by fire about the middle of the last century. The northern was called the Great Piazza, the eastern the Little Piazza: Inigo Jones, the architect, probably took his idea from an Italian city, Bologna, for instance. "The proportions of the arcades and piers, crossed with elliptical and semicircular arches into groins, are exquisitely beautiful, and are masterpieces of architecture." (Elmes.) The elevation was originally built with stone pilasters on red brick, which have for many years been covered with compo and white paint; at the north-east corner two arcades and piers have been removed for the intrusion of the Covent Garden Floral Hall. Had Inigo Jones's picturesque square been completed, its entirety would probably have been preserved.

L

ARCHES.

ONDON differs essentially from many other European capitals in the paucity of its Arches, or ornamental gateways. It has only three triumphal Arches, whereas Paris, not half the size of our metropolis, has four magnificent Arches, and the principal entrances are graced with trophied gateways and storied columns. The Parisian Arc de l'Etoile is without exception the most gigantic work of its kind either in ancient or modern times; within its centre arch would stand eight such structures as Temple Bar, that is, four in depth, and as many above them. The Paris Arch cost 417,666/.

THE GREEN PARK ARCH, at Hyde Park Corner, was built by Decimus Burton in 1828. It is Corinthian, and each face has six fluted pilasters, with two fluted columns flanking the single archway, raised upon a lofty stylobate, and supporting a richly decorated entablature, in which are sculptured alternately G. R. IV. and the imperial crown, within wreaths of laurel. The soffite of the arch is sculptured in sunk panels. The gates, by Bramah, are of massive iron scroll-work, bronzed, with the royal arms in a circular centre. Within the pier of the arch are the porter's apartments, and stairs ascending to the platform, where, upon a vast slab, laid upon a brick arch, the colossal equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington was placed, September 30, 1846. The height of the arch, its attic, and platform is about 90 feet; of the statue, 30 feet. (See STATUES.)

Opposite the above Arch is the elegant entrance to Hyde Park, by three carriage archways and sides, in a Screen of fluted Ionic columns, of 107 feet frontage, designed and built by Decimus Burton, in 1828. The blocking of the central archway has a beautiful frieze (Grecian naval and military triumphal processions), designed by the son of Mr. Henning, known for his successful models of the Elgin marbles. The gates, by Bramah, are a beautiful arrangement of the Grecian honeysuckle in bronzed iron; the hanging, by rings of gun metal, is very ingenious.

Altogether, these two Park entrances, with St. George's Hospital north, and the Duke of Wellington's palatial mansion south, form one of the finest architectural groups in the metropolis, and its most embellished entrance. Sir John Soane, however, proposed two triumphal arches, connected by a colonnade and arches, stretching across the main road-a design of superb grandeur.

The third Arch was one originally designed and constructed in St. James's Park for the especial entrance of the Sovereign and the Royal Family to Buckingham Palace. In 1851 it was removed to Cumberland Gate, Hyde Park Corner. This was the largest work of mere ornament ever attempted in Great Britain. It was adapted by Nash from the Arch of Constantine, at Rome; but it is by no means so richly embellished. The sculpture is omitted in the attic, and in place of the reversed trusses above the columns were to have been figures of Dacian warriors, and panels of sculpture intervening. The fascia was to have been more highly enriched; the attic carried considerably higher, and surmounted with an equestrian statue of George the Fourth, flanked with groups of military trophies, vases at the angles, &c. The Arch has a centre and two side openings; the sculpture is confined to a pair of figures, and a key-stone on each face of the central archway; with panels above the side openings and wreaths at the end. These sculptures are by Flaxman, Westmacott, and Rossi. The statue of George the Fourth was executed by Chantrey for 9000 guineas; it was not placed upon the Arch at the Palace, but at the north-east angle of Trafalgar-square. Upon the Arch was hoisted the Royal Standard to denote the presence of the Sovereign. The central entrance-gates were designed and cast by Samuel Parker, of Argyll-street they are the largest and most superb in Europe, and cost 3000 guineas. They are of a beautiful alloy, the base refined copper, and are bronzed: design, scroll-work with six circnlar openings, two filled with St. George and the Dragon, two with G. R., and above, two lions passant-gardant; height to the top of Arch, 21 feet; width, 15 feet; extreme thickness, 3 inches; weight, 5 tons and 6 cwt. Although cast, their enriched foliage and scroll-work have the elaborate finish of fine chasing. They terminate at the springing of the Arch; but Mr. Parker had designed and cast for the semicircular heading a rich frieze and the royal arms in a circle, flanked by state crowns. This portion, however, was irreparably broken in removal from the foundry. The face of the Arch is Carrara marble, altogether unfitted for the sooty atmosphere of London. When it was resolved to enlarge Buckingham Palace by the erection of the present front towards the Park, the Arch could not be made to form part of the design, and it was removed and rebuilt at Hyde Park Corner, at the cost of 4,3401. The original cost of the Arch was 75,000l.

Of the two arches, ST. JOHN'S GATE and TEMPLE BAR, separate histories will be given.