Collins' Illustrated Guide to London and Neighbourhood Part 6

There are two entrances, one in Piccadilly and one in Burlington Gardens.

The chambers are placed in eleven groups, denoted by letters of the alphabet, A to L. There are about 60 suites of apartments, many of which are occupied by peers, members of parliament, honourables and right honourables, and naval and military officers. Canning, Byron, and Macaulay, are named amongst those who have lived in this singular place.

Hotels and Inns.-It has been conjectured (though probably in excess of the truth) that at all times there are 150,000 strangers residing for a few days only in the metropolis; and to accommodate this numerous transient population, there is a vast number of lodging and boarding-houses, hotels, and other places of accommodation. There are upwards of 500 better-cla.s.s hotels, inns, and taverns. There are about 120 private hotels not licensed, and therefore do not keep exciseable liquors for sale. There are about 5,200 public-houses licensed to sell wines, spirits, and malt liquors. There are more than 1,964 beer-shops, where malt liquors only are sold.

The fas.h.i.+onable hotels are situated west of Charing Cross-as, for instance, _Claridge's_, Brook Street, Grosvenor Square; _Fenton's_, St.

James's Street; _Limmer's_, George Street, Hanover Square; the _Clarendon_, in New Bond Street; the _Burlington_, in Old Burlington Street; _Grillon's_, in Albemarle Street; _Long's_, in Bond Street; the _Palace_, Pimlico; _Wright's_, Dover Street; _Morley's_, Trafalgar Square; _Hatchett's_, Dover Street; _Maurigy's_, Regent Street; _Marshall Thompson's_, Cavendish Square; the _Albemarle_, Albemarle Street; the _Hyde Park_, near the Marble Arch; the _Alexandra_, Hyde Park Corner; &c.

In and about Covent Garden there are several good hotels for single gentlemen; among others, the _Cavendish_, the _Bedford_, the _New_ and _Old Hummums_, and the _Tavistock_. One or two others, in Bridge Street, Blackfriars, are excellent hotels. Foreign hotels of a medium cla.s.s are numerous in and about Leicester Square. Another cla.s.s of hotels or inns are those from which stage-coaches at one time ran, and which were resorted to by commercial and other gentlemen; for example, the _Golden Cross_, (now renovated and extended,) near Charing Cross; the _White Horse Cellar_, Piccadilly; the _Bell and Crown_, Holborn; the _Castle and Falcon_, Aldersgate Street; and the _Bull-in-Mouth_, (now called the _Queen's_,) opposite the General Post Office, in St. Martin's-le-Grand.

These have all become comfortable middle-cla.s.s hotels, with railway booking-offices attached; but the fall of the stage-coach trade has lessened their importance to a great extent. To these we may add certain large inn and tavern establishments at other parts of the town-such as the _Bridge House Hotel_, at London Bridge; the _Angel_, at Islington; and the _Elephant and Castle_, Newington Causeway.

The almost universal defect of the older cla.s.s of hotels in London is, that they are too often private dwellings extemporized for purposes of public accommodation-not buildings erected with the distinct object for which they are used. Hence the London hotels, generally, are confined and awkward in their arrangements-a huddle of apartments on different levels, narrow pa.s.sages, and the offensive odour of cookery being common.

Rarely is there anything to parallel the larger hotels of New York, or the _Hotel du Louvre_ at Paris. The nearest approach to these foreign establishments is found in certain hotels adjoining the railway termini, of recent construction. These are the _Euston_ and _Victoria Hotels_, near Euston terminus; the _Great Northern Hotel_, adjoining the King's Cross terminus; the _Great Western Hotel_, at the Paddington _terminus_; _the Grosvenor Hotel_, at the Pimlico terminus; the _London Bridge Terminus Hotel_, adjoining the Brighton Railway terminus; the fine _South-Eastern Railway Hotel_, Cannon Street; the _Westminster Palace Hotel_, Victoria Street, Westminster; the _Midland_, at St. Pancras; and the _Charing Cross Railway Hotel_. At these new and extensive hotels the accommodation is on a better footing than in the older and generally small houses. But notwithstanding these additions, it is indisputable that the amount of hotel accommodation is still meagre and defective.

The want of large good hotels in central situations, to give accommodation at moderate charges, remains one of the conspicuous deficiencies of the metropolis. The _Langham_, however, in Portland Place, is an excellent hotel. So is the _Salisbury Hotel_, Salisbury Square, Fleet Street. The idea of building a large hotel in the Strand, near St. Mary's Church, was, by-the-by, abandoned in favour of the new _Globe Theatre_; while that handsome building, the _Inns of Court Hotel_, in Holborn and Lincoln's Inn Fields, has never yet been properly finished, and is now (1873) a failure.

In and about London, we may mention, are sundry extensive and highly-respectable taverns, which, though princ.i.p.ally designed for accommodating large dining and other festive gatherings, lodge gentlemen with every comfort. Among these may be mentioned the _London Tavern_; the _Albion_, in Aldersgate Street; several in Fleet Street, near Blackfriars Bridge; the _Freemasons' Tavern_, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields; and so forth. There is, besides, a cla.s.s of taverns whose chief business is supplying dinners and slight refreshments, also the accommodation of newspapers, and which are resorted to chiefly by commercial men. Each of these has a distinct character. _Garraway's_ and _Lloyd's_, at the Royal Exchange, were once coffee-houses, but now are a.s.sociated with marine intelligence, stock-trading, and auctions; and in Cornhill, opposite, the _North and South American Coffee-house_ supplies American newspapers; and here also are to be seen the captains of vessels who are preparing to sail to different ports in the western continent and islands. At the _Jerusalem_ and _East India Coffee-house_, Cowper's Court, Cornhill, information relating to East India s.h.i.+pping and captains may be obtained. _Peele's __Coffee-house_, in Fleet Street, is celebrated for keeping files of newspapers, which may be consulted; this accommodation, as respects London papers, may also be had at some other places. Other economical Reading-Rooms are noticed in the _Appendix_.

Chop-houses, Coffee-shops, and Dining-rooms.-The next cla.s.s of houses of this nature comprises _Chop-houses_, but also doing the business of taverns, and resorted to chiefly by business-men-as the _Chapter_, in Paternoster Row; the _Mitre_, the _c.o.c.k_, the _Ches.h.i.+re Cheese_, and the _Rainbow_, in Fleet Street. Many such houses are to be met with near the Bank of England, in Cheapside, Bucklersbury, Threadneedle Street, Bishopsgate Street, and the alleys turning out of Cornhill. The _s.h.i.+p and Turtle_, in Leadenhall Street, was a famous turtle-house; and others are noted for some specialty.

London contains a very numerous cla.s.s of _Coffee-shops_, of a much more humble, though perhaps more useful nature, at which coffee, cocoa, tea, bread and b.u.t.ter, toast, chops and steaks, bacon and eggs, and cold meat, may be obtained at very moderate prices; a few pence will purchase a morning or evening meal at such places; and many working-men dine there also. There are about 1,500 houses of this cla.s.s in London. There is another cla.s.s of _Eating-houses_ or _Dining-rooms_, resorted to for dinners by large numbers of persons. _Lake's_, _His Lords.h.i.+p's Larder_, and one or two others, in Cheapside; _Izant's_, and several others in and near Bucklersbury; the _Chancery Dining-rooms_, in Chancery Lane; the _Fish Ordinary_ at the _Three Tuns_ in Billingsgate, and at _Simpson's_ in Cheapside; and several dining-rooms in and near the Haymarket and Rupert Street-may be reckoned among the number. A good but simple dinner may be had at these houses for from 1s. 6d. to 2s. 6d. At the _St.

James's Hall Restaurant_, in Regent Street; _Blanchard's_, Regent Street, corner of Burlington Street; the _Albion_, Russell Street, near Drury Lane Theatre; the _London_, Fleet Street, nearly opposite the Inner Temple gate; _Simpson's_, in the Strand, opposite Exeter Hall; and last, but by no means least, at _Speirs and Pond's Restaurant_, at Ludgate Station of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway; a very fair dinner may be had, at prices varying from, say, a minimum of half-a-crown up to a greater cost, according to the state of the diner's tastes and finances.

At the _Gaiety Restaurant_, adjoining the Gaiety Theatre, a good dinner may be had. At Cremorne Gardens, too, there used to be a good _table d'hote_ for 2s. 6d.

Temperance Hotels.-There are several good houses of this character.

Among others may be named _The Waverley_, King Street, Cheapside; _Angus's_, Bridge Street, Blackfriars; _Anderson's_, Theobald Road; and _Ling's_, South Street, Finsbury.

THEATRES, CONCERTS, AND OTHER PLACES OF AMUs.e.m.e.nT.

Theatres.-There are altogether in London a large number. Of these the following are the princ.i.p.al:-_Her Majesty's Theatre_, on the western side of the Haymarket, is the original of the two Italian Opera Houses in London; it was built in 1790, on the site of an older theatre, burnt down in 1867, and re-built in 1869. It is occasionally unoccupied. The freehold of some of the boxes has been sold for as much as 8,000 each.

The Opera Season is generally from March to August; but the main attractions and the largest audiences are from May to July. The _Royal Italian Opera House_, occupying the site of the former Covent Garden Theatre, was built in 1858, on the ruins of one destroyed by fire. The building is very remarkable, both within and without. Under the lessees.h.i.+p of Mr. Gye, and the conductors.h.i.+p of Mr. (now Sir Michael) Costa, operas have been produced here with a completeness scarcely paralleled in Europe. When not required for _Italian Operas_, the building is occupied usually by an _English Opera_ Company, or occasionally for miscellaneous concerts. The _Floral Hall_, adjoining this theatre, is occasionally engaged for concerts. _Drury Lane Theatre_, the fourth on the same site, was built in 1812; its glories live in the past, for the legitimate drama now alternates there with entertainments of a more spectacular and melodramatic character. The _Haymarket Theatre_, exactly opposite Her Majesty's, was built in 1821; under Mr. Buckstone's management, comedy and farce are chiefly performed.

The _Adelphi Theatre_, in the Strand, near Southampton Street, was rebuilt in 1858; it has for forty years been celebrated for melodramas, and for the attractiveness of its comic actors. The present lessee, Mr.

Webster, has the merit of having introduced many improvements for the comfort of the audience. The _Lyceum Theatre_, or _English Opera House_, at the corner of Wellington Street, Strand, was built in 1834; it was intended as an English Opera House, but its fortunes have been fluctuating, and the performances are not of a definite kind. The _Princess's Theatre_, on the north side of Oxford Street, was built in 1830; after a few years of opera and miscellaneous dramas, it became the scene of Mr. Charles Kean's Shakspearian revivals, and now resembles most of the other theatres. _St. James's Theatre_, in King Street, St.

James's, was built for Braham, the celebrated singer; it was a losing speculation to him; and although a really beautiful theatre inside, its managerial arrangements have been very changeable of late years. The _Olympic Theatre_, in Wych Street, Drury Lane, is small, but well conducted and successful. The _Strand Theatre_, near the Olympic, has been remarkable for its burlesque extravaganzes. The _New Globe Theatre_, Newcastle Street, Strand, and the _Gaiety_, 345 Strand, and lastly the _Vaudeville_, (for comedy, farce, and burlesque,) near the _Adelphi_, are all of comparatively recent erection; so are the _Court Theatre_, near Sloane Square; the _Charing Cross Theatre_, King William Street; the _Queen's Theatre_, Long Acre, late _St. Martin's Hall_; and the _Holborn Theatre_. The _New Royalty_, or _Soho Theatre_, in Dean Street, Soho, was once a private theatre, belonging to Miss Kelly, the celebrated actress. The _Prince of Wales's Theatre_, in Tottenham Street, is the old Tottenham Theatre in a renovated and greatly improved condition. Some of Mr. T. W. Robertson's best comedies have been produced here within the last few years. _Sadler's Wells_, near the New River Head, was at one time remarkable for the 'real water' displayed in melodramas. The _Marylebone Theatre_, between Regent's Park and the Edgeware Road; the _Grecian_, in the City Road; the _Britannia_, at Hoxton; the _City of London_, in Norton Folgate; the _Standard_, in Sh.o.r.editch; and the _Pavilion_, in Whitechapel, are Theatres noticeable for the large numbers of persons accommodated, and the lowness of the prices of admission. On the Surrey side of the Thames are _Astley's Amphitheatre_, in the Westminster Road, (the Circus is now removed;) the _Victoria Theatre_, in the Waterloo Road; and the _Surrey Theatre_, in Blackfriars Road. The performances at these several theatres commence at an hour varying from half-past six (some of the minors) to half-past eight (two Opera houses) in the evening, but the most usual hour is seven; and, as a general rule, there is half-price at a later hour in the evening. During the run of the Christmas pantomimes there are a few additional performances at two in the afternoon. It has recently been estimated that 4,000 persons are employed at the London theatres, earning daily food for probably 12,000; and that the public spend about 350,000 at those places annually.

Concerts.-The princ.i.p.al Concert Rooms in London are, _Exeter Hall_, _St.

James's Hall_, _Hanover Square Rooms_, the _Music Hall_, in Store Street, the _Floral Hall_, _Willis' Rooms_, and the _Queen's Concert Room_, attached to Her Majesty's Theatre. All these places are engaged for single concerts; but there are also musical societies and choral bodies which give series of concerts every year. Among these are the _Sacred Harmonic Society_, (Exeter Hall,) the _National Choral Society_, (same place,) the _Philharmonic Society_, (Hanover Square Rooms,) _Mr. Henry Leslie's Choir_, the _New Philharmonic_, (St. James's Hall,) the _Musical Society_, the _Musical Union_, the _Glee and Madrigal Society_, the _Beethoven Society_, the _Monday Popular Concerts_, &c. The _Oratorio_ performances at Exeter Hall, by the Sacred Harmonic and National Choral Societies, are considered to be the finest of the kind in Europe. There are occasional _Handel Choral Meetings_ at the same place, under Sir Michael Costa, supported by 1,600 singers.

Tavern Music Halls.-Numerous Rooms connected with taverns have been opened in London, within the last few years, for musical performances.

The music is a singular compound of Italian, English, and German operatic compositions, fairly executed, with comic songs of the most extravagant kind; to these are added what the performers please to term 'n.i.g.g.e.r'

dances, and athletic and rope-dancing feats-the whole accompanied by drinking and smoking on the part of the audience. The chief among these places are, _Canterbury Hall_, near the Westminster Road; the _Oxford_, in Oxford Street; the _Royal Music Hall_, late _Weston's_, in Holborn; the _Alhambra_, in Leicester Square; the _Philharmonic_, Islington, near the _Angel_. _Evans'_, in Covent Garden, does not as a rule admit females, though ladies, friends of the proprietor, &c., are occasionally allowed to look down on the proceedings from wired-in private boxes above the line of the stage. _Evans'_ has long been honourably known for its old English glees, catches, madrigals, &c., good supper, and gentlemanly arrangements and audiences. The _Raglan_, the _Winchester_, the _South London_, and others, are of plainer character. Charge, usually 6d. to 1s. Mr. Morton, the former proprietor of _Canterbury Hall_, provided a capital gallery of pictures, (_Punch's_ 'Royal Academy over the Water,') placed freely open to the visitors to the Music Hall.

Entertainments.-There is a cla.s.s of London amus.e.m.e.nts, called _Entertainments_, which has come much into fas.h.i.+on within a few years.

They generally last about two hours, from eight till ten in the evening.

The late Mr. Albert Smith was one of the first to commence these entertainments, with his '_Overland Route_,' '_Mont Blanc_,' and '_China_;' and the names of other well known entertainers are, Mr.

Woodin, Mr. and Mrs. German Reed, Mr. John Parry, Mr. A. Sketchley, Mr.

and Mrs. Howard Paul, &c. Delineation of character, painted scenery, descriptive sketches, singing, music, ventriloquism-some or all of these supply the materials from which these entertainments are got up.

Sometimes the _programme_ of performances is of a less rational character, depending on the incongruities of so-called negro melodists; while occasionally a higher tone is adopted, as in '_Readings_,' by various persons. The princ.i.p.al halls or rooms in which these entertainments are held are the _Egyptian Hall_, Piccadilly; the _Gallery of Ill.u.s.tration_, Regent Street; the minor rooms at _St. James's Hall_; and the _Music Hall_, in Store Street. The prices of admission generally vary from 1s. to 3s. The leading pages of the daily newspapers, and more especially of the _Times_, will always shew which of these entertainments are open at any particular time.

Miscellaneous Amus.e.m.e.nts.-The sources of information just mentioned will also notify particulars of numerous other places of amus.e.m.e.nt, which need not be separately cla.s.sified. Among these are the _Polytechnic Inst.i.tution_, Regent Street, (famous for Mr. Pepper's 'Ghosts;') and _Madame Tussaud's Waxwork_, Baker Street, Portman Square, (a favourite exhibition with country visitors.) To all such places the charge of admission is 1s. Among _Pleasure Gardens_, for music, dancing, tight and slack rope performances, &c., _Cremorne Gardens_, at Chelsea, _St. Helena Gardens_, at Rotherhithe, the _Riverside Gardens_, at North Woolwich, and the _Surrey Gardens_, near Walworth, are the princ.i.p.al; _Vauxhall Gardens_ have disappeared as places of amus.e.m.e.nt, and have been supplanted by bricks and mortar. The so-called _Tea Gardens_ are much more numerous, and are supported rather by the profit on the beverages sold, than by the fee charged for admission.

A few additional particulars concerning _Free Exhibitions_, _s.h.i.+lling Exhibitions_, and Exhibitions available only by Introduction, are given in the _Appendix_.

PARKS AND PUBLIC GROUNDS; ZOOLOGICAL, BOTANICAL, AND HORTICULTURAL GARDENS.

Much has been done within the last few years towards adorning the metropolis with health-giving parks and grounds freely open to the public. The gardens of three scientific societies, gradually brought into a very attractive state, are also accessible, though not without payment.

St. James's Park.-This is so called from St. James's Palace, which partly bounds it on the north. Originally these grounds were a marshy waste, which was drained and otherwise improved by Henry VIII.; who also took down an ancient hospital dedicated to St. James, and built on its site the palace now called St. James's. Charles II. improved the grounds by planting the avenues of lime-trees on the north and south sides of the park; and by forming the _Mall_, which was a hollowed, smooth, gravelled s.p.a.ce, half a mile long, skirted with a wooden border, for playing at ball. The southern avenue was appropriated to aviaries; hence it derived the appellation Birdcage Walk. The centre of the park was occupied by ca.n.a.ls and ponds for aquatic birds. William III. threw the park open to the public for their recreation. Within the last thirty years the park has been greatly improved. It is nearly a mile and a-half in circ.u.mference, and covers about 90 acres; and the avenues form delightful shady promenades. In the centre is a fine piece of water, interspersed with islands, and dotted with swans and water-fowl; a bridge was built across this water in 1857. On each side are s.p.a.cious lawns, enriched with lofty trees and flowering shrubs. The lawns are separated from the avenues by iron railings, and at different parts are keepers' lodges.

There are nine or ten entrances to the park, the Queen's Guard doing duty at each, day and night. At the east side is a large gravelled s.p.a.ce, called the _Parade_, on which, about ten o'clock every morning, the body-guards required for the day are mustered-and here the regimental bands perform for a time in fine weather. Here also guns are fired on state occasions. At the south side of the parade is placed a huge mortar, brought from Spain, where it was used during the Peninsular war; it can propel a bombsh.e.l.l nearly four miles. At the north end of the parade is a piece of Turkish ordnance, of great length, brought from Alexandria, in Egypt. A little farther north from the parade is a broad flight of steps, giving entrance to the park from Waterloo Place, constructed by order of William IV.; these steps are surmounted by a lofty column, commemorative of the late Duke of York, which occupies the spot where formerly stood Carlton House, the favourite residence of George IV. while Prince Regent. (Near here the band of the Commissionaires plays on summer evenings.) Farther along the Mall, or avenue, is Marlborough House; next to which is St. James's Palace, separated by Stafford House from the Green Park. At the western end is Buckingham Palace; and on the southern side, Birdcage Walk, and the Wellington Barracks. This park, all things considered, is one of the greatest ornaments to the metropolis. The lake or water is a famous skating-place in winter; and having been brought to a maximum and nearly uniform depth of four feet, there is little danger of drowning by the breakage of the ice.

The Green Park.-This park, less attractive than St. James's, and occupying about 60 acres, rises with a gentle slope to the north of Buckingham Palace, and is bounded on its east side by many fine mansions of the n.o.bility-including those of the Duke of Sutherland, and the Earls Spencer, Ellesmere, and Yarborough. In a north-westerly direction from the palace is a broad road called Const.i.tution Hill, connecting St.

James's Park with Hyde Park Corner. On the north is the line of terrace-like street forming the western portion of Piccadilly. The whole of the Green Park is surrounded by iron railings, and is interesting from its undulating gra.s.sy surface, which rises considerably on the north side. From the highest ground there is a pleasing prospect of Buckingham Palace, and of St. James's Park, with its ornamental grounds and avenues of tall trees; and behind these Westminster Abbey and the new Houses of Parliament majestically rise, accompanied by the turrets of other buildings. At the north-west angle of the park, where Const.i.tution Hill joins Piccadilly, is a triumphal arch of the reign of George IV., elaborately decorated, but possessing little general effect. The largest equestrian statue in England, that of the Duke of Wellington, stands on this arch; where it was placed in defiance of the opinion of persons of taste, who protested against the incongruity of such an arrangement.

Across the way is the handsome entrance to Hyde Park, close to Apsley House, the great Duke's residence; and here, in the after-part of the day, in fine weather, may be seen an extraordinary concourse of foot-pa.s.sengers, vehicles, and equestrians, going to and returning from Hyde Park; also the general traffic between Piccadilly and Kensington, Brompton, and other places in a westerly direction.

Hyde Park.-This fine open place is part of the ancient manor of Hida, which belonged to the monastery of St. Peter, at Westminster, till Henry VIII. appropriated it differently. Its extent is about 390 acres, part of which is considerably elevated. The whole is intersected with n.o.ble roads and paths, and luxuriant trees, planted singly or in groups, presenting very diversified prospects. Near the south-east corner, the entrance from Piccadilly, on an elevated pedestal, stands a colossal bronze statue of Achilles, cast from the cannon taken at the battles of Salamanca and Waterloo, weighing thirty tons, and (as the inscription informs us) 'erected to the Duke of Wellington and his companions in arms by their countrywomen.' [Picture: Knightsbridge, Albert Gate, Hyde Park, &c. (Brompton and Kensington Roads in the distance.)] It cost 10,000, and was the work of Sir R. Westmacott. The south-east entrance to the park, near Apsley House, is marked by a handsome series of arches and bal.u.s.trades, from the designs of Mr. Decimus Burton. The north-east entrance, at the end of Oxford Street, now comprises the _Marble Arch_, removed from the front of Buckingham Palace. The other entrances, of which there are several, are less ornate. The long sheet of water called the _Serpentine_ enriches the scenery of Hyde Park. Near its western extremity is a stone bridge, of five large and two smaller arches, erected in 1826, giving access to the gardens of Kensington Palace; and the portion of the Serpentine contained within the gardens has lately been rendered very attractive, by the formation, at its head, of a small Italian garden, with fountains, statuary, &c. The carriage-drive on the northern bank of the Serpentine is called the _Ladies' Mile_. On the level s.p.a.ce of Hyde Park troops of the line and volunteers are occasionally reviewed. There is a well-stored magazine near the western side. The broad road through the park to Kensington is denominated Rotten Row, and is a fas.h.i.+onable resort for equestrians of both s.e.xes, but is not open to wheel-carriages. Other roads display countless elegant equipages of wealth and fas.h.i.+on; while the footpaths, which are railed off from the roads, are favourite places of resort for visitors, who enjoy the salubrity of the air, and the gaiety of the scene, more particularly between five and seven on a summer afternoon. There are several entrances open from early morning till ten at night. No stage or hackney coaches, carts, or waggons, are permitted within the gates of Hyde Park-with the exception of a road-way, made at the time of the International Exhibition in 1862, and since kept up, across the park, near Kensington Gardens, for pa.s.senger-vehicles. The Serpentine is much frequented for bathing and skating. It has been recently cleaned out, and drained to that end; the Royal Humane Society have a receiving-house near at hand, to aid those whose lives may be endangered. The morning and evening hours for bathing are defined by regulations placarded in various places. The Great Exhibition of 1851, the first of its kind, was held in a Crystal Palace near the south-west corner of the park. The Exhibition building of 1862 was beyond the limits of the park. The _Albert Memorial_ is at the Kensington end of Hyde Park.

London International Exhibition.-Not far beyond Prince's Gate, Hyde Park, is the London International Exhibition of 1873, which opened on the 1st May, and will continue open till the 30th September of this year. The ground plan and the view of the building which we give will save unnecessary expenditure of our s.p.a.ce, which is obviously limited.

[Picture: Ground Plan] Among the many objects of interest are shewn selected specimens as follows:-Pictures, Oil and Water Colour; Sculpture; Decorative Furniture, Plate, Designs, Mosaics, &c.; Stained Gla.s.s; Architecture and Models; Engravings; Lithography; Photography as a Fine Art; Porcelain; Earthenware of all kinds; Terra-Cotta and Stoneware; Machinery used for Pottery of all kinds; Woollen Manufactures; Carpets; Worsted Manufactures; Machinery, in motion, used in Woollen and Worsted Manufactures; Live Alpacas, remarkable for their hair and wool, and other animals; Educational Works and Appliances; Scientific Inventions and Discoveries; Horticulture. In the Royal Albert Hall musical art is represented daily.

[Picture: London International Exhibition, 1873]

Kensington Gardens.-At the western extremity of Hyde Park lie Kensington Gardens, a large piece of ground laid out in the ornamental park style, interspersed with walks, and ornamented with rows and clumps of n.o.ble trees. Besides entrances from Hyde Park, there are others from the Knightsbridge and Bayswater Roads. Near the west end of the grounds stands Kensington Palace. The gardens have been more than once considerably extended, so that they now measure about two and a-half miles in circ.u.mference. There are some beautiful gates on the south side, which were contributed by the Coalbrook Dale Company to the Great Exhibition of 1851. These grounds form a most delightful public promenade during fine weather; especially on summer evenings, when one of the Guards' bands frequently plays near the south-east corner.

Regent's Park.-This beautiful park is situated considerably away from the other parks, in a northerly direction from the Marylebone Road. It consists of a nearly circular enclosure of about 470 acres, laid out on the approved principles of landscape gardening; its centre is enriched with lakes, plantations, shrubberies, and beds of flowers. Many of the Metropolitan Volunteer Rifle Corps exercise and drill in this park, in all except the winter months. The park is surrounded by extensive ranges of buildings, forming terraces, variously designated, and decorated with sculpture in agreement with their respective orders of architecture: producing an effect of much grandeur, though, in some instances, of questionable taste. Three or four isolated mansions occupy sites within the park. The outer drive is two miles in circuit; the inner drive is a perfect circle, with two outlets. At Mr. Bishop's Observatory, near this inner circle, Mr. Hind made most of his important discoveries of asteroids and comets. Near the south-eastern corner of the park the _Colosseum_ stands conspicuous. It is now closed. The Zoological and Botanical Gardens will be described presently. Some distance north of the Colosseum are St. Katharine's Hospital and Chapel-a very luxurious provision for 'six poor bachelors and six poor spinsters.' Near the Colosseum was the once celebrated exhibition called the _Diorama_, which was some years ago converted into a Baptist chapel, at the cost of Sir Morton Peto.

Primrose Hill.-This spot now deserves to be ranked among the public parks of London. It is immediately north of the Regent's Park. The Crown owned part of it, and obtained the rest by purchase from Eton College.

The hill-top, the gra.s.sy slopes, and the gravelled paths are kept in excellent order; and a stranger should not lose an opportunity of viewing the 'world of London' from this spot in early morning. By permission of the authorities, a refreshment-room has been established for visitors; and a 'Shakspeare Oak' planted, April 23, 1864, which, however, "came to grief."

Victoria Park.-This, the only park in the east or poorer division of London, consists of about 270 acres. Having been formed only a few years, the trees have not yet grown to a full size; but it is gradually becoming a pleasant spot, with flower-beds, lakes, walks, and shady avenues. This park is especially distinguished by possessing the most magnificent _Public Fountain_ yet constructed in the metropolis; it was provided by the munificence of Miss Burdett Coutts, at a cost of 5,000; the design, due to Mr. Darbys.h.i.+re, is that of a Gothic structure, crowned by a cupola 60 feet high. Being near the densely populated districts of Bethnal Green and Mile End, the park is a great boon to the inhabitants.

It lies between those districts and Hackney, and easy access to it can be obtained from two stations on the North London Railway-those of Hackney and Hackney Wick, or Victoria Park. The fountain just mentioned is near the Hackney entrance. Improved access is also opened from Whitechapel, from Mile End, and from Bow.

Battersea Park.-This park, of about 180 acres, on which 300,000 has been spent, lies between Vauxhall and Battersea, and is the only public park which comes down to the Thames. Nothing can exceed the change exhibited on this spot. Until recently it was a miserable swamp, called Battersea Fields; now it is a fine park, interesting to look at, and healthful to walk in. A beautiful suspension bridge, from the designs of Mr. Page, connects this park with Chelsea, on the other side of the river; and near it is another bridge for railway traffic.

Kennington Park.-A few years ago there was an open common at Kennington, dirty and neglected, and mostly held in favour by such cla.s.ses as those which held the Chartist meeting in 1848. It is now a prettily laid-out public park-small, but well kept.

Finsbury Park, Stoke Newington, near Alexandra Park, was opened in August, 1869.

Southwark Park was opened about the same time. Though small, they are great boons to the working cla.s.ses.

Zoological Gardens.-At the northern extremity of the Regent's Park are the _Zoological Gardens_, the property of the Zoological Society, and established in 1826. These gardens are very extensive; and being removed from the dingy atmosphere, noise, and bustle of London, present an agreeable and country-like aspect. The grounds have been disposed in picturesque style-here a clump of shrubby trees and border of flowers, indigenous and exotic; there a pretty miniature lake; and at intervals a neat rustic cottage, with straw-thatched roof and honeysuckled porch.

Much of the ground, also, is occupied as green meadows, either subdivided into small paddocks for deer and other quadrupeds, or dotted with movable trellis-houses, the abodes of different kinds of birds which require the refres.h.i.+ng exercise of walking on the green turf. Throughout the whole, neat gravel-walks wind their serpentine course, and conduct the visitor to the carnivora-house, reptile-house, bear-pit, monkey-house, aviaries, aquaria, and other departments of the establishment. The collection of animals is unquestionably the finest in England. The gardens are open every week-day, from 9 till sunset, for the admission of visitors, who pay 1s. each at the gate, or 6d. on Mondays. On Sat.u.r.day afternoon, in summer, one of the Guards' bands generally plays for an hour or two. On Sunday Fellows are admitted, and non-Fellows by a Fellow's order.

[Picture: Zoological Gardens]