&c. Here are likewise two "Napoleon Rooms," containing the camp-bed on which the ex-emperor died; the two carriages used by him at the battle of Waterloo, and several portraits. The collection is altogether a magnificent display of paintings, costumes of all periods, jewellery, relics; and wax modelling, seen as it should be as to effect of colour, light, &c. Admission: Great Room and the Hall of Kings, 1s. ; children, 6d. Napoleon Rooms and Chamber of Horrors, 6d.

extra.

SQUARES.

Among the Squares best worth notice are the following:

TRAFALGAR SQUARE contains several statues, the Nelson Column, and the north side is occupied by the National Gallery. Near the Nelson Column, towards Westminster, is an equestrian statue of Charles I. It occupies the site of Queen Eleanor's Cross, and the place of the execution of the Regicides.

GROSVENOR SQUARE is situated on the south side of Oxfordstreet, and contains 6 acres of ground in the centre was formerly a gilt equestrian statue of George I., by Van Nost, erected in 1726, by direction of Sir R. Grosvenor. The buildings are handsome, and the ground within the railing well laid out.

PORTMAN SQUARE is surrounded by large and elegant mansions. It was begun in 1764, and was not completed for 20 years. At the north-west angle is the mansion built for Mrs. Montague, and where the chimney-sweeps of London were, for several years, entertained on May-day.

HANOVER SQUARE was built soon after the accession of the house of Hanover. On the south side is a colossal bronze statue of

Pitt, by Chantrey, 12 ft. in height, placed on a granite pedestal.

BELGRAVE SQUARE, Pimlico, was commenced in 1825, on the estate of the Marquis of Westminster, and is now one of the most distinguished ornaments of the metropolis, being 864 ft. long and 617 ft. broad; the houses, large, handsome, and uniform, are adorned with Corinthian columns.

EATON SQUARE, situated to the south-east of Belgrave-square, is a parallelogram, 1,637 ft. by 371. At the north end is St. Peter's Church, designed by Mr. Hakewell.

RUSSELL SQUARE, one of the largest and most uniform squares in London, has the interior laid out with great taste. In the centre of the south side, facing Bedfordplace, is the bronze statue of Francis Duke of Bedford, in his peer's robes, by Westmacott, R.A.

LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, laid out in 1618, by Inigo Jones, but the west side only was built upon in his time. On the south side is the Royal College of Surgeons, with its wonderful Museum; on the north, Sir John Soane's Museum; and on the east side, the new hall and library of Lincoln's Inn complete the square. It was in this square that William, Lord Russell was beheaded, July 21, 1683.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

THE MANSION HOUSE, the residence of the lord mayor during his year of office, is a magnificent building at the west-end of Lombard-street, erected entirely of Portland stone. The interior is splendidly decorated and furnished; and when lighted up on festive occasions, the state apartments are very superb. They consist of the Egyptian hall, ballroom, state drawing room, saloon, Venetian parlour, long parlour, and state bed-room.

THE CUSTOM HOUSE, Lower Thames-street, is an extensive building, with the principal front towards the Thames; it has three porticoes of the lonic order, each consisting of six columns; that in the centre projects beyond the others, and is surmounted by a parapet, with a clock in the middle. Between the river and the building is a spacious gravelled quay or terrace, forming an agreeable evening promenade for the families in its vicinity: it commands a good view of London Bridge, and of that part of the river which is enlivened by the bustle occasioned by the departure and arrival of the numerous vessels. The Custom House is 480 ft. in length, and 100 ft. in breadth.

THE BANK OF ENGLAND is an insulated assemblage of buildings and court-yards, on the north side of the Royal Exchange, and nearly opposite the Mansion-house; but it is nominally in Threadneedlestreet. It occupies an irregular area of 8 acres. Within this space are 9 open courts, which afford light to the various offices, there being no windows in the exterior of the building.

The accommodations consist of a rotunda, public offices, private apartments, committee-rooms, an armoury, library, printing-office, &c., all well adapted for the purposes and business of the Bank; the details of the architecture, by Sir John Soane, are beautiful.

Admission to the interior may be had by special order from the governor, or a director. The hall, rotunda, &c., may be seen by strangers on any business day.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.-The late Royal Exchange, founded by Charles II., and greatly improved in the present century, was destroyed by fire, January 10th,

1838. On its site the present splendid building was commenced, and the foundation stone laid by His Royal Highness Prince Albert, on the 17th January, 1842. It was completed in less than three years. The building stands east and west; the extreme length is 308 ft., the west end is 119 ft. in width, and the east end 175 ft.; the area for the merchants, 170 ft. by 112 ft.; the height of the tower to the top of the vane, 177 ft. The principal entrance is at the west end, under a portico supported by eight Corinthian columns, which is ascended by 13 granite steps. The eastern entrance is under the tower; and on the north and south sides are entrances to the merchants' area.

In the quadrangle is a marble statue of the Queen, and in front is an equestrian statue of Wellington. In the rear of the Exchange, in Threadneedle-street, is the statue of the late George Peabody, by the American sculptor Story.

GUILDHALL, King Street, Cheapside, is the principal seat of City legislation. Here courts and meetings of the livery and freemen take place; elections are held; and City feasts given on memorable occasions. The building is irregular, and the work of different periods. The latest is the Gothic front, finished 1789; in the centre are the City Arms. In the great hall, which is 153 ft. in length, 48 in width, and 55 in height, are chosen toe Lord Mayor and Sheriffs, and Members of Parliament to represent the City. The hall, which is at all times open to strangers, is enriched by splendid monuments, raised to perpetuate the fame of Chatham, Pitt, Nelson, and Beckford. The windows at each end have the Royal Arms, the insignia of the Bath, the Garter, St. Patrick, and the City

Arms, beautifully represented in stained glass. In the screen at the east end, are statues of Edward VI., Queen Elizabeth, and Charles I. At the west end, raised on pedestals, stand two colossal figures, called Gog and Magog; they are said to represent an ancient Briton and Saxon.

THE GENERAL POST-OFFICE, near St. Paul's Cathedral, is a vast edifice in the lonic style of architecture. It was completed in 1829.

PARKS.

The favourite and most picturesque of all the Parks is Hyde Park, occupying 395 acres, with its Rotten Row and Drive or "Ladies' Mile," where may be seen, at different hours, most of the representatives of talent, rank, wealth and fashion in London. The lake, extending from a point opposite Albert Gate to the northern extremity of Kensington Gardens, is called The Serpentine. Opposite the grand entrance is a colossal statue of Achilles, composed of the metal of guns taken at Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse and Waterloo, erected and inscribed to the Duke of Wellington and his companions in arms, by the women of England. On the south side of the park, opposite Prince's Gate, is the national monument to the memory of the late Prince Consort.* At Hyde Park Corner, upon the triumphal arch, near Apsley House, so long his residence, is a statue of the Duke of Wellington mounted upon his charger. Connecting Hyde Park with St. James's, is the road called Constitution Hill, in which Sir Robert Peel was killed by a

Its estimated cost is £120,000, of which £50,000 is granted by Parliament and the remainder made up of subscriptions by the public and the Queen.

fall from his horse, and three attempts, real or pretended, have been made upon the Queen's life.

Kensington Gardens, adjoining Hyde Park, are much resorted to during the season, when the band plays.

St. James's Park has an area of 91 acres. It was first laid out by Henry VIII., and was finally arranged by George IV. nearly as at present. On the west is Buckingham Palace, on the north side are the Green Park, Stafford House, St. James's Palace, and

Marlborough House. The gardens in this park are very beautiful.

Regent's Park, extending over 450 acres, was laid out in 1812, and is now surrounded by handsome residences. It was called after the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV. Within the circular drive near its centre are the Botanical Gardens, to which admittance is obtained by member's introduction; and towards the north-east end the Zoological Society's grounds.

Green Park, about 60 acres in extent, between Piccadilly and St. James's Park, was formerly called "Upper St. James's Park.”

The

Battersea Park has been converted since 1852, at a cost of above £300,000, from marshy fields to its present state. great attraction here is the subtropical garden. The great thoroughfare to this park from Pimlico is over Chelsea Bridge, constructed on the suspension principle, the most elegant of its kind on the Thames.

Victoria Park, Bethnal Green, is the place of recreation for the north-east of London, and was formed with the £72,000 paid by the Duke of Sutherland for the crown lease of his house in St.