Hatton Garden to Newgate Street, and 80 feet wide. The bridge over Farringdon Street is of iron, resting on polished granite piers. The sewers are underneath the viaduct, and the gas and water pipes and telegraph wires are contained in vaults or chambers under the footways. These vaults are ingeniously lighted by an American invention, known as Hyatt's pavement lights. THE THAMES EMBANKMENT is a solid river-wall of stone 8 feet thick and 40 feet high, which extends from Westminster Bridge on the Middlesex side of the river, to Blackfriars Bridge. The roadway is 100 ft. wide, and underneath it are two passages or tunnels, one for the great sewer, the other for water and gas pipes and telegraph wires. The Metropolitan Underground Railway runs parallel with the Embankment. or The cost was about two millions of pounds sterling. Half way between Waterloo Bridge, Charing Cross Railway Station, is Cleopatra's Needle, which was brought to England from Egypt through the liberality of Dr Erasmus Wilson, who gave £10,000 for the purpose. The obelisk is 68 ft. high, 8 ft. wide at the base, and weighs 180 tons. At its base are two large bronze sphinxes designed by Mr G. Vulliany. On the faces of the pedestal are various inscriptions relating to its erection. HOUSES NOW REMAINING WHICH HAVE BEEN INHABITED BY EMINENT PERSONS. (Most of the houses mentioned below bear on their fronts inscriptions giving the names and dates of the births and deaths of the distinguished persons who have inhabited them. These inscriptions were put up by the Society of Arts.) The Duke of Wellington lived in Apsley House, Hyde Park Corner, thirty-two years. Lord Nelson lived for a time at 141 New Bond Street. Edmund Burke died at 37 Gerard Street, Soho. Sheridan died at 7 Saville Row, near Regent Street. Milton lived at 19 York Street, Westminster. The former front of the house is now its back. Here he lost the entire use of his eyes, and here his first wife, Mary Powell, died. The house overlooks the old garden of Jeremy Bentham. Howitt says that "when Bentham was conducting people round his garden, he used to make them sometimes go down on their knees to this house." Dryden died at 43 Gerard Street, Soho. Byron was born at 16 Holles Street, near Oxford Street. He afterwards resided at 139 Piccadilly. Keats once lodged at 71 Cheap side. Thomas Moore resided at 27 Bury Street, St James's. Johnson completed his Dictionary at 17 Gough Square, Fleet Street. Goldsmith died at 2 Brick Court, Temple. (At The Mitre Tavern, Fleet Street, and Jack's Coffee House (now Walker's Hotel), Dean Street, corner of Queen Street, Soho, Johnson and Goldsmith frequently met their literary friends. The latter was also a resort of Garrick.) Lawrence Sterne died at 41 Old Bond Street. GOODWOOD RACES are held at the end of July. Rail to Charles Lamb died at 4 Inner Chichester. Temple Lane. Sir Isaac Newton lived in St Martin's Street, a little way out of Leicester Square, where his observatory still remains. William Penn once lived in the last house on the left in Norfolk Street, Strand. Madame de Stael once lodged at 30 Argyll Street, Regent Street. Napoleon III. last lodged in London at 3 King Street, St James's Square. Benjamin Franklin once lived at 7 Craven Street, Strand. THE RACES. The great event of the racing year is the EPSOM DERBY, which takes place in May or June. "Derby-day" is the great carnival of London. On that day the sessions of Parliament are suspended, and the business centres of the City are deserted. The scene "upon the road," going to and returning from this race, is very striking. The race is run upon the Wednesday immediately before Whitsuntide, except when Easter occurs in March, when it is run in the first or second week after Whitsuntide." 66 ASCOT RACES take place about the middle of June. The best day is the Gold Cup day (Thursday), when some of the members of the Royal Family, attended by the Master of the Buckhounds, drive up the course in state. Admission to the Royal enclosure is only obtained by invitation. Train from Waterloo, or drive 5 miles from Windsor. Excellent races, attended by the élite, are held at SANDOWN PARK, near Esher. VARIOUS AMUSEMENTS, CONTESTS, SPORTS, &c., NOT ALREADY DESCRIBED. ATHLETICS, Lillie Bridge, Oxford and Cambridge sports, held on the Boat-Race week, and other athletic meetings. CANTERBURY MUSIC HALL (sliding roof), Lambeth, variety entertainment. CRICKET, Eton and Harrow, and Oxford and Cambridge matches, at Lord's, June and July. EGYPTIAN HALL, 170 Piccadilly, various entertainments. EXETER HALL, Strand, sacred concerts, May meetings. FLORAL HALL, Covent Garden Theatre, concerts. GERMAN REED, Mr and Mrs, St George's Hall, 4 Langham Place, musical dramatic entertainment. HENGLER'S CIRCUS, 7 Argyle Street, Oxford Circus. MASKELYNE and COOK, Egyptian Hall, 170 Piccadilly, conjuring. MIN MOORE and BURGESS STRELS, St James' Hall, 73 OXFORD MUSIC HALL, 6 Oxford PICCADILLY HALL, Piccadilly, concerts. ST GEORGE'S HALL, 4 Langham Place, concerts. ST JAMES' HALL, 73 Regent Street, concerts. SANGER'S CIRCUS, Westminster Bridge Road. STEIWAY HALL, 15 Lower Seymour Street, concerts. WILLIS' ROOMS, King Street, St James', concerts, balls, &c. |