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 the 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. the west end, raised on pedestals, stand two colossal figures, called Gog and Magog; they are said to represent an ancient Briton and a Saxon.

At

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

SOMERSET HOUSE, on the south side of the Strand, with a frontage of 780 ft. on the Thames, close to Waterloo Bridge, is now occupied as public offices. The

present building was erected in 1786 on the site of the Palace of the Protector Somerset. After the beheading of the Protector it fell to the Crown. It was once the residence of Anne of Denmark, wife of James I., and of Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I. Nine hundred officials are employed in the various public offices in the present building.

LAMBETH PALACE, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is on the Surrey bank of the Thames, not far above Westminster Bridge. The most ancient portion is the Chapel, which was built about the year 1200, and in which the consecration of the archbishops takes place. The Lollards' Tower, the place of confinement of some Lollards, or followers of Wycliffe, still exists, with numerous inscriptions carved in the woodwork by the prisoners. There is also a hall 90 ft. long, and a fine library containing about 15,000 volumes of books and some rare manuscripts. Admission cannot be had to the palace, but the library is open to persons who present an introduction from a clergyman. St Mary's Church contiguous to the palace is one of the oldest in London.

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 Sala

manca, 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 (see p. 162). 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 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."

Battersea Park has been converted since 1852, at a cost of

above £300,000, from marshy fields to its present state. The 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 James's Park (Stafford House) in 1841.

THE TOWER OF LONDON.— There is no doubt that a fortress stood in Roman times on the site of the present Tower, but the more modern structure which still exists probably originated with William the Conqueror. Though at first a royal palace and stronghold, it is best known in history as a prison. It is now an arsenal, and is still kept in repair as a fortress. The square White Tower rises conspicuously in the centre.

A broad quay

lies between the moat and the Thames. The Tower has four entrances: the Tron Gate, the Water Gate, and the Traitor's Gate, all on the side next the Thames; and on the west, the principal entrance or Lions' Gate, so called from the menagerie formerly kept here. To the right is the Ticket Office, where tickets are procured for the Armoury (6d.) and the Crown Jewels (6d.). The Tower is open daily from 10 to 4. Mondays and Saturdays are free days, and should be avoided on account of the crowd. chief objects of interest bear inscriptions. Visitors have to wait till a party of twelve is collected before they are conducted through the building by one of the quaintly attired warders or "beef-eaters." These warders,

The