City Scenes Part 9

[Picture: Charing Cross]

Here, upon his brazen horse, Sits Charles the First at Charing Cross.

This spot was formerly known as a village named _Charing_, near London, in which King Edward the First placed a magnificent cross, in memory of his beloved queen Eleanor, {65} which cross was destroyed by the fury of the reformers, who regarded it as an object of superst.i.tion. _Le Sueur_, a French artist, cast a fine statue in bra.s.s, of Charles the First on horseback, which was erected in place of the cross. When Cromwell ruled, this statue was sold to one _Revet_, a brazier, on condition of his melting it, as the parliament had ordered that it should be destroyed.

Revet made a fortune by this statue, casting a vast number of articles in bronze, as if made out of his purchase, which were eagerly bought by those desirous of having a memorial of their prince; and by others, from the pleasure of mean triumph over fallen royalty. Revet, however, had not destroyed the statue, but kept it buried in the earth; and Charles the Second, on his restoration, caused it to be erected again.

71. Carleton House,

[Picture: Carleton House]

Which has been pulled down since our plate was engraved, was a very grand palace. It stood in Pall Mall, exactly opposite Waterloo Place. This was the town-residence of his late Majesty: it was furnished with the most elegant and splendid taste, and was said to be the most beautiful in its decorations of any royal residence in Europe.

72. The Quadrant, Regent Street.

[Picture: The Quadrant, Regent Street]

This is one of the most beautiful of the new improvements at the west end of the town, and is thought to be the most singular and magnificent line of streets in the world. At the entrance of the Quadrant stands the County Fire Office. The Building is surmounted by a colossal statue of Britannia, behind which is an observatory, which affords a view over London and the surrounding villages; the purpose of which is, that, on an alarm of fire, the managing director may ascertain the position in which it lies, and send the engines, which are kept at the back of the building.

73. The Funeral.

[Picture: The funeral]

The kind and loving mother of those two children is dead, and going to the grave! It is too late now to be dutiful to her, for she cannot open her eyes to look at you, they are shut for ever; it is too late to do as she bid you, for her lips are closed, and she cannot speak: it is too late to wait upon her now, for she no longer requires your a.s.sistance!

O, little girl and little boy, if your dear mamma be still alive, be very kind and dutiful to her before this sorrowful day comes; or else it will be too late to do any thing for _her_, but cry very bitterly over her grave.

74. The Charity Children.

[Picture: The Charity Children]

These charity children are coming from church, with the two parish-beadles before them. Several thousands of poor children are taught to read, work, and write, in the different charity-schools of London, and to do their duty to G.o.d and to their neighbours; which will enable them to become respectable in this world, and tend to make them happy in the next.

Once a year, about six thousand charity children, dressed in uniforms of different colours, a.s.semble in St. Paul's Cathedral, on benches raised to a great height one above the other, circularly, under the dome. The order with which each school finds its own situation, and the union of so many voices, all raised at one moment to the praise of their great Creator, as they chant the hundredth psalm on the entrance of the clergyman, cause a most delightful and affecting sensation in the minds of the spectators. The solemnity of the place, and the hope that so much innocence, under such protection, would be reared to virtue and happiness, must add greatly to the effect.

This uncommon scene is well described in the following lines.

'Twas in the pleasant month of June, their hands and faces clean, The children walking two and two, in red, and blue, and green; Grey-headed beadles walked before, with wands as white as snow, Till into the high dome of St. Paul's, they, like Thames' waters, flow.

Oh! what a mult.i.tude they seem'd, these flowers of London town!

Seated in companies they sit, with radiance all their own!

The hum of mult.i.tudes was there, but mult.i.tudes of lambs; Thousands of little boys and girls, raising their innocent hands; Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song, Or like harmonious thunderings, the seats of heav'n among.

Beneath them sit the aged men, wise guardians of the poor: Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door.

75. Highgate Tunnel.

[Picture: Highgate Tunnel]

This grand excavation was made in 1821, through the eastern side of Highgate-hill, for the purpose of easing the draught of horses in pa.s.sing in this direction. There is also a grand archway across, over the Tunnel, which connects Highgate with Hornsey.

76. Watering the Streets.

[Picture: Watering the streets]

London streets, in dry weather, are very dusty; this, when the wind blows briskly, annoys not only the eyes of those who walk, and of those who ride, but spoils the look of many a joint of meat. Pastry-cooks' and many other shops are much hurt by the dust; so that, at an early hour in the morning, many streets are watered by means of a scoop, and water pent up in the kennels, on each side of the carriageway.

77. Little Boy at the Crossing.

[Picture: Little boy at the crossing]

That's right, sweep away there, my good little man, And earn a few halfpence, whenever you can.

Many of the crossings in London streets are often very dirty, and some little lads, who prefer doing even a dirty job to being idle, put down a board for the pa.s.sengers to walk upon, which they sweep clean continually from mud or snow. They do not forget to hold their hats to those who make use of this convenience; and good-natured people seldom fail to drop a halfpenny into them, like the gentleman in the picture.

Though some persons may be incommoded by wet weather, yet the poor little street-sweeper, the hackney-coachman, the dealer in umbrellas, and various other tradesmen in London, are much benefited by it; and in the country it is often welcome to the farmer, whose corn and gra.s.s are made to grow by the timely succession of wet and dry, heat and cold.

78. The Flower-pot Man.

[Picture: The Flower-pot man]

Here comes the old man with his flowers to sell, Along the streets merrily going; Full many a year I've remember'd him well, With, "_Flowers_, _a growing_, _a blowing_!"

Geraniums, in dresses of scarlet and green; Thick aloes, that blossom so rarely; The long creeping cereus with p.r.i.c.kles so keen; Or primroses modest and early.

The myrtle dark green, and the jessamine pale, Sweet scented and gracefully flowing, This flower-man carries and offers for sale, "_All flouris.h.i.+ng_, _growing_, _and blowing_!"