NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 285. 



CVRIOSITXES OF XiOXUSOir. 



Now readr, in a elodeljr-printed Volume of 800 pages, price 14»., with a Portrait of the Author from a Painting by T. J. GULLICK, 



CURIOSITIES OF LONDON: 



EXHIBITING THE 



MOST RARE AND REMARKABLE OBJECTS OF INTEREST IN THE METROPOLIS, PAST AND 

 PRESENT : WITH NEARLY FIFTY YEARS' PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. 



By JOHN TIMES, F.S.A. 



Author of" A Picturesque Promenade round Dorking ; " and Editor of" Laconics," " The Year-book of Facts," &c. 



»«* The " CURIOSITIES " include the Topography of the Town in its more celebrated Localities and Associations ; and its existing 

 Antiquities and Collections of Rare Art and Virtu ; with special Articles upon its Amusements, Bells and Chimes, Carvings in Wood ; Chelsea 

 Buns and Chelsea China ; Clubs and Coffee-houses ; Conduits, Convents, and Crypts ; Curfew-ringing and Curiosity Shops ; Domesday Book ; 

 Earthquakes and Exchequer Tallies ; Fashions in Dress ; Fleet River, Ditch, Prison, and Street i Frosts and Frost Fairs ; Fountains and Gardens ; 

 Gog and Magog, and Grub Street ; Halls of the City Companies ; Houses and Inns of Old London ; Libraries and Book Rarities ; Lord Mayor's 

 State ; Musemns (50), and their Wonders ; Newspaper History ; Painted Glass, Pictures, and Plate ; Roman Remains ; State Coaches ; Statues ; 

 Theatres ; Vauxhall and Banelagh ; Waxwork Shows, &c. 



LITERAEY OPINIONS. 



" The plan of the work is excellent, and every page bears proof 

 of the research and industry of the author. We have been surprised 

 at the amount and variety, as well as the accuracy of the information. 

 The book is sure to be a standard work in the literature of the metro- 

 polis ; and Mr. Timbs has crowned his long and varied literary labours 

 by this valuable and acceptable yol\xme." — Literarj/ Gazette, Feb. 17, 

 1855. 



" We give Mr. Timbs credit for his great labour and assiduity, and 

 are fully convinced that the book will form a very useful resource for 

 reference on countless topics of interest and cm-iosity." — GentJenian's 

 Jfaoaxine, March, 1855. 



" Really a very amusing book ; the amount of information which it 

 contains is very extraordinary." — The Art-Journal, March, 1855. 



" To heap into a single volume everything curious and remarkable in 

 the strange microcosm of London, was surely a great idea ; and Mr. 

 Timbs has wrought it out with an industry worthy of that unwearied 

 compiler." — Chambers's Journal, March 17, 1855. 



" The book contains a large amount of interesting information plea- 

 aantly put together." — The JBuildir, Feb. 17, 1855. 



" The work of a diligent labourer in the field of literature, who in this 

 book has acquired a claim to a lasting reputation." — The Land and 

 Building News, Feb. 15, 1855. 



" This work has justly earned for its author a considerable meed of 

 admiration and praise ; it is the work of an industrious and learned 

 man; and it is full of anecdote, information, and good readable ratio- 

 cination."— The Critic, March 15, 1855. 



" Life-long observation, books, conversation, and tradition, have each 

 contributed to swell the facts that find a place in the ' Curiosities of 

 London.' These facts are numerous, and well brought together ; nor 

 do we know where so much information respecting the metropolis can 

 be found in a single volume, or even in many volumes." — -Spectator, 

 Feb. 4, 1855. 



" The execution is creditable to Mr. Timbs's great industry and re- 

 search, and is remarkable for careful compilation and judicious ob- 

 servations. Juvenile readers, men of business, and antiquaries, may all 

 profit by the ' Curiosities of London.' " — Economist, Feb. 10, 1855. 



" This book may fairly be pronounced the most complete and compre- 

 .hensive of the many contributions to the illustrative history of London ; 

 and the management of the details indicates qualities superior to any 

 which have hitherto been brought to bear upon mere archaeology — the 

 qualities of a first-rate scholarly intellect." _ The Leader, March 3, 

 1855. 



" This volume is one of the most valuable and painstaking of its 

 class ; we find in it much that is curious, interesting, and new ; and wo 

 are not aware of any work that contains so much matter of the last half 

 century conveyed with so much clearness and accuracy." — The Press, 

 Feb. 24, 1855. 



" This book illustrates the British metropolis with a minuteness, a 

 fidelity, an intelligence, and a charm, rarely, if ever, equalled in any 

 work of its class." — Weekly Dispatch, Feb. 10, 1855. 



"A most instructive and amusing volume ; a good, thick, suflicing 

 volume, about the size of a lady's jewel-casket, and equally full of what 

 is tasteful and valuable." — iioyd's Weekly News, Feb. 11, 1855. 



" One of the most valuable works of reference either for the anti- 

 quarian, historical, or general reader." — Weekly Chronicle, Feb. 11, 

 1855. 



" A pleasant and valuable epitome of the wonders and curiosities of 

 our over-grown metropolis." — Observer, Feb. 3, 1855. 



" This is an astonishing collection of curious and interesting inform- 

 ation." — Morning Chronicle, Feb. 23, 1855. 



"Avast storehouse of facts, judiciously classified and arranged." _ 

 Daily News, Feb. 15, 1855. 



" A vast fund of fact and anecdote, displaying a very great amount of 

 diligence and ability, and deserving ahigh decree of success." — Morning 

 Advertiser, Feb. 1855. 



" A very valuable and excellent book, full of interesting and curioug 

 information."— Globe, Feb. 26, 1855. 



LONDON : 

 Published for the Author by DAVID BOGUE, 86. Fleet Street. 



Printed by Thoma. Clark Shaw, of No. 10. Stonefleld Street, in the Parish of St. Mary, Islington, at No..5. New Street Square, in "»e Parish of 

 St. Bride, in the City of London ; and published by George Bei-i., of No. 186. Fleet Street, in the Paruh of St. Dunstan in tne West, in tiie 

 C t of London, Publisher, at No. 186. Fleet Street aforesaid — Saturday, April 14, 1855. 



