The Merry Past 



offer should be rejected, because, as a citizen of 

 London, he thought it was their duty to give every 

 profitable order to a member of their own corporation, 

 in preference to a foreigner of whom they knew 

 nothing. The argument was thought unanswerable, 

 and the job was given to Dance, the City Surveyor, 

 who built the still existing Mansion House. 



In spite of Lord Burlington's boast, the Duke of 

 Devonshire built further on still, and Devonshire 

 House was erected about 1737 by Kent, at a cost of 

 something over ^20,000. The entrance was originally 

 up a double flight of stone steps, forming an external 

 staircase to the central window on the ground floor. 

 This arrangement was, however, altered during the 

 last century, when the present insignificant entry 

 was contrived. The general appearance of Devonshire 

 House would be vastly improved were the original 

 staircase to be replaced and the central portion of 

 the dreary expanse of courtyard converted into a grass 

 plot. The latter portion of this scheme, it is under- 

 stood, may possibly be carried out, and should this 

 be so, the alteration will, without doubt, greatly add 

 to the amenities of Piccadilly. 



Some twenty-three years after the Duke had 

 beaten Lord Burlington, a private gentleman beat 

 him, and in 1760 a good house was erected in Picca- 

 dilly, beyond Devonshire House. This gentleman 

 proceeded with his design till he got it roofed in, 

 and then discovered that it would require the ex- 

 penditure of more money than he was willing to lay 

 out, and he got rid of it by selling it, in its unfinished 



185 



