The Merry Past 



holes, which have been mentioned, were temporarily 

 fixed hoops similar to those which are used at croquet. 

 The players stood at one end of the walk, with "malls'' 

 — implements nearly resembling, if not identical with 

 croquet mallets. The contest was, who should drive 

 the ball (like the croquet-ball) through the greatest 

 number of the hoops. This must have required both 

 strength and dexterity, for if the ball touched either 

 side of any of the obstacles, it would be stopped. 

 Charles II is said to have been such an adept in 

 the art, that he could drive his; ball right through the 

 whole length of the walk. When the game was 

 ended, the hoops were removed till next wanted. 

 The game of ''pall mall" in course of time fell into 

 gradual disuse and was eventually forgotten ; the walk, 

 however, where it had been played remained in the 

 state that has been described till, in making the im- 

 provements in 1770, its concave form was changed to 

 convex, by raising it about four feet in the centre. 



Another favourite pastime of Charles II was playing 

 tennis at the court which, till 1863, existed on the 

 south side of James's Street, Haymarket. When 

 the building was finally destroyed, the pavement of 

 the court in question, it is said, was removed to 

 another tennis court, where it still serves its original 

 purpose. 



In the Merry Monarch's day St. James's Park pre- 

 sented a very different appearance from what we now 

 see. Great alterations were made in 1770, before which 

 date the ornamental water was a long canal. As Le 

 Notre left it, it extended from the parade, where it 

 o 193 



