ST. JAMES'S & GREEN PARKS 75 



No further alterations were made, except that, in 168 1, 

 Charles effected an exchange of land with the Earl of 

 Arlington, on which, a few years later, Arlington Street 

 was built. The path which runs parallel with the backs 

 of these houses was Queen Caroline's idea, and she used it 

 frequently herself, and it became known as the " Queen's 

 Walk." The houses overlooking the Park went up in 

 value as the occupants could enjoy the sight of the Queen 

 and the Princesses taking their daily walk. The line of 

 this path is no longer the same, as a piece was cut off the 

 Park in 1795 and leased to the Duke of Bridgewater to 

 add to the garden of his house. The Queen also built 

 a pavilion known as the Queen's Library in the Park, 

 where she spent some time after her morning promenades. 

 Although Queen Caroline took to the Upper Park, the 

 world of fashion did not follow at once, and it was not 

 until about 1786 that the Green Park for some reason 

 suddenly became the rage. The only incident of historic 

 interest between this date and the making of the road 

 was the celebration of the end of the War of Succession 

 in the spring following the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle. A 

 great pavilion like a Doric temple, 410 feet long and 1 14 

 feet high, was erected near the wall separating the Green 

 Park from St. James's, and on the 27th of April a grand 

 display of fireworks was arranged. A fire, however, 

 broke out just as the performance was beginning, when a 

 grand overture composed by Handel had been performed, 

 and the King and dense crowds were watching the illumi- 

 nations. The flames were got under, but not before 

 much of the temporary building had been destroyed, and 

 the greater part of the fireworks perished in the flames, 

 and several fatal and serious accidents further marred the 

 entertainment. 



