LONDON. 



curity alfo, in the girdle of Portland ftonc which encircles 

 the low part, an enormous double chain of iron, llrongly 

 linked together, and weighing nearly 96 ciut.y was inferted 

 in a channel, which was afterwards filled up with lead. Over 

 this cupola is a cone of brick, fo built as to fupport a Hone 

 lantern of an elegant tigure. The choir is of the fame form 

 and architcftural ftyle as the body of the church. 



The dimenfions of this vail fabric are, height from the 

 ground without to the top of the crofs 540 feet, extreme 

 length within 500 feet, greatefl: breadth 223 feet. The 

 entire afcent to the ball includes 616 fteps. The weight 

 of the ball, which is capacious enough to contain eight per- 

 fons, is j6oo lbs. ; and that of the crofs, 3360 lbs. For 

 a more particular defcription of this edifice, with plan of 

 the fubftrufture, elevation of the weft front, feftion of the 

 dome, and north-eaft view of the exterior, fee " Fine Arts 

 of the Enghfh School." 4to. 1812. 



The particular objecls of curiofity which are comprifed 

 in this church, and generally fliewn to ftrangers, are the 

 whifpering gallery, which encircles the interior of the lower 

 part of the dome, and is fo con!lru(liled, that a low whifper 

 breathed againft the wall, in any part of the circle, may be 

 heard on theoppofite fide; the library, chiefly remark- 

 able for the floor, which is conftri'.dled with fmall pieces 

 of oak, difpofed in geometrical figures ; the beautiful 

 model, conftruCted by fir Chriflopher Wren ; the geo- 

 i.' metrical ftaircafe, the fineft fpecimen of the kind in Great 

 Britain ; the clock, and great bell on which it ftrikes. 

 The clock is of great magnitude : the length of the mi- 

 nute-hand is eight feet, and its weight 75 lbs. ; the hour- 

 hand five feet four inches, and its weight 44 lbs. ; the dia- 

 meter of the dial is eighteen feet ten inches ; the length 

 of the hour-figures two feet two inches and a half; the 

 bell is about ten feet in diameter, and its weight nearly four 

 tons and a quarter. 



About the year 1 790 a fcheme was fuggefted, and has 

 been happily carried into effect, for breaking the mono- 

 tonous uniformity of the architeftural mafles in the interior 

 of the cathedral. This was done by admitting large and 

 noble monuments for eminent public perfons deceafed. 

 Thefe may with ftrift propriety be termed national, as com- 

 memorative of Britifh virtues, talents, or heroifm. Statues 

 are already erefted for Mr. Howard the philanthropift. Dr. 

 Johnfon, and fir William Jones. Here are alfo monuments 

 for generals Abercromby and Dur.das,and for captains MofFe, 

 Riou, Weftcott, Burgefs, and Faulknor. Others are now 

 erefting for marquis Cornwallis, lord Howe, and lord Nel- 

 fon. The latter is interred in the vault under the centre of 

 the building ; and near him, his friend lord Collingwood. 

 Among other eminent charatlers who have been depofited 

 in thefe vaults, are fir Chriftopher Wren ; Dr. Newton, 

 late bifhop of Briftol ; Alexander Wedderburn, earl of 

 Rofiljn; fir John Braithwaite ; fir Jofhua Reynolds, pre- 

 fident of the Royal Academy ; and two other eminent 

 artifts, James Barry and John Opie, efqrs. 



Although the churches in London are moftly plain, ordi- 

 nary in architefture, and in obfcure fituations, yet a few 

 of them are entitled to the notice and admiration of a 

 ftranger. That of St. Stephen Walbrooke, built by fir 

 Chriftopher Wren, is very fmall, but is juftly efteemed for 

 its novelty of defign and architectural adornment. " The 

 plan is original, yet fimple ; the elevation furprifing, yet 

 chafte and beautiful ; the dome, fupported by eight arches, 

 fpringing from eight fingle columns, is wonderfully light and 

 fcenic in its effeft." (Malton's Pidurefque Tour, p. 76.) 

 Over the altar is a fine pifture reprefenting the interment 



of St. Stephen, by Weft. The following churches and 

 towers have claims to architectural beauty, or fcientific 

 merit. The tower and fpire of Bov.--church, in Cheapfide, 

 by fir Chriftopher Wren ; the tower of St. Michael's, in 

 Cornhill ; the tower and fpire of St. Bride's, in Fleet- 

 ftrect ; the church of St. Mary, called the New church, in 

 the Stra-nd, by James Gibbs ; the church of St. George, 

 in Bloomftjury, by N. Hawkfmoor, built in 1731 ; the tower 

 and fpire cf St. Dunftan in the Eaft, by lir Chriftopher 

 AVren ; and the churcU of St. Paul, Covent Garden, by 

 Inigo Jone?. 



Members of Parliament. — The city of London has no more 

 weight in the legiflative rcprefentation of the kingdom, 

 than two fmall boroughs which are the property of an in- 

 dividual. It fends four reprefentatives to parhament, who 

 are chofen, not by the inhabitant houfehoiders at large, but 

 by the livery of the feveral companies. The right of elec- 

 tion was anciently veftcd in the freemen of the city, which 

 gave rife to many contefts between the freemen and livery ; 

 till an aft of parliament, pafted in the eleventh year of 

 George I., decided the queftion, and gave a peremptorv 

 right to the livery only. To be pofleffed of this elective 

 franchise, a man muft have previoufly obtained his free- 

 dom of the city, and alfo of one of the trading compa- 

 nies, either by patrimony, fervitude, or purchafe ; and 

 muft afterwards be admitted to the hvery of his com- 

 pany. The prefent number of clcftors is about ei-^ht 

 thoufand, which is not above a third part of the number 

 of inhabitant houfekeepers. The eleftions are held in 

 Guildhall, and the flieriffs are the returning officers. The 

 city fent two members to parliament as early as 49 Henry 

 III. The number was increafed to four, 6 Edward II. : 

 in that and the fucceeding reign, four were frequently fent ; 

 but fince 43 Edward III., this number has been uniformly 

 returned. 



Inns of Court and Chancery. — The defign of thefe efta- 

 bhfhments having been curforily noticed under IxNS, it 

 may be proper here to f.ibjoin feme further particulars rela- 

 tive to each. The inns of court in London are the Iiiner 

 Temple, the Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's 

 Inn ; but there are feveral other places called inns, which 

 are appendages to the former. The Temple, belonging to 

 the two focieties of the Inner and Middle Temple, is an im- 

 meufe affemblage of buildings, extending from Fleet-ftreet 

 to the Thames ; and from Lombard-ftreet, White-friars, to 

 Effex-ftreet in the Strand. It derives its name from a re- 

 ligious houfe, which was founded by the Knights Templars, 

 who were ciufaders ; and, in the beginning of the- twelfth 

 century, formed themfelves into a military body at Jeru- 

 falera, for the proteftion of the pilgrims who vifited the 

 holy fepukhre. On the difTolution of the order, the Temple 

 was granted to the Knights Hofpitallers of St. John of Jc- 

 rufalem ; ar.d by them it was let for 10/. per annum to the 

 ftudents of the law, whofe fucccffors ftili pofl'efs it. (See 

 Hospitallers and Te.mplars.) The Temple is an ir- 

 regular buildicg : in Fleet-ftreet are two entrances, one to 

 the Inner and one to the Middle Temple ; the latter has a 

 front, in the ftyle of Inigo Jones, of brick, ornamented with 

 four large ftone pilafters, of the Ionic order, wirh a pedi- 

 ment. There are four other entrances ; but the gates of all 

 are fhut at night. The garden of the Inner Temple is of 

 great extent, and is laid out on the banks cf the Thames, 

 with fpacious walks, &c. The Middle Temple has alfo a 

 garden, but fmall: both are open to the public in fummer. 

 The hall of the' Middle Temple is a fpacious and curious 

 room : the Inner Temple hall, which is fmaller, is oma- 

 1 1 racnted 



