LABURNUM. ,'j 



crawling. His ear would be assailed by the 

 shrill cry of " Milk below," and the deep 

 tone of " Old clothes," where he had for- 

 merly retired to listen to the melody of the 

 early lark, or the plaintive tones of the night- 

 ingale. 



" A breath of unadulterated air, 



The glimpse of a green pasture, how they cheer 

 The citizen, and brace his languid frame ! " 



Yet how careful have they been to keep it 

 as distant as possiblefromthenarrowyardof our 

 metropolitan church, which stands on one of 

 the finest sites in the universe, as will be seen 

 when the age arrives that will level the build- 

 ings which obstruct the view of it from the 

 Thames. Should the cathedral of Saint Paul's 

 ever be seen forming the centre of a crescent, 

 which would open to the south, and whose 

 base would be washed by the noble but now 

 obscured river, it would become the most 

 splendid spot, and the most delightful pro- 

 menade that the world could boast. What 

 would not the citizens give for so fine and 

 healthy a spot, where themselves and their 

 families might breathe an air, scarce less 

 healthy than that which they must now go 

 many miles to enjoy? What wealthy citizen 

 is there who would not contribute largely to 

 see the finest church on the earth stand at the 



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