54 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 
are the work of Countess Feodore Gleichen. The grace¬ 
ful figure of Artemis, with bow and arrow, and the sup¬ 
porting cariatides, are of bronze, the upper basin of 
Saravezza marble, and the lower of Tecovertino stone. 
The whole is most light and elegant, and shows up well 
against the dark trees. 
It has only been possible to glance at the history and 
beauties of Hyde Park; many more pages could be 
written without touching on half of the incidents con¬ 
nected with it, between the days when it was monastic 
lands to the days of the modern Sunday “Church Parade.” 
It is interesting to trace the origin of the little customs 
with which every one is now familiar, but which once 
were new and original. For instance, the naming of 
trees and flowers in the Parks was first done about 1842, 
the idea having been suggested by Loudon, and carried 
out by Nash the architect, and George Don the botanist. 
Then the system of paying a penny for a seat began in 
1820, but when some of the free seats were removed in 
1859 there was a great outcry, and they were immediately 
put back. Then the meets of the Four-in-hand and 
Coaching Clubs, which are quite an institution in Hyde 
Park, only continue the tradition of the “ Whip Club,” 
which first met in 1808. The history of the various 
gates calls for notice. The Marble Arch, designed by 
Nash, with ornaments by Flaxman, Westmacott, and 
Rossi, in Carrara marble, was moved from Buckingham 
Palace to its present position in 1851. Over ^4000 was 
expended on the removal, while the original sum spent 
was 75,000. The statue of George IV. by Chantrey, 
now in Pall Mall East, was intended for the top, and cost 
9000 guineas, and the bronze gates are by Samuel Parker. 
Near that corner of the Park was a stone where soldiers 
