MUNICIPAL PARKS 
14 7 
of multitudes of babies, it Is necessary to protect them 
from the water’s edge by substantial railings, but most 
of the Park Is singularly free from these unsightly but 
often necessary safeguards. The trees all through the 
grounds are unusually fine. Four hickories are par¬ 
ticularly worthy of note. They are indeed grand and 
graceful trees, and It Is astonishing they should be so 
little planted. These are noble specimens, and look 
extremely healthy. 
The most characteristic feature In the Park is the 
house It contains and the garden immediately round it. 
This was built for Lauderdale, the 44 L ” in the Cabal of 
Charles II., probably about 1660. When this unattrac¬ 
tive character was not living there himself, he not un- 
frequently lent it to Nell Gwynn. The ground floor of 
the house is open to the public as refreshment rooms, 
and one empty parlour with seats has much good old 
carving, of the date of the house, over the mantelpiece, 
also in a recess which encloses a marble bath known as 
44 Nell G wynn’s bath.” It is said to have been from a 
window in Lauderdale House that she held out her son 
when Charles was walking below, threatening to let him 
drop if the King did not promise to confer some title 
upon him. In response Charles exclaimed, 44 Save the 
Earl of Burford,” which title (and later, that of Duke 
of St. Albans) was formally conferred upon him. 
The terrace along which the King was walking Is still 
there. A little inscription has been inserted on a sun-dial 
near the wall, to record the fact that the dial-plate is level 
with the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral. A flight of steps 
leads to a lower terrace. This is planted in a formal 
design consisting of three circles, the centre one having 
a fountain. Two more flights of steps descend, in a line 
