The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-29 00:00:00

THE PUBLIC PARKS OF LONDON.

The following excellent letter is taken from the Morning
Post of Monday :
TO THE EDITOR OP THE MORNING POST.

Sir,—Lord Robert Cecil, in the House of Commons on
Friday night, inquired whether the lease of that portion of
the Regent's park let to the Toxophilite Society would be
renewed, for the parks of London were not f,-.0 large, and
the public ought to have the benefit of the piece of land.
Attention thus called to the Regent's-park, I avail my-
self of it to bring before your readers the importance and
great desirability of making a park, or public walk, with
seats placed at suitable distances and tastefully planted
with shrubs, from the North-gate of Primrose-hill to
Hamstead-heath.
It is now or never, for buildings in a very few months
will spring up, and that which can at present be done for
an outlay comparatively so insignificant that the money
might almost be raised by subscription, will be in a little
time impossible.
I feel very strongly the great advantages to be gained by
the purchase of this land for ever to the people, and f t
this very time last year I brought the same before Lord
Palmerston. In my note to his lordship I said :--"Hamp-
stead-heath is probably now not more in the country than
Kensington-gardens were 30 years ago. The proposed plan
makes a splendid finish to the Regent's-park, and will re.
lieve the frequently too crowded and now not sufficiently
airy Hyde-park. At present no buildings of any import-
ance interfere, and under the authority of an act of Parlia-
ment that land could be purchased, which in a short time
will be too much built upon to be obtained."
" The outlay may be little or much, and will entirely de-
pend upon the width of the park."
This park, or public walk, would cross the Adelaide-road
and run through Vie fields to Lower Hampstead-heath, and
if preferred and found practicable, it might be made to Old
Hampstead Church; the whole distance, about lh miles,
and the length of the walks and plantations at Hampstead
might be increased without limit, and be in accordance with
the requirements and wishes of the people.
Napoleon 111. has gained for himself even the commen-
dations of his enemies, by giving to Paris a park designed
with consummate taste, and no great European city has one
more beautiful or more extensive. In this park of the Pari-
sians there are people in private carriages, people in cabs,
people on horseback, and people walking; there is room for
everybody, and everybody is pleased. I amdisposed to think,
by judicious arrangement, and with certain restrictions, the
same plan might be adopted in the Regent's-park—the en •

trance to be at Portland-place, through the centre of the
park, and round the foot of Primrose-hill to Hampstead.
The equestrians need not interfere with the pedestrians, nor
need the person taking an airing in a humble cab give
annoyance to the occupant of the grandest carriage ; and
the beauty and gaiety of the scene may be, in London as in
Paris, much increased by this general assemblage, whilst
the natural advantages of the situation are all in favour of
this metropolis.
Many noblemen and gentlemen possess parks of their
own larger than the Regent's -park, with the proposed addi-
tion, and by allowing their neighbours and others to walk
in them they add to their own pleasure, increase the pic-
turesque beauty of their property, and confer happiness
upon all. at also the tens of thousands of the sons of toil

in London have one park they can call their own, and
through which, surrounded by agreeable associations, and
without expense, they can reach the country. Hampstead-
heath is not only the most airy, but, for the masses, the
nearest and most favourite spot out of London.

It is from no fault of the people that this great city is be-
coming larger and larger, interfering with the social inter-
course and comfort of the inhabitants, the Legislature look-
ing despairingly on, and not unfrequently aggravating in-
stead of diminishing the evil.
Regent's-street and Regent's-park are so called to per-
petuate the memory of one who exerted his whole power and
influence to create them ; but time and events pass rapidly
on, and already not a few of the present generation among
the less educated classes are ignorant of this, and I would
suggest that the name of the latter should be changed to
Park George IV.
It is reasonable to suppose that this extension of the Re-
gent's-park, being in itself excellent, has occurred to many.
I venture to ask for the insertion of this letter, because it is
now brought forward solely for the general good, and be-
cause it is not yet too late. Even the discussion of the sub-
ject may be productive of results for which Londoners yet
unborn will be grateful.—l am, &c.,
WM. RAY SMEE.
2, St. Edmund's-terrace, North-gate,
Regent's-park, May 24.
Subjoined is Lord Palmerston's reply, and no further
notice has been taken :

"Downing-street, May 23, 1860.
Sir,—Lord Palmerston desires me to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 21st inst., enclosing a plan for
a public park between Primrose-hill and Hampstead.
" Lord Palmerston has caused your letter to bo forwarded
to the Board of Works, but he directs me to inform you that
the formation of such a park would devolve upon the Metro-
politan Board of Works.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
"C. J. BARRINGTON.

‘, William Ray Since, Esq."

MR. COBDEN.—Arrangements have been made
for presenting Mr. Cobden with the freedom of the City of
London, at a Court of Common Council, to be held at
Guildhall, on Thursday week. Previous to the ceremony,
the hon. gentleman will be admitted to the freedom of the
Wii3lo49Pgero' Company;