The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-23 00:00:00

THE TAXATION.
In talking of the taxation of Great Britain,
landlords always insist that the land bears peculiar
burdens, equal to, in their way, if not greater, than
those with which the remaining kinds of property are
loaded throughout the kingdom. This assertion is
made every day, and with reference to the present
time. Look at the facts of the case. During the
reign of King William 111., according to the state-
ment of Sir John Sinclair, in his work on the Revenue,
the annual average of the land-tax was 34 per
cent., that is, more than a third of the whole revenue
of the kingdom. As Mr. Macintyre states the same
fact, his deductions being taken seemingly from one
individual year, more " than a fourth of the public
revenue was derived (in the reign of William of
Orange) from the land- tax. At that time the whole
of the revenue was about 4,600,0001., of which the
tax on land was about 1,300,0001." Now, no man can
deny that the species of property which has increased
most enormously in the ratio of productiveness, since
the close of the seventeenth century, is land. The
rents of the landlords have been doubled, trebled, and
quadrupled—much more, indeed, in many cases—
ithin the last few score years. The land-tax should
then have been greatly increased in common fairness,
with the increasing revenue which has been exacted
from the country. Has such been the case ?
"In the year 1842," we find " the total amount
of revenue is 62,000,0001., of which the taxes
on land amount to less than 1,200,000/." The land-
taxes redeemed since 1798 ought to be added to this,
since the annual payment was sold for a value equal
to it, and the land-tax ought to be stated at about
2,000,000/. But taking this latter sum as the correct
one, what an enormity of increase on the burdens of
the other classes, while the land stands comparatively
at little more than the same rate as in William the
Third's time ! A third at the utmost has been added
to the land-tax, while the common taxes have been
raised to nearly twelve times their amount in the
same period, notwithstanding that the vast increase
in the productiveness of land would have justified so
fully a proportionate augmentation of the burdens
thereon !

HER MAJESTY AT STRATH-
FIELDSAYE.

WHITE CONDUIT HOUSE
THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
(From the Sunday Times.)

We have little record of the pastimes of our fore•
fathers ; Strutt has, it is true, described the games in
which they " delote " to unbend themselves, but he has
presented us no picture of the people. Sam. Foote's
" Tea Parties" are but a name, it was only through a
verbal description by old Byrn, the veteran ballet-mas-
ter, that we could at all imagine the effect of that enter-
tainment, and Byrn, who died at the age of ninety, was
but twelve years old when he witnessed Foote's per-
formance ! The publications of that day entered into
no detail ; that everybody went to see, the editors
deemed it unnecessary to describe, as if all records of
events were not meant for posterity. Thus it is with
the old household words that spoke of the enjoyments of
our predecessors. We read of Ranelagh, and ask where
and what it was ?—of the Ridotto at Marylebone-gar-
dens—of the Apollo Saloon in St. Georges' fields—of
the famed Dog and Duck in the same vicinity—of Bag-
nigge and of Tunbridge Wells (London)—scarcely a
vestige remains to depict the site of one or eitherofthem.
Ere steam had gained an empire upon land and water,
visitors to Brightheltnstone were few indeed. Margate
had its hoy boat, the miseries of which Charles Dibdin
has perpetuated in a song ; the voyage frequently lasted
three or four days—it is now accomplished in five or six
hours. In those "good old days that our grandmothers
tell of" Islington, Highgate. Ilatnpstead, Hornsey, and
Finchley were the Brighton, the Ramsgate, and the
Broadstairs of the middle classes. It was with a view
to put upon record some picture of the past that we some
time since gave a sketch of Bagnigge and Sadler's Wells
in the olden time, and in the same spirit we speak of
White Conduit House, as it was when our progenitors
called a visit to it a "country jaunt." A magnificent
tavern—where the O'Connells, the Broughams, and the
Duncombes have assembled thousands—now stands upon
the spot formerly dedicated to the revels and innocent
diversions of the citizens of the last century.
The amusements of former days might literally be
described as " life in the fields." Hornsey-woed House,
the Wells, Copenhagen House, the Spa, and White
Conduit were all situated in the midst of meadows.
While the citizen enjoyed his ale or cyder, and smoked
his pipe, his dame drank her tea and demolished the
Conduit cakes, and the children plucked buttercups and
gambolled at their pleasure. The bowling-grown had
its attractions for lusty youth, and the coffee-room
formed a snug retreat for afflicted age. All this would
be deemed coarse and vulgar now, for the new school
teaches every man to assume a station above his own.
Appearance has taken the place of reality, and with far
more show, we fear there is much less happiness. After
this explanatory sermon, let us to the history of the
house which gives a name to this article.
The " Conduit" from which the house took its title
was in an adjoining field. A spring there was, in the
14th century, resorted to by the Carthusian Friars. In
16111538 Thomasthis
tt t
owna sf
founded
ee
dn dtehree d c
ht
ao r
tHe
re y HouseV lloln. p
alrnt
of the site of the old monastery. " This charitable foun-
dation for pensioners and scholars, is (was) supplied
from the Old Conduit, in the field to the west of the vil-
lage of Eyseldon" (Islington). A few years afterwards
the New River Company became incorporated, but it was
many, many years ere water from this source was car-
ried to the neighbourhood of West Smithfield.
Conduits were things of great importance with our
forefathers. About 1236 a great want of water prevail-
ing in London. occasioned by the encroachment of build-
ings on the fresh water canals about the City, a scheme
was set on foot for bringing water from six fountains
"in the towne of Tyburne." In 1285 the first conduit
was built at the west end of Cheapside, near the centre
of the space between the corner of St. Paul's-churchyard
and St. Martin's-le-Grand.

STRATIIFIELDSAYE, WEDNESDAY EVENING.—LittIe
or nothing has occurred to vary the even tenor in
which matters here are proceeding.
The frost has gone otf, and to-day has been mild
and pleasant, with a little rain in the forenoon, not
sufficient, however, to prevent the Prince from enjoy-
ing field sports.
The dinner party last night, in addition to the
former guests, embraced three officers of the Hamp-
shire Yeomanry.
In the evening were also present Sir H. and Lady
Russell, Captain and Mrs. Brown, and Miss Walms-
ley, Mr., Mrs., and Miss Beauchamp, and Mr., Mrs.,
and Miss Anderton.
The band of the Foot Guards performed as before.
After dinner the gentlemen of the party amused
themselves in the billiard-room.
Her Majesty retired about eleven o'clock, con-
ducted to her apartments by her noble host.
To-day she rose at her usual early hour, break-
fasted in private with the Prince, but did not take her
accust.med morning walk.
Just opposite one of the fronts of Strathfieldsaye
House, and forming a part of the range of building
principally appropriated to the stables, is a spacious
tennis court, roofed over. Here her Majesty and the
Prince proceeded after breakfast, the Prince amusing
himself by trying the sport peculiar to the place.
After this interlude, the Prince sallied forth to
shoot. Thorpe's Copse, chosen for the scene of the
day's recreation, is a cover about two miles from
Strathfieldsaye. The beaters mustered in great force,
and the shooting party consisted of Prince Albert, the
Duke of Bedford, Col. Bouverie, and Capt. Brown, a
gentleman residing in the neighbourhood. Lord
Charles Wellesley and Mr. Anson were present, but
did not join in the sport.
The party rode to the ground, the Prince and Lord
Charles Wellesley heading the group of horsemen.
After a short stay at Thorpe's Copse, the party
abandoned it for the pheasantry close to the Noble
Duke's park, behind the rectory of Strathfieldsaye.
The following is the amount of execution done on
the furred and feathered denizens of Thorpe's Copse
and the pheasantry :—The grand total of game killed
numbered 71 ; of these 39 were pheasants, 25 hares,
and 7 rabbits. The Prince dispatched 23 pheasants,
12 hares, and 6 rabbits.

Look, vain, at the different proportions in which
land pays to the public revenue in other leading Eu-
ropean countries :—ln France, the land and pro-
perty-tax brings 23,200,0001., while other taxes fetch
17,500,0001.; in Austria the former rates at 8,795,0001.,
and the latter at 7,700,000/. ; and in Prussia the
land brings to the revenue 3,990,0001., while the re-
maining taxes stand at 3,667,000/. And yet our
British landholders have the impudence to talk of
their bearing " peculiar burdens"—paying, as they do,
but about two millions of the fifty composing the pub-
lic revenue!

The whole time occupied in shooting to-day did
not exceed an hour and a half, the party returning at
one o'clock to luncheon.

The keepers and beaters praise the Prince's quick-
ness and steadiness in taking aim. The number of
head shot to-day was not so great as that dispatched
yesterday ; and both days' returns fall very short of
the battue slaughtering at Stowe • but his Grace of
Wellington is by no means so keen a sportsman, or
so strict a preserver of game, as the Duke of Buck-
ingham.
After luncheon there was a grand match at tennis.
The whole party, or nearly so, adjourning to the
court. The game was played by Lord Charles
IVellesly and Mr. Phillips, the tennis-master, against
two professional players from Hampton.
Her Majesty expressed herself much gratified with
the sport, which was conducted with great spirit and
vigour. . _ _

Nor is this all. We have yet to reckon what the
landholder gains by the laws on food which he has
established, and place them against the taxes which
he bears. He may be easily shown to be in the posi-
tion of a gainer by the corn-laws to an extent far ex-
ceeding what he contributed as a tax-payer. Such
is the sort of contribution which the British land-
holder makes to the revenue of the empire. There
will come a time when men will wonder at these
things as monstrosities unparalleled in the history of
nations. Nay, the time is fast coming. The League
are not working in vain.—Scotsman.

LITERATURE.

7the dinner party to-day will include, in addition
to the former circle, Lord and Lady Carnarvon, Sir
John Cope, and the Speaker of the House of Com-
mons.

AUNT MARY'S STORY-BOOK.
Barton and Clark, London, 1845.

In 1438 Sir W. EastfieTcl, Lord Mayor, at his own ex-
pense brought water from Tyburn, Highbury Barn, and
from the Islington fields. He erected conduits in Fleet-
street, Aldermanbury, and Cripplegate.
In 1443 the Common Council granted 1,000 marks to-
wards erecting a " new conduit, near St. Paul's-gate, at
the upper end of Cheapside" (no doubt the side pre-
viously alluded to). Spring water at this time was evi-
dently a scarce commodity. The price of the best ale
was then three-halfpence a gallon.
In 1541 orders were issued for repairing the conduits
of London, and for bringing water from Hampstead,
Marylebone, Hackney, Islington, Muswell Hill, &c.,
indemnifying owners of land from damage by such water-
courses. A new conduit was erected at Walbrook corner
(the water being drawn from the Thames). A writer,
in 1750, says, at the west end of the Poultry, where
Bucklersbury meets Cheapside, stood the great conduit.
The south end of George-street, Hanover-square, ter-
minates in Conduit-street, built upon the site of Con-
duit Mead. This conduit supplied the then west-end of
the metropolis.
In 1577 Wm. Lamb, citizen and cloth-worker, drew
several springs of water into one bead at the upper end
of Red Lion-street. It was denominated Lamb's Con-
duit. From it he supplied (through leaden pipes*)
Snow-hill, and where an old conduit (repaired by him)
received the water. This conduit was taken down in
1706. The Foundling Hospital now stands on its site.
The chapel in the court at the north-west corner of
Monkwell-street, was originally erected by the same
Wm. Lamb.

We have here a new edition, carefully revised by
the author, of one of the prettiest children's story-books
we have met with for some time. The language
throughout is simple and natural, without being at all
feeble, the incidents are skilfully put together, and the
volume is embellished with several pleasing coloured
prints.

Her Majesty is expected to leave Strathfieldsaye
for Windsor to-morrow, at eleven o'clock.
The mansion of Bramshill, the seat of Sir John
Cope, which the Queen yesterday visited, is a very
curious and interesting old English manor-house,
built in the Elizabethan age, and racy of the time.
Modern Elizabethan mansions are common enough,
but it is a rare as well as a beautiful sight, the
veritable old residence of an ancient English
family, grey and weather stained, with its trim ter-
races and carved balconies, and elaborately sculptured
balustrades—its heavy-arched doorways, its long
echoing passages, and tapestried halls and galleries—
all cold, and stately, and rigid as centuries ago, when
hawking parties rode, with ringing horns and jang-
ling bells, forth from its massive portals, or when
rude masques and quaint gambols charmed away
long winter nights, within its torch and faggot-
lighted halls.
You pass from gallery to gallery, and chamber to
chamber, all still furnished and decorated as when
the gay courtiers of the time of Elizabeth and the
first Charles paced them. There are the old oaken
floors and carvings upon the walls, the quaint chisel-
ings of grotesque forms and grinning faces, which
stare at you from dim corners ; there are the pointed
and groined projections from the roof, the glorious
old fire-places, big enough to roast oxen ; their de-
corations piled up in storied hatchtnents to
the ceiling, and putting modern mantel-pieces
to the blush ; there are the old wavy tapes-
tries, gorgeous with groups from the classic stories
of Greece and Rome ; there are the vast erect old
chairs, with backs like steeples, the massive
tables, the quaint escutcheons, and devices in needle-
work—the unending employment of some fair damsel
when foul weather forced her to hold the embroidery
needle in her fingers, rather than the hawk upon her
wrist. All these signs and tokens of the stately past
—its lofty dignity, its quaint pageantry, and still its
lack of the modern refinements of comfort, have all
an abiding place and a home in the mansion of Brams-
hill. Nor is this all. The beauties of Charles the
Second's Court look down upon you from the walls—
their eyes still lustrous, and their cheeks still breath-
ing the peachy ripeness of the pencil of Sir Peter
Lely. The more staid portraits of Kneller are also
there; and mingling with the long array of family
likenesses we have a number of curious quaint spect-
nullc of the early Flemish school portraits—of dismal
scowling monks, and landscapes with figures of boors,
and hunternen, and revellers—all hard, and stiff, and
angular, but ;;till wrought out by those who laid the
foundations of the nature-copying school of Teniers
and Ostade. Here are, besides, a vast number of
tqouiariens,t
ando d
old articles .of
desks--inlaid
drnwi tinthre—cganadbyi naehtse
1,1
s, and esc
wroughtru
into odd kaleidoscope-lige forms and devices, and
altogether the "plenishing" of the old house—its pic-
tures and its ornaments, its deep arched windows, its
tapestried walls, its long echoing galleries, and sombre
chambers, are admirably adapted to lead the imagi-
nation back to the olden time, the image of which it
so vividly brings before the mind.
Her Majesty expressed herself highly delighted
with the antique beauties of Bramshill. Mrs. Cra-
shay, 'the doorkeeper, acted as cicerone. Sir John
Cope was absent dining her Majesty's visit—not
having had timely information of the royal intention.
Sir John is a really " fine old English gentleman ;"
who, although in his 77th year, still rides up to the
hounds as vigorously as he might have done half a
century ago.

SINGULAR MISTAKE.—Last Friday afternoon a
clipper schooner belonging to Newcastle, took a pilot at
the mouth of the river, and brought up in Montrose
harbour. On coming on shore the captain inquired
immediately for his consignees, designing them as mer-
chants in Aberdeen, and was surprised to find that he
had entered Montrose Harbour instead of that of the
" city of the North." Such a mistake occurring in the
19th century certainly betokens a lamentable want of
knowledge, and is another proof of the great need of a
properly constituted board for ascertaining the qualifi-
cations of masters and mates previous to their being en-
trusted with the care of life and property.—Montrose
Standard.

W e are sorry to learn that the lobster fishers in the
Hebrides have not been so successful in their specula-
tions in the English markets since our last notice as we
could have wished them, or their exertions merited.
Owing to the stormy weather and intervening fogs, the
steamers to and from the Highlands, but more particu-
larly from Glasgow, have been prevented from sailing
at the stated time; and, in consequence, the lobsters
being too long out of their native element, the greater
part of them died ere they reached the English markets.
We learn that proposals have been made to have the
lobsters boiled and prepared here before they are trans-
mitted to the sister kingdom, so that they may be fit for
the market there.—Caledenian Mercury.
We are glad to learn that the gingham weavers in
Whitehaven, in the employ of Messrs. Chambers and
Co., of Carlisle, have lately bad an advance in their
,-eges of one penny per head, which will amount to from
6d. to 9d. per week to ordinary workmen, and perhaps
to ls. er *Tic to the quickest hands in their employ-
ment. pCumr..94"acquet d P •
WIGAN.--FAT. L ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH UNION
RAILWAY.—On Thurst:laY night last, between ten and
eleven o'clock, a fatal aL7ident happened to a man,
named William Round, on the North Union Railway,
near Mr. Hargreave's warehouse c• luggage station,
Wigan. Round had, for about three i':'eltar been en-
gaged as an occasional assistant in and abut
Hargreave's warehouses ; and, more particularly, we
believe, to help his brother, who has been a servant
in the same place for many years. On the night
in question, his brother being called in some
other direction, it fell to the lot of William Round
to attend a luggage train, at the time stated, for
the purpose of removing some tarpauling sheets from
the waggons, before the train proceeded from the sta-
tion. He was engaged in doing this when the train
started, and had left his lamp on the side of the line ; he
is supposed to have either jumped off the carriages, or
have been so much thrown off his balance in getting upon
them, that when he came to the ground he staggered
backwards and fell over the aide of the bridge, his head
coming in contact with some stones, and his body rolling
into the river Douglas, where it was found early
next morning. From some unfortunate neglect,
for neglect it must be, there is not the
slightest protection,*by wall or pallisading, at
that side of the bridge, although the " switches,"
which communicate with the line leading to
the warehouses, are placed on or very near it. The
watchman, who attended with Round at the train, be-
lieving him to have done his work and gone home, went
away also ; and no inquiry was made until he
was discovered to be missing on the following
morning, when his body was found in the
river. He appeared to have bled profusely from
the side of the head, and it is supposed sufficient
iujury had been received to cause death before he got
into the water. An inquest was held on Saturday even-
ing, before Mr. Rogerson, borough-coroner, when a
verdict of " Accidental death" was returned. The jury
also strongly recommended that a suitable guard or pro-
tection should be immediately placed upon the bridge,
which recommendation is, we believe, about to be com-
plied with.—Manchester Guardian.
Mr. Tufnell, M.P., is detained in Italy by the ill-
health of Mrs. Tufnell, but hopes to be back in Eng-
land in the course of the month of February, to attend to
his duties in Parliament.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF BANK NQTES.—On Wed-
nesday information was circulated throughout the metro-
politan and City police districts, that•on the evening of
Saturday, the 18th instant, Mr. J. Brodrick, a gentleman
recently come from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and residing
at No. 23, Haydon-square, Minories, was robbed while
sitting in the pit of Covent-garden Theatre of bank-
notes to the value of 8251 The notes were enclosed in a
paper packet, and were deposited in an inside breast
pocket of his inner coat. They consisted chiefly of Bank
of England notes, and some were of the York and Stock-
ton banks. About 30 of them were for 10L each, and
the rest of them were for 5L each, the numbers and dates
being unknown. How the robbery was effected, or at
what period of the evening, is a mystery.
CHILD MURDER.—Yesterday forenoon Mr. W.
Carter held an inquest at the Cottage of Content, Locks-
fields, Walworth, on the body of a newly-born female
child, which was found dead in Penton-place, Walworth.
Frederick Gibbs, of 14, Regent-street, Brixton, stated
that on Sunday morning last whilst proceeding across
the fields in Penton-place, he saw a parcel lying in the
area of an unfinished house. Witness with considerable
difficulty got it up, and on opening it he discovered the
dead body of a female child. Police-constable 208 P
came to the spot, and subsequently conveyed the body
to the station-hduse. There were several marks of vio-
lence about the head. Mr. W. IL Dry, surgeon. said
that he saw the child soon after it was found. It ap-
peared of recent birth. There were several contusions
of the scalp and left forehead, and another bruise on the
back, which injuries, he had no doubt, were the result of
violent blows inflicted by some blunt instrument, which
had caused the deceased's death soon after birth. Other
corroborative evidence having been adduced, the jury
returned the following verdict :—" That the deceased
was born alive, and that she was wilfully murdered by
some person or persons unknown."
MORE ADVANCE IN WAGES.—The miners in the em-
Ploy of Messrs. Lloyd, Foster, and Co., the extensive coal
and iron masters, of Wednesbury, have received an ad-
vance in their wages ; the thin coal men to the amount of
threepence per day, and the thick coal men sixpence a
day. The iron trade is in a most flourishing condition,
and it is most gratifying to find the men partaking of
the prosperity which prevails throughout the district.—
Birmingkani Journal.
We are happy to learn that the health of Sir
Thomas Fowell Buxton, Bart, is considerably improved,
and that hopes are entertained of his complete recovery.
—Bury Post.
The Marquis and Marchioness Camden are expected,
in Belgrave-square, at the end of the month, from the
Wilderness, near Seven Oaks, Kent, for the season-
. HARROW SCHOOL.—Yesterday Harrow Seilo.ol
opened under its now head-master, the Rev. Charles
1 Vaughan.

Notwithstanding the progress made by the New River
Company, conduits were continually erected, and the old
ones kept in repttir. It is within the recollection of many
now living that the river burst its channel (a thing pre-
dicted a century before). This accident gave a handle to
the numerous family of grumblers to mourn over the de-
cay of conduits.

To the north of White Conduit House are," says
Lambert in his survey, " the remains of an ancient forti•
fication in a place known by the name of The Reed Moat.
or Six Acre Field. This place is supposed to have beed,
the spot where Faulinus, the Roman General, fled with
his men, when the Britons, under Queen Boadicea, mur-
dered the inhabitants of London, and set fire to the city.
Whether this supposition be correct or not, it is certain
that a Roman camp was situated on this spot, from the
remains of the General's prxtorium in the south-west
angle of the field."

VI
" REPOII,Tis
rMADEIGT
ou: owNA
TAE gE.,,W_DOEcF
ID6A9L2S.TON AND
After a long exordium and description of other places,
the report proceeds thus :—" And we have also, in fur-
ther pursuance of the said order, viewed the springs and
water belonging to the citty neare Islington, and find the
same in two heads, one covered over with stone in a
field neare Jack Straw's Castle, which is fed by sundry
springs in an adjacent field, and is usually called The
White Conduit." This document, which is very curious,
and explains the routes taken from the different cow
duits, will be found at length in " Nelson's Islington,''
quarto, 1811, p. 154 (curious).
The Wheel Pond, by White Conduit House, was a
famous place for duck hunting. Sir William Davenant
describes a City wife going to the fields to " sop her cake
in milke," on which her husband exclaims—
" Ho, ho !—to IstaxaTox—enough.
Fetch Job, my son, and our dog Ruffe;
For there, in pond, through mire and muck,
We'll cry—hay duck !—there Ruffe I—hay duck."
Goldsmith speaks of the feast of hot rolls and butter and
the tea-drinking parties at White Conduit House.
Dr. Hunter tells a pleasant story of a lady, an invalid,
whom he recommended to live at Islington ; she agreed
for some lodgings, but discovering the bannisters to be
out of repair said, " These must be mended before I
come." " That, Madam, would be of no use," replied
the landlady, " the undertakers' men, in bringing down
the coffins, are continually breaking the bannisters ; if I
did mend them they'd be just the same again in a month
or so." The lady did not take the lodgings.
In a collection of the writings of Mr. Edward Ward
(1717), in a poem entitled " A Walk to Islington," we
find a description of New Tunbridge Wells (gardens,
now built over ' • the site is between Garnault-place and
Sadler's Wells); he also describes the latter place, then
called Sadler's Music House. The poem commences
thus

" In holiday time, when the ladies of London
Walk out with their spouses, or think themselves undone,
* * * *
Then I, like my neighbours, to sweeten m life,
Took a walk in the fields (i. e. Islington)—
* *

We saunter'd about near the New River Head,
Where we prattled and talked, but what 'twas we said
If you'd have me discover, indeed I must fail you," &c.

It appears the price of admission to the New Tunbridge
Wells was 3d. Of the amusements, he says :-
46We walk'd by an outhouse we found had been made
buychasworhtioletitrade.
,Froorgrafe
aittigtahnedio/ottter'riyels,
satnoodds
See the gamesters all frown, and the lott'ry man smile,
Till, tir'd with standing, we rambled from hence,
And left the poor fools to be gull'd of their pence."
In a paper entitled " The Dancing School," the writer
describes an Easter Monday jaunt to High-gate and
Finehley, via Islington.t (This part of London was
evidently the universal resort of tradesmen, their wives,
&c.)daughters, 'prentices, &c.) He says All
•••• lave resource
into the fields." He proceeds, in verse :
" In little time to Islington we came,
For cakes and ale, a town of ancient fame,
Which to this days frequented for the same."
His diseription of Highgate and of the crowds goinf
11 to Finehley, where " the murderer was hung
'
is life-like. .At the High Tavern, where the gentry met,'
he could not get a mutton chop, though he offered
crown for it. The masses had literally devoured all
bo fore them,
At what time the first tavern bearing the title pf
White Conduit House was built does not clearly appear;
but in the Gentleman's -
41agazine (1760) we find the
following .

" WHITE CONDUIT HOUSE.
fi Whitl3,,C°olot
„11°4" ,
We will go, 104 ww.' gf?•!,?-71-trflirg(Trff Rigriftcp
WislVtlBontlfty to ooffig-,101,,4 urgnt9ns oTory-fliee,
And paints the rose upon the 40naemaid's quo.
Harriet or moll, more ruddy, Now 00
Of 'prentice, resident fa 41RPIP WWI
Or alley kennel wash'd ; Uheapside, Cornhill,
Or Cranbourne—thee for calcuments renown'd, •
With joy distends ; his meal meridian o'er,
With witch in hand? he to WunT CoNDtrrr Hopm
Hies Eno:v.44oe
This burlesque heroic concludes thus :
" While tea and cream and butter'd rolls can pled
While rival beaux aad jealous belles exist, ,
So long White Conduit House shall be thy fame.„
lfe kigmltnre tp this grandiloquent affair is W, w.
Topham,lhe strongman, ahihiteci In the go
had thrice the strength of what is commonly termed a
rotquetor :
powerful man. He. was accustomed to. resist the
draught of two horses, and doraavas of his fe en
rietyo of her feats,
tpp well authenticated to be deemed exaggerations. Ihe
fields around the Ponhit wPrelee
sort. A large pewter p.late tbht he dOubled tib -by its
fingers is still preserved in the British Museum.
The Daily Public Advertiser of August 11, 1749, las
this record :—" yesterday, August 10, died ThoLtas
Topham (known by the name of The Strong Man, os.
for-of pi.ibli-house in ,Hog-lane (Shoredite
l'ef(aa;
sioned by soveritl'irouii4o 4ill4self on u

THE SUN, LONrON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 23 13

last, after having stabbed his wife in the breast, who is
likely to recover." Jealousy was the cause of this rash
act. The wife subsequently recovered.
Abraham Newhind, who died at Ilighbury in 1807, in
his 78th year, was a frequenter of the White Conduit
and the Barn House. He was noted as a " disputatious
e. argumentative) person, yet generally respected by
all visitors."

A writer in 1774 gives this description of the place:—
" The garden is formed into walks, prettily disposed.
At the end of the principal one is a painting, which
seems to render it (the walk) longer in appearance than
it really is. In the centre of the garden is a fish-pond.
There are boxes for company, curiously cut into hedges,
adorned with Flemish and other paintings. There are
two handsome tea-rooms, one over the other, and several
inferior ones in the house." The fish-pond was soon
after filled up, and its site planted, the paintings removed,
and a new dancing and tea saloon, called the Apollo
room, built.

Christopher Bartholomew laid out the gardens and
walks, and realised a great deal of money in this house;
he was also proprietor of the old Angel Inn at Islington.
Excessive speculations ruined him. Whilst in abject
poverty, he dreamt of a number in the lottery, prevailed
on a friend to go halves with him in a sixteenth, and,
wonderful to relate, it came up a 20,0001. prize. Be
died in 1809, at the age of sixty-eight. Bartholomew
was the uncle of Frederick Hartland, the well-known
Pantaloon.

The small stone house that, until 1832, stood above
the well, or conduit, was built in the year 1641. In
Bowles' " Manly Recreations " are some capital prints of
the bowling-green attached to the old house.
In the early part of the present century, Mrs. Sharpe
and a Mr. Warren had the house, to which a small ale
and table beer brewery was attached.
In 1826 a variety of theatrical experiments were made
in the gardens. Mr. Lunt (celebrated as the first
coffee•shopkeeper) opened them as a " Minor Vauxhall."
Under his management Mrs. Bland made her last public
appearance.
The house and grounds are now in the possession of
Mr. R. Rouse. The Licensed Victuallers hold their
summer meeting here, the dinner being served beneath a
canvass canopy that may be called a " monster tent."

The large saloon in the house is continually engaged
for dinners and public meetings, and from the size of the
rooms and the extent of the gardens, White Conduit
House offers facilities beyond those of any other esta-
blishment in or near the metropolis.