, 1874-07-12

From the St. LOUIS Republican.
| Ihls small London enclosure, the reopening
of which. III Its improved condition, has been
deemed OF sufficient Importance to announce BY
cable, has been long famous in small way.
Leicester Square probably contains an urea sus-
ccptlble OF ornamental cultivation, within the
houses, OF about five acres It il in the heart Of
London's life, lying between the Haymaraet
and Piccadlly on tho west, Long Acre and Co.
vent Garden on tho east, Trafalgar Square and
Charing Cross on the south, and that labyrinth
OF streets which lead to the grand artery Of
Oxford street on the north. It is not within
miles of the present centre Of fashion.
but 1t is the centre OF q densely populated
quarter thai once WAS the home OF the
gsand DANES and bcaux, when the Mulberry
Garden and Ranelagh were the resorts Of the &C.
centric Lady Mary Wortlev Montague, Horace
Walpole, the beautiful Cummings, aud that COM
pany that set the inferior world to staring as
thcy compounded punches ia the gardens st 2
in the morning. Leicester Square was original
~ laid out as an Enclosure Of green Bward within
an iron railing, aome time in the first GEORGES
reign, aud until within fow years an equestrian
statue of one OF that famous quartette-proba-
bly, the second-stood in the centre, the derision
Of the artists OF Punch, and regular s. cock
as hurl,ug atoncs q: tic brouzo Guelph aud his
long-tailcd Flemish charger.
About twenty years ago Leicester Square be-
gan y1slbly to shah aud grow awfully seedy. The
periodical revolutions Of France caused thou
bsboo ~ I4cAGuulcA ~ ny 10 IL5lanu 1Or 6Alc-
tlary. Leicester Square becamo tue centre of
tho French colony. It was within few yards
OF one OF the main avenues OF Loudon, and yet
as is strangely characteristic OF that immense
city. tla square VAS in measure isolated and
quiet and DISMAL The enclosure or square prop
or-for there was broad paved carriaso-way
aroand it-gradually became neglected the
iron fence fell away, IVES broken, stolen, carried
of !; tho unwashel million rushed in, took pos-
session, killed the grass, the trees; broke OF the
Flemish chargers tail took unwarrantable lib
critics with the divine right OF Kings by breaking
tile 0uelph's nose, and in short, By every uossl-
bic known aud unknown means. converting the
olu-tash1onod square into q very scab and eye
sore OF tho metropolis. Still nobody could do
anything with it. The parish would do nothing
to keep it in order, and 80 it went on from bad
to q barely possible worse, tho French still
vate individual ca.ne to the rescue got the right
people interested, and now Leicester Square is
said to be an ornamental feature OF
London. George and his old charger
are gone, and in their places
pleasant fountain with shrubs, flowers, and
seats, order, and decorum. Now, Hoya1th
aud Sir Joshua Ro;nold3, and the
wits and ga1lants of Sayillo house, all of
whom lived i'll Leicester Square, may revisit tile
Elimpses of the moon If they wish and they can
bring with them the spirits Of old SAin Johnson,
Bozzy, the Thralea, little Davy Garrfck, Burko,
dear old Mol from under his slab in the Temple,
Sii George Beaumont, aud men Of that yet,
which led ths world OF 1etters and ART by tho |
nose hundred Years ago. Leicester Square
from beng hoslng alld dia1oputaba wilde |
ness. has boco1ne spot OF green, whera tho sun |
may smile upon tho poor aud give them hope
in Life.