TWENTY ONE VIEWS IN LONDON.

PLATE I. *Front view of the CATHEDRAL OF ST. PAUL.*

AMONG the public buildings of the Metropolis, the Cathedral of ST. PAUL, is the most conspicuous. This noble fabric is 2292 feet in circumference, and 340 in height to the top of the cross. It stands on the site of Old ST. PAUL's, which was destroyed in the fire of London, 1666, and which was an ancient and venerable building. The present edifice is the work of Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN, a mathematician and architect of the first abilities. He not only began this building, but lived to see it finished.

PLATE II. *Side view of the CATHEDRAL OF ST. PAUL.*

THIS Plate, with the preceding, shew the general composition of this noble edifice; the distribution of its parts, their variety and relative situation, are happily adjusted and arranged; the frontispiece of the building is very grand.

PLATE III. *Interior view of the CATHEDRAL OF ST. PAUL.*

A very remarkable anecdote is related, on the authority of Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN himself, which occurred when that great architect was beginning to lay the foundation of the present church. While Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN was directing some parts of the dimensions, he ordered a labourer to bring him a flat stone, to serve as a mark; he brought a fragment of a grave-stone, inscribed *RESURGAM (I shall arise)*; this accident gave infinite pleasure to the architect, who placed on the south portico a Phoenix, with that word beneath it as a motto.

PLATE IV. HENRY THE SEVENTH'S CHAPEL, IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

THIS view represents the external front of this venerable structure. HENRY VII. A. D. 1502, caused the Chapel of the Virgin Mary and a Tavern adjoining to the east end of the Abbey Church of Westminster, to be taken down; and on the site thereof erected the present stately and most magnificent edifice, denominated HENRY VIIth's CHAPEL: at the expense of Fourteen Thousand Pounds! a very great sum, if we consider, that wheat was then sold at five shillings the quarter.

PLATE V. WESTMINSTER-ABBEY.

WESTMINSTER-ABBEY, the Collegiate Church of St. PETER, is a noble specimen of Gothic architecture. It is said to have been founded by SEBERT, king of the East Saxons, in the year 610. Having been destroyed by the Danes, it was rebuilt by EDWARD the Confessor, in 1066. HENRY III. pulled down the Saxon pile, and began to build the present magnificent structure in 1245. The great work was carried on slowly by succeeding princes; but it can hardly be said to have been finished before the time of Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN, who built the two towers at the West

2

Front. The church is 660 feet in length within the walls, at the nave it is 72 broad, and at the cross 195,

PLATE VI. *Interior of WESTMINSTER-ABBEY.*

WE have already given a view of this ancient and venerable structure, as it appears at the great West Entrance: but as that can by no means impart any idea of the solemnity of effect which arises from entering this pile, we have thought proper to add an INTERIOR VIEW OF IT, taken from the west door, and looking directly down the centre toward the choir,

PLATE VII. *Inside view of ST. STEPHEN'S, WALBROOK.*

ST. STEPHEN'S, WALBROOK, is a small church, behind the MANSION HOUSE; which externally has nothing particular to recommend it to notice, being very little seen, and affording no opportunity for art: but the inside of it is of exquisite beauty, the master-piece of Sir CHRISTOPHER WREN. Perhaps Italy itself can produce no modern building that can vie with this in taste and proportion.

PLATE VIII. *ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, HANOVER SQUARE.*

THIS church was built by JOHN JAMES, and finished in 1724. It was one of the fifty new churches ordered by Parliament to be erected: the parish was taken out of the too extensive district of St. Martin in the Fields. The church, which forms the immediate subject of our print, has a handsome portico, which is very well seen by reason of its projection into the street.

PLATE IX. *ST. PAUL'S COVENT-GARDEN.*

THIS structure was erected in 1640, as a chapel of ease to St. Martin's in the Fields, at the expense of Francis Earl of Bedford, for the convenience of his tenants, who were then vastly increased. It is remarkable for its majestic simplicity; and the gates on each side are suitable to the structure, and very elegant. This edifice was destroyed by fire, September 17, A.D. 1795, and subsequently rebuilt, according to its original design. Inigo Jones was the architect of the original building.

PLATE X. *West Front of ST. MARTIN'S CHURCH.*

THIS church is among the most celebrated in London for the excellence of its architecture, and especially for its Portico; of which we have given a view. It was built by Mr. JAMES GIBBS, and cost 30,000l.; but many of its proposed ornaments were omitted.

PLATE XI. *THE QUEEN'S PALACE; or, BUCKINGHAM-HOUSE.*

THE QUEEN'S PALACE stands in the most favourable situation that St. James's Park could furnish. It was erected by JOHN SHEFFIELD, Duke of BUCKINGHAM, in 1703, and called Buck-

3

ingham House, until it was purchased in 1761, for the Royal residence: when it acquired its present name. In 1775, Parliament settled this house upon the Queen, in case she should survive his Majesty, in lieu of Somerset House. It is now undergoing extensive alterations, and is said to be intended for the residence of Royalty.

PLATE XII. *THE HORSE GUARDS, seen from the PARADE.*

THIS building receives its name from having been the station for the guard of horse, who, while the King is in London, are here on duty during a great part of the day, two at a time, fully armed, and constantly mounted; they stand under two handsome stone porches, advanced from the buildings towards the street. On the parade, in front of this building, the infantry assemble for the various guards; and in a morning the scene is particularly splendid, lively, and animated.

PLATE XIII. *CARLTON-PALACE,*

THE front of this edifice is large and massy; but its chief ornament is the portico, in the centre of the building: this is one of the grandest in London: and consists of six very large and noble Corinthian columns highly ornamented, and fluted. These columns are, by their dimensions, very magnificent, and the ornaments of the whole order are remarkably well cut, having a very high relief.

PLATE XIV. *THE BANQUETING-HOUSE, WHITEHALL.*

THIS is, perhaps, the most correct and elegant building in England: the symmetry of its parts, and the elegance of the whole, justly entitle it to such distinction. The BANQUETING HOUSE, at Whitehall, was begun in 1619, from a design of INIGO JONES. It is only a small part of the plan of a vast Palace, intended to be worthy the residence of the British monarchs, but left incomplete, on account of the unhappy times that followed.

PLATE XV. *ROYAL ACADEMY, in the STRAND.*

THIS structure stands on a site formerly occupied by SOMERSET HOUSE: (so called, because built by Protector SOMERSET, so far back as EDWARD VI.) and from whom it derives its present name. The ROYAL SOCIETY, the ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY, and the ROYAL ACADEMY, are accommodated in various parts of the front of this building. Other public offices are held in parts of the internal structure, such as the STAMP-OFFICE, NAVY-OFFICE, TAX-OFFICE, &c. The Architect was Sir WILLIAM CHAMBERS.

PLATE XVI. *THE PANTHEON, OXFORD STREET.*

THIS structure, was built at an expense of not less than 60,000l.; and being conducted by an architect of eminence (Mr. WYATT), it claimed priority in respect to ornaments and accommodations derived from Art. It was during several seasons a very fashionable resort for the politest company, who frequented its concerts, &c. But after a while, attractions elsewhere deprived this building of the fashionable superiority it had possessed.

PLATE XVII. BANK OF ENGLAND.

This building, by its appearance, corresponds to what we might expect, as denoting the place where one of the richest of our incorporated Companies transacts its business: it has been erected at different times: for the BANK first transacted its business in Grocers' Hall; but disagreeing with that Company, when its lease was out it built the central parts of this edifice. It has been very much altered, from the designs of JOHN SLOANE, Esq. R. A. Architect to the Bank.

PLATE XVIII. *Front view of THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.*

This extensive princely pile originated in the munificence of Sir THOMAS GRESHAM, a private citizen. He purchased some tenements on the site of the Royal Exchange; on June 7, 1566, laid the foundation, and in November, 1567, completed what was then called the BOURSE. Queen ELIZABETH, in 1570, went in great state from her palace at Somerset House, to make Sir THOMAS a visit at his own house: after dinner she went to the BOURSE, visited every part, and then, by sound of trumpet, dignified it by the title of the ROYAL EXCHANGE.

PLATE XIX. BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE.

This elegant structure was built after the design of Mr. ROBERT MYLNE. It consists of nine arches, the centre of which is one hundred feet span. The whole length, nine-hundred and ninety-five feet; the breadth of the carriage-way twenty-eight feet; of the two foot-ways seven each. Over each pier is a recess, which may almost be considered as an apology for the pairs of Ionic pillars which support it.

PLATE XX. WESTMINSTER BRIDGE.

This Bridge, universally allowed to be among the finest in the world, uniting grandeur and simplicity, was built by Mr. LABELYE, a native of Switzerland. The first stone of this noble structure was laid, January 24, 1739, by HENRY EARL OF PEMBROKE. The last stone was laid November 1747. It is 1223 feet in length. It has thirteen large, and two small semicircular arches: the centre arch is 76 feet span; the other arches, on each side, decreasing in width four feet.

PLATE XXI. THE MONUMENT, *Erected in commemoration of the Fire of London.*

This great fluted column of Portland stone, and of the Doric Order (commonly called the *Monument of London*, in memory of the burning and rebuilding of the city), was begun A.D. 1671, and finished in 1677. The altitude, from the pavement, is 202 feet; the diameter of the shaft, or body of column, is 15 feet; the pedestal in height is 40 feet. Within is a large staircase of black marble, containing 345 steps.