LONDON. CHAPTER I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF LONDON. LONDON-Opulent, enlarged, and still A more accomplished world's chief glory now.-Cowper. LONDON, "BUSY, CLAMOROUS, CROWDED, IMPERIAL LONDON," may be considered not merely as the capital of England, or of the British Empire, but as the metropolis of the civilised world-not merely as the seat of Government, which extends its connections and exercises its influence to the remotest point of the earth's surface-not merely as containing the wealth and the machinery by which the freedom and the slavery of nations are bought and sold-not merely as possessing a freedom of opinion, and a hardihood in the expression of that opinion, unknown to every other city-not merely in taking the lead in every informing science, and in every useful and embellishing art-but as being foremost, and without a rival, in every means of aggrandisement, and enjoyment of everything that can render life sweet and man happy. Within a circumference, the radius of which does not exceed five miles, there are never fewer than a million and a half of human beings; and if the great bell of St. Paul's were swung to the full pitch of its tocsin sound, more ears would hear it than could hear the loudest roaring of Etna and Vesuvius. If we take our station in the ball or upper gallery of that great edifice, the wide horizon, crowded as it is with men and their dwellings, forms a panorama of industry and of life more astonishing than could be gazed upon from any other point in the universe. It is alike the abode of intelligence and industry, the centre of trade and commerce, the resort of the learned and inquiring, the spot that has given birth to and where have flourished the greatest kings, statesmen, orators, divines, lawyers, warriors, poets, painters, and musicians; besides historians who have immortalised them. It is the refuge of the oppressed, the poor, and the neglected; the asylum of the unfortunate or the afflicted; and the abiding-place of him who wishes to advance his fortune, or further his progress in the arts, sciences, literature, or any pursuit that ennobles man and dignifies his nature. London has not only been the birth-place of genius, but those who have possessed its brightest rays have repaired to a spot where their worth has been sure of appreciation and reward. Here the poet has sung his sweetest strains, the historian produced his most authentic record, the philosopher made his most elaborate research, and communicated its satisfactory results. Here has dwelt a Pope, a Hume, a Bacon, a Locke, and a Priestley. Here a Milton produced the sublimest of all compositions: here also a Shakespere portrayed the passions, in all their various moods; and a Garrick gave them life and a startling reality. Here, too, Newton found opportunity to explore and lay open the deepest mysteries of nature; while the glowing canvass of a Hogarth gives a present existence to scenes long since departed. London, considered in the aggregate, comprises the City and its liberties, the City of Westminster, the Tower Hamlets, and the Boroughs of Finsbury, Marylebone, Southwark, and Lambeth, with their respective suburbs; besides many villages in Middlesex and Surrey, which, though originally distinct, now form integral portions of the great capital of the British Empire. The Cities of London and Westminster are situated on a gentle ascent, on the north and west sides of the Thames, about sixty miles, measured by the course of the river, above its discharge into the sea; and the Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth on the south and east, on a level, and once marshy ground; both divisions being joined by seven noble bridges. The Thames, which rises in Gloucestershire, runs nearly west and east from Charing Cross as far as the port; whilst a bend in its course at Lambeth, carries it nearly north; there is an eighth, or westerly bridge, connecting Chelsea with Battersea. The north, or Middlesex side, contains about 180,000 houses, and 1,500,000 inhabitants. The Southwark side contains 70,000 houses, and 700,000 inhabitants. Hence the total is 250,000 houses, and 2,100,000 inhabitants, besides 100,000 strangers. The Thames is 310 yards wide at London Bridge; and 400 yards at Waterloo Bridge. The tide flows about fifteen miles, by the river course, above London Bridge; and, as far as the Custom House, for three or four miles, it is filled with ships at anchor, or moored to chains, besides collateral docks. The metropolis extends east and west from Bow to Hammersmith, a distance of eleven miles; and north and south, from Holloway to Stockwell, six miles. The whole may be considered as egg-shaped; the east, or Greenwich and Stratford end, being round and broad, while the west end terminates in a point, at Kensington; the circumOn the south side it extends ference of the whole being thirty miles. from Battersea to Greenwich, a distance of seven miles. Several populous villages, equal in extent to many cities and county towns, are not included in these statements, viz.: Hampstead, Highgate, Hackney, Clapham, Wandsworth Fulham, &c. Indeed London is now not merely the largest city in the known world, but it exceeds in opulence, splendour, and luxury (perhaps in misery), all that ever was recorded of any city. Indeed, it may be safely affirmed to be the largest congregate mass of human life, arts, science, wealth, power, and architectural splendour, that exists; or in almost all these particulars that ever have existed within the known annals of mankind. It should be recollected that the power of some ancient cities-even of Rome herself-was relatively, but not positively, greater; and that ancient populations have been enormously exaggerated. The only antique superiority well attested, is that of architecture and sculpture. It has been called the Modern Babylon; but Babylon resembled it only in the oriental imaginations of ancient writers; and Thebes, Nineveh, and Rome, merely in the appendages of despotism. London is equal in extent to any three or four other European capitals united.; and superior to thirty of the largest towns in the United Kingdom, if brought together. It would require sixty cities as large as Exeter, or 534 towns as large as Huntingdon, to make another metropolis; and it is computed that a population equal to that of Salisbury is added to London every three months. Its distance from the principal cities of Europe is as follows: from Edinburgh 395 miles, south; from Dublin 338 miles, south-east; from Paris 225 miles, north-north-east; from Amsterdam 190 miles, west; from Copenhagen 610 miles, north-west; from Stockholm 750 miles, south-west; from St. Petersburgh 1,140 miles, south-west; from Moscow 1,660 miles, east-south-east; from Berlin 540 miles, west; from Vienna 820 miles, north-west; from Constantinople 1,660 miles, north-west; from Rome 950 miles, north-north-west; from Madrid 860 miles, north-north-east; from Lisbon 850 miles, north-north-east. It is also distant from Bristol 118, from York 196, and from Oxford 56 miles. In latitude 51 deg. 32 min., and St. Paul's is 5 sec. west of the first geographical meridian of Greenwich Observatory. The objects which demand the especial notice of visitors in London may now be briefly noticed. THE METROPOLIS ITSELF. Its vastness is a wonder. To judge of, and duly to feel it, the visitor should walk from Hyde Park Corner, along Piccadilly, turn down St. James's Street, and continue along Pall Mall, by Charing Cross, the Strand, Fleet Street, Ludgate Hill, St. Paul's, Cheapside, the Poultry, Lombard Street, and Fenchurch Street, to Whitechapel Church; thence return by Leadenhall Street, Cornhill, Newgate Street, Holborn, and Oxford Street, to Paddington. This will be a walk or ride of about nine miles, through the heart of the metropolis. He may afterwards make himself another circuit, by passing from Charing Cross, southward, crossing Westminster Bridge, passing the Obelisk, and reach London Bridge, by the Borough. Bishopsgate Street will conduct him to Shoreditch Church, and turning short to the left, he may return to Charing Cross, by the City Road, Pentonville, New Road, Edgeware Road, Park Lane. Grosvenor Place |