GOVERNMENT. LONDON, confidered in this extenfive view, as the METROPOLIS, confifts of the CITY, properly fo called; the city of Westminfter; the fuburbs in the county of Middlefex; and the borough of Southwark. The City, with Southwark, is divided into twenty-fix wards, each governed by an Alderman. From the Aldermen, the chief magiftrate, the Lord Mayor, is annually chofen. There are likewife 236 Common-Council-men, who fit in one court with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and thus form, as it were, the city parliament, which enacts the bye-laws and regulations of the corporation. There is likewife a Recorder, a Common Serjeant, two Sheriffs (who are alfo 'Sheriffs of Middlefex), a Chamberlain, Town Clark, City Remembrancer, Water Bailiff, Common Hunt, and many inferior Officers. WESTMINSTER, which was once a mile from London, but now united to it, is a diftin&t city, the government of which, both civil and ecclefiaftical, was once vefted in the Abbot and Convent of Westminster; but, fince the Reformation, in the Dean and Chapter, the civil part being by them committed to laymen. Of thefe the High Steward, who is generally a Nobleman of rank, has an Under Steward, who officiates for him, and is commonly Chairman of the Quarter Seffions. Next to the High Steward is the High Bailiff, chofen alfo by the Dean and Chapter. His power refembles that of a Sheriff; for by him juries are fummoned, and he makes the return at the election of Members of Parliament. The SUBURBS are under the jurifdiction of the Magiftrates of Middlefex, who, befide their County Hall, on Clerkenwell Green, have an office in Bow-ftreet, long diftinguished for public spirit and activity. But as there were other Juftices of the Peace who degaded the dignity of Magiftracy, by proftituting it to mercenary views, an act of Parliament paffed in 1792, by which feven other 1 public offices were established, befide that in Bow-ftreet*. Three Magiftrates officiate at each of thefe: and, to deprive them of all temptation to corrupt practices, they are prohibited from taking any fees, in lieu of which they have each an annual falary of 400i. The fees of office, which are paid as ufual, are appropriated to defray the expences of these new establishments. SOUTHWARK was long independent of the city of London; but, in confequence of the inconveniences arifing by the efcape of malefactors from the great capital into this place, Edward III. granted it to the city, in confideration of the annual payment of rol. was then called the village of Southwark: it was afterwards named the bailiwick, and the corporation of London appointed the Bailiff. It * Thefe offices are in Queen-Square, Weftminster; Great Marlborough-ftreet; Hatton-ftreet; Worthip-ftreet, Shoreditch; Lambeth street, Whitechapel; High-ftreet, Shadwell; and Unionftreet, Southwark. In the reign of Edward VI. it was formed into a twenty-fixth ward, by the Name of Bridge Ward Without. On the death of the Alderman of this ward, he is fucceeded by the next in feniority, to whichever ward he may belong; this ward being confidered as a finecure, and, confequently, the most proper for The Father of the City." The City has likewife a High Bailiff and Steward here. CHURCHES. To begin with the public buildings of the metropolis, the Cathedral of St. Paul, as the most confpicuous, claims our first attention. This noble fabrick is 2,292 feet in circumference, and 340 in height to the top of the crofs. In the magnificence of exterior architecture, it is inferior to none in Europe, except St. Peter's at Rome. The infide of this church will one day be diflinguish.d for a magnificence unknown to our ancestors, and even to the prefent age: it is now destined to be the receptacle of the monuments of fuch illuftrious men as have done honour to their country by their talents and their virtues. Two are already placed in it; the firit, for the great philanthropift Mr. Howard, and the fecond for the celebrated Dr. Samuel Johnion. The Parliament, moreover, has fince voted monuments to be placed in this Temple of the Bri tish Worthies, to the memory of thofe gallant officers, Earl Howe, Lord Rodney, Captain Robert Faulknor, and General Thomas Dundas, &c. WESTMINSTER ABBEY, the collegiate church of St. Peter, is a noble specimen of Gothic architecture. It is faid to have been founded by Sebert, King of the Eaft Saxons, in the year 610. Having been deftroyed by the Danes, it was rebuilt by Edward the Confeffor, in 1066. "An abbey," fays Mr. Pennant, "is nothing without relics. Here were to be found the veil, and fome of the milk of the Virgin, the bladebone of St. Benedict, the finger of St. Alphage, the head of St. Maxilla, and half the jaw-bone of St. Anaftafia." Henry III. pulled down the Saxon pile, and began to build the prefent magnificent structure in 1245. The great work was carried on flowly by fucceeding princes; but it can hardly be faid to have been finished before the time of Sir Chriftopher Wren, who built the two towers at the weft end. This church is 360 feet in length within the walls, at the nave it is 72 broad, and at the crofs 195. Here most of our monarchs have been crowned, and many of them interred. It gives them crowns, and does their afhes keep; Making the circle of their reign complete, Thefe funs of empire, where they rife they fet. WALLER. This ftructure contains a great number of monuments of Kings, Statefimen, Heroes, Poets, and perfons diftinguished by genius, learning and science. The chapel of Henry VII. adjoining, Leland calls "The Wonder of the World." Nothing, indeed, can be more folemn than a folitary walk in this manfion of the illuftrious dead; nor can any thing be more juft and beautiful than Mr. Addifon's reflections on this fubject: "When I look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me: when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, every inordinate defire goes out : when I met with the grief of parents upon a tomb-ftone, my heart melts with compaffion: when I confider the tombs of the parents themfelves, I confider the vanity of grieving for those whom we muft quickly follow: when I fee Kings lying by thofe who depofed them; when I confider rival wits placed fide by fide, or the holy men that divided the world by their contefts and difputes; I reflect with forrow and aftonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind. When I read the feveral dates of the tombs, of fome that died yesterday, and fome fix hundred years ago, I confider that great day when we shall all of us he contemporaries, and make our appearance together." ST. STEPHEN WALBROOK is a fmall church, of exquisite beauty, the mater-piece of Sir Chriftopher Wren. Perhaps Italy itfelf can produce no modern building that can vie with this in taste and proportion. There is not a beauty which the plan would admit of, that is not to be found here in the greatest perfection; and foreigners very justly call our tafte in question, for understanding the graces no better, and allowing it no higher degree of fame. Over the altar is a beautiful picture of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, by Weft. The character of the Saint is fully expreffed in his angelic countenance, refigned to his fate, and full of certain hope. Bow Church, in Cheapfide; St. Bride's, in Fleet-ftreet; St. Dunftan's in the Eaft, near the Tower; and St. Martin's in the Fields; are among the other churches, molt diftinguished for fine architecture. Other churches are diftinguished for curious monuments; as, St. Andrew Underfhaft, Leadenhall-Atreet, for that of of Stow the hiftorian; St. Helen, of Sir Thomas Gresham; St. Giles, Cripplegate, where Milton, Fox, the martyrologist, and Speed, the hiftorian, were buried. The parish churches, in what are called the Bills of Mortality, amount to 146; namely, 97 within the walls, 16 without the walls, 23 out parishes in Middlesex and Surry, and 10 in the city and liberties of Westminster. Befide these churches, that belonging to the Temple, one of our celebrated feats of law, merits particular attention. It was founded by the Knights Templars in the reign of Henry II., upon the model of that of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerufalem. The reader will find a full description of this church, and its curious ancient monuments, in Mr. Pennant's Account. Among the illuftrious perfons of later date, interred in this church, were the celebrated lawyer Plowden, Treafurer of the Temple in 1572 (of whom Camden fays, that in integrity he was fecond to none of his profeffion) and Selden, the beft skilled of any man in the English conftitution, and in the various branches of antiquity; but who, toward the clofe of his life, was fo convinced of the vanity of all human know. ledge, ledge, as to fay, that the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th verses of the fecond chapter of the Epifle to Titus, afforded him more confolation than all he had ever read. St. Catharine, by the Tower, is allo well worth infpecting: the choir is very curious. There are likewife a great number of chapels for the established church, foreign proteftant churches, Roman catholic chapels, meetings for the diffenters of all perfuafions, and three fynagogues for the Jews. PALACES AND PARKS. The magnificence of royalty is not to be found in the palaces of the metropolis. The palace of St. JAMES was originally an hofpital for leprous females, dedicated to that Saint. It was furrendered to Henry VIII., who erected on its fite the prefent palace; of which it has been obferved, that, notwithstanding its mean exterior appearance, it is the most commodious for the parade of royalty of any in Europe. He likewife laid out a large piece of ground adjoining into a park, and formed a canal and walks, calling it, in conformity to the former name of the contiguous building, St. James's Park. Charles II. enlarged and improved this fpot, adorning it with plantations of trees; but, a few years ago, it was rendered still more beautiful by the genius and taite of Brown, the diftinguished pupil of the illuftrious Kent, who, in the most happy manner, adopted and improved the principles of gardening which were laid down by his predeceffor. The beauty of this park is heightened by being contiguous to another of lefs extent, called, "The Green Park. Here too, on the most elevated part, is a fine piece of water, which is recruited every tide from the Thames, by the water-works at Chelfea; and forms a refervoir for the supply of the houses in the neighbouring parts. In this park the Deputy Ranger, Lord William Gordon, has a neat lodge, furrounded by a fhrubbery, which has a pleafing rural effect, although fo near the houfes in Piccadilly. A fine afcent, called "Conftitution Hill," from the falubrity of the air, leads to Hyde Park, another royal demeine. This is adorned with a noble piece of water, called "The Serpentine River," and with diverfified plantations of various kinds of trees, which, together with its elevated fituation, commanding extenfive views, render it a captivating scene. Hence it is the place of fashionable morning refort, for the nobility and gentry, both in carriages and on horfeback. Near the caftern edge of this park is a fine bafin of water, fupplied by the Chellea waterworks, from which the houfes in Grovefnor-fquare, and its vicinity, are provided. The QUEEN'S PALACE ftands in the most favourable fituation that St. James's Park could furnish. It was erected by John Sheffield, Duke of Buckingham, in 1703, and called Buckingham House, until it was purchased, in 1761, for the royal relidence; when it acquired its prefent name. In 1775, Parliament fettled this house upon the Queen, in cafe the should survive his Majesty, in lieu of Somerfet Houfe. Here is a fine collection of prints, and a great variety of pictures by the mott eminent masters. CARLTON HOUSE, the refidence of the Prince of Wales, the gardens extending to St. James's Park, is a ftately building, on which vaft fums have been expended. The BANQUETING HOUSE, at Whitehall, was begun in 1619, from a defign by Inigo Jones.* It is only a finall part of the vast plan of a palace, intended to be worthy of the refidence of the British Monarchs, but left incomplete, on account of the unhappy times that followed. The ceiling of this noble room was painted by Ru bens, who had 3000l. for his work. The subject is the Apotheofs of James I. It forms nine compartments. One of the middle reprefents our pacific monarch on his earthly throne, turning with horror from Mars and other discordant deities, and giving himself up, as it were, to the amiable goddess he had always adored, and to her attendants, Commerce and the fine Arts. A few years ago, this ceiling underwent a repair by the mafterly hand of Cipriani. Little did James think, that he was erecting a pile, from which his fon was to ftep from the throne to the fcaffold! The Banqueting Houfe has been long converted into a chapel; and George the first granted a falary of 30l. a year to twelve Clergymen (six from Oxford, and fix from Cambridge) who officiate a month each. Beide the Roval Palaces, there are many fine houses of the Princes of the Blood, and of the Nobility and Gentry. Of thefe we fhall only mention the most diftinguished, namely, the Earl of Aldborough's, Stratford Place; Ear! Bathurtt's, Hyde Park Corner; Lord Loughborough's, Southampton Row, Bloomsbury; the Earl of Chesterfield's, Audley Street; the late Duke of Cumberland's, Pall Mall; the Duke of Devonshire's, and the Earl of Egremont's, Piccadilly; the Bishop of Ely's, Dover Strect; Foley Houfe, near Portland Place; the Duke of Gloucefter's, Upper Grovefnor Street; Earl Harcourt's, Cavendish Square; the Marquis of Lanfdown's, Berkeley Square; Manchester Houfe, the Duke of Manchefter's, Manchester Square; the Duke of Marlborough's, Pall Mall; Lord Melbourne's, Whitehall; the Duke of Norfolk's, St. James's Square; the Duke of Northumberland's, in the Strand; Burlington Houfe, the Duke of Portland's, Piccadilly; Earl Spencer's, St. James's Place; the Earl of Uxbridge's, Burlington Street; Lady Charlotte's Wynne's, St. James's Square; the Duke of York's, Piccadilly; Lord Grenville's, in the Green Park, &c. COURTS OF JUSTICE. WESTMINSTER HALL, now the feat of Parliament, and of the Courts of Law, ftands on the fite of a Royal Palace built by Edward the Confeffor. The ftairs to it on the river ftill retain the name of Palace Stairs; and the two Palace Yards belonged also to this ex It is remarkable, that this great Architect, who was Surveyor of the Works, had only 8s. 4d. per diem, and 461. per ann. for house rent, a clerk, and incidental expences, tenfive |