london in 1731-第18节

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　in　this　hall；　and　the　reason　given　for　this　is；　that　the　timber　of　which　the　roof　is　composed　is　Irish　oak；　in　which　spiders　will　not　harbour；　but　I　am　inclined　to　believe　that　this　is　a　fact　not　to　be　depended　on；　for　I　find　the　timber　for　rebuilding　and　repairing　the　Palace　of　Westminster　in　the　reign　of　Richard　III。　was　brought　from　the　forests　in　Essex；　and　as　there　is　no　colour　from　history　to　surmise　that　the　timber　of　this　hall　was　Irish　oak；　so　is　there　no　imaginable　reason　why　timber　should　be　fetched　from　another　kingdom　for　the　repair　of　the　hall；　when　the　counties　of　Middlesex　and　Essex　were　great　part　of　them　forest；　and　afforded　timber　enough　to　have　built　twenty　such　places；　and　we　find　that　the　timber　of　the　Essex　forests　was　in　fact　applied　to　the　repairs　of　this　palace；　for　it　cannot　be　pretended　that　the　present　roof　is　the　same　that　was　erected　by　William　Rufus　when　it　was　first　built；　it　appearing　that　Richard　II。；　about　the　year　1397；　caused　the　old　roof　to　be　taken　down　and　a　new　one　made　（as　has　been　observed　already）　and　this　is　probably　the　same　we　now　see。　　Here　are　hung　up　as　trophies；　138　colours；　and　34　standards；　taken　from　the　French　and　Bavarians　at　Hochstadt；　anno　1704。

The　House　of　Lords；　or　chamber　where　the　peers　assemble　in　Parliament；　is　situated　between　the　Old　Palace　Yard　and　the　Thames。　It　is　a　spacious　room；　of　an　oblong　form；　at　the　south　end　whereof　is　the　King's　throne；　to　which　he　ascends　by　several　steps：　　on　the　right　hand　of　the　throne　is　a　seat　for　the　Prince　of　Wales；　and　on　the　left　another　for　the　princes　of　the　blood；　and　behind　the　throne　the　seats　of　the　peers　under　age。

On　the　east　side　of　the　house；　to　the　right　of　the　throne；　sit　the　archbishops　and　bishops；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　house　sit　the　dukes；　marquises；　earls；　and　viscounts；　and　on　forms　crossing　the　area；　the　barons　under　the　degree　of　viscounts。

Before　the　throne　are　three　wool…sacks；　or　broad　seats　stuffed　with　wool；　to　put　the　Legislature　in　mind；　it　is　said；　that　the　right　management　of　this　trade　is　of　the　last　importance　to　the　kingdom。　On　the　first　of　these　wool…sacks；　next　to　the　throne；　sits　the　Lord　Chancellor；　or　Keeper；　who　is　Speaker　of　the　House　of　Peers；　and　on　the　other　two；　the　Lord　Chief　Justices　and　the　rest　of　the　judges；　with　the　Master　of　the　Rolls；　and　the　other　Masters　in　Chancery：　about　the　middle　of　the　house；　on　the　east　side；　is　a　chimney；　where　a　fire　is　usually　kept　in　the　winter；　and　towards　the　north；　or　lower　end　of　the　house；　is　a　bar　that　runs　across　it；　to　which　the　commons　advance　when　they　bring　up　bills　or　impeachments；　or　when　the　King　sends　for　them；　and　without　this　bar　the　council　and　witnesses　stand　at　trials　before　the　peers。　　The　house　is　at　present　hung　with　tapestry；　containing　the　history　of　the　defeat　of　the　Spanish　Armada；　in　the　reign　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　anno　1588。

The　house　or　chamber　where　the　commons　assemble　is　to　the　northward　of　the　House　of　Lords；　and　stands　east　and　west；　as　the　other　does　north　and　south。　　The　room　is　pretty　near　square；　and　towards　the　upper　end　is　the　Speaker's　armed　chair；　to　which　he　ascends　by　a　step　or　two；　before　it　is　a　table　where　the　clerks　sit；　on　which　the　mace　lies　when　the　Speaker　is　in　the　chair；　and　at　other　times　the　mace　is　laid　under　the　table。　　On　the　north　and　south　sides；　and　at　the　west　end；　are　seats　gradually　ascending　as　in　a　theatre；　and　between　the　seats　at　the　west　end　is　the　entrance　by　a　pair　of　folding…doors。　　There　are　galleries　also　on　the　north；　south；　and　west；　where　strangers　are　frequently　admitted　to　hear　the　debates。

This　room　was　anciently　a　chapel；　founded　by　King　Stephen　about　the　year　1141；　and　dedicated　to　the　Blessed　Virgin；　however；　it　obtained　the　name　of　St。　Stephen's　Chapel。　　It　was　rebuilt　by　King　Edward　III。；　anno　1347；　who　placed　in　it　a　dean；　twelve　secular　canons；　thirteen　vicars；　four　clerks；　five　choristers；　a　verger；　and　a　keeper　of　the　chapel；　and　built　them　a　convent；　which　extended　along　the　Thames；　endowing　it　with　large　revenues；　which　at　the　dissolution　of　monasteries　in　the　reign　of　Edward　VI。　amounted　to　near　eleven　thousand　pounds　per　annum。　　Almost　ever　since　the　dissolution；　this　chapel　has　been　converted　to　the　use　we　find　it　at　present；　viz。；　for　the　session　of　the　Lower　House　of　Parliament；　who；　before　that　time；　usually　assembled　in　the　chapter…house　belonging　to　the　Abbey；　when　the　Parliament　met　at　Westminster。　　The　Painted　Chamber　lies　between　the　House　of　Lords　and　the　House　of　Commons；　and　here　the　committees　of　both　houses　usually　meet　at　a　conference；　but　neither　this　nor　the　other　remaining　apartments　of　this　Palace　of　Westminster　have　anything　in　them　that　merit　a　particular　description。

The　open　place　usually　called　Charing　Cross；　from　a　fine　cross　which　stood　there　before　the　grand　rebellion；　is　of　a　triangular　form；　having　the　Pall　Mall　and　the　Haymarket　on　the　north…west；　the　Strand　on　the　east；　and　the　street　before　Whitehall　on　the　south。　　In　the　middle　of　this　space　is　erected　a　brazen　equestrian　statue　of　King　Charles　I。；　looking　towards　the　place　where　that　prince　was　murdered　by　the　rebels；　who　had　erected　a　scaffold　for　that　purpose　before　the　gates　of　his　own　palace。　　This　statue　is　erected　on　a　stone　pedestal　seventeen　feet　high；　enriched　with　his　Majesty's　arms；　trophy…work；　palm…branches；　&c。；　enclosed　with　an　iron　palisade；　and　was　erected　by　King　Charles　II。　after　his　restoration。　　The　brick　buildings　south…east　of　Charing　Cross　are　mostly　beautiful　and　uniform；　and　the　King's　stables　in　the　Mews；　which　lie　north　of　it；　and　are　now　magnificently　rebuilding　of　hewn　stone；　will　probably　make　Charing　Cross　as　fine　a　place　as　any　we　have　in　town；　especially　as　it　stands　upon　an　eminence　overlooking　Whitehall。

The　Banqueting…house　stands　on　the　east　side　of　the　street　adjoining　to　the　great　gate　of　Whitehall　on　the　south。　　This　edifice　is　built　of　hewn　stone；　and　consists　of　one　stately　room；　of　an　oblong　form；　upwards　of　forty　feet　in　height；　the　length　and　breadth　proportionable；　having　galleries　round　it　on　the　inside；　the　ceiling　beautifully　painted　by　that　celebrated　history…painter；　Sir　Peter　Paul　Rubens：　　it　is　adorned　on　the　outside　with　a　lower　and　upper　range　of　columns　of　the　Ionic　and　Composite　orders；　their　capitals　enriched　with　fruit；　foliage；　&c。；　the　intercolumns　of　the　upper　and　lower　range　being　handsome　sashed　windows。　　It　is　surrounded　on　the　top　with　stone　rails　or　banisters；　and　covered　with　lead。

St。　James's　Palace；　where　the　Royal　Family　now　resides　in　the　winter　season；　stands　pleasantly　upon　the　north　side　of　the　Park；　and　has　several　noble　rooms　in　it；　but　is　an　irregular　building；　by　no　means　suitable　to　the　grandeur　of　the　British　monarch　its　master。　　In　the　front　next　St。　James's　Street　there　appears　little　more　than　an　old　gate…house；　by　which　we　enter　a　little　square　court；　with　a　piazza　on　the　west　side　of　it　leading　to　the　grand　staircase；　and　there　are　two　other　courts　beyond；　which　have　not　much　the　air　of　a　prince's　palace。　　This　palace　was　a　hospital；　suppressed　by　Henry　VIII。；　who　built　this　edifice　in　the　room　of　it。

But　the　house　most　admired　for　its　situation　is　that　of　the　Duke　of　Buckingham　at　the　west　end　of　the　Park；　in　the　front　of　which；　towards　the　Mall　and　the　grand　canal；　is　a　spacious　court；　the　offices　on　each　side　having　a　communication　with　the　house　by　two　little　bending　piazzas　and　galleries　that　form　the　wings。　　This　front　is　adorned　with　two　ranges　of　pilasters　of　the　Corinthian　and　Tuscan　orders；　and　over　them　is　an　acroteria　of　figures；　representing　Mercury；　Secrecy；　Equity；　and　Liberty；　and　under　them　this　inscription　in　large　golden　characters；　viz。；　SIC　SITI　LAETANTVR　LARES　　（Thus　situated；　may　the　household　gods　rejoice）。

Behind　the　house　is　a　fine　garden　and　terrace；　from　whence　there　is　prospect　adjacent　on　the　house　on　that　side；　viz。；　RVS　IN　VRBE；　intimating　that　it　has　the　advantages　both　of　city　and　country；　above　which　are　figures　representing　the　four　seasons：　　The　hall　is　paved　with　marble；　and　adorned　with　pilasters；　the　intercolumns　exquisite　paintings　in　great　variety；　and　on　a　pedestal；　near　the　foot　of　the　grand　staircase；　is　a　marble　figure　of　Cain　killing　his　brother　Abel；　the　whole　structure　exceeding　magnificent；　rich；　and　beautiful；　but　especially　in　the　finishing　and　furniture。

Grosvenor　or　Gravenor　Square　is　bounded　on　the　north　by　Oxford　Road；　on　the　east　by　Hanover　Square；　by　Mayfair　on　the　south；　and　by　Hyde　Park　on　the　west；　the　area　whereof　contains　about　five　acres　of　ground；　in　which　is　a　large　garden　laid　out　into　walks；　and　adorned　with　an　equestrian　statue　of　King　George　I。　gilded　with　gold；　and　standing　on　a　pedestal；　in　the　centre　of　the　garden；　the　whole　surrounded　with　palisades　placed　upon　a　dwarf　wall。　　The　buildings　generally　are　the　most　magnificent　we　meet　with　in　this　great　town；　though　the　fronts　of　the　houses　are　not　all　alike；　for　some　of　them　are　entirely　of　stone；　others　of　brick　and　stone；　and　others　of　rubbed　brick；　with　only　their　quoins；　fascias；　windows；　and　door…　cases　of　stone；　some　of　them　are　adorned　with　stone　columns　of　the　several　orders；　while　others　have　only　plain　fronts；　but　they　are　so