cerns of the institution, are uniformly men of talent, rank, and fortune; and every endeavor is made to forward its interests, and to promote the honor of the nation. It is impossible to give an account of all the objects of literature and art in this repository, but a slight enumeration of some of the principal collections, and the means by which they were accumulated, may be attempted. The Harleian Li brary contains 7,000 manuscripts, bought by the Right Honorable Secretary Harley, and the noble collection of Sir Simon D'Ewes, among which are numerous ancient manuscripts, books, charters, &c., some in Saxon, others of high antiquity, which throw great light on history. Here, likewise is deposited John Stowe's collection, as well as several original leger-books, coucher-books, and cartularies of monasteries in this kingdom, as Bury St. Edmond's, St. Alban's, and other religious houses. In 1767, an act was passed to enable the trustees to sell or exchange any duplicates of books, medals, coins, &c., and to purchase others in their places. In 1772, the house of commons voted 8,4107. for purchasing antiquities brought from Italy, and 8407. to provide a proper receptacle for them; and in 1804, 16,0007. for building additional galleries and apartments for Egyptian and other articles. One of the first gifts to the public after the establishment of the institution, was the legacy of Colonel Lethieullier, consisting of a curious collection of Egyptian antiquities; to which Pitt Lethieullier, Esq., nephew to the colonel, added several others, collected by himself during his residence at Grand Cairo. As an addition to the Cotton library, Mrs. Maddox, relict of the late Mr. Maddox, historiographer royal, left by her will her husband's large and valuable collection of manuscripts, which had engaged his attention many years. Major Edwards bequeathed many books; together with 7,000l. after the decease of Elizabeth Mills; and the trustees obtained the collections of Dr. Birch. In 1760, Mr. Da Costa presented several Hebrew manuscripts; and since that period numberless gifts have been made, one of the principal of which was that of the Rev. D. Cracherode, of the Principes Editiones of the Greek and Roman classics.

The Cottonian Library was collected by the indefatigable exertions and excellent judgment of Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, who was born in 1570, and died in 1662. This inestimable treasury of knowledge, after being with difficulty rescued from the fury of the republicans during the interregnum, was secured to the public in 1700, by a statute entitled "An act for the better settling and preserving the library kept in the house at Westminster, called Cotton-house, in the name aud family of the Cot tons, for the benefit of the public." The library was removed in 1712, to Essexhouse, Essex street, Strand, but for what precise reason is not known, where it continued till 1730. From this place it was subsequently conveyed to a house in Little Dean's yard, Westminster, purchased by the crown of Lord Ashburnham. On the 23d of October, 1731, a conflagration destroyed a portion of the library, but the remaining books were deposited in the dormitory of the Westminster school, whence they were removed to their present situation. The collection of Sir Hans Sloane was made by that excellent physician during the course of an active life, protracted to the term of ninety-one years, spent in the pursuit of knowledge, and the practice of benevolence; and it was augmented by a collection bequeathed to him by W. Courteen, Esq. The King's Libraries consist of printed books and manuscripts, collected during several centuries, and munificently bestowed upon the public by George III., whose name is inscribed on many of them.

The British museum also received a considerable accession by the liberality of his majesty George IV., who presented the library collected by George III., at Buckingham-house, for the use of the public.

To these collections have been added the Elgin marbles, obtained by Lord Elgin, during his mission to the Ottoman Porte, and purchased by government for 35,000Z. The marbles are considered by eminent artists to be in the very first class of ancient art, some placing them a little above, and others but a very little below, the Apollo Belvidere, the Laocoon, and the Torso of the Belvidere. They suppose them to have formed part of the original building of the Parthenon, and to have been executed from designs by Phidias.

Dr. Burney's rare and classical library was purchased by government for 13,500. Among the printed books, the whole number of which is from 13,000 to 14,000 volumes, the most distinguished portion consists of the collection of Greek dramatic authors, which are arranged so as to present every diversity of text and commentary at one view; each play being bound up singly, and in so complete but expensive à

manner, that it occasioned the sacrifice of two copies of every edition, and in some instances of rare editions. Among the manuscripts of classical and other ancient authors, are Homer's Iliad, formerly belonging to Mr. Townley, considered superior to any other that exists, at least in England; two copies of the series of Greek orators, deemed the most important ever introduced into this country, because they supply more lacune than any other manuscripts, two beautiful copies of the Greek gospels of the tenth and twelfth centuries; the geography of Ptolemy, &c. Another part of this collection comprises a numerous and rare series of newspapers, from 1603 to the present time, amounting in the whole to 7,000 volumes, which is more ample than any other extant. There is also a collection of between three hundred and four hundred volumes in quarto, containing materials for a history of the stage, from 1600 to the present time, and particulars relating to the biograply of actors, and persons connected with the stage.

The building of the British museum forms a square, enclosed by a high brick wall, which excludes the house from view; at each corner is a turret; and over the great Ionic arch of the entrance there is a large and handsome cupola. On enter ing the gate of the museum, a spacious quadrangle presents itself with an Ionic colonade on the south side, and the main building on the north. The building measures 216 feet in length, and 57 in height to the top of the cornice. The two wings are occupied by the officers. The architect, Peter Paget, a native of Marseilles, and an artist of great eminence in his time, was sent over by Ralph, first duke of Montagu, for the sole purpose of constructing this splendid mansion.

The reading-room is surrounded with shelves of books, secured by wire. Catalogues are placed on shelves within the room, which the reader consults at his pleasure, writes his notes from them, pulls the bell-rope near the door, a messenger immediately obeys the summons, and in as short a time as possible returns with the wished-for book.

The Royal Academy now occupies its share of the building at Charing Cross, named the National Gallery. The annual exhibition commences in May, and is always very attractive: one shilling is charged for admission.

Pall Mall and its neighborhood is a chief place for pictorial exhibitions. The British Institution is in Pall Mall; and societies and individuals have, generally in the spring of the year, exhibitions of pictures, panoramas, &c., &c.

We have only space to mention two or three permanent exhibitions: to attempt an enumeration of the many which solicit the patronage of the curious, and of all who have time and money to spare, in such a place as London, would be unsatisfactory. The Society for the Encouragement of Arts have their collection in the Adelphí; the Gallery of Practical Science is in the Strand; and the Colosseum and the Diorama are in the Regent's park. The Colosseum is a building of great size, erected in imitation of the Pantheon at Rome: it contains a variety of exhibitions—one of which is the well-known panorama of London, painted on forty thousand feet of

canvass.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

PUBLIC WORSHIP.

LONDON abounds with churches, many of them distinguished for architectural beauty. We shall proceed to describe a few of the more remarkable ones.

Trinity church, Blackheath hill, is in the earlier pointed style. Some difficulties in the site have been turned to good account by the architect, who has rendered the disposition and general combination of the details pleasing and picturesque. Although inclining considerably toward the south, the end of the building facing the road may be called the east, consequently is the one which, in conformity with cus tom, is appropriated to the altar; while, as the main street or road immediately passes it, it was almost matter of necessity that the principal entrances should be

toward the latter. Accommodation is provided for twelve hundred persons, at a cost of four thousand four hundred pounds.

St. Peter's church was opened only a few years since. It presents itself suddenly on turning the corner of a narrow and crooked street between Blackfriars bridge and Southwark bridge, and, with the parsonage-house and schools, presents a pleasing and striking architectural group. Only a part of the school building is shown in the cut. The air of decency and simplicity which characterizes the exterior of the church is not preserved in the interior, which is bald and plain in the extreme, and dismal without being at all solemn. The church measures internally eighty feet by fortysix, and affords room for twelve hundred sittings.

Any one who has made a trip by water to Richmond must have observed Chelsea church, an ancient-looking building of red brick, rising, with its tower, close by the side of the river, a few hundred yards below Battersea bridge. Its form, independently of the tower, is nearly a square, of inconsiderable dimensions. The first church of which this spot was the site is supposed to have been erected in the reign of Edward II., or about the beginning of the fourteenth century. The present church, however, is no older than the year 1667; although it is to be considered, in some degree, rather as the former edifice repaired and enlarged than as altogether a new

structure.