Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

P >> Pierce Egan >> Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.

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Proceeding to the house of Mr. Angerstein, Pall Mall, our party obtained
leave to inspect a collection, not numerous, but perhaps the most select
of any in London, and which has certainly been formed at the greatest
expense in proportion to its numbers. Among its principal ornaments are
four of the finest landscapes by Claude; the Venus and Adonis, and
the Ganymede, by Titian, from the Colonna palace at Rome; a very fine
landscape by Poussin, and other works by Velasquez, Rubens, Murillo,
and Vandyck: to all which is added the invaluable series of Hogarth's
Marriage-a-la-mode.

Returning along Pall-Mall, our perambulators now reached the Gallery of
the British Institution; a Public Exhibition, established in the year
1805, under the patronage of his late Majesty, for the encouragement and
reward of the talents of British artists, exhibiting during half of the
year a collection of the works of living artists for sale; and during
the other half year, it is furnished with pictures painted by the most
celebrated masters, for the study of the academic and other pupils in
painting. The Institution, now patronised by his present Majesty, is
supported by the subscriptions of the principal nobility and gentry, and
the number of pictures sold under their influence is very considerable.
The gallery was first opened on April 17, 1806.

In 1813, the public were gratified by a display of the best works of
Sir Joshua Reynolds, collected by the industry and influence of the
committee, from the private ~~226~~~ collections of the royal family,
nobility, and gentry; and in 1814, by a collection of 221 pictures of
those inimitable painters, Hogarth, Gainsborough, and Wilson.{1}

1 That the Fine Arts engaged not a little of the attention
of the British Public during the late reign, is a fact too
notorious to require proof. The establishment of the Royal
Academy, in 1768, and its consequent yearly Exhibitions,
awakened the observation or stimulated the vanity of the
easy and the affluent, of the few who had taste, and of the
many who were eager to be thought the possessors of it, to a
subject already honoured by the solicitude of the sovereign.
A considerable proportion of the public was thus induced to
talk of painting and painters, and to sit for a portrait
soon became the fashion; a fashion, strange to say, which
has lasted ever since. Whether the talents of Sir Joshua
Reynolds as a painter, were alone the cause of his high
reputation, may, however, admit of a doubt. From an early
period of life, he had the good fortune to be associated in
friendship with several of the most eminent literary
characters of the age; amongst whom there were some whose
high rank and personal consequence in the country greatly
assisted him to realize one leading object which he had in
view, that of uniting in himself (perhaps for the first time
in the person of an English painter) the artist and the man
of fashion. From his acknowledged success in the attainment
of this object, tending as it did to the subversion of
ancient prejudices degrading to art, what beneficial effects
might not have resulted, had the President exerted his
influence to sustain the dignity of the artist in others!
But satisfied with the place in society which he himself had
gained, he left the rest of the Academy to follow his
example, if they could, seldom or never mixing with them in
company, and contenting himself with the delivery of an
annual lecture to the students. Genius is of spontaneous
growth, but education, independence, and never-ceasing
opportunity, are necessary to its full developement.

Since then they have regularly two annual exhibitions; one, of the best
works of the old masters, for the improvement of the public taste,
and knowledge of the artists, varied by some of the deceased British
artists, alternately with that on their old plan of the exhibition and
sale of the works of living artists.

The directors of this laudable Institution have also exhibited and
procured the loan for study, of one or two of the inimitable cartoons
of Raphael for their students. An annual private exhibition of their
studies also takes place yearly; the last of which displayed such a
degree of merit as no society or academy in Europe could equal.

Sir Felix, who on a former occasion had expressed a wish to acquire the
art of verse-writing, was so much satisfied with his inspection of this
exhibition, that he ~~227~~~became equally emulous of attaining the
sister-art of painting; but Dashall requested him to suspend at present
his choice, as perhaps he might alternately prefer the acquisition of
music.

"In that case," rejoined the Baronet, "I must endeavour to acquire the
knack of rhyming extempore, that I may accompany the discordant music
with correspondent doggerels to the immortal memory of the heroic
achievements of my revered Aunt's mighty progenitor--O'Brien king of
Ulster."

This expression of contempt cast by the Baronet on the splendor of the
ancient provincial sovereign of the north, had nearly created an open
rupture between his aunt and him. Tallyho, however, happily succeeded
in effecting an amnesty for the past, on promise under his guarantee of
amendment for the future.

The party now migrated by Spring Garden Gate into the salubrious regions
of St. James's Park, and crossing its eastern extremity, took post of
observation opposite the Horse Guards, an elegant building of stone,
that divides Parliament-street from St. James's Park, to which it is
the principal entrance. The architect was Ware, and the building cost
upwards of L30,000. It derives its name from the two regiments of Life
Guards (usually called the Horse Guards) mounting guard there.

"Here is transacted," said Dashall, "all the business of the
British army in a great variety of departments, consisting of the
Commander-in-Chief's Office,--the Offices of the Secretary-at-War,--the
Adjutant-General's Office,--the Quarter-Master-General's
Office,--besides the Orderly Rooms for the three regiments of Foot
Guards, whose arms are kept here. These three regiments, containing
about 7000 men, including officers, and two regiments of Horse Guards,
consisting together of 1200 men, at once serve as appendages to the
King's royal state, and form a general military establishment for the
metropolis. A body called the Yeomen of the Guard, consisting of 100
men, remains a curious relic of the dress of the King's guards in the
fifteenth century. Some Light Horse are stationed at the Barracks in
Hyde Park, to attend his Majesty, or other members of the Royal Family,
chiefly in travelling; and to do duty on occasions immediately connected
with the King's administration.

~~228~~~ "On the left is the Admiralty (anciently Wallingford House),
containing the offices and apartments of the Lords Commissioners who
superintend the marine department of this mighty empire.

"On the right is the Treasury and Secretary of State's Offices. Here,
in fact, is performed the whole State business of the British Empire. In
one building is directed the movements of those fleets, whose thunders
rule every sea, and strike terror into every nation. In the centre is
directed the energies of an army, hitherto invincible in the field,
and which, number for number, would beat any other army in the world.
Adjoining are the executive departments with relation to civil and
domestic concerns, to foreign nations, and to our exterior colonies. And
to finish the groupe, here is that wonderful Treasury, which receives
and pays above a hundred millions per annum."

Entering Parliament-street from the Horse-Guards, our perambulators now
proceeded to Westminster-bridge,{1} which passing, they paid a visit to
Coade and Sealy's Gallery of Artificial Stone, Westminster-bridge-road.

1 Westminster Bridge. This bridge was built between the
years 1730 and 1750, and cost L389,000. It is 1223 feet
long, and 44 feet wide; containing 14 piers, and 13 large
and two small semicircular arches; and has on its top 28
semi-octangular towers, twelve of which are covered with
half domes. The two middle piers contain each 3000 solid
feet, or 200 tons of Portland stone. The middle arch is 76
feet wide, the two next 72 feet, and the last 25 feet. The
free-water way between the piers is 870 feet. This bridge is
esteemed one of the most beautiful in the world. Every part
is fully and properly supported, and there is no false
bearing or false joint throughout the whole structure; as a
remarkable proof of which, we may quote the extraordinary
echo of its corresponding towers, a person in one being able
to hear the whispers of a person opposite, though at the
distance of nearly 50 feet.

This place contains a great variety of elegant models from the antique
and modern masters, of statues, busts, vases, pedestals, monuments,
architectural and sculptural decorations, modelled and baked on a
composition harder and more durable than any stone.

Animadverting on the utility of this work combining the taste of
elegance with the advantage of permanent wear, the two friends, Tom and
Bob, recollected having seen, in their rambles through the metropolis,
many specimens of the perfection of this ingenious art, particularly at
Carlton-House, the Pelican Office, Lombard-street, and almost all the
public halls. The statues of the four ~~229~~~quarters of the world,
and others at the Bank, at the Admiralty, Trinity House, Tower-hill,
Somerset-place, the Theatres; and almost every street presents objects,
(some of 20 years standing,) as perfect as when put up.

Retracing their steps homewards, our pedestrians again crossed the
Park, and finding themselves once more in Spring Gardens, entered the
Exhibition Rooms of the Society of Painters in Water Colours.

This, beyond any other gratification of the morning, pleased the party
the most. The vivid tints of the various well-executed landscapes had a
pleasing effect, and wore more the appearance of nature than any similar
display of the fascinating art which they had hitherto witnessed.

This Society, which was formed in 1804, for the purpose of giving due
emphasis to an interesting branch of art that was lost in the blaze of
Somerset-House, where water-colours, however beautiful, harmonized so
badly with paintings in oil, has, in its late exhibitions, deviated from
its original and legitimate object, and has mixed with its own exquisite
productions various pictures in oil.

The last annual exhibition of painting in oil and water colours, was
as brilliant and interesting as any former one, and afforded unmixed
pleasure to every visitor.

One more attraction remained in Spring Gardens, which Tom, who had
all the morning very ably performed the double duty of conductor and
explainer, proposed the company's visiting;--"That is," said he,
"Wigley's Promenade Rooms, where are constantly on exhibition various
objects of curiosity."

Thither then they repaired, and were much pleased with two very
extraordinary productions of ingenuity, the first Mr. Theodon's grand
Mechanical and Picturesque Theatre, illustrative of the effect of art in
imitation of nature, in views of the Island of St. Helena, the City of
Paris, the passage of Mount St. Barnard, Chinese artificial fireworks,
and a storm at sea. The whole was conducted on the principle of
perspective animation, in a manner highly picturesque, natural, and
interesting.

Here also our party examined the original model of a newly invented
travelling automaton, a machine which can, with ease and accuracy,
travel at the rate of six miles an hour, ascend acclivities, and turn
the narrowest corners, by machinery only, conducted by one of the
persons seated within, without the assistance of either horse or steam.

~~230~~~ This extraordinary piece of mechanism attracted the particular
attention of the Baronet, who minutely explored its principles, with the
view, as he said, of its introduction to general use, in the province
of Munster, in substitution of ricketty jaunting-cars and stumbling
geldings. Miss Judith Macgilligan likewise condescended to honour this
novel carriage with her approbation, as an economical improvement,
embracing, with its obvious utility, a vast saving in the keep of
horses, and superseding the use of jaunting-cars, the universal
succedaneum, in Ireland, for more respectable vehicles; but which, she
added, no lady of illustrious ancestry should resort to.

This endless recurrence to noble descent elicited from Sir Felix another
"palpable hit;" who observed, that those fastidious dames of antiquity,
to whatever country belonging, of apparent asperity to the present
times, would do well in laying aside unfounded prejudices; that the age
to which Miss Macgilligan so frequently alluded, was one of the most
ignorant barbarism; and the unpolished females of that day unequal to a
comparison with those of the present, as much so, as the savage
squaws of America with the finished beauties of an Irish Vicegerent's
drawing-room.{1}

1 The pride of ancestry, although prevalent in Ireland, is
not carried to the preposterous excess exemplified by
Cambrian vanity and egotism. A gentleman lately visited a
friend in Wales, who, among other objects of curiosity,
gratified his guest with the inspection of his family
genealogical tree, which, setting at naught the minor
consideration of antediluvian research, bore in its centre
this notable inscription,--About this time the world was
created!!!

Re-entering St. James's Park, our party directed their course towards
the Mall, eastward of which they were agreeably amused by the appearance
of groupes of children, who, under the care of attendant nursery maids,
were regaling themselves with milk from the cow, thus presenting to
these delighted juveniles a rural feast in the heart of the metropolis.

~~231~~~ Here Dashall drew the attention of his friends to a very
important improvement. "Until within these few months," said he, "the
Park at night-fall presented a very sombre aspect; being so imperfectly
lighted as to encourage the resort of the most depraved characters of
both sexes; and although, in several instances, a general caption, by
direction of the police, was made of these nocturnal visitants, yet
the evil still remained; when a brilliant remedy at last was found, by
entirely irradiating the darkness hitherto so favourable to the career
of licentiousness: these lamps, each at a short distance from the
other, have been lately introduced; stretching along the Mall, and
circumscribing the Park, they shed a noon-tide splendor on the solitude
of midnight. They are lighted with gas, and continue burning from
sunset to day-break, combining ornament with utility. Thus vice has been
banished from her wonted haunts, and the Park has become a respectable
evening promenade.

"This Park," continued the communicative Dashall, "which is nearly two
miles in circuit, was enclosed by King Charles II., who planted the
avenues, made the Canal and the Aviary adjacent to the Bird-cage Walk,
which took its name from the cages hung in the trees; but the present
fine effect of the piece of ground within the railing, is the fruit of
the genius of the celebrated Mr. Brown."{1}

1 St. James's Park was the frequent promenade of King
Charles II. Here he was to be seen almost daily; unattended,
except by one or two of his courtiers, and his favorite
grey-hounds; inter-mixing with his subjects, in perfect
confidence of their loyalty and attachment. His brother
James one day remonstrating with him on the impolicy of thus
exposing his person,--"James," rejoined his majesty, "take
care of yourself, and be under no apprehension for me: my
people will never kill me, to make you king!"

In more recent times, Mr. Charles Townsend used every
morning, as he came to the Treasury, to pass by the Canal in
the Park, and feed the ducks with bread or corn, which he
brought in his pocket for that purpose. One morning having
called his affectionate friends, the duckey, duckey,
duckies, he found unfortunately that he had forgotten them;--
"Poor duckies!" he cried, "I am sorry I am in a hurry and
cannot get you some bread, but here is sixpence for you to
buy some," and threw the ducks a sixpence, which one of them
gobbled up. At the office he very wisely told the story to
some gentlemen with whom he was to dine. There being ducks
for dinner, one of the gentlemen ordered a sixpence to be
put into the body of a duck, which he gave Charles to cut
up. Our hero, sur-prised at finding a sixpence among the
seasoning, bade the waiter send up his master, whom he
loaded with epithets of rascal and scoundrel, and swore
bitterly that he would have him prosecuted for robbing the
king of his ducks; "for," said he, "gentlemen, this very
morning did I give this sixpence to one of the ducks in the
Canal in St. James's Park."

~~232~~~ The party now seated themselves on one of the benches in the
Mall, opposite the spot where lately stood the Chinese or Pagoda bridge.
Tallyho had often animadverted on the absurdity of the late inconvenient
and heterogeneous wooden structure, which had been erected at a
considerable public expense; its dangling non-descript ornaments, and
tiresome acclivity and descent of forty steps each. "What," said he,
"notwithstanding the protection by centinels of this precious memento of
vitiated taste, has it become the prey of dilapidation?"

"Rather," answered Dashall, "of premature decay. Its crazy condition
induced the sage authors of its origin to hasten its destruction; like
the Cherokee chief, who, when the object of his regard becomes no longer
useful, buries him alive!"

Contrasting the magnificent appearance of the adjacent edifices, as
seen from the Park, with one of apparently very humble pretensions, Miss
Macgilligan inquired to what purpose the "shabby fabric" was applied,
and by whom occupied.

"That 'shabby fabric,' Madam," responded Dashall, "is St. James's
Palace, erected by Henry VIII., in which our sovereigns of England
have held their Courts from the reign of Queen Anne to that of his late
Majesty George III." {1}

1 The state apartments, now renovated, comprehend six
chambers. The first is the guard chamber, at the top of the
stairs: this has been entirely repaired, and on the right
hand there is a characteristic chimney-piece, instead of the
ill-shaped clumsy fire-place which previously disgraced this
approach to the grand rooms. The next room, continuing to
advance, is the presence chamber. This chamber has been
remodelled, and a large handsome octagonal window
introduced. This produces the best effect, and has rendered
a gloomy room very light and cheerful. The privy chamber,
which forms the eastern end of the great suite that runs
from east to west, parallel to the Mall in the Park, and is,
strictly speaking, the immediate scene of the Court; this is
entirely new from the foundation, and is a continuation of
the old suite of state apartments. The chamber is of noble
dimensions, being nearly 70 feet in length, and having four
windows towards the garden and Park beyond. A magnificent
marble chimney-piece occupies the centre, on the east end.
The anti-drawing-room and the drawing-room, in which little
alteration appears, except in the introduction of splendid
chimney-pieces of statuary marble, taken from the library of
Queen Caroline in the Stable Yard, built by Kent. The
workmanship of these is amazingly fine, and the designs very
rich. The throne is at the upper end of the drawing room No.
5, and from the chimney of the room No. 3, the vista through
the middle doors of the anti-drawing-rooms is about 200
feet!! The_coup d'oeil_ must be indescribably grand, when
all the three apartments are filled with rank and beauty.
The ceilings of the principal rooms, 3, 4, and 5, are coved
upon handsome cornices, carved and gilt. This gives the
apartments a spacious and lofty appearance; and there being
four large windows in each, the whole suite is very
imposing. The rooms are to be fitted with mirrors, and a
noble collection of the royal pictures. Over the chimney in
the drawing-room, Lawrence's splendid portrait of George
IV., surrounded by the fine old carvings of Grinling
Gibbons, of which many are preserved in the Palace, will be
the principal object. In the anti-drawing-room a portrait of
the venerable George III. will occupy a similar station; and
on each side will appear the victories which reflected the
highest lustre on his reign,--Trafalgar and Waterloo. In the
privy chamber, a portrait of Queen Anne will be attended by
the great Marlborough triumphs of Lisle and Tournay,
Blenheim, and other historical pieces. Other spaces will
exhibit a series of royal portraits, from the period of the
founder of the Palace, Henry VIII. to the present era;
including, of course, some of the most celebrated works of
Holbein and Vandyke. The unrivalled "Charles on
horseback," by the latter, is among the number, and the
gallery, altogether, must be inestimable, even as a panorama
of the arts in England for three centuries. On the whole,
these state apartments, when completed, will not be
excelled, if equalled, by any others in Europe. Holbein,
whom we have just mentioned, was a favourite of Henry VIII.
One day, when the painter was privately drawing a lady's
picture for the king, a nobleman forced himself into the
chamber. Holbein threw him down stairs; the peer cried out;
Holbein bolted himself in, escaped over the roof of the
house, and running directly to the king, fell on his knees,
and besought his majesty to pardon him, without declaring
the offence. The king promised to forgive him, if he would
tell the truth. Immediately arrives the lord with his
complaint. After hearing the whole, his majesty said to the
nobleman,--" You have behaved in a manner unworthy of your
rank. I tell you, of seven peasants I can make so many
lords, but not one Holbein. Be gone, and remember this, if
you ever presume to avenge yourself, I shall look on an
injury you do to the painter as done to me."

~~233~~~ The descendant of O'Brien was astonished, and connecting her
ideas of the internal show of this Palace with its outward appearance,
doubted not, secretly, that it was far inferior to the residence, in
former times, of her royal progenitor.

Probably guessing her thoughts, Dashall proceeded to observe, that the
Palace was venerable from age, and in its interior decoration that it
fully corresponded in splendor with the regal purposes to which it had
been so long applied; "It is now, however," he added, "about to assume a
still more imposing aspect, being under alterations and adornments,
for the reception of the Court of his present Majesty, which, when
completed, will render it worthy the presence of the Sovereign of this
great Empire."

~~234~~~ The sole use made lately of St. James's Palace, is for purposes
of state. In 1808, the south-eastern wing of the building was destroyed
by fire; the state apartments were, however, uninjured, and the Court of
George the Third and his Queen was held here.

On the right of the Palace, the attention of the party was next
attracted by Marlborough House. It was built in the reign of Queen Anne,
by the public, at the expense of 40,000L. on part of the royal gardens,
and given by the Queen and Parliament, on a long lease, to the great
Duke of Marlborough. It is a handsome building, much improved of late
years, and has a garden extending to the Park, and forms a striking
contrast to the adjoining Palace of St. James's. It is now the town
residence of his Royal Highness, Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg.

Our party now passed into St. James's-street, where Miss Macgilligan,
whose acerbitude of temper had been much softened by the politeness of
her friends during the morning's ramble, mentioned, that she had a visit
to make on an occasion of etiquette, and requesting the honour of
the gentlemen's company to dinner, she was handed by the Squire
of Belville-hall, with all due gallantry and obeisance, into a
hackney-chariot; Tom in the meanwhile noting its number, in the
anticipation of its ultimately proving a requisite precaution.

The trio, now left to their own pursuits, lounged leisurely up St.
James's-street, and pausing at the caricature shop, an incident occurred
which placed in a very favorable point of view the Baronet's promptitude
of reply and equanimity of temper. Having had recourse to his glasses,
lie stood on the pavement, examining the prints, unobservant of any
other object; when a porter with a load brushed hastily forward, and
coming in contact with the Baronet, put him, involuntarily, by the
violence of the shock, to the left about face, without the word either
of caution or command. "Damn your spectacles!" at same time, exclaimed
the fellow; "Thank you, my good friend," rejoined Sir Felix,--"it is not
the first time that my spectacles have saved my eyes!"