harmonic society; the popular concerts and those of the choral society at the Albert hall; at the Alexandra palace, Muswell hill, destroyed by fire June 9, 1873, two weeks after its opening, and subsequently rebuilt on an improved plan; the musical union matinées at Willis's rooms; Ella's concerts of the highest order of instrumental music; the popular Monday and Saturday concerts and musical evenings during the season; the orchestral promenade concerts at Covent Garden theatre during autumn, under the direction of M. Rivière, on the plan of Jullien and Mellon of former days, attended by overwhelming audiences; and the private concerts at Hanover square rooms, Almack's, and St. James's hall. The two Italian opera houses were Her Majesty's theatre, or the opera house, in the Haymarket (burnt in 1867 and rebuilt in 1869, but never reopened), | intended for 1,800 persons; and Covent Garden theatre, or the royal Italian opera house (burnt in 1856 and rebuilt in 1858), accommodating 2,000. Drury Lane theatre has of late years been used as an Italian opera house, in place of Her Majesty's. These are the most fashionable houses, the boxes and the parquet being filled with the highest classes, and nobody being admitted to the pit and the more expensive seats unless in full dress; but this etiquette does not extend to the cheaper seats in the galleries. English opera and foreign opera Anglicized are given occasionally at the crystal palace, while operas of the lighter sort are performed in English at several of the minor theatres, and in French at the St. James's theatre, but the latter is devoted during the season mainly to dramatic performances. The Lyceum and Alhambra theatres combine comic opera with plays, and the latter with pantomimes and ballets; an opéra comique theatre was completed in 1871, and the Philharmonic is also devoted to comic opera and ballet. The principal theatres are the Haymarket, Adelphi (rebuilt in 1858), Princess's, Olympic, Royalty, and Strand; and among new ones are the Prince of Wales's, Gaiety, Globe, Vaudeville, New Belgravia, the Court, and the Criterion (opened in 1874 in connection with a large restaurant). All these are chiefly in the regions around Covent Garden. In other parts of London are the Holben; Sadler's Wells, St. John's street road, long oted for Shakespearian performances; Shor itch, rebuilt in 1867 on the site of the old Curtain theatre, where Ben Jonson acted; Vactoria, Waterloo road, Lambeth, popularly known as the Vic, with a gallery for 2,000 persons; Surrey, Blackfriars road, rebuilt in 1866; Alexandra, Highbury park; Grecian, City road; New Queen's, Long Acre, originally built in 1850 for Hullah's concerts, and rebuilt as a theatre after the fire of 1860; Pavilion, Whitechapel road; Britannia, Hoxton; New East London, Whitechapel road; and Astley's amphitheatre, Westminster bridge road, thrice burnt between 1794 and 1841, and rebuilt. There are several other theatres, the VOL. X.-39

total exceeding 40, and the number changing from the closing of old and establishment of new ones, some having only an ephemeral existence owing to theatrical business being overdone. Madame Tussaud and son's wax works, Baker street, the Egyptian hall, Piccadilly, and other resorts attract numerous persons. There is a gymnastic club in Pall Mall, on the site of the British institution; and a German gymnasium was established in 1866 in Old St. Pancras road, King's Cross, on the system of Jahn, for the use of a private association. Lord's cricket ground, St. John's Wood road, Regent's park, is the principal one of the kind. The most popular periodical amusements are the races, when all London seems to be on the move; the Thames regattas; the shooting matches on Wimbledon common; the military reviews in Hyde park, at the artillery ground near Finsbury square, and at Aldershott; and the national and international exhibitions; while the parks and the rural and riverside regions give boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Few traces remain of the old taverns and coffee houses, which latter were once called penny universities on account of the penny admission fee and of their diffusion of political, literary, and general information. The St. James's coffee house was frequented by Addison and Steele as the headquarters of the whigs. Willis's or Urwin's was, as Macaulay says, "sacred to polite letters." Epicureans who gathered during part of the night in the coffee houses formed convivial clubs, and soon arose the Kit Cat and other famous literary clubs. (See "Club Life of London, with Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee Houses, and Taverns of the Metropolis," by John Timbs, 2 vols., London, 1866.) These coffee houses and clubs were the precursors of the large club houses of the present day. White's, founded in 1730, and originally called White's chocolate house, is the oldest and most aristocratic club house, averaging 500 members, who are admitted without regard to political opinions. Brooks's (1764, 600 members) was long the great whig rival of Boodle's renowned tory club. Arthur's dates from 1765, with 600 members. The Guards' club was established in 1813, with nearly 300 members, for the officers of the three regiments of foot guards only. The United Service (1815, 1,600 members), for officers not under the rank of major in the army and commander in the navy, is the most select professional club. Its offshoots are the Junior United Service (1827, 2,000 members), the Army and Navy (1888, 2,300), the Naval and Military (1862, 1,500 members), and the new Junior Naval and Military (1874). The Athenæum (1824), with 1,200 members, is the resort of the learned professions, the highest order of artists and authors, and the upper clergy; and the Junior Athenæum (1864) has 600 members. The conservative Carlton club (1832) has 950 members, and its offshoot the Junior Carlton (1864) has 2,000, exclusive of peers and members of parliament; another offshoot.

is the City Carlton (1869), with 400 members. | The Conservative (1840) has 1,200 members. The Reform (1834, liberal), with 1,400 members, acquired additional celebrity through its culinary department as organized by Soyer; and a Junior Reform is projected. The Travellers' club (1819), having about 700 members, is frequented by distinguished explorers and scientific and literary men, and is a favorite resort of foreign ambassadors, who alone have free admission to all clubs. The United University (1822) has about 1,100 members; the Oxford and Cambridge (1830), about 1,200; New University (1864), 1,000, half Oxford and half Cambridge men; and the Thatched House or Civil Service (1865), about 700. The Oriental (1824), with 800 members, and the East India United Service (1848), with about 2,000, are the chief centres of the East India service. The Garrick (1831), with about 700 members, and the Junior Garrick (1867), with about 500, are favorite resorts of authors and artists. The Union (1822), with 1,000 members, is frequented by lawyers, merchants, bankers, and gentlemen at large, but is declining under the rivalry of more fashionable clubs. The City of London (1832), with 800 members, and the New City (1862), with 600, are frequented by City men; and the City Liberal (1874), with 1,000 members, now in Queen street, is to be permanently located in Walbrook. Among miscellaneous clubs are the Windham (1828, 650 members), Gresham (1843, 600), Cocoa Tree (1853, 350), National (1845, 500), Whitehall (1865, 800), and Medical (1866, 700). The new St. Stephen's, at the corner of the Thames embankment, for members of parliament, was completed in October, 1874; among other clubs are the Temple, Arundel, and Whitefriars. Purely political clubs exist, such as the Fox and Cobden, and exclusively artistic, like the recently established Burlington fine arts club; and there are various professional and scientific clubs. A new athenæum with lecture rooms and music halls was opened in Camden road in 1873; and in the same year arose in George street, Pimlico, the Grosvenor, the first club ever established for the distinct use of working men. The headquarters of the London swimming club is at the City of London baths. There are several clubs for chess players, who also frequent the cigar divan in the Strand. The Carlton, Reform, Army and Navy, United Service, Athenæum, and Travellers' are the most magnificent of all the club houses. The Army and Navy has externally the most gorgeous, and the Travellers' and United Service the most graceful appearance.-Of the hotels of London, Claridge's (late Mivart's), Brook street, is patronized by royal personages; and the Clarendon, Bond street, is also frequented by persons of the highest rank. Long's, in the latter street, is famous for its wines and for being patronized by sportsmen; St. James's, Piccadilly (Francatelli's), for elegance and superior cuisine. Maurigy's, Regent street, is much

frequented by the clergy and gentry. The Palace hotel, opposite Buckingham palace, is large and fashionable. Fenton's, St. James's street, and the hotels in Albemarle, Dover, Jermyn, and Cork streets, are more or less frequented by the higher classes. Others in Piccadilly, Cockspur street, Charing Cross, and the Strand are less fashionable and cheaper. The Piazza and other old-fashioned hotels in Covent Garden are noted resorts of connoisseurs of old port and sherry wines. There are also many rep-" utable commercial hotels in the City. Foreign refugees and other aliens abound in the hotels and lodging houses in and around Leicester square. The Westminster Palace hotel, opposite the abbey, is much frequented by railway and business men. The Langham, Portland place, is a favorite resort of Americans. Morley's (Trafalgar square) and other formerly famous hotels have found powerful rivals in new hotels near the railway termini and the new embankments, especially the Charing Cross and Grosvenor. Among the most recent and extensive of these is the St. Paneras, inside the colossal terminus of the Midland railway. Crockford's, once a famous club noted for desperate gambling, was afterward devoted to other purposes, being for a time a dining room; and restaurants abound in all the fashionable and miscellaneous regions of the west, as well as in the Strand and in the City, where some of the taverns and the excellent chop and steak houses enjoy a high reputation, and where Crosby hall, hallowed by interesting memories, has been converted into a dining room. Blackwall and Greenwich hotels are famous for their fish dinners, and the Star and Garter at Richmond is a favorite resort. Lodging houses of all descriptions exist in the cross streets of Regent and Oxford streets and Piccadilly, and all over London, except in the most select quarters of the nobility. -The royal palaces are far less attractive than either the large club houses or the mansions of the nobility mentioned in connection with art treasures, or even those of the principal ambassadors, such as the French, Albert gate, Hyde Park corner: the German, Carlton House terrace, formerly known as Prussia house; the Russian, Chesham house, Belgrave square; and the Austrian, Belgrave square. The queen's town palaces are: Buckingham palace, which she only visits on great occasions; St. James's palace, where receptions are held; and Kensington palace. Her out-of-town residences are at Windsor, at Osborne, Isle of Wight, and at Balmoral, in the Scottish highlands. Buckingham palace was commenced under George IV. and completed under William IV., who however was so displeased with it that he would not live in it. Subsequently it was enlarged and improved; the marble arch was removed to Hyde park, the whole building was converted into a quadrangle by the erection of an eastern front, and the conservatory was converted into a chapel. The

grand staircase is of white marble. The magnificent ball room was completed in 1856, accommodating over 2,000 persons. The throne room is 64 ft. long, hung with striped crimson satin, with coved ceiling, emblazoned with arms, and with a white marble frieze represent

Buckingham Palace.

ing the wars of the roses. The picture gallery, chiefly formed by George IV., includes now Sir Thomas Baring's Dutch and Flemish collection and other first-rate works. In the adjoining stables is an extensive riding school. St. James's palace, an irregular brick edifice, was the only royal mansion from the time of the destruction by fire of Whitehall, in the reign of William III., till the removal of Queen Victoria to Buckingham palace. The drawing-rooms and levees are held here, though in spite of the enlargement of the palace it is too small for such receptions. Kensington palace, where the queen was born and held her first cabinet council, was purchased from the second earl of Nottingham by William III. soon after his accession to the throne, and is chiefly remarkable for the many royal personages who have died there, including William III. and his wife, Queen Anne, and George II. The orangery is the work of Wren. The famous Kensington collection of pictures has been removed to other palaces. Marlborough house, in Pall Mall, now the residence of the prince of Wales, was built by Wren for the duke of Marlborough. In 1817 it was purchased by the crown for Princess Charlotte and her husband, the future king of the Belgians, Leopold I.; she died at Claremont before the assignment was made, but her husband lived here for some time, and Queen Adelaide, the widow of William IV., subsequently made it her home. The duchess of Cambridge resides at Kew palace, and there are various mansions for other members of the royal family. The arch

bishops of Canterbury, primates of England, have had their London residence for many centuries at Lambeth palace (see LAMBETH); and London house, St. James's square, is the residence of the bishops of London and the property of the see.-The houses of parlia

ment, or the new pal

ace of Westminster, on the left bank of the Thames and between the river and Westminster abbey, occupy the site of the old palace which was destroyed by fire Oct. 16, 1834. They cover an area of eight acres, and contain 1,100 apartments, 100 staircases, and two miles of corridors. The foundation stone was laid April 27, 1840. The house of lords, 100 ft. long and 45 ft. in width and height, was opened in April, 1847, and is one of the most gorgeous legislative balls in the world. It contains the throne

for the queen, a chair for the prince of Wales, and the woolsack (a chair cushioned with wool) in the centre of the house for the lord chancellor. Facing the throne is the reporters' gallery, and over the latter is the strangers' gallery. At either end of the chamber are three compartments covered with fine frescoes, executed by Dyce, Horsley, and Maclise. In the windows, which are filled with stained glass and lighted at night from outside, are 12 figures; and 18 niches between the windows and at either end of the chamber contain statues of the barons who compelled King John to grant Magna Charta. The entrance for the queen is at the Victoria tower; her robing room, containing Dyce's frescoes from the legend of King Arthur, faces the river, and from it she passes through Victoria gallery, a richly decorated chamber 100 ft. long, and the prince's chamber, another superb apartment, to her seat on the throne. The gallery directly fronting the throne is reserved for ladies. Since the gunpowder plot of 1605 the cellars underneath the house are always examined two hours before the sovereign's arrival. The house of commons, of the same width and height (45 ft.) and 60 ft. long, is a more austere building. It occupies the site of old St. Stephen's hall, its former chamber, and was opened in February, 1852. The strangers' and the speaker's galleries (the latter for distinguished visitors) are opposite the speaker's chair, behind which is the reporters' gallery. The royal or Victoria angle (the S. W. angle of the palace), 75 ft. square and 340 ft. high,

finished in 1857, is a magnificent work. The central spire, 300 ft. high and 60 ft. in diameter, rises above the grand central octagonal hall and the admirable groined stone vault, and is supported without a single pillar. The clock tower or belfry, 40 ft. square and over 300 ft. high, abuts on Westminster bridge, the palace clock showing the time upon four dials 30 ft. in diameter, while those of St. Paul's are only 18 ft. The great Stephen bell, cast in 1858, weighs over eight tons, but is defective, like the previous monster bell known as Big Ben. The roof is finely decorated, and the subordinate towers enhance the general picturesqueness of the effect. At the Westminster bridge end of the edifice are the rooms of the speaker and sergeant at arms, and at the Vauxhall bridge end are those of the usher of the black rod and of the librarian of the house of lords.

The upper floors accommodate parliamentary committees. The cloister court, girdled by a richly groined and traceried cloister with two floors, is one of the masterpieces of the palace, though it is chiefly a restoration. Westminster hall, 290 ft. long, 110 high, and 68 wide, and despite its size unsupported by pillars, occupies the site of the old hall of the royal palace, where some of the early parliaments were held, and which abounded in historical associations and trophies. The highest law courts of England, established in 1224 under Henry III., are still held in the renovated hall, though sooner or later they are to be removed to another locality. A small staircase leads from the E. corner of the hall into the restored crypt of St. Stephen's, beneath the modern St. Stephen's hall, which is the only relic saved from the fire of 1834, and is used as a chapel.

The modern St. Stephen's hall, 95 ft. long, 56 high, and 30 wide, so called from occupying the site of St. Stephen's chapel of the ancient palace, contains 12 statues of illustrious statesmen. Upward of 200 elaborately carved bosses are in the central or octagon hall (80 ft. high), from which corridors lined with fine paintings extend right and left to both houses of parliament. The poets' or upper waiting hall contains frescoes illustrative of English poetry. Mr. Barry is the principal architect of the houses of parliament. The total cost is estimated, so far as the works are completed (1874), at about £4,000,000. The decay of the stone outside and of the frescoes inside the building causes considerable uneasiness, and the general architecture of the palace and its surroundings has always been a bone of contention. The ground immediately beyond the Victoria tower has been secured, the unsafe old

tenements have been pulled down, and an embankment on the river side and a new building are in course of construction for the enlargement and safety of the structure.-The principal executive department of the government is the treasury, Whitehall, between the Horse Guards and Downing street; this is the official residence of the chancellor of the exchequer. The treasury includes the board of trade and privy council offices. A new and extensive building finished in 1870 by the architect Scott, between Downing and Charles streets, and extending thence to St. James's park and Parliament street, contains the new and elegant foreign, home, colonial, and India offices; and other improvements and extensive government buildings are projected. Military affairs are managed in the war office, Horse Guards, and in the old ordnance office, originally built for the duke of Cumberland, brother