was　one　Edward　Hemming；　of　London；　gentleman。　　His　project　was　at　first　ridiculed　and　opposed　by　〃narrow…souled　and　self…interested　people；〃　who　were　no　doubt　children　of　darkness　and　doers　of　evil　deeds；　but　was　eventually　hailed　with　delight　by　all　honest　men；　one　of　whom；　gifted　with　considerable　imagination；　declared　these　poor　oil…lamps　〃seemed　but　one　great　solar　light　that　turned　nocturnal　shades　to　noonday。〃
  In　this　reign　the　city　proper　was　confined　eastward　of　Temple　Bar；　to　the　west　lay　the　palaces　of　Somerset　House　and　Whitehall；　the　stately　parks；　and　great　houses　of　the　nobility　surrounded　by　wide　gardens　and　wooded　grounds。　　Monsieur　Sorbiere；　who　in　this　reign　made　a　journey　into　England；　an　account　of　which　he　subsequently　published　〃to　divert　a　person　of　quality　who　loved　him　extremely；〃　resided　close　by　Covent　Garden　during　his　stay。　It　was　usual；　he　writes；　for　people　in　the　district　to　say；　〃I　go　to　London；〃　for　〃indeed　'tis　a　journey　for　those　who　live　near　Westminster。　　'Tis　true；〃　he　adds；　〃they　may　sometimes　get　thither　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　by　water；　which　they　cannot　do　in　less　than　two　hours　by　land；　for　I　am　persuaded　no　less　time　will　be　necessary　to　go　from　one　end　of　its　suburb　to　the　other。〃　　For　a　crown　a　week　this　ingenious　and　travelled　gentleman　had　lodgings　in　Covent　Garden；　not　far　removed　from　Salisbury　House；　a　vicinity　which　he　avows　was　〃certainly　the　finest　place　in　the　suburbs。〃　　Covent　Garden　itself　has　been　described　by　John　Strype；　native　of　the　city　of　London；　as　〃a　curious　large　and　airy　square　enclosed　by　rails；　between　which　railes　and　houses　runs　a　fair　street。〃　　The　square；　or；　as　it　was　commonly　called；　garden；　was　well　gravelled　for　greater　accommodation　of　those　who　wished　to　take　the　air；　and　that　its　surface　might　more　quickly　dry　after　rain；　it　was　raised　by　an　easy　ascent　to　the　centre；　where　stood　a　sundial　fixed　on　a　black　marble　pillar；　at　the　base　of　which　were　stone　steps；　〃whereon　the　weary'　might　rest。〃
  The　west　side　of　the　square　was　flanked　by　the　handsome　portico　of　St。　Paul's　Church；　erected　at　the　expense　of　Francis；　Earl　of　Bedford；　from　designs　by　Mr。　Inigo　Jones；　the　south　side　opened　to　Bedford　Gardens；　〃where　there　is　a　small　grotto　of　trees；　most　pleasant　in　the　summer　season。　　Here；　on　Tuesdays；　Thursdays；　and　Saturdays；　a　market　was　held；　well　stocked　with　roots；　fruits；　herbs；　and　flowers。　　On　the　north　and　east　sides　stood　large　and　stately　houses　of　persons　of　quality　and　consideration；　the　fronts　of　which；　being　supported　by　strong　pillars；　afforded　broad　walks；　known　as　the　Piazza；　and　found　convenient　in　wet　and　sultry　weather。
  Here　amongst　other　houses　was　that　of　my　Lord　Brouncker；　where　Mr。　Pepys　enjoyed　a　most　noble　French　dinner　and　much　good　discourse；　in　return　for　which　he　gave　much　satisfaction　by　the　singing　of　a　new　ballad；　to　wit；　Lord　Dorset's　famous　song；　〃To　all　ye　ladies　now　on　land。〃　　Not　far　distant；　its　face　turned　to　the　Strand；　was　the　stately　residence　of　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　a　large　dark　building；　fronted　by　a　great　courtyard；　and　backed　by　spacious　gardens　enclosed　by　red…brick　walls。　Likewise　in　the　Strand　stood　Arundel　House；　the　residence　of　Henry　Frederick　Howard；　Earl　of　Arundel　and　Surrey；　and　Earl　Marshal　of　England；　Hatfield　House；　built　by　Thomas　Hatfield；　Bishop　of　Durham；　as　a　town　residence　for　himself　and　his　heirs　lawfully　begotten；　York　House；　richly　adorned　with　the　arms　of　Villiers　and　Mannersone　gloomy　chamber　of　which　was　shown　as　that　wherein　its　late　noble　owner；　George；　first　Duke　of　Buckingham；　was　stabbed　by　Felton；　Worcester　House；　at　one　time　occupied　by　Lord　Chancellor　Clarendon；　and　Essex　House；　situated　near　St。　Clement　Danes；　the　town　residence　of　Arthur　Capel；　Earl　of　Essex；　〃a　sober；　wise；　judicious；　and　pondering　person；　not　illiterate　beyond　the　rate　of　most　noblemen　of　this　age。〃
  There　were　also　many　other　noble　mansions　lying　westward；　amongst　them　being　those　of　the　Dukes　of　Ormond　and　Norfolk　in　St。　James's　Square；　which　was　built　at　this　time；　Berkeley　House；　which　stood　on　the　site　now　occupied　by　Berkeley　Square；　a　magnificent　structure　containing　a　staircase　of　cedar　wood；　and　great　suites　of　lofty　rooms；　Leicester　House；　situated　in　Leicester　Fields；　subsequently　known　as　Leicester　Square；　behind　which　stretched　a　goodly　common；　Goring　House；　〃a　very　pretty　villa　furnished　with　silver　jars；　vases；　cabinets；　and　other　rich　furniture；　even　to　wantonnesse　and　profusion；〃　on　the　site　of　which　Burlington　Street　now　stands；　Clarendon　House；　a　princely　residence；　combining　〃state；　use；　solidity；　and　beauty；〃　surrounded　by　fair　gardens；　that　presently　gave　place　to　Bond　Street；　Southampton　House；　standing；　as　Evelyn　says；　in　〃a　noble　piazzaa　little　town；〃　now　known　as　Bloomsbury　Square；　whose　pleasant　grounds　commanded　a　full　view　of　the　rising　hills　of　Hampstead　and　Highgate；　and　Montagu　House；　described　as　a　palace　built　in　the　French　fashion；　standing　on　the　ground　now　occupied　by　the　British　Museum；　which　in　this　reign　was　backed　by　lonely　fields；　the　dread　scenes　of　〃robbery；　murder；　and　every　species　of　depravity　and　wickedness　of　which　the　heart　can　think。〃
  Besides　the　grounds　and　gardens　surrounding　these　stately　mansions；　a　further　aspect　of　space　and　freshness　was　added　to　the　capital　by　public　parks。　　Foremost　amongst　these　was　St。　James's；　to　which　the　merry　monarch　added　several　fields；　and　for　its　greater　advantage　employed　Monsieur　La　Notre；　the　famous　French　landscape…gardener。　　Amongst　the　improvements　this　ingenious　man　effected　were　planting　trees　of　stately　height；　contriving　a　canal　one　hundred　feet　broad　and　two　hundred　and　eighty　feet　long；　with　a　decoy　and　duck　island；　＇The　goodnatured　Charles　made　Monsieur　St。　Evremond　governor　of　Duck　Island；　to　which　position　he　attached　a　salary　much　appreciated　by　the　exile。　　The　island　was　removed　in　1790　to　make　room　for　fresh　improvements。＇　　and　making　a　pleasant　pathway　bordered　by　an　aviary　on　either　side；　usually　called　Bird　Cage　Walk。　　An　enclosure　for　deer　was　formed　in　the　centre　of　the　park；　not　far　removed　was　the　famous　Physic　Garden；　where　oranges　were　first　seen　in　England；　and　at　the　western　end；　where　Buckingham　Palace　has　been　erected；　stood　Arlington　House；　described　as　〃a　most　neat　box；　and　sweetly　seated　amongst　gardens；　enjoying　the　prospect　of　the　park　and　the　adjoining　fields。〃
  The　great　attraction　of　St。　James's　Park　was　the　Mall；　which　Monsieur　Sorbiere　tells　us　was　a　walk　〃eight　hundred　and　fifty　paces　in　length；　beset　with　rows　of　large　trees；　and　near　a　small　wood；　from　whence　you　may　see　a　fine　mead；　a　long　canal；　Westminster　Abbey；　and　the　suburbs；　which　afford　an　admirable　prospect。〃　　This　path　was　skirted　by　a　wooded　border；　and　at　the　extreme　end　was　set　with　iron　hoops；　〃for　the　purpose　of　playing　a　game　with　a　ball　called　the　mall。〃　　＇〃Our　Pall　Mall　is；　I　believe；　derived　from　paille　maille；　a　game　somewhat　analogous　to　cricket；　and　imported　from　France　in　the　reign　of　the　second　Charles。　　It　was　formerly　played　in　St。　James's　Park；　and　in　the　exercise　of　the　sport　a　small　hammer　or　mallet　was　used　to　strike　the　ball。　　I　think　it　worth　noting　that　the　Malhe　crest　is　a　mailed　arm　and　hand；　the　latter　grasping　a　mallet。〃NOTES　AND　QUERIES；　1st　series；　vol。　iii。　p。　351。＇
  In　St。　James's　Park　Samuel　Pepys　first　saw　the　Duke　of　York　playing　at　〃pelemele〃；　and　likewise　in　1662　witnessed　with　astonishment　people　skate　upon　the　ice　there；　skates　having　been　just　introduced　from　Holland；　on　another　occasion　he　enjoyed　the　spectacle　of　Lords　Castlehaven　and　Arran　running　down　and　killing　a　stout　buck　for　a　wager　before　the　king。　　And　one　sultry　July　day；　meeting　an　acquaintance　here；　the　merry　soul　took　him　to　the　farther　end；　where；　seating　himself　under　a　tree　in　a　corner；　he　sung　him　some　blithesome　songs。　　It　was　likewise　in　St。　James's　Park　the　Duke　of　York；　meeting　John　Milton　one　day；　asked　him　if　his　blindness　was　not　to　be　regarded　as　a　just　punishment　from　heaven；　due　to　his　having　written　against　the　martyred　king。　　〃If　so；　sir；〃　replied　the　great　poet　and　staunch　republican；　〃what　must　we　think　of　his　majesty's　execution　upon　a　scaffold？〃　　To　which　question　his　royal　highness　vouchsafed　no　reply。
  It　was　a　favourite　custom　of　his　majesty；　who　invariably　rose　betimes；　to　saunter　in　the　park　whilst　the　day　was　young　and　pass　an　hour　or　two　in　stroking　the　heads　of　his　feathered　favourites　in　the　aviary；　feeding　the　fowls　in　the　pond　with　biscuits；　and　playing　with　the　crowd　of　spaniels　ever　attending　his　walks。　　For　his　greater　amusement　he　had　brought　together　in　the　park　a　rare　and　valuable　collection　of　birds　and　beasts；　amongst　which　were；　according　to　a　quaint　authority；　〃an　onocratylus；　or　pelican；　a　fowl　between　a　stork　and　a　swana　melancholy　water…fowl　brought　from　Astracan　by　the　Russian　ambassador。〃　　This　writer　tells　us；　〃It　was　diverting　to　see　how　the　pelican　would　toss　up　and　turn　a　flat　fish；　plaice　or　flounder；　to　get　it　right　into　its　gullet　at　its　lower　beak；　which　being　filmy　stretches　to　a　prodigious　wideness　when　it　devours　a　great　fish。　　Here　was　also　a　small　water…fowl；　not　bigger　than　a　more…hen；　that　went　almost　quite　erect　like　the　penguin　of　America