victories under Lord Nelson, Duncan, and other British Naval Commanders, to the influence of Tom Dibdin's soul-inspiring seasongs; yet the old veteran, to the lasting disgrace of England, and the officers of the British Navy, was permitted to die in a garret in abject poverty, and was buried at the expense of the corporation of London.

During England's long war with France and her allies, the Admiralty caused Dibdin's sea-songs to be purchased and distributed through the British fleets, and premiums to be given to those among the crews who would commit and sing these songs during a cruise. Nelson, while bearing down on an enemy's fleet of superior force, would pipe all hands through the fleet, then order a stiff allowance of grog, and cause one of Dibdin's songs to be sung, the whole crew joining in full chorus. Broadsides have been given and received while the gallant tars at their guns would be sounding forth amid the din of battle, the inspiring chorus, which, echoing along the bloody decks, would be continued by the wounded and dying to cheer on their messmates to victory or death. Gratitude demanded for Dibdin and his posterity, a pension from the crown, which probably would have been granted, had not the charm of his songs been broken during the last American War with England, when old Dibdin's inspiring songs were answered by old "Yankee Doodle," and encored by a full broadside of Yankee iron bull-dogs, to the utter dismay of their hitherto invincible songsters, and vetoing, thereafter, the charm of old Tom Dibdin's songs.

Among all the costly and splendid variegated marble monuments that adorn the magnificent St. Paul's, and the venerable Westminster Abbey, not even among the tablets that decorate the "Poet's Corner" is to be seen, or can be pointed out, the name of Tom Dibdin, the National Poetic English songster, so celebrated during the English wars. Well may the English naval officer blush, while in his gilded trappings at St. Paul's pointing out the rich marble monuments of a Nelson, a Duncan, a Rodney, &c., on being asked, "Where is Tom Dibdin's Monument?" Echo will answer from the crypts beneath the marbled floor, " Where?"

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CHAPTER XLVIII.

London; Hampton Court Palace; Its Splendour; The Maze; Paintings; Cartoons; Gardens; Park; Richmond; Its Sublime Scenery; Park; Twickenham; Pope; Horace Walpole; Sion House; Chelsea Hospital; Invalids; American Colours; Bishop of Canterbury's Palace; Blackwall Docks; Greenwich Hospital; Observatory; Invalids; Woolwich Docks, &c.; Aldgate Pump; Old Boar's Head, &c.

THE magnificent royal palace, called Hampton Court Palace, is about twelve miles from London. Coaches run out almost every hour from the Red Lion, Piccadilly, head of St. James' Street. This palace was originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, and in one of his merry moods, while a guest at Windsor Castle, gave it to King Henry the Eighth, with all its costly paintings, gorgeous furniture, wines, &c. Charles the First was a state prisoner in this palace, and Cromwell resided here, and was the favourite residence of William the Third. The pictures are numerous, and most of them by the first masters. Among them are the unrivalled Cartoons of Raphael. Nothing in England exceeds the grandeur of this palace, and the richness and beautiful display of the adjoining country. Its park and gardens are three miles in circumference, and laid out without sparing any expense to gratify the eye of royalty. In the wilderness is a maze, which furnishes much sport to those who do not understand the secret by which it is entered. Hampton Court is a favourite excursion of the Londoners on Sundays. The grand façade next the Thames is four hundred feet.

Four miles from Hampton Court is Richmond, from which steamers are constantly plying all day, to and from London, for a shilling a passage. From Richmond Hill the view is more sublime than the imagination can conceive. Windsor, Hampton Court, Twickenham, the winding silvery Thames, and a whole country filled with villas, turrets, woods, and rich cultivated fields, ravish the eye of the spectator. The park is over nine miles round, and

contains about two thousand acres, all under beautiful improve

ment.

The village of Twickenham is about two miles from Richmond. Pope lived here, and his remains lie in the village church. Horace Walpole also resided here in summer; the house is still standing, built in the Gothic style, and its windows ornamented with stained glass. On returning to London, the steamer passed Sion House, the splendid residence of the late Duke of Northumberland, and where once resided Lady Jane Grey, the daughter of the Duke. On stopping at Chelsea to take on board passengers, I left the boat to visit its noted Hospital, which, with its gardens, covers forty acres of ground. The hospital was founded by Charles the Second, and his full-length likeness adorns the great dining-hall. There were seven hundred veteran invalid soldiers in the hospital, who are allowed per diem, 1 pound of bread, pound of cheese, 2 ounces of butter, 1 pint of cocoa, 1 pound of meat, and 1 pound of potatoes, including ale and tobacco. The mess-room is decorated with standards, captured in the English wars, among them two taken at the capture of Washington City, when the English army, under General Ross, burned the public buildings, including the immense valuable library in the Capitol, and the President's House and furniture. A beautiful painting decorates the altar in the Chapel, executed in 1600 by Rice. The Chapel is also decorated with flags, captured in battle, among them three of the United States, one a militia Connecticut standard, taken in the Revolution. The Chapel has also a fine-toned organ. All the pensioners are provided with bibles in their several rooms, as well as in the Chapel. Sir William Pageat was the Governor of the hospital, to whom much credit is due for its excellent regulation and comfort. A steamer for London approaching, I took a parting leave of the veterans, who had amused me with their hair-breadth escapes on the Continent and in the United States, during the late war with England. On passing down, I saw from the deck of the steamer, the Penitentiary with its gloomy walls and posterns, and nearing Vauxhall Bridge, had a fine view of the splendid palace of the Archbishop of Canterbury, on the Surrey side. The palace, gardens, and ancient wall, have quite a picturesque appearance, standing as they do on the banks of the Thames, in the vicinity of the noble bridge.

Intending to visit the dock-yards at Woolwich, I took a steamer the next morning at Waterloo Bridge, and the sight was truly imposing, of the miles of shipping we passed and the numerous vessels under sail all the way to Blackwall, including St. Katharine's Dock, filled with vessels discharging and loading, which alone covers twenty acres of ground. The East and West India Docks at Blackwall are immense, and were all crowded with shipping.

A railway runs from the Minories, near the Tower, to Blackwall, which makes it very convenient for the merchants and seamen, as omnibuses run from the railway station to all parts of London.

Greenwich is within sight, and nearly opposite Blackwall, and stepping on board a steamer was soon landed on the steps at Greenwich Hospital-its grandeur on approaching it can scarcely be imagined. The whole number of persons about the hospital is about five thousand, the number of invalid pensioners three thousand, and their daily allowance same as at Chelsea Hospital. The park is four miles round, and is the most picturesque of any in or about London. The Royal Observatory is on an high eminence in the park, from which I counted sixty-eight steeples and towers, and the prospect up and down the Thames is indeed delightful to behold. The spacious terrace in front of the hospital is nine hundred feet on the river. The hospital consists of four grand buildings of Portland stone, absolutely separated from each other, yet forming a very entire and most beautiful plan, especially when viewed from the river, to which its main front presents itself. Its Chapel will accommodate one thousand two hundred persons. Over the altar is a painting by West, of the escape of St. Paul from shipwreck on the Island of Malta, with statuary on each side. "They that go down to the sea in ships see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep."

In the large painted Hall are portraits of British Naval Commanders, and some valuable paintings of sea-fights. Among other curious relics, I saw the uniform coat which Lord Nelson wore when he was shot in the breast, and had on till he died.

The Naval Asylum at Greenwich is on a very extensive scale in the park, for the education of three thousand children of seamen, who, when at a proper age, are to be sent to sea. On leaving to go down to Woolwich, I promised some of the old salts to return and sup with them at six o'clock.

Woolwich is worthy of being visited by tourists on account of its Dock-Yard, extensive Rope-Walks, Barracks, Military Academy, Hulks, Arsenal, &c. The Warren is the grand depôt of artillery, and for warlike apparatus and machinery, belonging to the British Navy and Army. It covers over one hundred acres of ground, containing a foundry, immense stores of shots, shells, mortars, and other instruments of destruction, besides a. Military Academy, splendid Barracks, &c. Many of the cannon used and captured at Waterloo are mounted on the parade ground.

The Nelson, of one hundred and twenty guns, was launched at Woolwich Dock.

The Dreadnought, of one hundred and twenty guns, is among the hulks at anchor; she is used as a prison ship, and being invited, I went on board the old ship, once so noted in the days of

Nelson, Duncan, &c, and was politely taken all over her by the commanding officer, who afterwards accompanied me through all the public works and buildings, and then taking a lunch at his quarters with a few of his friends, returned by a steamer to Greenwich, and at my request was conducted to the immense kitchen, to witness the process of cooking for five thousand persons. Thence I went through the eating balls to see the neat and cleanly tables, and while there the supper-bell sounded, and in poured the jolly old salts by hundreds, and took their seats as regular as if been piped in by the boatswain, and all in high glee. But as soon as the boatswain's whistle was heard through the hall there was a dead silence, while the chaplain asked a blessing, and then was merriment and laughing heard throughout the hall. Half an hour is allowed at supper, the boatswain pipe is heard, all is silence, the chaplain gives thanks, the pipe sounds again, and all in regular order leave the hospital to roam in the beautiful park, or where they please, until the pipe sounds to prayers, and for all to douse their glim and turn in for the night.

There is a railway running from Greenwich to London Bridge, which adds to the variety, and gives the tourist a fine view of the Metropolis, in arriving on the Surrey side, and the fare is one shilling, the same as the steamers. Cabs and coaches are always in waiting, and the charge for riding is the same for four persons as for one, viz., one shilling a mile for the whole cab, or coach, therefore, if four take a coach it is only three pence each for a mile. No horses are allowed to be used in public hacks under fourteen hands high, an excellent regulation, and should at once be adopted in the United States.

There is a pump in Aldgate Street, that when the person on whom a foreign bill of exchange is drawn is not to be found, it is presented to this old pump, and a demand of payment therefor is made.

The very spot in Smithfield, opposite Bartholomew's Gate, London, is pointed out where John Rogers, wife, and nine children suffered at the stake; the place is marked on the stones.

The old Boar's Head, where Sir John Falstaff and Prince Henry used to meet, in East Cheap, is still to be seen, and known by the boar's head of stone in front of the house. Bolt Court was the residence of Dr. Johnson; in the adjoining Court he wrote his Dictionary.