met Mr. H., of Norfolk, England, and we together went into the fine old Chapel of Whitehall Palace, to see the exquisite ceiling by Rubens; then by the grand Reform, Conservative, Oxford, and Cambridge Clubs, the new Treasury Buildings, and Westminster Hall; then into the House of Commons, a plain, mean room; could not get into the new House; then to St. James' Palace, by order, to see Winterhalter's painting of the Royal Family, and the Prince of Wales. They were, of course, much flattered, but not equal to that at Liverpool, taken in eighteen hundred and forty, by the same artist. Then to the National Gallery; spent but an hour among its two thousand pictures; then dined together at the York or Farmers' Club, and after dinner went with H. to Covent Garden, to hear Grisi, Marini, Mario, and Tamburini, sing Il Puritani, and Elssler dance the Ballet. The new house has six tiers of private boxes, and the pit is stalled and might hold over fifteen hundred persons. It is lit by one luxurious Chandelier, colored, and its upholstery is of red and gold. The Stage is about eighty feet wide. Its general effect is very grand. Grisi, of course, sang superbly, with fine action. The scenery was beautiful; chorus very large; at a finale, perhaps two hundred were on the stage at once; Mario's tenor is near perfection. Tamburini is getting old, and did not sing with his former celebrated powers. In the Queen's box, near which I sat, in the Parquette, was the Marquis of Normansby, and suite. Opposite, the Duchess

of Beaufort and her beautiful daughter, the Lady Blanche Somerset, and in the next box, was the Countess of Aylesbury. The house was completely full; but so beautifully arranged, that there could be no crowd, every parquette seat, being an armed and cushioned chair; price two dollars. Saw the first act of the Ballet of Salamandrine. Fanny danced as well as usual, but she looks vastly older. Left about half-past eleven, P. M.

23D.-SUNDAY.-Went with Mr. and Mrs. H., to the Temple Church. It was very crowded; got seats for the ladies in the choir, and contented myself on a sedilla, under the Nave Dome. The service is Cathedral-like; the anthem was beautifully sung. The Church is a fine restoration; the vaulted and octagon Nave, is identical with the Chapter House of York-Minster, with its fine proportions, encaustic tiles and its effigies of the Templar on the floor; but it is much smaller, and has not the stainings. The Choir-windows are like Durham; the ceiling and frames are in distemper, like York, while the East window is full of beautiful stainings. The Pillars are of black Derbyshire Marble; and the ceiling of a whitish stone, like Durham.

After dinner, walked with W. up to the Hyde Park, went over to the Achilles, and to Aspley House. It was very warm and dusty; populace were out in great numbers over its green fields. Great procession of carriages, some four or five miles of them in solid column. After supper went to Bancroft's Levee; very stupid.

24TH.-Started out with W., early; took Buss along Oxford street, down to the city; went to the Tower. They are now building some new Armories, in a style like the old Tower; went through the Horse Armory: being Whitmonday, there was a great crowd: twelve at a time were admitted with the Yeoman, including four soldiers, who have the privelege, but did not go with us. Kings and Knights are here, in full original armor, mounted; the finest seemed to be Edward I., and Charles I., in his gilt armor. On all sides are men at arms, standing opposite to their masters, in what are said to be, original armor; and armor beautifully arranged in stars, circles, etc.; also a fine preservation of horse and man, in complete chain mail, of the reign of Stephen, and of a Templar, of the time of the Conqueror. It was curious to observe the gradual change in armor, and how it was, by piece-meal, left off. The Iron Hauberk, was worn, down to sixteen hundered and eightyeight. Passing up on the stairway, is the beautiful cannon of brass, finely chased, with the furies supporting the carriage, captured at Malta, and with some others; then into the small armory; here is the cell of Sir Walter Raleigh; on the doorway, cut as by a nail, in the stone, and said to be done by Raleigh, are the words-" He that endureth to the end, shall have a crown of life." The cell is about ten feet square, formed in the thickness of the wall; in front is the Beheading Block and axe, by which Anne Boleyn, Balmerine, and many others suffered; in front of that is a

curious matchlock and target of bullet proof and tempered steel, of the time of Henry VIII.; the gun-barrel protrudes, and as you hold the target by the inner handle, the match is touched with a spring, near the hand. Here is the Skerin

ger's Daughter, and the thumb screws;

around the room are

curious and rare weapons, from the early Norman reigns, down; and also an equestrian figure of Queen Elizabeth, as she appeared in procession after the Armada victory; then to the Jewel Room; the Regalia are well known. The Wine Fountain of gold, and Baptismal and Communion Gold-Plate, strike you more than the Crowns. Anne Boleyn's Crown and Ivory Sceptre, and the Confessors Gold Rod are of interest. These three rooms are all that are shown. Went down to the Tower stairs, so famous in all English History; they look but little changed, from your imagination of them, when it was the portal of despair to the noble victim; and the landing place spread with cloth of gold for the earlier monarchs. The whole surrounding scene is unaltered. Took wherry and rowed past the steam packets and ships moored in the stream, and several docks, to the tunnel; went down the staircase, a most weary descent, and walked half the way through; it is on two arches, one of which is now being repaired, and extends from Wapping to Rotherithe, the shipping quarters; the arches are beautiful in shape, always lit with gas. Then into the boat again to Greenwich; went to the Hospital, a most superb edifice of a centre building, and two immense wings, in white stone,

and Corinthian style, with fine Domes; entered the Dining Hall 1; some seven hundred of the men sat at dinner, in their odd uniform of immense coats, with gilt buttons, and cocked hats, in what we term, revolutionary style; then, into the Chapel of the same architectural style; highly carved and concentric ceiling, with fine gallery; the altar piece is a painting by West, of St. Paul at Malta, in his fixed manner; one hundred and fifty figures of life size: the adoring wonder of the women on the right, and the calm air of the Apostle, are strikingly expressed. Pulpit is new, and of finely carved oak; the room would hold over one thousand persons. Then, to the Gallery of Paintings; the vestibule of this room, with its rich ornaments on the ceiling, and its frescos, is beautiful. There are many fine paintings; of course all are Naval: Nelson's Death; the Battles of Aboukir; and of Trafalgar, with many capital portraits of the Admirals, etc. Walked through some of the wards; each is a ship's state room, in complete order; each sailor taking entire charge of his own room. Saw the Royal Charlie Ward, and heard the old story over again of the escape of Charles II.; then, into the large and handsome reading room, with full files of newspapers; many old tars were reading there, and in the Library. Seven hundred and twenty men, and some fifteen officers in all, are here Walked over to the Park of the Hospital; on the central hill is the Observatory; the park and streets were crowded with the venders, visiters, and motley crowd of

now.