GREENWICH.

GREENWICH HOSPITAL, in the county of Kent, is situated on the southern bank of the Thames, five miles from London. This magnificent institution was founded by William and Mary, in 1694, for maintaining, lodging, and clothing 300 maimed seamen, a number which since has increased to 3,000, independently of about 32,000 out pensioners. The Hospital consists of five distinct piles of buildings, distinguished by names of King Charles', Queen Ann's, King William's and Queen Mary's buildings; and the Naval Asylum, or Royal Hospital Schools. A portion of King Charles and Queen Ann's buildings is seen on the right and left of the annexed engraving, immediately facing the river, divided by the square 270 feet in width. Beyond the square are seen the Hall and Chapel, with their finely proportioned domes, and the two colonnades, having the appearance of an avenue, terminated by the Naval Asylum. Greenwich Park, and the Royal Observatory on the summit of the hill, are seen in the distance.

The building on the right with a dome is King William's, in which is the Painted Hall or Naval Gallery, containing the portraits of naval commanders and representations of their warlike achievements; the most of which are executed in a very superior manner. The walls and ceiling of the apartments are covered with emblematic paintings, by Sir James Thornhill. He commenced this work in 1708, and completed it in 1727, receiving for his labor the inadequate sum of £6,685, being at the rate of £1 per yard for the sides, and £8 per yard for the ceiling. To exe

cute this last painting the artist was obliged to lie on his back for some months. The apartment called the "Nelson Room" is devoted to paintings representing various scenes in that celebrated commander's life, with a number of interesting relics.

In the principal apartment are several busts of distinguished personages, several models of distinguished ships of the Royal Navy, including that of the Victory, lost in 1744, of the Centurion which bore Commodore Anson's broad pendant, the Royal George, sunk at Spithead in 1782, the instrument used by Sir Francis Drake for nautical observations. Bnt the most interesting object to be seen here, is the identical coat and waistcoat worn by Lord Nelson at the battle of Trafalgar. This celebrated hero fell by a musket-ball fired by some one stationed in the rigging of the opposing French ship. The place where the ball in its downward course entered his coat near his shoulder, and the stain of blood on his white waistcoat are plainly seen.

The chapel, (seen in the engraving with a dome on the left,) is built in the Grecian style. Immediately before the entrance in the vestibule are statues of Faith, Hope, Charity and Meekness, from designs by West, with appropriate inscriptions. The lower part of the chapel is appropriated to the pensioners and nurses, and contains seats for about 1,400 persons. It is richly ornamented with scriptural paintings, statuary and nautical emblems.

Naval School at Greenwich, with Block Model Ship.

The above shows the appearance of the block model ship at Greenwich, (a corvette of 500 tons,) in which the senior boys of the Upper School of the Royal Hospital are exercised in reefing, furling sails, &c. The model ship is also supplied with small pieces of brass ordnance, in exercising which a number of the boys

acquire a fundamental knowledge of gunnery. This school consists of 400 boys, the sons of officers, seamen, and marines in the Queen's service, and of officers and seamen in the merchant service. They are admitted between the ages of ten and eleven, and receive an excellent practical education in navigation and nautical astronomy, and leave the school at the age of fifteen years. The Lower school also contains 400 boys, the children of seamen in the navy, or of non-commissioned officers and privates of the marines, who are instructed in reading, writing, arithmetic, the rudiments of navigation, and other generally useful acquirements. They also receive instruction from the shoemaker, tailor, carpenter, smith and other tradesmen; and on leaving school are chiefly sent

to sea.

The schools are supported from the general funds of the

Royal Hospital.

The Royal Observatory is situated in Greenwich Park, on its elevated grounds back of the Hospital. Considering their importance, the Observatory buildings are of an inferior character compared with many other public structures. The spire on the eastern turrit has a "Time ball," by which the commanders of vessels in the Thames set their chronometers. At five minutes before 1 o'clock the ball is raised half way up the vane spire; at two minutes before one the ball rises to the top; and, as the instrument tells to the moment the hour of one, the ball falls.

Beyond the Hospital is the quaint featured house in which the princesses Mary and Elizabeth, with their brother Edward, are said to have been born. Queen Elizabeth always exhibited the greatest partiality for the place of her birth, and almost always made it her summer residence, passing the hours of that romantic period in various diversions, attended with tilts and tournaments, in which the gallant knights of her court exerted their skill to amuse her. In 1539 a council sat at Greenwich, in which it was determined to be contrary to law for any nuncio from the Pope to enter into the realm.

Greenwich Park was laid out in the reign of Charles II, and contains 200 acres, and is planted principally with elms and Spanish chestnuts; some of the latter have attained a large size. There are also some picturesque Scotch firs near the Observatory. The grounds are beautifully diversified by hills and dales, numerous walks and green fields, in which are seen deer grazing. This place is much frequented by vast numbers of the citizens of London who come here by the railway at a small expense, taking their provisions with them. There are numerous establishments in the town for furnishing visitors with conveniences for making their own tea, &c., at a trifling charge, so that the poorer classes can enjoy a day of recreation in these delightful grounds without much

expense,

WINDSOR AND ITS VICINITY.

View of Windsor Castle, St. George's Chapel, &c.

[The annexed engraving shows the appearance of part of the modern town of Windsor, on the banks of the Thames. The Round Tower of the castle is seen on the elevation above the town, and St. George's Chapel on the right.]

WINDSOR, the residence of the Royal Family of Great Britain, is a borough in the county of Berkshire, twenty-two miles westerly from London. It has been a royal demense ever since the time of William the Conqueror, who received it from the hands of the Abbot of Westminster, in exchange for lands in Essex. The picturesque beauty of its scenery, its noble forest, and the interesting historical associations connected with the vicinity, all combine to confer upon it peculiar attractions; but it owes its chief celebrity to its magnificent castle, the favorite residence of a long line of kings. This castle stands upon a high hill, which rises from the town by a gentle ascent; and its fine terrace, faced with a rampart of freestonė, 1,870 feet in length, is one of the noblest walks in Europe, with regard to strength, grandeur and prospects. It was built originally by William the Conqueror, and enlarged by Henry I. Edward III, (who was born in it,) caused the greater part of the edifice to be taken down, and rebuilt in its present form. Great additions were made to it by Edward IV, Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth. Charles II enlarged the windows and made them regular, furnished the royal apartments with paintings, enlarged the terrace walk on the north side, and carried it round the east and south sides.

After the accession of the present house of Brunswick, and in particular during the reign of George III, splendid improvements were made; and under George IV, it assumed its present grand and magnificent appearance. The castle is divided into two large courts, separated from each other by the round tower allotted for the residence of the governor. On the north side of the upper courts are the state apartments of his late majesty, and on the south are the suit of rooms set apart for the officers of state. In the center of the court is an equestrian statue of Charles II. The royal apartments are adorned with a splendid collection of paintings, and the royal chapel is embellished with a variety of superb carvings, by the celebrated Gibbons. In the lower ward of the castle is St. Georges' chapel, an elegant and highly finished structure, of pointed architecture, began by Edward III, in 1337, in honor of the order of the garter. On the south side of the town is the great park, which is fourteen miles in circumference. From that part of the castle called the round tower, the eye embraces one of the most noble and extensive prospects in England; for not fewer than twelve counties may be discerned with the naked eye; while the landscape presents every combination of picturesque beauty.

The cut opposite is a representation of one of the most expressive groups ever executed in marble. It was erected as a tribute to the memory of the Princess Charlotte, who was universally beloved by the nation at large. "The guineas of the rich, and the pence of the poor, were cheerfully contributed for this sacred purpose." This monument, designed and executed by Matthew Wyatt, was completed in 1826, and erected in St. George's chapel, Windsor. The subject is divided into two compartments: in the lower one the deceased Princess is represented as lying on a bier, covered with drapery, the lower part of one hand being alone visible, although the outline of the whole figure is preserved. At each corner is an attendant female mourner. The apothesis of the Princess forms the second division of the subject: her spirit is ascending from a mausoleum, supported by two angels, one of whom bears her infant. The whole group is surmounted by an elegant canopy, enriched with point work and gilding, the arms of Great Britain, and those of the house of Saxe-Cobourg, being boldly emblazoned in the

center.

The marriage of the Princess Charlotte, on the 3d day of May, 1816, was an event which excited the greatest joy. All the circumstances tended to give satisfaction. It was a marriage of choice, in which political calculations had no weight. The chosen husband, Prince Leopold, was the third son of a minor German prince, a captain of cavalry in the Austrian service, with hardly any other fortune than his sword. His advantages of person, the reputation of an amiable character, and an accomplished mind, and above