stood him; or could have told what a Piccadilly had been, either fish or flesh." In Ben Jonson's "Devil is an Ass;" in Beaumont and Fletcher's

66

* Pilgrim ;" and in Drayton's satirical poem "The Moon Calf," will be found more than one allusion to the fashionable "pickadel," or " pickadilly." It must be remarked, however, that the earliest of these productions (and they have all evidently reference to a ridiculous and ephemeral fashion of recent introduction) dates no further back than 1616; and, moreover, according to every evidence which I have been able to collect on the subject, the introduction of the "Piccadilly" was at least not of an earlier period than 1614. When we are able, therefore, to prove, that the word "Pickadilla" was in common use as far back as 1596 (our authority is Gerard's " Herbal," where the "small wild buglosse," or ox-tongue, is spoken of as growing upon the banks of the dry ditches "about Pickadilla"), we are compelled to disturb the old opinion that the present street derives its name from a fashionable article of dress which we find was not introduced till nearly twenty years after "Pickadilla" had become a familiar name, and which, moreover, was little likely to be sold in so rural a district as Piccadilly was in the days of James the First.

Let us be allowed to throw out one suggestion on the subject. Pickadilla House, which stood nearly on the site of the present Panton Square, was a fashionable place of amusement, apparently as far

*D'Israeli's "Curiosities of Literature."

back as the reign of Elizabeth, and continued to be so nearly till the time of the Commonwealth.* It has been the custom of all countries to confer an alluring name on places of amusement, as for instance, we find the fashionable " Folly" floating on the Thames in the days of Charles the Second,and I cannot, therefore, but think, that Pickadilla House derived its name simply from the Spanish word peccadillo, literally meaning a venial fault, but which was intended, perhaps, to imply more than met the eye. Under all circumstances, it seems far more reasonable to suppose that the newly-invented ruff should have derived its name from being worn by the fair ladies and silken gallants who frequented Pickadilla House, than that a trifling article of dress should have given a name, first to the suburban emporium in which it is asserted to have been sold, and afterwards to one of the principal streets in Europe. Why, indeed, should a ruff have been called a pickadilla, unless from some such reason as we have mentioned? Or what lady is there who ever went into the fields to buy her attire? And, in the days of Elizabeth and James the First, Pickadilla House stood literally in the fields. The fact, however, that "Pickadilla" was a well-known spot, nearly twenty years before the introduction of the " pickadel," or "turn-over," at least puts one part of the argument at rest. We have already employed more time on the subject than perhaps it

* In Faithorne's " Plan of London," published in 1658, we find the spot still laid down as Pickadilly Hall.

deserves, and must leave the vexata questio to be decided by some more ingenious antiquary.

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, as appears by Aggas's "Plan of London," published in 1560, the present line of Piccadilly, extending from the Haymarket to Hyde Park Corner, was a mere road, which ran through an open country, and was called "the Roade to Readinge." Piccadilly appears to have been formed into a street about the year 1642. It extended then no farther than the end of the present Swallow Street, and when afterwards, in the reign of Charles the Second, it was continued in the direction of Hyde Park Corner, the new street, in compliment to Catherine of Braganza, obtained the name of Portugal Street. In a map of London, printed in 1707, Piccadilly and Portugal Street are still laid down as two distinct streets. Two years afterwards, as appears by the "Tatler " of the 18th of April, 1709, the whole line of street came to be known by its present denomination. There is an absurd story, which has received the authority of Pennant, that when Richard, the third Earl of Burlington, erected the present Burlington House, he observed that he had placed it there "because he was certain that no one would build beyond him." So far, however, is this story from being true, that we have seen Piccadilly already extending towards Hyde Park Corner in the days of Charles the Second, whereas Lord Burlington was not even born till the reign of William the Third.

Although Piccadilly is a street comparatively of

modern date, there is much to interest us in a stroll from Hyde Park Corner, to its termination, at the west end of Coventry Street. The houses, numbered 138 and 139, close to the Park, which are now the residences of the Earls of Cadogan and Roseberry, were formerly one mansion, which was occupied by the celebrated William Duke of Queensberry, familiarly known as "old Q." In his old age, it was his custom, in fine sunny weather, to seat himself in his balcony, where his remarkable figure was familiar to every person who was in the habit of passing through this great thoroughfare. Here (his emaciated figure rendered the more conspicuous from his custom of holding a parasol over his head,) he was in the habit of watching every attractive female form, and ogling every pretty face that passed by. He is said, indeed, to have kept a pony and a servant always in readiness, in order to follow, and ascertain the residence of any fair girl whose attractions particularly caught his fancy. There are many who may call to mind the flight of steps descending from the first floor into the street, which were constructed for the convenience of the Duke in his latter days, and which have only within the last few years

been removed.

The first street diverging from Piccadilly, of any particular interest, is Half Moon Street, which derives its name from a public-house called the "Half Moon" which stood at the corner. Here died the

charming comic actress, Mrs. Pope.

After having

performed at Drury Lane for forty years, she retired

from the stage into private life, with an unblemished character and an easy fortune. She was supposed to bear a strong resemblance to the beautiful Lady Sarah Bunbury, the first, and perhaps the only, romantic love of George the Third. Many years after the beauty of both ladies had been on the decline, the King happened to attend the performances at Drury Lane when Mrs. Pope was acting. The recollection of his earliest love came back to his mind, and, in a moment of melancholy abstraction, he is said to have observed to the Queen,-" She is like Lady Sarah still."

In 1768, we find Boswell lodging in Half Moon Street, and entertaining Dr. Johnson as his guest. At No. 1 also, at the close of life, resided Madam D'Arblay, the celebrated authoress of "Evelina" and "Cecilia."

Passing on, we come to Clarges Street, so called from its being the site of Clarges House, the residence of Sir Thomas Clarges, brother-in-law of the celebrated George Monk, Duke of Albemarle. In this street lived at one period the great Admiral, Earl St. Vincent,* and here, on the 19th of February, 1806, died, in extreme old age, the well-known Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. At the north-west corner of Bolton Street, now occupied by Lord Ashburton, stood old Bath House, formerly the residence of William Pulteney, Earl of Bath, the formidable antagonist of Sir Robert Walpole; and from the house No. 80, Piccadilly, now occupied by the Duke

*

Tupper's "Life of Earl St. Vincent." Ann. Reg. for 1806.