To the eastward of the Foundling Hospital a square has been begun, of the same dimensions as Brunswick Square. Northward of the hospital garden is the estate of Mr. Harrison, where a respectable neighbourhood is rapidly forming; and nearly adjoining, is a large field belonging to the Skinners' Company, for which extensive building plans have been projected; but through some extraordinary inadvertence, no agreement has been effected, to insure respectable accesses either by the south, east, or western sides. The estate formerly belonging to Mr. Mortimer, at the north end of Gower Street, after many years' litigation, has now become the property of Sir William Paxton, who proposes to put up extensive and respectable buildings on it, and to continue Gower Street to the road. To the northward of Tavistock Square, an area of about twenty acres is proposed to be surrounded with buildings: the centre to be occupied and dressed as nursery grounds; the Paddington road running between them. Directly northward, from the centre of this large area, a wide grand road is to lead to the Hampstead road at Camden Town; the sides to be planted with double rows of trees, and the houses to be coupled or detached, allowing abundant space to each for respectable inhabitants. The corporation of the city of London, on its estate between Gower Street and Tottenham Court Road, are causing a street, with a crescent at each end, to be erected, and a long range of shops next the road: the whole much improving that approach to the Bedford estate. Of the importance of the buildings on the Bedford and Foundling estates to the country and the proprietors, some judgment may be formed by the following estimates: the duties already paid to government for the articles consumed in the buildings, amount to 84,500/.; the house and window duties per annum, 40,700l.; the war tax on property per annum, 14,8007.; the New River Company gain by the increased service, per annum, 3450l.; the present va lue of the buildings erected is 328,000l.; the annual value 125,710; and the present annual value of the ground rents, 8,839%. VOL. IV. No. 93. 3 E It It is presumed that about one-half the buildings are completed on the Bedford estate, and two-thirds on the Foundling estate. If, therefore, those proportions be added to the sums already estimated, some idea may be formed of the reversionary value to the proprietors; and if to these be added the duties and taxes on the other estates before mentioned south of the New Road, the permanent taxes to the state cannot be less, (according to their present ratio,) than for houses and windows per annum, 100,000l.; for duties and customs on the building articles, 200,000l.; for the war tax on property per annum, 40,000l; and in total ot the capital thus to be created, not less than 3,500,000l. ; exclusive of all consideration of the advantages derived to the revenue, manufactures, and commerce, by the fitting ap and furnishing so vast a neighbourhood *. BRUNSWICK SQUARE is bounded on the east by the FOUNDLING HOSPITAL, and its gardens, to which there is no passage. The houses, though respectable, are unequal in breadth. The quadrangle, however, is airy; and from the west side are views towards the New River Head, Is lington, and the vicinity. The length of the square from north to south is one hundred and eighty-two paces; the breadth one hundred and fifty. In CORAM STREET, so called in commemoration of the humane captain Coram, the projector of the Foundling European Mag. April 1807. "The site of Guildford Street was formerly a path which led from Gray's Inn Lane by the Foundling Hospital, the gardens of Great Ormond Street, the back of Queen Square, to Baltimore House (afterwards inhabited by the duke of Bolton, and the earl of Roslyn); and was generally bounded by stagnant waters, at least twelve feet lower than the square. This place has been raised to a level with the adjoining streets, and a considerable addition made to the garden of the square; which indeed, however pleasant, is but a small compensation for the loss of a beautiful view of Hamptead and Highgate, hidden by majestic houses, adorned with Tuscan pillars. The trees and Grecian gateway of the Foundling Hospital (which formed a curve opposite Lamb's Conduit Street, and is now made to range with the rest of the wall) give a grand finish to the whole. The inhabitants are of the first respectability, and the houses large and well proportioned."-Malcolm's London. Hospital, Hospital, is a large structure with a handsome pediment, intended as an assembly house, with baths, &c. for the use of the inhabitants of this respectable neighbourhood. In TAVISTOCK STREET is TAVISTOCK, CHAPEL, a modern imitation of Gothic architecture. The interior is spacious, but gloomy: here is a good organ. Hence by SOUTHAMPTON Row is an avenue to BLOOMSBURY SQUARE. This formerly constituted the manor of LOMESBURY, in which the kings of England antiently had their stables, till removed to the Meuse, by Charing Cross. Coming into possession of the Russell family by marriage with the Wriothesley's, earls of Southampton, the site was denominated SOUTHAMPTON, and afterwards BLOOMSBURY SQUARE. The house which occupied the north side was built after a design by Inigo Jones, and called SOUTHAMPTON, and afterwards BEDFORD HOUSE; from which place the amiable lady Rachel Russel dates her letters; it was her residence till her decease in 1723. The north front had a good effect from the fields, and the grounds adjoining those of the British Museum gave the whole a respectable and picturesque appearance. One of the wings was a magnificent gallery, in which were copies of the Cartoons, as large as the originals, by Sir James Thornhill. To forward the prevent improvements the late duke Francis, sold the house and gardens for 5000l. The gallery of the Cartoons were purchased for 450l. by the duke of Norfolk. The square is embellished with many good houses, and the grass plots in the middle surrounded with neat iron railing. The east side is ornamented with the house of lord ELLENBOROUGH, lord chief justice of the court of King's Bench. At the north angle on the same side, was the residence of the great luminary of the law, the venerable carl of Mansfield, which was destroyed by fire, with all his manuscripts, pictures, &c. by the mob in 1780; his lordship hardly escaping with his life; and, be it recorded to his honour, that his lordship nobly refused In GREAT RUSSEL STREET is situated MONTAGUE HOUSE, We have in another part of this work stated that this mansion was purchased by government for the repository of the British Museum †, and shall therefore, as far as our limits permit, proceed to describe some of its principal curiosities; the whole being made easy of public inspection, by means of recent acts of the legislature. BRITISH MUSEUM. The site of this building is a square, inclosed by a high brick wall, which excludes the house from a view on every side, and it is liable to the same objections as those of Burlington House; here, as well as the latter, the wall might have openings, through which the house would be viewed from the street; more especially as there have lately been centinels appointed to guard this magnificent repository of science and curiosity. A grand portal leads towards the house, the hall of His grace's second wife was the mad dutchess of Albemarle, wi- + Vol. I. p. 428. The |