powered his faculties that he stretched himself out upon the steps of the church, and fell fast asleep. Those were not times to sleep on church steps with impunity. He was found in that situation when the dead-cart went its round; and the carter, supposing of course, as the most likely thing in every way, that the man was dead, made no scruple to put his fork under the piper's belt, and, with some assistance, hoisted him into his vehicle, which was nearly full, with the charitable intention that our Scotch musician should share the usual brief ceremonies of interment. The piper's faithful dog protested against this seizure of his master, and attempted to prevent the unceremonious removal; but failing of success, he fairly jumped into the cart after him, to the no small annoyance of the men, whom he would not suffer to come near the body: he further took upon himself the office of chief mourner, by setting up the most lamentable howling as they passed along.

"The streets and roads by which they had to go being very rough, the jolting of the cart, added to the howling of the dog, had soon the effect of awakening our drunken musician from his trance. It was dark, and the piper, when he first recovered himself, could form no idea either of his numerous companions or of his conductors. Instinctively, however, he felt about for his pipes, and playing up a merry Scotch tune, terrified, in no small measure, the carters, who fancied they had got a legion of ghosts in their conveyance. A little time, however, put all to rights;-lights were got; and it turned out that the noisy corpse was the well-known living piper, who was joyfully released from his awful and perilous situation. The poor man fell bodily ill after this unpleasant excursion; and was relieved, during his malady, by his former benefactor, who, to perpetuate the remembrance of so wonderful an escape, resolved, as soon as his patient had recovered, to employ a sculptor to execute him in stone,-not omitting his faithful dog, keg of liquor, and other appurtenances.

"The famous Caius Gabriel Cibber (father to Colley Cibber, the comedian) was then in high repute, from the circumstance of his having executed the beautiful figures which originally were placed over the entrance gate of Old Bethlem Hospital; and the statue in question of the Highland Bagpiper remains an additional specimen of the merits of this great artist.

"It was long after purchased by John the great Duke of Argyle, and came from his collection, at his demise, into the possession of the present proprietor."

The little garden mentioned in the preceding extract was nearly opposite to Howland-street; but some years ago a small shop, afterwards occupied as a toy-shop, was built upon it, in front of the house distinguished as No. 178, Tottenham-Court Road. The statue was removed and sold.

SOME ACCOUNT

OF

THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE

FIRE OF LONDON,

IN 1666,

COMPILED FROM VALUABLE DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED AT THE TIME

SOME ACCOUNT

OF THE

FIRE OF LONDON.

No sooner was the plague so abated in London, that the inhabitants began to return to their habitations, than a most dreadful fire broke out in the city, and raged as if it had commission to devour every thing that was in its way. On the second of September, 1666, this dismal fire broke out at a baker's shop in Pudding-lane by Fishstreet, in the lower part of the city, near Thames-street, (among decayed wooden houses ready to take fire, and full of combustible goods,) in Billingsgate-ward; which ward in a few hours was laid in ashes. It began in the dead of the night, and the darkness very much increased the confusion and horror of the surprising calamity: when it had made havoc of some houses, it rushed down the hill toward the bridge; crossed Thames-street, invaded St. Magnus' church at the bridge foot, and though that church was so great, yet it was not a sufficient barricade against this merciless conqueror; but having scaled and taken this fort, it shot flames with so much the greater advantage into all places round about, and a great building of houses upon the bridge was quickly thrown down to the ground; there, being stayed in its course at the bridge, the fire marched back through the city again, and with great noise and violence, ran along through Thamesstreet westward, where having such combustible matter