chapels around, bears the bell from them all. From this pleasant locality the esplanade and parade are seen to much advantage. Gay loiterers of pleasure, and donkey parties, regiments of schools and old bathing women, literary loungers, who read out of doors, and stumble against lamp-posts in interesting passages—these, and a host of other peripatetic humanities, make the beach populous between Hove and Kemp Town.

With regard to inns, taverns, hotels, lodging and boardinghouses, nowhere are they more numerous than here, their excellence of accommodation of course varying with price. Bathing establishments, too, are almost as numerous, whilst, for amusements, there is no provincial town in the kingdom that can offer such a variety of assembly and concert-rooms, libraries, bazaars, and other expedients for slaughtering our common enemy-Time. In the New-road is the theatreone of the prettiest out of London-and close adjoining is the Post-office, concerning which, in these economical days of epistolary communication, it may be as well to know the precise hours of dispatch and delivery. The London letters are delivered at 7 30 a.m. and 1 p.m.; the box for London closes at 10 45 a.m. and 9 30 p.m. The number of extra receiving houses about the town materially increases the accommodation.

The race-course is about a mile and a half northward of the town, on the summit of one of the loftiest and most commanding downs in the neighbourhood. The races generally take place early in August. Two annual fairs are also held at Brighton, one on Holy Thursday, and the other on the 4th of September. Each of these proves, in turn, the means of attracting an additional concourse of visitors.

A

The environs of Brighton are replete with objects of interest and landscapes of panoramic extension and variety. pleasant railway trip, at the expenditure of twelve minutes and as many pence, will deposit you at New Shoreham, where a delightful day can be spent in the "Swiss Gardens," adjoining the station. The grounds are admirably laid out, and a constant succession of amusements provided in exchange for the shilling that entitles you to the admission. The cottage is called the "Swiss Cottage”—not that peasants are so lodged in Switzerland, but that in novels and noblemen's parks structures of one story high are thus denominated. The material must have cost less than the workmanship, for the doors, windows, and less substantial parts of the fabric are composed of little pieces of stick with the bark on-not expensive by any means, but so picturesque, as a young lady will be sure to remark within your hearing. Inside this Helvetian habitation there is a salon á manger, on a great scale, besides several little saloons for refreshment and flirtation, being, in fact, refectories for two inside-the most com, pact and comfortable places you can imagine. Added to this, there is a little theatre, a concert, music, swings, and oracles of divination, for all who choose to consult the mystic temple of the Sybil. Of the whole place it may be said, with justice, that there is not in England another so well designed or preserved in such excellent order.

Few districts in England exhibit more interesting relics of the early history of the island than this part of Sussex, Shoreham was certainly a place of importance previous to the conquest. Subsequently its geographical position must have added still more to its consequence. From the Downs to Portsmouth the coast is, even in our day, most difficult of

access-ten centuries ago it was without a landing-place for vessels of burden, or for craft of any sort, with strong winds from three points of the compass, except Newhaven and Shoreham. As easterly winds are-happily for folks of rheumatic tendency-more rare than any others for nine months in the year, these two places probably monopolised all the intercourse between Great Britain and her French territories. For this reason splendid and unique specimens of Norman architecture abound in Sussex. Of these, not one or the least remarkable is the parish church of New Shoreham. It was originally formed as a crucifix, and covered a great deal of ground. The embellishments are still of rare richness and variety, and are full of interest as marks of the state of the arts in those remote days.

As the Brighton excursionist will go to the Devil's Dyke as a matter of course, we do not stay to tell him how he shall behold therefrom the Isle of Wight, spread beneath him like a map, or Beachy Head, looming like a snow-peak to the east, and the Downs far away, mingling with the horizon. But be it gently whispered, that on the margin of this demoniacal defile there standeth a small hostel, the glories of whose bread and cheese and ale have been sung by many an aristocratic voice. Everybody that ever was there assures you that for baking and brewing it stands unrivalled, although we shrewdly suspect that the preparatory course of Southdown oxygen hath a wonderful agency in eliciting this appreciation of a fare so humble.

Altogether, for convenience of railway transit, and excellence of bathing and general accommodation, there is no wateringplace, within the same distance of London, so attractive, for a short sojourn, as Brighton.

HASTINGS AND ST. LEONARD'S.

OW brought within four hours' easy railway distance of the Metropolis, environed by the most beautiful inland scenery, and

throned upon the fairest portion of the Sussex coast, there are few of our watering

places that can, in point of intrinsic charms

and varied attractions, vie with the delightful old cinque- port of Hastings, and its more modern adjunct, the elegant town of St. Leonard's. The visitor happily endowed with fortune's richest dowry-health, and the enfeebled invalid, seeking to restore the tone of his shattered system, alike derive

benefit from its breezes, and solace from its shores. Once fairly within its peerless precincts, and wander whithersoever he will, objects of freshening beauty and venerable antiquity fall in the path of the traveller. A summer's sojourn at this favoured gem in "Albion's ocean crown" may be said to comprise some of the most delicious experiences of existence, and can never be retrospectively regarded without a host of pleasant reminiscences thronging upon the memory.

The original town of Hastings is supposed to have been swept into the sea by an inundation, but the period of a catastrophe so remote is altogether unknown. Tradition attributes its name and origin to Hastings, the Danish pirate, but it must have existed much earlier, as Arviragus, the British king, constructed a fortress here in the fifth century, when he threw off the Roman yoke. Whatever was its early condition, it is evident that in the time of the Saxons it had become a flourishing place, for we find that in the year 926 King Athelstone had established a royal mint, and, judging from the number of retired tradesmen in the neighbourhood, the inhabitants seem to have retained the privilege of making money ever since. In 1377 the French burned the town, and when rebuilt it was divided into three parishes, still recognised as St. Clements, All Saints, and St. Mary's-inthe-Castle. Of these three churches only two remain-St. Clement's and All Saints. They are both in the old pointed style of architecture; but having been found quite insufficient to accommodate the increasing population, in 1828 the consecration took place of a new church called St. Mary's, in the centre of Pelham-crescent, and supplied the deficiency.

The town once enjoyed the advantage of a good harbour, but, about the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, it was