and the other usual marks of joy and festivity. Beside the churches already specified, there are chapels belonging to the methodists, to the general baptists, and other classes of the protestant dissenters.

Deptford, though in general very dirty, has many good houses, and an extensive population.

At the distance of half a mile S. from Deptford, a large building has been lately erected on the banks of the Ravensbourne, running through the town, at which gun-barrels, bayonets, halberds, &c. are manufactured by machinery, which is set in motion by a steam engine of vast power. Within these few years a commodious wooden bridge for foot passengers has been thrown over Deptford Creek, which was formerly passed in boats, and frequently attended with danger.

Hampstead,

A LARGE and populous village in Middlesex, four miles N. W. from London, lies on the declivity of a hill, on the summit of which is an extensive heath. The fine views of the metropolis, and of the distant country, which are to be seen from the heath, and from most parts of the village, are not the only beauties of the scene: the home landscape, consisting of broken ground, divided into enclosures, and well planted with elms and other trees, is extremely picturesque. This village now ranks high, for the number and variety of its medicinal waters. Beside the old

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Spa, of a chalybeate quality, there are two other kinds of mineral waters, which have lately been discovered by Mr. Goodwin, a skilful practitioner of this place; the one a purgative saline, similar in quality and effects to the Cheltenham; the other is of a sulphureous nature.

To the south-west of Hampstead was an ancient mansion-house, called Belsyse, the seat of many persons of consequence from the reign of Henry VIII. In 1720 it was converted into a place of public entertainment; particularly for music, dancing, and play; and it was much frequented on account of its vicinity to London. It continued open till the year 1745, when it experienced the caprice of fashion. The old mansion has been pulled down some years, and on its site is a modern built house. The estate is held under the dean and chapter of Westminster, by the earl of Chesterfield, whose under tenant is Mr. Richardson.

A house in Hampstead, now the property of James Pilgram, esq. is supposed to be that in which the celebrated Sir Henry Vane resided at the time of the Restoration. It afterward belonged to Dr. Joseph Butler, bishop of Durham, author of the Analogy between Natural and Revealed Religion. That prelate lived here many years, and ornamented the windows with a considerable quantity of stained glass, (principally subjects from scripture,) which still remains there.

On the side of the hill is an ancient, building, called The Chicken House, in a window of which

are small portraits, in stained glass, of James I. and the duke of Buckingham. Tradition says that it was a hunting seat of James II.

Several of the nobility have beautiful villas on this spot, and in its vicinity.

The church was considered as a chapel of ease to Hendon till 1477, when it became a perpetual curacy, and has since been constantly annexed to the manor, which belongs to general Sir Thos. Spencer Wilson, bart. The church was rebuilt in 1747; and its spire, rising through the trees, forms a picturesque object from whatever part it is seen in the adjacent country.

Near Hampstead, in 1774, were dug up several Roman sepulchral urns, vases, earthen lamps, and other venerable remains of antiquity.

Child's Hill, west of Hampstead Heath, (the second station of the Yarmouth telegraph,) commands one of the finest views this picturesque spot affords. The horizon presents Windsor Castle, and the obelisk near the duke of Gloucester's residence on Bagshot Heath; the extensive range of the Surrey hills; and, faintly delineated, the bolder ascent of the Hog's-back, in Hampshire.

Hampton Court,

A ROYAL palace, situate on the north bank of the Thames, two miles W. from Kingston. It was magnificently built with brick by Cardinal Wolsey, who set up 280 silk beds for strangers only, and richly stored it with gold and silver

plate; but it raised so much envy against him, that, to screen himself from its effects, he gave it to Henry VIII., who, in return, suffered him to live in his palace at Richmond! Henry greatly enlarged it; and it had then five spacious courts adorned with buildings, which, in that age, were greatly admired.

Of the splendour of this palace we have few remains. The ancient apartments still standing, having been originally used merely as domestic offices, can convey no idea of the times in which they were built. The principal part of the old palace was taken down in 1690; and the present structure was raised by king William, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren.

The grand façade towards the garden extends 330 feet, and that towards the Thames 328. The portico and colonnade, of duplicated pillars of the Ionic order, at the grand entrance, and indeed the general design of these elevations, are in a superior style of magnificence.

The park and gardens, with the ground on which the palace now stands, are three miles in circumference. On a pediment, in the front of the palace on this side, is a bas-relief of the Triumphs of Hercules over Envy; and facing it is a large oval basin, answering to the form of this part of the garden, which is a large oval, divided into gravel walks and parterres.

At the entrance of the grand walk are two marble vases, of exquisite workmanship; one said to be performed by Cibber, the father of the poet laureat, and the other by a foreigner;

these pieces are reported to have been done as a trial of skill; but it is difficult to determine which is the finest performance. They are adorned with bas-reliefs; one representing the Triumphs of Bacchus; and the other, Amphitrite and the Nereids. At the bottom of this walk, facing a large canal which extends into the park, are two other large vases; the bas-relief on one representing the Judgment of Paris, and that of the other, Meleager hunting the Wild Boar.

In four of the parterres are four fine brass statues. The first is a gladiator. The original was performed by Agasias Dositheus of Ephesus, and was in the Borghesian palace at Rome, till the plunder of that city by Bonaparte. The second, is a young Apollo; the third, a Diana; and the fourth, Saturn going to devour one of his children: all after fine originals.

On the south side of the palace is the privy garden, which was sunk ten feet, to open a view from the apartments to the Thames. In this garden is a fountain, with two grand terrace walks.

On the north side is a tennis court; and beyond that, a gate which leads into the wilderness. Further on is the great gate of the gardens. Some of the genteel inhabitants of Hampton, and its vicinity, are indulged with a key, which enables them to visit the palace and gardens by this gate.

The usual way of entering the palace is from the town, through four large brick piers, adorned