Dorset-garden, which stood on the site of Salisbury-square, to the "warmer land" of the new barn in Brydges-street.* All this discomfort of exposed and ill-paved streets was rendered still more disagreeable by the imperfect mode of lighting then in use; the only escape from the "total eclipse" of the winter nights being in the dim shivering candle-lanterns which the inhabitants hung out from their houses, without the slightest reference to harmony of arrangement, or even economy of distribution. Yet this clumsy method of lighting the streets continued down to the last century; and when Mr. Winsor introduced gas, which he publicly exhibited for the first time on the front of his own house in Pall Mall, he was regarded as a foolish experimentalist, or something worse. Some notion of the scattered state of the wondrous metropolitan hive at that period may be gathered from a snatch of crude verses, called "London's Progresse," published early in the seventeenth century. It is clear enough from the stanza, of which the first eight lines are subjoined, that the populous spots were divided from each other by empty spaces, over which, however, the busy labours of builders and projectors The poet, indeed, is were rapidly casting a net-work of new streets. so struck by the growing improvements, that he ventures to prophesy the extension of the town into the still retreats of husbandry and pastoral life, at remote Islington! "Why how now, Babell, whither wilt thou build? Are going to St. Giles's-in-the-Field: Saint Katerne, she takes Wapping by the hand, And Hogsdon will to Hy-gate ere't be long. London has gone a great way from the streame; I think she means to go to Islington, To eat a dish of strawberries and creame.t This prophecy was no doubt considered pure moonshine at that time; but it is no longer a joke. Hoxton has not only paid a visit to Highgate, and London gone to take strawberries and cream with Islington, but Brixton and Hackney are united by crowded avenues of houses, and Brentford and Bow may be said to be joined by an almost unbroken If the worthy epigrammatist could be sudline of brick and mortar. denly called up from his grave to take a peep at the western section of London, from the summit of the Duke of York's column, how he would stare and rub his eyes! The principal streets in the city, such as Ludgate and Eastcheap, with the adjacent alleys and labyrinths of lanes, courts, and crosses, were nearly impassable by the nobility, being extremely crowded, incommodious, and badly paved and lighted, besides being everlastingly invaded by morris dances, fêtes of the may-poles, the uproarious game of foot-ball, and dense processions of guilds, fraternities, and men-atarms. Even so lately as towards the middle of the seventeenth century, Sir William D'Avenant complains of this state of things. "contrived your narrow streets in "Sure your ancestors," he says, the days of wheelbarrows, before those greater engines, carts, were invented." He adds, satirically, that the distance between the garrets * See Dryden's Prologue for the opening of the Theatre Royal in 1674, and Powell's Prologue to Bonduca, 1676. † Rub, and a great cast; and Runne, and a great cast, By Thomas Freeman : 1614 was so slight, that opposite neighbours might shake hands without stirring from home; that the roofs were so low, that he presumed people used formerly to stand bare to their wives; that there was no stirring out in coaches, because they were so uneasily hung, and so narrow as to look like sedans upon wheels (being also subjected to the obstruction of waggons and carts, which were literally protected in their right of way by royal proclamations); and that going a-foot was equally insecure, as one was almost sure to be stopped by some such heroic game as foot-ball. D'Avenant's description of the low roofs is curiously illustrated by an anecdote told in the old chronicles of Queen Elizabeth, who, visiting Lord Burleigh one day at Burleigh house in the Strand, with that kind of pyramidal head-dress then in fashion, built of wire-lace ribands and jewels, shooting up to an enormous height, was requested by the usher to stoop as she entered; to which she replied, "For your master's sake I will stoop, but not for the King of Spain." This strange cocka-too style of head-dress went out soon afterwards, but it was, nevertheless, still retained by some ladies in the time of Charles II., when the fashions became much more free, various, and elegant. Congreve evidently designed Mrs. Frail and her sister to be tricked out in this conspicuous mode. "An' you come to sea in a high wind," exclaims Ben, "you mayn't carry so much sail o' your head-top and top-gallant by the mess!" The attempts to reproduce this spire of ribands on the modern stage have not always been very successful. The best hint for the dresser is furnished by Mirabell's description of Millamant, in the "Way of the World." "Here she comes, i'faith, full sail, with her fan spread, and her streamers out, and a shoal of fools for tenders!" RECOLLECTIONS OF AN EXECUTION IN CHINA. BY FRANK LESLIE. In the month of March, 183—, Sam-se lost his life for having been found guilty of smuggling opium into the Celestial empire. The Chinese government had been for some time particularly indignant at the contemptuously open manner in which this forbidden traffic was carried on, and now that they had detected an offender, seemed bent on fully glutting their ire. Sam-se had been taken in a boat in the act of conveying opium from one of the traders which was then lying in the harbour to the shore. He was seen, pursued, and captured by one of his Celestial Highness's junks, against which he maintained a brave, though short resistance, having killed one and desperately wounded another of his opponents, a mandarin of inferior rank. The place of execution was a square, (the name of which I forget,) situated near the superintendent's house in Macao. Strangulation was the mode chosen for the fulfilment of his sentence. It was a dark, lowering day on which Sam-se suffered. The time fixed for his execution was four P.M. Being strongly prompted by curiosity to witness the manner in which this kind of death was carried into effect, and fearful lest, if I delayed, I should not obtain a favourable view of the culprit and the machine, I was on the ground by a little after three. There were then only a few Chinese present. In a few minutes the instrument of death was brought forth, and was placed so near the spot on which I stood, that I involuntarily shrank from its contact. Behind me was a stone platform, about twenty feet square, and raised about four feet from the ground, in the centre of which stood a four-branched iron post, about the height of a lamp-post, on which, as I afterwards learnt, offenders were hung. On this platform I mounted, and within six feet of me stood the instrument, which, in ignorance of its proper name, I shall call "the strangling-table;" indeed, it presented much the appearance of a large and enormously strong kitchen-table. At the head, and about three inches apart, were two holes large enough to admit a tolerably stout rope; underneath was fixed horizontally a strong wooden beam, acting as a roller, and reaching to either leg. In this, also, were two holes, through which, and through two in a similar beam at the other end of the table, protruded the iron spindles of the rollers; in each of these, and immediately under the holes in the head of the table, was fixed a staple, having attached to it a small but strong rope, which, passing through the holes above, left a bight, or loop, of about a fathom's length, on the table. There were similar holes and rope at the foot; and at about arms' length from the head were two staples, to each of which was fastened a piece of small cord. So interested was I in the observation of this horrible machine, that since its arrival I had not raised my eyes from it; and on doing so now, for the first time, I was surprised to see that, although it wanted but a few minutes to the fatal time, there were not above fifty or sixty persons present. The greater part of these were English or American sailors, with a few Portuguese residents. The sailors were "skylarking"-pelting each other with oranges and bananas; while the rest of the spectators found sufficient amusement in laughing at their gam bols. The time was fast approaching, and I was anxiously on the look-out for the arrival of the victim. It now wanted but five minutes to four o'clock. An American sailor stepped up to me, and inquired the time. I told him—and he quickly communicated to the others the near approach of the minutes that were to hurry a fellow-mortal into eternity. In an instant all were breathlessly crowded around the table, which they seemed not to have previously noticed. Four o'clock came-and no prisoner appeared; five minutes after-and still he did not arrive. The sailors were again growing restless, and were resuming their former merriment-the Portuguese laughing and chatting as merrily as ever-the Chinese impatiently prying for an opportunity of exercising their thieving propensities-and I had just prepared myself against their attacks, when the mournful tolling of the prison-bell gave notice of the setting-out of the sufferer. All was silent in an instant. Again the thoughtless sailors crowded around the table, still preserving, as if involuntarily, on their countenances the reflection of that good-humour with which they had been sporting. Soon was heard a loud hum, appearing to proceed from a distant part of the town: gradually it neared, and might be recognised as the clamour of loud voices, and the trampling of hurrying feet. In a few moments, thousands rushed in through every avenue of the square; and in an incredibly short space of time, the large area was filled with a mass of people of almost every nation. Here and there were small clusters of English or American seamen, standing almost a head and shoulders above the under-sized Chinese and Portuguese; here, was a white turban-there, the showy head-dress of the Lascars, with their fine but savage eyes, peering like balls of fire from the mass by which they were surrounded. Not a sound was to be heard, except an occasional shuffling among the sailors, who seemed inclined to jostle aside the foreigners, that they might themselves obtain as favourable a view as possible. Presently was heard the monotonous rattling of a drum, and almost at the same time the mournful procession appeared, escorted by a few mandarins of inferior rank, (and amongst them the one whom the culprit had wounded, and who carried his arm in a sling,) accompanied by about twenty or thirty official servants. These pressed forward, the crowd eagerly making way for them, and ranged themselves around the table, the mandarins standing at each end. Lastly came the criminal, guarded by two well-armed Chinese soldiers, and looking as unconcerned as if he were going to his dinner! But his countenance soon changed; and on perceiving the instrument, he trembled excessively, shuddered, and turned deadly pale: indeed, he seemed as if, until that moment, he had not thought of the death to which he was doomed, and then the dread of it came upon him in excess. He was conducted to the head of the table, and immediately four of the officials, who proved to be the executioner and his three assistants, stepped forward and received him from the soldiers. His hands, which were tied behind his back by the wrists, were then unbound, and in no very gentle manner he was lifted, or rather thrown, upon the table. The chief executioner now called aloud, inquiring whether any of the sufferer's friends wished a final interview. Immediately I felt a shock in the crowd behind me, and there rushed forward a man who, I afterwards understood, was the brother of the unhappy wretch; he was much troubled, but quickly produced about a dozen pieces of circular paper, about the size of shillings, covered with tin-foil. These he gave his brother, and then proceeded by means of steel, flint, and touch-paper, to obtain a light, which he held, that the prisoner might burn his paper antidotes against suffering in the other world. He did so; lighting one after the other until they were consumed: there were eleven of them. The brother then embraced him for the last time, and directly afterwards, setting up a loud, wailing cry, and covering his face with his hands, rushed amongst the crowd. The executioner now called again; and, as he said, for the last time, making the same inquiry. No one answered; and the culprit was then placed in the position in which he was to suffer. He was now dreadfully affected, and seemed almost dead with fright. The rope at the head of the table was then placed over his neck-his face being upward; the rope at the foot was placed over his ankles, and his hands were bound to the staples I have mentioned, by the wrists. Each of the executioners produced a handle like that of a grindstone, and fixing it on the spindle of the roller, stood awaiting the signal to commence their horrid operations. It was given by the wounded mandarin; and the rope over the neck was soon drawn tight. Still they turned-tighter and tighter it became; the sufferer's face grew black and livid his eyeballs seemed starting from their sockets-the blood spouted from his eyes and nostrils-his tongue protruded from his mouth, and was much swollen-his hands, too, were swollen almost to bursting his ankles were broken, and his feet almost separated from the legs by the cruel cord. They wound the handles with extreme slowness, evidently anxious to protract the poor wretch's sufferings. During this time neither of the mandarins had spoken, or in any way interfered; and on looking at them at this juncture, I perceived on the countenance of him who had been wounded by Sam-se, a most diabolically malignant smile. As his foe's pain increased, so evidently did his pleasure. He seemed to drink in unutterable gratification in thus beholding the ignominious death and agonizing sufferings of the poor culprit. And in this man-this mandarin, was fully developed the despicable character of the Chinese as a nation;-diabolically revengeful, dishonourably crafty, and despairingly brave. The sufferer was now writhing in a dreadful agony. He raised his head, knocking it violently on the table; but on repeating this action two or three times, one of the executioners seized his hair, and held his head to the table. At this time a drizzling shower fell, and for a few moments the executioners suspended the turning. The rain which visibly refreshed Sam-se, threw an indescribable gloom over the multitude, who had until now, remained in awful silence; but now when the prisoner's sufferings were thus inhumanly protracted, loud threatening murmurs arose, which caused a mandarin to command the resumption of the labour of death. It was now plain that the dreadful scene was about to close, for the sufferer was apparently insensible. After a turn or two more he heaved two or three short gasps, and all was over. On a signal from one of the mandarins the turning ceased, and immediately the rope was removed from the neck, shewing the head almost severed from the body. The interval between the first and last |