York, put together, were finished in the reigns of George the First and Second.

The increase of London from the year 1748 to the close of the year 1817 may be summed up as follows: commencing at the north-east: the whole extent of ground from Goodman's Fields to Stepney, and from Whitechapel Road to Shadwell, has been nearly covered with buildings, besides the recent erection of the West India Docks. On the other side of Whitechapel Road, from Hackney to Bethnal Green and Mile End, the whole has been covered with streets and houses.

The line of increase on the south east side proceeds from Deptford to Camberwell, Kennington, and Stockwell, and and thence by Lambeth to Westminster and Blackfriars Bridge, taking in the whole space formerly denominated St. George's Fields, sufficient to form a considerable city. Continuing towards Chelsea, Walham Green, Hammersmith, Turnham Green, Kensington to Hyde Park Corner, the whole extent is covered with convenient buildings of elegant structure.

From Bayswater to Paddington, Hampstead, Highgate, by Highbury, to Kingsland and Hackney, where the line of circumvallation meets, the whole of Lisson Green, Camden Town, Somers Town, Pentonville, Holloway, Highbury, and Kingsland, have risen within memory to an amazing extent. The tracts of ground have been formed into magnificent squares and streets, even of stately man sions. The improvements of the greatest consequence have been mostly on the north side of the metropolis. Thus the large parishes of Paddington, St. Mary le Bonne, and Pancras, with the additional buildings in St. Giles's in the Fields, have been wholly built; and the Middlesex and Foundling Hospitals, the paths to which were reckoned dangerous from the depredations of robbers, are now surrounded with handsome streets. The superb squares which have been formed are Portman, Manchester, Fitzroy, Bedford, Tavistock, Russel, and Brunswick; besides that magnificent range of palaces, Portland Place.

In 1715, a plan was formed for building Cavendish Square, and several streets on the north of Tyburn road. The Duke of Chandos, then Earl of Carnarvon, took the

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whole north side, intending to build a very magnificent mansion, of which the large corner houses were to have beer wings. The row of houses on the north side of Tyburn Road, or Oxford Street, from Rathbone Place to Vere Street, was completed in 1729, about which time the following Streets in the vicinity were built, and the ground laid out for several others, viz.--Henrietta Street, Vere Street, Holles Street, Margaret Street, Cavendish Street, Welbeck Street, Wimpole Street, Princes Street, Bolsover Street, Castle Street, John Street, Market Street, Lower Harley Street, Wigmore Street, Mortimer Street, &c. mostly named from the title and family distinctions of the noble houses of Oxford and Portland.

In 1770, the continuation of Harley Street was com pleted; Mansfield Street, a little beyond it to the north, was formed upon the spot where a body of water, called Mary-la-bonne basin, had been; Portland Place, and the streets adjoining, rose soon after; Stratford Place, which adds such an ornament to the upper part of Oxford Street, was built about 1774, on some ground belonging to the City of London, called Conduit Mead, where the old Lord Mayor's banqueting house formerly stood. Cumberland place, intended for a circus, was begun about the same year, and from 1786, the new buildings have increased with great rapidity.

About 1760, some other improvements were adopted ; after several estimates had been snbmitted to the committee appointed for the purpose, the preference was given to Mr. Milne's plan for building a new bridge at Blackfriars, and the first pile was driven in the middle of the river on the 7th of June. The city gates also were ordered to be pulled down; and the committee sold Aldgate for 1777. 10s. Cripplegate for 911. and Ludgate for 1487. to he pulled down and taken away by the purchaser within a limited time. The statue of Queen Elizabeth, which stood on the west side of Ludgate, was set up against the east end of St. Dunstan's church in Fleet Street. Fleet Ditch, which ran all up the middle of Fleet Market, was arched over in 1732-3, to make room for Stock's Market, which used to be held on the spot where the Mansion House now stands; after Blackfriars Bridge had been erected,

between 1766 and 1775, the ditch which used to run close up to Ludgate Hill was filled up, and Bridge Street and Chatham Place built. An act of parliament passed in 1765, for the better paving, cleansing, and enlightening the city of London and its liberties, for preventing annoyances, &c. This introduced the flag-pavement, and led to the removal of posts, spouts, signs, and gutters.

Another improvement, truly magnificent, was the erection of Finsbury Square, and those new and elegant edifices which now cover all the northern site of ancient Moorfields. This erection commenced about 1779. All the streets and squares north of Bloomsbury Square to Camden Town, have been raised in the 19th century, and in the same period the centre of the town has been improved by Skinner and Pickett Streets.

A writer in the Monthly Magazine, Feb. 1, 1811, asserts, that within the last 40 years, a thousand houses per annum, have been added to the metropolis, and he accounts for their rapid habitation, by the circumstance of London, being not merely, as formerly, the capital of England and Wales, but of the whole British Empire in America, Asia, and Africa; by the change of manners, by the resort to London of annuitants in the Funds, and by the increase of public offices for the revenue and other purposes, which do not board and lodge their numerous clerks.

It is, however, but too true that at the time of writing, (1817) the town is overbuilt, many thousands of houses in the best situations being unlet, and very numerous families, engaged in building speculations, have been ruined, besides workmen being out of employment. As one effect, it deserves notice, that the scavengers used to pay the parishes about 25,000l. per annum for the ashes, chiefly for brickmaking, and now 10,000l. per annum is paid for taking them away.

LAWS RELATIVE TO LONDON AND ITS INHABITANTS.

Buildings.

By 29 Geo. 2. c. 40. the Mayor and Common Council

were empowered to purchase and remove buildings, to improve, widen, and enlarge the passage over and through London Bridge.

By 14 Geo. 3. c. 78, all buildings whatsoever, heretofore built, or to be built hereafter, are divided into seven rates; and all houses of the 1st, 2d, 3d, or 4th rate, contiguous to other buildings, shall have party-walls between them, to extend to the outward surfaces of each, and those and all chimnies and chimney shafts shall be of brick or stone, or both together.

Party walls to be 18 inches above the buildings adjoining, and no recess therein. No timber to be in party walls, and to leave 84 inches of solid brick-work between the ends and sides of every piece of timber.

Surveyor is to give information of irregular buildings, and the Lord Mayor and Justices are to order the same to be demolished or amended, and penalty on the workman 50s., or to be committed, not more than three months nor under one.

Butchers.

By 4 Hen. 7, c. 3, butchers shall not kill beasts within the walls of London.

Carts.

By 1 Geo. 1, stat. 2. c. 57, no carter, drayman, carman, waggoner, or other person, shall, within the bills of mortality, ride on his cart, dray, car, or waggon, not having some person on foot to guide the same, on forfeiture of 10s.; in default of payment, he is to be sent to the house of correction for three days.

By 24 Geo. 2, c. 43, the penalty on a carter for riding on his cart, within the bills of mortality, is extended to within ten miles thereof.

By 30 Geo. 2, c. 28, empty carts, obstructing the streets or highways, except while they are loading, forfeit a sum not exceeding 20s.

Cattle.

By 14 Geo. 3, c. 87, and 21 Geo. 3. c. 67, any peace-officer may secure persons driving cattle through the streets of London in an improper or cruel manner. If the party be convicted before a justice, he shall forfeit from 5s, to

20s. to the prosecutor, or be committed to the house of correction for one month.

Persons not being drivers of cattle, who shall pelt them with stones, or set dogs at them without leave, may be taken before a justice, and shall be subject to the same penalties.

Offenders who refuse to discover their names and places of abode, shall be committed to the common gaol.

Coals.

By 47 Geo. 3, sess. 2, c. 68, the Coal Exchange shall be a free, open, and public market, and held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 12 at noon until two in the afternoon.

Coals are to be sold in the market during market hours only, on pain of 100%.

If any vender of coals shall knowingly sell one sort of coals for a sort which they really are not, within 25 miles from the Royal Exchange, he shall forfeit 201. per chaldron; up to and not exceeding 25 chaldrons for the same offence.

No bushel shall be used but that described in 12 Ann, c. 17, and 36 of such bushels heaped shall be a chaldron; and a vender using any other bushel, or diminishing the same, shall forfeit twenty pounds: and if his servant shall use any other bushel, or diminish the same, he shall be committed to hard labour in the house of correction for not exceeding three calendar months.

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Court of Requests.

By 3 Jac. 1. c. 15. citizens and freemen of London having debts under 40s. may cause the debtor to be summoned to the court of requests at Guildhall; and the debt there shall be summarily determined. Debtors refusing to appear, or pay, shall be imprisoned; but this shall not extend to debts for rent, or on real contracts.

By 39 and 40 Geo. 3. c. civ. a court of three of the commissioners shall have jurisdiction over debts not exceeding 40s. and seven shall have jurisdiction over debts not exceeding 51.

By 25 Geo. 3. c. 45, debtors committed to prison by courts of conscience in London, Middlesex, or Southwark,