CHAPTER XII.

The Zoological Gardens-Royal Botanical Gardens, Regent's Park-Madame Tussaud's Exhibition-Gore House-Kensington Gardens and PalaceHolland House-Chelsea Hospital and Church-Battersea-PutneyFulham, and its Literary Celebrities-Chiswick House-Horticultural Gardens-Kew Church-Sion House-Isleworth Church-Richmond Park and Church-Strawberry Hill-Hampton Court Palace-Bushy Park-Eton College-St. George's Chapel-Windsor Castle-Conclusion.

the Zoological Gardens, in Regent's Park, every visitor to the Metropolis will of course pay a visit. It is a most amusing and delightful resort. The grounds are laid out with exquisite taste, and those who

have any fondness for natural history will here find a world of attractive interest. The collection of animals, birds, and reptiles, is numerous. Among the animals are the Polar bear, the rhinoceros, the giraffe, and the elephant. The giraffes and rattle-snakes are very rare and fine, but the attractions of the Gardens for the last year and a half have been the hippopotamus, presented by

the Viceroy of Egypt, and the uran utan from Singapore. The collection of living snakes is the largest ever formed in Europe. The recent attrac tion is a collection of stuffed humming birds, the property of Mr. Gould, author of the "Birds of Europe," "Birds of Australia," &c.; allowed by ornithologists to be the best in the world. It consists of about two thousand specimens of three hundred species, arranged in upwards of forty glass cases. This beautiful establishment cost something like £200,000.

The Royal Botanic Gardens are situated in the Inner Circle, Regent's Park, and abound with ornamental trees, and are laid out with great taste.

Madame Tussaud's, in Baker-street, Portmansquare, has long been renowned for its splendid collection of wax-work figures. It is distributed through several elegantly decorated apartments. The Hall of Kings is especially worthy of note; it contains full-length figures of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr, with splendid jewellery and costumes. In addition to the Hall of Kings are two new Napoleon Rooms, containing the golden shrine, the camp-bed on which Napoleon died, the fulllength portrait of the Emperor by Le Fevre, and that of the Empress Maria Louisa by Baron Gerard.

We must not omit to mention Gore House; and with this we complete our tour of the Capital. This mansion, which was formerly occupied by the Countess of Blessington, and which witnessed her splendid literary gatherings, is now called "Soyer's Symposium." This superb establishment is fitted up in magnificent style, and is adorned with fountains, statues, and grottos. It was originated for the purpose of furnishing, on a grand scale, a suite of cosmopolitan dining-rooms, where visitors to the Crystal Palace from all quarters of the globe might severally indulge their tastes.

Although we have thus rapidly passed over the area of the City, and the countless stately streets of the "West End," we are yet reluctant to conclude our journey, since the margin of the Thames in this vicinity, garnished with pleasant memories, presents such strong attractions to tempt us onward. And first of Kensington Palace-within its walls expired William and Mary, Queen Anne, and George II. Here resided Queen Caroline, and also the late Duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria.

Her present Majesty was born in it, (1819,) and here (1837) she held her first Council. The Duke of Sussex, son of George III., lived, died, and had his fine library in this Palace. The Orangery, a fine detached edifice, was built by Wren. The

royal collection of pictures (long famous in catalogues, and still known as the Kensington Collection to the readers of Walpole,) has, for the most part, been removed to other palaces.

Kensington House, near the palace gates, has been successively occupied by Elphinstone, the translator of Martial; and Mrs. Inchbald, the author of "The Simple Story." She died here, and is buried in the adjoining church of St. Mary's. In the same churchyard are monuments to the memory of James Mill, the historian; and Jortin, the author of "The Life of Erasmus."

Sir Isaac Newton died in Pitt's Buildings, Kensington, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health. In No. 24 Lower Phillimore Place, near the second milestone from Hyde Park Corner, Wilkie painted his "Chelsea Pensioners," his Reading of the Will," his "Distraining for Rent,” and his "Blind Man's Buff.” His last residence was in Vicarage-place, at the head of Church-lane; and here he took leave of his friends before his visit to the Holy Land, whence he never returned.

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Kensington Gardens are so world renowned for their broad umbrageous avenues, serving as fashionable promenades, that it is scarcely necessary to name them, for the posts have celebrated them in song.

Holland House, an ancient and noble mansion, erected in the reign of James I., merits a passing notice.

The Royal Hospital at Chelsea provides an asylum for disabled and superannuated soldiers This spacious building, erected by Wren, cost £150,000. It accommodates between five and six thousand in and out pensioners, at a cost of about one million sterling.

In the Chapel are preserved the eagles of Napoleon, captured at Barossa, Talavera, and Waterloo. In the Dining Hall remain the fragments of the standards won at Blenheim from Louis XIV., besides flags of all nations down to the Chinese, with the Dragon banners.

In Chelsea resided Lord Shaftsbury, author of "The Characteristics;" Sir Robert Walpole; Sir Richard Steele; Dr. Mead; Smollett; and Arbuthnot.

Addison; Locke; Dr.
In Beaufort House,

Chelsea, at the north end of Beaufort-row, resided Sir Thomas More. It was at this house he was visited by Erasmus.

Chelsea Church is worthy of a visit, on account of the monument of Sir Thomas More, with an inscription from his own pen. There is also the monument of Sir Hans Sloane. Among other eminent persons buried at Chelsea were Shadwell,