asylum, when released from confinement by the Act of Grace, in 1747. At the south end of Essex Street may be seen two large pillars, with Corinthian capitals, apparently a portion of the old waterentrance to Essex House.

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At the close of life," in order to ensure himself society in the evening during three days in the week,” we find Dr. Johnson instituting a club at the Essex Head, in Essex Street (now No. 40), kept by one Samuel Greaves, an old servant of Johnson's friend, Mr. Thrale. To Sir Joshua Reynolds he writes, on the 4th of December, 1783, "It is inconvenient for me to come out. I should else have waited on you with an account of a little evening club which we are establishing in Essex Street in the Strand, and of which you are desired to be one. It will be held at the Essex Head,' now kept by an old servant of Thrale's. The company is numerous, and, as you will see by the list, miscellaneous. The terms are lax and the expenses light. Mr. Barry was adopted by Dr. Brocklesby, who joined with me in forming the plan. We meet thrice a week, and he who misses forfeits twopence. If you are willing to become a member, draw a line under your name. Return the list. We meet the first time on Monday, at eight." Sir Joshua declined to become a member of the club, doubtless from an unwillingness to be drawn too closely into contact with Barry, the painter, whose behaviour towards himself in particular, and whose general violence of temper and absurdities of conduct,

readily account for Sir Joshua's separating himself from the society of many of his most esteemed friends. The Essex Head Club, however, comprised the names of many eminent men among its members, of whom Boswell has given us a list in his charming pages. "I believe," he writes, "there are few societies where there is better conversation or more decorum. Several of us resolved to continue it after our great founder was removed by death. Other members were added; and now, about eight years since that loss, we go on happily."

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Parallel with Essex Street, is Strand Lane, which Stow speaks of as "a lane or way down to the landing-place on the bank of Thames." In the Spectator" there is an interesting notice of the landing here of boats laden with apricots and melons, for the supply of Covent Garden. At No. 5, Strand Lane, may be seen one of the most interesting relics of antiquity existing in London -a Roman bath -as perfect almost as when, two thousand years ago, the Roman bathed in its clear and refreshing waters. The bath is about thirteen feet long and six broad. It still retains its pavement of Roman brick; and even a portion of the flight of steps leading into the bath still remains. The pure water, with which it is constantly fed, is said to flow from the neighbouring spring, or holy-well, from which Holywell Street derives its name. It is well worthy of a visit.

Close by stands the church of St. Clement Danes, dedicated to St. Clement, a pupil of St. Peter the

Apostle. The additional appellation of Danes has been variously accounted for. According to some writers, it is derived from a frightful massacre of the Danes which is said to have taken place on this spot. According to others, when that people were driven out of England, in 886, those who had married English women were allowed to remain, and, accordingly, having formed themselves into a colony near this spot, the site of the present church became their burial-place. The body of the present church was erected in 1684, by Edward Pierce, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren; the steeple, the work of Gibbs, not having been added till many years afterwards. The advowson of this rectory was anciently held by the Knights Templars, but at present, we believe, is vested in the Marquis of Exeter. During the insurrection of the Earl of Essex, a piece of artillery was placed on the tower of St. Clement's Church for the purpose of commanding Essex House.

In the vestry-room is preserved a painting by Kent, to which a rather curious story is attached. This painting originally formed the altar-piece of the church; till, in 1725, a rumour having got abroad that it contained portraits of the Chevalier St. George, commonly called the Old Pretender, and his children, the circumstance created so great an outcry, that Bishop Gibson found it necessary to order its removal. For some time it continued to be exhibited at the neighbouring Crown and Anchor Tavern. At length, after some years,

the prejudice wore away, and it was restored to the church; but not even then was it thought expedient to replace it in its former prominent position.

St. Clement's Church appears to have been the place of worship principally frequented by Dr. Johnson during his long residence in this neighbourhood. His pew was in the north gallery, near the pulpit. Boswell, speaking of the year 1773, writes,-" On the 9th of April, being Good Friday, I breakfasted with him on tea and cross-buns; Doctor Levett, as Frank called him, making tea. He carried me with him to the church of St. Clement Danes, where he had his seat; and his behaviour was, as I had imaged to myself, solemnly devout. I never shall forget the tremulous earnestness with which he pronounced the awful petition in the Litany:-'In the hour of death, and at the day of judgment, good Lord deliver us!" We went to church both in the morning and evening. In the interval between the services we did not dine; but he read in the Greek Testament, and I turned over several of his books."

The chiming of St. Clement's bells has been celebrated by Shakespeare;* and it is remarkable that this is one of the few churches in London where the chimes are still regularly rung. The unfortunate poet, Nathaniel Lee, was buried in this church, as was also another dramatic poet, equally gifted and imprudent, Thomas Otway. William

* Second part of "King Henry the Fourth," act iii. sc. 2. +"At length," says Anthony Wood, "after he had lived about

Mountfort, the actor, who was, assassinated in Howard Street, in 1692, and Thomas Rymer, who compiled the "Fœdera," are also buried here.

In the parish of St. Clement Danes (apparently in Butcher Row), died, on the 19th of February 1718, a remarkable literary character, Peter Anthony Motteux. He was born and educated at Rouen, in Normandy, but having been driven to England in consequence of the persecution which followed the revocation of the edict of Nantes, he commenced business as a merchant in Leadenhall Street, and subsequently, owing to his knowledge of languages, obtained a lucrative situation in the Post-Office. Such was the perfect mastery which he acquired of the English tongue, that he not only wrote several songs, prologues, and epilogues, but what was still more extraordinary, was the author of no fewer than seventeen dramatic pieces, many of which were highly popular in their day. His death took place at one of those disreputable houses, for which St. Clement's parish seems to have been famous from the time of Henry the Fourth, when the students of Clement's Inn "knew where the bona-robas were." There was some suspicion that he had been mur

thirty-three years in this vain and transitory world, he made his last exit in a house on Tower Hill called the Bull (as I have heard), on the 14th of April, in sixteen hundred eighty and five; whereupon his body was conveyed to the church of St. Clement Danes, within the liberty of Westminster, and was buried in a vault there." Athena Oxonienses, vol. ii. p. 782. See also ante, vol. i.

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