S. Saxons. It is bounded on the S. by the Thames, which divides it from Surrey; on the E. W. by the River Lea, and Mere Ditch, which divide it from Effex; on the W. by the River Coln and the Shire Ditch, which feparate it from Buckinghamshire; and on the N. by Hertfordfhire. It is about 21 M. in Length, 15 in Breadth, and 80 in Circumference; contains the 2 vaft Cities of Lond. and Westminster, 73 Parishes, befides Chapels of Eafe, and 5 Market Towns, exclufive of the faid Cities; is divided into fix Hundreds and 2 Liberties.

The whole County is exceeding fruitful both in Corn and Pasture, and, by the Neighbourhood of Lond. and Weftminster, the moft rich and populous in the Kingdom.

London is the Metropolis of Engl. the Capital of all the British Dominions, and the most celebrated City in the whole World, for the Number and Wealth of its Inhabitants, its univerfal Commerce, its Establishments for Learning, and its numerous Foundations of Charity. It was originally a Roman City, and founded about the Year 49:

It is fituated on the, N. Side of the Thames, with a gentle Rife from that noble River, and stands on a gravelly loamy Soil, which greatly conduces to the Health of its numerous Inhabitants. It is encompaffed with fine Kitchen-gardens, delightful Plains, and beautiful Elevations, which are adorned with a great Number of magnificent Country-houfes of its Citizens. No City in the World is better fupplied with Lights, the Allowance for the publick Lamps being 10,000 l. a Year, exclufive of the many private ones belonging to the principal Citizens, Taverns, &c. and with regard to Water, almoft every Houfe is furnished with Pipes, either from the Thames, the New River, or the Ponds at Hamftead.

As it would require more Room, than can be allowed in this Epitome, to defcribe the feveral Parts of the City, and its many curious Particulars, we fhall only give a fhort Account of the publick Buildings; beginning with the Churches.

I. Sta

The

1. St. Paul's Cathedral, which is juftly esteemed the most sumptuous and magnificent Proteftant Church in the World. This Structure is fuppofed to have been founded in the Year 610, by Ethelbert, the Saxon King, on or near the Place, where formerly there was a Temple of Diana. It has feveral Times fuffered greatly by Fire and Lightning; but by the general Conflagration in 1666, it was entirely deftroyed; and afterwards rebuilt, after a Model of Sir Chriftopher Wren. It is built of fine Portland Stone, in Form of a Crofs, refembling St. Peter's at Rome. There are two Ranges of 120 Pilafters each on the Outfide, one above another, befides 20 Columns at the E. and four on the W. End, befides those of the Porticoes. The Afcent to the N. Portico is by 12 Steps of black Marble, the Dome of which is fupported by 6 very fpacious Columns, and over them the King's Arms with the Regalia, fupported by 2 Angels, under whofe Feet are a Lion and an Unicorn. Afcent to the South Portico is by 25 Steps, and over the Door-cafe is a Phoenix with its Wings expanded, in Flames, and under it the Word Refurgam. The W. Portico (to which there is an Afcent by elegant Stairs, fo broad, that at least 80 Men a-breaft may mount the first) is fupported by 12 Columns ; and above them 8 others fupport a Gallery, on which the Hiftory of St. Paul's Converfion is boldly carved in Bas Relief. The Roof of the Choir is fupported by 6 fpacious Pillars; and the Roof of the Church by 2 Rangers, confifting of 20 more. The Cupulo has 8, and there are 2 very large ones at the W. End, all of them adorned with Pilafters of the Corinthian and Compofite Orders; an elegant Balcony of Iron runs round the · Cupola, on the Infide, which is finely painted in Chiars ofcuro by the late Sir James Thornhill. The Floor of the Choir is of Marble, and that within the Rails of Porphyry, finely polished. The Altar-piece has 4 noble Pilafters, finely painted and veined with Gold, in. Imitation of Lapis Lazuli, with Enrichments and Capitals double gilt. Between the inner and outer Roof of the Church, there is a confiderable Space, wherein, at

the E. End, round the circular Sweep, is a whispering Place, where the Beating of a Watch may be heard, at the Distance of 110 Feet.

2. St. Mary le Bow is a large and elegant Structure; but its greatest Ornament is its Steeple, the Architecture of which excels that of any other parochial Church in Europe.

3. St. Bridget's, or St. Bride's, is a very beautiful Structure, and most elegant Steeple: Built by Sir Chriftopher Wren.

4. St. Stephen Walbrooke is one of the moft elegant Parish Churches in Engl. and was alfo built by that celebrated Architect Sir Chriftopher Wren. It is fituated behind the Manfion House; and from its Appearance on the Outfide, no Perfon would expect to find fo many beauties within.

5. Temple Church is one of the most elegant Gothic Structures in Engl. fupported by neat flender Pillars of Suffex Marble. Here are many remarkable antient Monuments, particularly of 9 Knights Templars, executed in Marble in their full Proportions: 6 of them are crosslegged, and therefore fuppofed to have been engaged in a croifade Expedition against the Infidels in the Holy Land.. Several other Churches, befides those we have mentioned, equally merit Obfervation; but the Limits we are confined to, oblige us to haften to the other publick Buildings in this Metropolis.

1. The Tower. This was formerly a royal Palace, but at present the chief Fortress of the City. Here are kept the Artillery, and a Magazine of fmall Arms for 60,000 Men; here is alfo a beautiful and grand Horse Armoury, like thofe of Bruffels and Drefden, where, among others, are 15 Figures of the English Kings on Horseback, both the Men and Horfes as big as the Life, together with a filver Armour of John of Gaunt feven or eight Feet high. Here are kept the antient Records of the Court of Westminster; the Jewels and Ornaments of the Crown, and other Regalia; the Board of Ordnance; a Mint for coining Money; Dens for Lyons, Tygers, and other foreign Beasts, &c.

2. The Royal Exchange, fituated on Cornhill, near the Middle of the City, is the finèft Building of the Kind in the World. It was firft erected by Sir Thomas Gresham; but that Building being deftroyed by the dreadful Fire in 1666, another more large and elegant was finished in 1669. 'Tis 203 Feet long without, and 171 broad; and the Quadrangle within, which is a Parallelogram, is 144 Feet long and 117 broad, having Piazzas all round fupported with 28 Columns, to shelter the Merchants from Sun or Rain. Over thefe Piazzas are 24 Niches, 18 of which are filled with Statues of the Kings and Queens, from Ed. I. to his late Majesty, all adorned with the Enfigns of Royalty, except that of James II. which is dreffed in Habit of a Roman Cafar, with a broken Batoon in his Hand. In the Center, on a Marble Pedestal 8 Feet high, is the Statue of King Charles II. in a Roman Drefs.

3. London-Bridge, which connects the City to Southwark, is a very expenfive, but inelegant Structure. It had two Rows of Houfes on it like a Street; but these are now taken down, and the whole Fabrick repaired, which has rendered the paffing over it more eafy, and alfo prevented the many terrible Accidents, that have attended several, who have attempted to pass under the Arches in Boats, &c.

4. The Monument is a magnificent round Pillar of Portland Stone of the Doric Order, erected to perpetuate the Memory of the dreadful Conflagration of this City, in the Beginning of September 1666. It is 15 Feet Diameter, and 202 Feet high from the Ground, the exact Distance of the very Spot from it, where the Fire broke out. It ftands on a Pedestal, 40 Feet high and 21 fquare, adorned with ingenious Emblems in Baffo Relievo. Within the Pillar is a curious geometrical winding Stair-cafe of 345 Steps, with Iron Rails all the Way up to a fair Balcony, within 30 Feet of the Top, to which it is finely fluted on the Outfide, from the Pedestal to the very Point, which resembles an Urn with a golen Flame.

5. The Manfion Houfe is a very grand Structure, erected on the Site of Stocks-Market, for the Refidence of the Lord Mayor of this City.

6. Guild-hall, or the Town-houfe of Lond. is a venerable and commodious Pile of Building. The great Hall is 153 Feet in Length, 50 in Breadth, and 55 in Heighth. Befides the Figures of 2 Giants, which were here before the Fire, it is adorned with feveral fine Pieces of Painting, and feveral Colours and Standards, taken from the French at the Battle of Ramillies.·

7. Sion College, near Lond. Wall, is particularly appropriated to the Ufe of the Clergy of Lond. who are conftituted a Corporation, by the Name of the President and Fellows of Sion College. Here is a very flourishing publick Library, of about 20,000 Books in moft Languages and Faculties, both printed and manufcript.

8. College of Phyficians, is a large and magnificent Structure, (on the W. Side of Warwick-Lane,) erected in 1682. In the Front of the Hall towards the Court, is a Statue of King Charles II. well executed in Stone ; another of Sir John Cutler, on the W. Side of the anatomical Theatre; and in the great Hall a moft elegant marble Bufto of Dr. Harvey.

9. College of Heralds, is a neat and fpacious Building, and the Hall adorned with feveral excellent Portrait Paintings. Here are kept Records of the Coats of Arms of all the Families and Names in Engl. when granted, and on what Occafion.

10. Doctors Commons, is a fpacious commodious Structure, with feveral handfome Courts. Here the Judges of the Admiralty, thofe of the Court of Delegates, the Court of Arches, the Prerogative Court and Office, with the Doctors that plead Caufes, and the Proctors that draw up the Pleadings, all live in a collegiate Manner.

11. The two Temples, diftinguished by the Inner and Middle Temples, were antiently the Dwellings of two religious Orders; namely the Knights Templars, and the Knights Hofpitallers of St. John of Jerufalem. Buildings are very neat, divided into feveral Courts, F

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