Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/601

LONDON 595 umberland house, which was sold in 1873 for about 500,000 to the board of works, deprive Charing Cross and vicinity of the most time- honored edifices. Waterloo place is one of the centres of club houses and of social and po- litical life, and opens to view the noble park Trafalgar Square. front of Carlton terrace, on the former site of Carlton house. Pall Mall extends from the foot of St. James's street to the foot of the Haymarket, and was as favorite a resort of the wits of Queen Anne's time as it is of the fashionable world and politicians of the pres- ent day. Between Charing Cross and Regent street it is called Pall Mall east, and thence to St. James's street simply Pall Mall. In Pall Mall are the British institution, the new society of painters in water colors, Marlbor- ough house (the residence of the prince of Wales), and the principal clubs. At the end of the Mall is St. James's palace. St. James's street, also celebrated for its club houses, com- mences at St. James's palace and extends to Piccadilly. In King street, near by, are Willis's rooms, where the once fashionable balls of Almack's were held. Haymarket, with the Haymarket theatre and Her Majesty's theatre, is chiefly occupied on its W. side by restaurants and oyster shops. At night it was formerly the resort, according to Dickens, " of the worst company in London, male and female," par- ticularly in the direction of Coventry and Re- gent streets. From Drury lane, not far distant from Great Russell street, where the British museum is, Long Acre, much occupied by car- riage builders, leads to Leicester square. The Haymarket, the fine opening of Waterloo place and Regent street, Covent Garden, and other well known localities, communicate with Picca- dilly, which is one of the most brilliant streets of the metropolis, particularly at its W. en- trance from Hyde Park corner, with Apsley house on the one hand and the arch sur- mounted by an equestrian statue of the duke of Wellington on the other, near Constitution hill and the Green park. It is mentioned for the first time in the latter part of the 16th century by Gerarde, who remarks that " the small wild buglosse grows upon the dry ditch bankes about Pickadilla." It continues to be one of the great points of egress from London, although the White Horse cellar, whence the mail coaches started for the west of England, which made Hazlitt say "that the finest sight of the metropolis is that of the mail coaches setting off from Piccadilly," has lost its bustle since the introduction of railways. Piccadilly communicates with the chambers in the Al- bany, and through Park lane, one of the most beautiful and select streets of the West End (widened in 1873-'4), with Oxford street. Bond street, on the right of Piccadilly, is cele- brated for its fashionable throng during the season, and its tradesmen are well patronized by the ladies of the aristocracy. In the vicin- ity are Burlington arcade, Burlington street, and Saville row, the latter inhabited by many phy- sicians. Regent street, the handsomest street of London, commences at St. Alban's street, crosses Piccadilly and Castle street, where it forms a quadrant, and then crosses Oxford street to Langham place, where it opens into Port- land place. It is lined with the most diverse and attractive establishments, and is a favorite resort of shopping ladies and of promenaders and idlers. In the neighborhood of Portland place are the polytechnic institution and the