was sitting. He had scarcely got to his seat before the whistle of the
conductor sounded and the train began to move. As it trundled along out
of the station, gradually increasing its speed as it advanced, Rollo sat
wondering what his uncle meant by the double-headed character which he
had assigned to the monstrous city that they were going to see.

What is commonly called London does in fact consist, as Mr. George had
said, of _two_ great cities, entirely diverse from each other, and
completely distinct--each being, in its way, the richest, the grandest,
and the most powerful capital in the world.

One of these twin capitals is the metropolis of commerce; the other is
that of political and military power.

The first is called the City.

The second is called the West End.

Both together--with the immense region of densely-peopled streets and
squares which connect and surround them--constitute what is generally
called London.

The _city_ was the original London. The West End was at first called
Westminster. The relative position of these two centres may be seen by
the following map:--

[Illustration]

The city--which was the original London--is the most ancient. It was
founded long before the days of the Romans; so long, in fact, that its
origin is wholly unknown. Nor is any thing known in respect to the
derivation or meaning of the name. In regard to Westminster, the name is
known to come from the word _minster_, which means _cathedral_--a
cathedral church having been built there at a very early period, and
which, lying west of London as it did, was called the West Minster. This
church passed through a great variety of mutations during the lapse of
successive centuries, having grown old, and been rebuilt, and enlarged,
and pulled down, and rebuilt again, and altered, times and ways without
number. It is represented in the present age by the venerable monumental
pile--the burial-place of the ancient kings, and of the most
distinguished nobles, generals, and statesmen of the English
monarchy--known through all the world as Westminster Abbey.

After a time, when England became at length one kingdom, the king built
his palace, and established his parliament, and opened his court in
Westminster, not far from the abbey. The place, being about three miles
from the city, was very convenient for this purpose. In process of time
public edifices were erected, and noblemen's houses and new palaces for
the king or for ot