ove of external appearance." Going still
further back, more renowned characters appear on Highgate Hill. After
the memorable battle of Bosworth Field, in which the usurper, Richard,
had been slain, it was at Highgate that the victorious Richmond was met
by the citizens of London on his triumphal approach to the metropolis.
"He was met," writes Lambert, "by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen in scarlet
robes, with a great number of citizens on horseback." The Gunpowder Plot
is also connected with this interesting locality. It is said, while that
old villain, Guy Fawkes, was preparing "to blow up king and parliament,
with Jehu and Powdire," the rest of the conspirators had assembled on
Highgate Hill to witness the catastrophe; indeed, a driver of the Barnet
mail--I fear not the best authority in the world on antiquarian
matters--went so far on one occasion as to point out to the writer a bit
of an old wall, a little beyond Marvel's house on the same side of the
way, as a part of the identical house in which those very evil-disposed
gentlemen met. A subterraneous way is also said to have existed from the
site of the present church to Cromwell House, and thence to Islington.
To me the story seems somewhat doubtful, but the reader is at full
liberty to believe it or not as he likes. Let us now speak of the
institutions of Highgate: the most modern is the cemetery, which was
consecrated by the Lord Bishop of London in May, 1839, and has therefore
the merit of being one of the first, as it is undoubtedly one of the most
beautiful in situation, of any near London. It contains about twenty
acres of ground on the side of the hill facing the metropolis. The
approach to it through Swain's Lane conducts the visitor by a green lane
rising gradually to the Gothic building which forms the entrance.
Entering the grounds, the eye is struck by the taste everywhere
displayed. Broad gravel paths on either side wind up the steep slope to
the handsome new church of St. Michael's, which is seen to great
advantage from almost every part of the grounds. An hour may be very
well spent here musing on the dead. Good and bad, rogue and honest man,
saint and sinner, here sleep side by side. John Sadleir, but too well
known as M.P., and chairman of the London and County Bank, is buried
here. Indeed all sects, and callings, and professions, have here their
representative men. General Otway has one of the handsomest monuments in
the grounds. One o