no obstruction on the road,
they were set down at the corner of King-street, about half-past twelve.

"Come," said he, "we shall now have time to look about us at leisure,
and observe the beauties of this place of civic festivity. The Hall you
see in front of you, is the place devoted to the entertainment usually
given by the Lord Mayor on his entrance upon the duties and dignities of
his office. It is a fine gothic building, in which the various courts
of the city are held. The citizens also meet there for the purpose of
choosing their representatives in Parliament, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs,
&c. It was originally built in the year 1411, previous to which period
the public, or as they term it the Common Hall, was held at a small room
in Aldermanbury.

~~210~~~ The expense Of the building was defrayed by voluntary
subscription, and its erection occupied twenty years. It was seriously
damaged by the fire of 1666, since which the present edifice, with the
exception of the new gothic front, has been erected. That, however,
was not finished till the year 1789, and many internal improvements and
decorations have been introduced since. There is not much of attraction
in its outward appearance. That new building on the right has recently
been erected for the accommodation of Meetings of Bankrupts; and on the
left is the Justice-Room, where the Aldermen attend daily in rotation as
magistrates to decide petty causes; but we must not exhaust our time now
upon them."

On entering the Hall, Tallyho appeared to be highly pleased with its
extent, and was presently attracted by the monuments which it contains.
"It is a noble room," said he.--"Yes," replied Tom, "this Hall is
153 feet in length, 48 in breadth, and the height to the roof is 55."
Tallyho was, however, more engaged in examining the monument erected to
the memory of Lord Nelson, and an occasional glance at the two enormous
figures who stand at opposites, on the left of the entrance.--Having
read the tablet, and admired the workmanship of the former, he hastily
turned to the latter. "And who in the name of wonder are these?" he
inquired.

"These," replied his communicative Cousin, "are called _Gog_ and
_Magog_. They are two ancient giants carved in wood, one holding a
long staff suspending a ball stuck with pikes, and the other a halbert,
supposed to be of great antiquity, and to represent an ancient Briton
and a Saxon. They formerly used to stand on each side of that st