he right of the Palace, the attention of the party was next
attracted by Marlborough House. It was built in the reign of Queen Anne,
by the public, at the expense of 40,000L. on part of the royal gardens,
and given by the Queen and Parliament, on a long lease, to the great
Duke of Marlborough. It is a handsome building, much improved of late
years, and has a garden extending to the Park, and forms a striking
contrast to the adjoining Palace of St. James's. It is now the town
residence of his Royal Highness, Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg.

Our party now passed into St. James's-street, where Miss Macgilligan,
whose acerbitude of temper had been much softened by the politeness of
her friends during the morning's ramble, mentioned, that she had a visit
to make on an occasion of etiquette, and requesting the honour of
the gentlemen's company to dinner, she was handed by the Squire
of Belville-hall, with all due gallantry and obeisance, into a
hackney-chariot; Tom in the meanwhile noting its number, in the
anticipation of its ultimately proving a requisite precaution.

The trio, now left to their own pursuits, lounged leisurely up St.
James's-street, and pausing at the caricature shop, an incident occurred
which placed in a very favorable point of view the Baronet's promptitude
of reply and equanimity of temper. Having had recourse to his glasses,
lie stood on the pavement, examining the prints, unobservant of any
other object; when a porter with a load brushed hastily forward, and
coming in contact with the Baronet, put him, involuntarily, by the
violence of the shock, to the left about face, without the word either
of caution or command. "Damn your spectacles!" at same time, exclaimed
the fellow; "Thank you, my good friend," rejoined Sir Felix,--"it is not
the first time that my spectacles have saved my eyes!"

~~235~~~ Remarking on this rencounter, Dashall observed, that the
insolence of these fellows was become really a public nuisance. Armed in
the panoply of arrogance, they assume the right of the footway, to the
ejection, danger, and frequent injury of other passengers; moving in a
direct line with loads that sometimes stretch on either side the width
of the pavement, they dash onward, careless whom they may run against,
or what mischief may ensue. "I would not," continued Dashall, "class
them with beasts of burthen, and confine them to the carriage-way of
the street, like other brutes of that description; but I woul