oldest in
London, and was made by Henry VIII. A fine arch affords entrance from
Piccadilly, having a bronze colossal equestrian statue of the Duke of
Wellington. You get grand views of the Abbey towers, Buckingham Palace,
the York Column, and other objects of interest. The two parks are about
one hundred and fifty acres. Regent's Park is one of the most
attractive spots in this great city. Here are villas of the finest kind.
Some of the prettiest terraces and rows of houses about London are here
to be seen. This park contains nearly five hundred acres, and, among
other attractions, the Botanical and Zooelogical Gardens, and the
Coliseum. Victoria Park, near Bethnal Green, is a new one, of about
three hundred acres; but we did not visit it.

Besides these, there are more than thirty squares, some of which are
very beautiful, and are finely planted and adorned. Belgrave Square is
exceedingly rich in its appearance; the houses are built in the
Corinthian order.

Northumberland House, at Charing Cross, is the city residence of the
Duke of Northumberland. This, externally, has no great beauty, but is
surmounted by the lion of the Percy family. It was built in 1605. This
noble mansion has been politely opened by its proprietor to the visits
of the foreigners who are here at the exhibition. It is a princely
mansion; and, although we had recently been to Windsor, and seen the
royal residence, yet we thought this palace home almost regal in its
splendor. The staircase is splendid, and the apartments are very
magnificent. The hall and drawing-rooms are quite equal, in decorations
and paintings, to the rooms at Windsor. We were much pleased with two
large pictures--a fox and deer hunt, by Snyders; but there were so
many, that it is difficult to single out those we admired. There are
some beautiful paintings of Napoleon, and exquisite carvings in ivory.
In one of the saloons we were all struck with a large Sevres china vase,
presented to the Duke of Northumberland by Charles X., at his
coronation, at which occasion the duke was present as ambassador
extraordinary, and made a most astonishing display of English wealth and
liberality.

Sion House, near Brentford, is another palace belonging to the duke.
This noble mansion is on the banks of the Thames, and is composed of
freestone. It is very gorgeously furnished, and the hothouses and
conservatories are not much, if any, inferior to Chatsworth. This
mansion has also, been opened