to visitors from abroad, and we received
orders from the minister.

One of the sweetest features about the metropolis, to my taste, is the
vast number of charming villages that surround it. Go where you may, you
fall in with cottages, villas, and mansions, that convey to the mind the
ideas of comfort, elegance, and wealth.

I find from Weld that he forgot to tell you that we went to St.
Margaret's Church, which stands only a few yards off from Westminster
Abbey. This is a very old building, and said to be of the days of Edward
I. In this very building the celebrated fast-day sermons of the Long
Parliament were preached, and I felt much interest in thinking how often
Cromwell, Pym, Peters, and Harrison had worshipped God in that house. In
this church, too, the Assembly of Divines worshipped, and also the
Scotch commissioners, and took the covenant. This church boasts a
painted window of exquisite beauty, which came as a present, from
Holland, to Henry VII.; and the historical associations of this window
are very curious, and well worth your reading about. The monuments of
this sanctuary are far from being devoid of interest. I may name, among
others, those to Caxton, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir James Harrington,
author of the great book, "Oceana," the wife of Milton, the mother of
Cromwell, all of whom are here interred.

While I am speaking of churches, let me tell you that, close by our
hotel, is a very fine one, that pleases me exceedingly. It is called St.
Martin's-in-the-Fields, but is at present quite central as it regards
the metropolis. I think the portico is to my eye equal to any piece of
architecture in London. It was built in 1726. A church stood here for
many centuries; and in 1680, Baxter said that forty thousand people of
the parish could not get into the church; and he adds that they "lived
like Americans, without hearing a sermon for many years." This church
has an exquisite chime of bells, and they very much amused me every
morning.

Yours affectionately,

JAMES.

Letter 23.

LONDON.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

I have not written you for some time. But today I have seen a number of
things which I am sure you would be pleased with, and so I will tell you
about them. Early in the morning we went to see the Mansion House. This
is the dwelling-house of the lord mayor of London. It is a fine-looking
building, but has a queer upper story, with small windows, which look
badly, over the noble pillars an