es of Parliament.

[Illustration: THE PRIME MINISTER'S (10, Downing Street, Westminster.)]

[Illustration: THOMAS CARLYLE'S. (Cheyne Row, Chelsea.)]

The knocker on the door of Carlyle's house, Cheyne Row, Chelsea, a house
which was occupied by him for half a century, is another very
interesting specimen. Scarcely was the young ex-schoolmaster and author
of "Sartor Resartus" well settled in his new abode than he began to
receive callers, who, if not very famous then, have since achieved
considerable renown.

Among them was young Mr. Charles Dickens, then the blushing "Boz," who,
with Mrs. Dickens, stepped out of a gorgeous green hackney coach to
administer a knock on the door, having driven all the way from Doughty
Street, Brunswick Square, to pay a call. Forster, Serjeant Talfourd,
Maclise, Macready, Landor, Leigh Hunt, and Thackeray were frequent
knockers during the first decade.

[Illustration: MR. ALMA TADEMA'S. (St. John's Wood.)]

It is not difficult to imagine some youthful admirer of Carlyle giving a
timid knock at the door, and then wishing that he had the courage to run
away from the house before being ushered into the presence of the
irascible Philosopher. Mr. Alma Tadema's knocker is forbidding enough
in appearance, and holds out but little promise of the beauties of that
wonderful house where the artist resides in St. John's Wood. No doubt it
is, like everything else about his home, from a design by the great
painter himself.

[Illustration: THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE'S. (Piccadilly.)]

The most beautiful knocker in this collection, if not the most beautiful
in London, is that of the Duke of Devonshire, at No. 80, Piccadilly. It
represents a head of classic contour set in a circular disc, chiselled
with an exquisite border. Not a few among the Duke's guests have so far
expressed their admiration of this work of art as to desire duplicates
for themselves, but it is not known if any exist, it having been done by
the Duke's own command from his own designs.

It is to be wished that the Duke would follow up his artistic success in
this particular by designing a wall for Devonshire House to replace the
existing hideous structure.

[Illustration: CHARLES DICKENS'. (17, Doughty Street.)]

Dickens' door-knocker recalls the residence of the happy couple who
removed to Doughty Street from Furnival's Inn shortly after their
marriage. It was here that Charles Dickens the younger was born, and
where the author