friend and protector, and the good man had something kind and parental to say to them all. Most of them behaved with great decorum, and some conversed so correctly that one would not have suspected them of lunacy.— But, it was one of the most pitiable and affecting sights that I have ever beheld.

Some were merry and full of glee, and declared that they were perfectly well and very happy; some were fixed in sullen death-like melancholy, sitting in corners or standing with their eyes fixed on the floor; some were restless, walking from place to place, and apparently in deep thought; others wept bitterly, wringing their hands, begging to be released, and complaining of their friends for deserting them in their distresses; others were actuated by furious madness, clanging their chains, gnashing their teeth, and screaming piteously, while their eyes rolled with all the wildness of frenzy.

There is a yard, immediately back of the hospital, where, in fine weather, the patients are allowed to go for fresh air. Among those who were there, was a woman in a straight jacket. Her features were fixed; she stood immoveable as a marble statue, gazing with a wild frantic stare, but without any certain direction, and, at short intervals, she uttered the most lamentable piercing shrieks that I ever heard.

But, there were others, whose deportment was soft, mild, and perfectly correct. This was particularly the case with two very young women, who from their youth, beauty, and interesting manners, naturally excited particular sympathy. When we entered their apartments, they rose respectfully, conversed intelligently, and seemed more fitted to adorn a polished society than to be inmates of

Bedlam. Although, from their being in that place, I could not doubt the fact of their mental derangement, I asked my guide whether those young women were really lunatic. He assured me that they were, and that it was not uncommon for lunatic patients to appear rational for several days together. My conductor seemed perfectly to understand the humours of the patients. We entered one room where a woman was busying herself with a few plants and flowers, which she was rearing in the window ; to her he apologized in very polite language, for coming, unasked, into a lady's apartment. She seemed flattered with his attention to her feelings, and showed us her patch work and her little garden, adding, that autumn was coming fast upon us, and that her leaves began to fade.

In another apartment was a young French woman. She had a little mortar, and was grinding colours which she used in painting. Around the room were hung the productions of her pencil, which were very ingenious considering that she had no colours, except such as she made from the sweepings of the house.

We next went into the apartments of the men, and walked freely among them; they exhibited much the same. varieties of madness as the women, but more of them appeared to be sullen and melancholy, and I did not observe any who were gay.

St. Luke's Hospital was erected by private exertions, and the present building, it is said, cost £40,000. It is asserted that there is no establishment of the kind in Europe which, for the extent of the plan, is more complete, whether we regard the convenience of the building or the excellence of the management.

The Bethlem Hospital, which is the one commonly known by the name of Bedlam, is at present undergoing a thorough repair, and the patients are removed.

From this distressing scene, I returned home, thankful to heaven that neither moping melancholy nor moon-struck madness had fallen to my lot.

No. XLI. LONDON.

Excursion to Hampton Court-Pope's residence-Strawberryhill-Park of Hampton Court-The palace-Particular objects in it-Impressions excited-Star and Garter Tavern on Richmond-Hill-Origin of a popular song-Thomson's grave-Earl of Buchan's inscription-Rossdale House, Thomson's former residence-Relics of him-His seat in the garden.

EXCURSION TO HAMPTON COURT.

At 9 o'clock, Mr. D— and myself took seats for Twickenham, by the way of Hammersmith and Brentford. Twickenham is ten or eleven miles from London, on the Thames, opposite to Richmond. It is a pleasant village, but the cirumstance which chiefly renders it interesting is, that it was once the residence of Pope.

Till lately, his villa, with his favourite grotto, and the willow tree which he planted, were shown to strangers. But, the place has now fallen into the hands of a baronet, who has given his porter positive orders to admit no one who, from curiosity, comes to see this celebrated house. An American acquaintance of ours had, a few days before, met with this refusal in terms so positive, that we

thought it useless to make the attempt, and were obliged to content ourselves with merely an external view of a building which was once honoured by the presence of the illustrious bard. The house is of brick, perfectly plain, and three stories high. I make no reflections on Sir John Briscoe, the present possessor; he may have the best reasons for this seemingly illiberal conduct.

From Twickenham we went on foot to Hampton Court. On our way we passed Strawberry-hill, the celebrated seat of the late Lord Orford, and now of Mrs. Damer. I had, a few days before, applied in the usual form for a ticket of admission, but not having obtained it, we could view only the outside of this fine villa; it is built in the Gothic style, although it is little more than half a century old, and is beautifully situated not far from the Thames.

Leaving Strawberry-hill, we passed on, along the river to Hampton Court. It is the season of harvest; the reapers are cutting down the wheat, or as it is here called, the corn. We were refreshed with a view of every rural beauty which the full maturity of summer can afford; the hedge rows were covered with flowers; the meadows of the Thames were clothed in their deepest green, and a meridian sun and cloudless sky added splendour to beauty.

On entering the Park at Hampton Court, we found ourselves in an extensive forest of ancient and majestic trees, disposed in regular rows, and affording a refreshing retreat from the heat of the day. Along these avenues, where we could perceive the deer in herds gliding through the openings, we walked a full mile to the venerable palace of Hampton Court. It is constructed of brick, in the

ancient style; the form is quadrangular, with an interior court. It was first erected by Cardinal Wolsey, and the tapestry with which he adorned its walls, although faded, still remains untorn.

Charles I. was a state prisoner here; he lived with seeming freedom, and with somewhat of the dignity of a king, but he still thought fit to make his escape to the Isle of Wight.

Hampton Court was the favourite residence of Queen Ann; George I. and George II. often lived here; and William III. was particularly partial to it. He rebuilt a great part of the palace, and it remains substantially as it was in his time.

The Prince of Orange, on his expulsion from Holland, had this palace assigned to him for his residence, and here, I am informed, he still resides.

A corps of horse have their barracks in the outer buildings, whether as a guard of honour to the Prince, or as an appendage of the palace, I do not know.

Although we were conducted through the different apartments, in a manner much too rapid, entirely, to satisfy my curiosity, I was still much gratified, for I had never seen the inside of a palace before. As I cannot describe all the interesting objects, I will mention merely a few of the most remarkable.

The stair case is magnificent; the walls and ceiling are decorated with superb paintings, representing heathen deities, and fabulous and real scenes of antiquity. The colours are not laid upon canvass, but upon the walls themselves.

The guard-room, which we entered first, contains arms for one thousand men, and portraits of many distinguished