LESSON IX

FROM TEMPLE BAR ROUND TO

CHARING CROSS

AFTER luncheon, while the older people rested a short period, Miss Gray and the children drew on sheets of paper a progressive map of POINTS OF INTEREST IN LONDON seen by the Cartmell family. It was enlarged and filled in, as far as they had gone, from Mr. French's map.

Each day some

new places of interest were added. Each of the children had Fred's is shown on page 109 as it appeared when

a copy.

completed.

Then they drove back through the Strand to Temple Bar. "This is the street," said Miss Gray, referring to Fleet Street, "which was loved so much both by Charles Lamb and Dr. Johnson. The latter lived here, or in courts leading from the street, most of his life."

Cartmell, "where so
At the corner once

"Here is Chancery Lane," said Mr. many of the legal profession still live. lived Izaak Walton, who loved to go a-fishing." "What church is that on the left?".

"It is St. Dunstan's," said the driver.

"Baxter used to preach there," added Miss Gray. "What a funny name the next street has, Fetter Lane!" exclaimed Fred.

"The name comes," said his father, "from faitors, or beggars, who formerly infested this quarter. Near here once lived Praise God Barebone and his son Damned Dr. Barebone. The father was a leather-dresser, and leading member of the Parliament under Cromwell, which is often called Barebone's Parliament.

"Shoe Lane' commemorates the trade once so common

there.

"This wider street is Farringdon, which shows exactly where Fleet Creek flowed towards the Thames. On Farringdon Street, not far away, stood the famous Fleet Prison, whither victims of the Star Chamber were sent. Afterwards it was used as a prison for debtors. Above its entrance was the figure 9; hence a polite way of addressing persons in prison was to No. 9 Fleet Street.""

"This prison," added Miss Gray, "is vividly described by Dickens in his Pickwick Papers.""

"The crossing of Farringdon and Fleet Streets," said Mr. French, "is called Ludgate Circus.' The latter word is common in London for such places. One of the six city gates stood here."

Here the party obtained their first view of St. Paul's, more or less obscured by the railway bridge and the slender steeple of St. Martin's. Passing under the bridge, they ascended a slight elevation called Ludgate Hill, and reached the noble cathedral.

"How high are those two towers?" inquired Nellie.

"As high as Bunker Hill Monument," replied Mr. French.

"How high is the cross over the dome?"

"About the same as the height of the dome in our Capitol at Washington, 370 feet."

"This place," said Mr. Cartmell, "is the third centre of busy life seen to-day."

They left the carriage here for a short time, both to rest and also to see the interior of the great church. They found this part very imposing, on account of its size. Mrs. Cartmell was disappointed because it was not more beautiful, like the other Gothic cathedrals which they had seen the week