Having noticed the day's ceremony, it is an agreeable task to say something of the bridge itself, which we consider to be a very high testimony of the great ability of Mr. Rennie. We believe there is no bridge in any of the European capitals which is equal, as a great work, to either of the bridges of Westminster or Blackfriars; and Waterloo Bridge is superior to both of them. It is built of granite, and within the walls is filled up with an inferior stone. The departure from the old custom of curved bridges, and adopting the straight line, has removed many doubts which existed among lovers of the arts, as to the relative beauty of the different forms. A view of this new bridge, however, shows at once that the form is not only classical, but more simple and striking in its effect. The coupled Doric pillars on the piers have likewise been the subject of criticisms; if they were not introduced, some sort of buttress must have been constructed, or no projections at all. The iron turnstiles, which admit of only one passing at a time, touch some machinery which communicates with a clock locked up in an oak box in each toll-house, the index of which is thereby moved, so that on looking at it the numbers of those who have passed is directly seen. Some machinery for a similar object is to be applied to the horse and carriage gates. The bridge is lighted with gas.

Dimensions of the Bridge.

Feet.

The length of the stone-bridge within the abutments

1242

Length of the road supported on brick arches on the Surrey side of the river

1250

Length of the road supported on brick arches on the London side. Total length from the Strand, where the building begins, to the spot in Lambeth where it falls to the level of the road

400

2890

Clear water-way under the nine arches, which are equal

1030

Number of brick arches on the Surrey side

46

Number of ditto on the London side

10

Length of the other Bridges in London.

Westminster, from wharf to wharf

Blackfriars

London-bridge

Vauxhall cast-iron bridge

Feet.

1223

910

900

860

The proprietors of Waterloo Bridge have determined to erect an obelisk on each side of the bridge, commemorative of its celebrated architect, Mr. Rennie. They might adopt as an inscription, with great propriety, the celebrated epitaph on Sir Christopher Wren in St. Paul's Cathedral.

Sic monumentum queris, circumspice.

Mr. Rennie, at the age of twenty-five, married a Miss Mackintosh, by whom he had nine children, six of whom are living; and it is supposed that two of his sons will succeed him in business; one as a general engineer, and the other as a millwright.

412

No. XII.

ALEXANDER STEPHENS, Esq.

THIS gentleman, the author of several useful and agreeable

volumes, and the late editor of the present work, was born at Elgin, in North Britain, about the year 1757. He was the son of the provost of that city, Thomas Stephens, Esq. by Miss Fordyce.

Alexander Stephens received his education at the university of Aberdeen, which he left at the age of eighteen years, for the purpose of proceeding to the West India islands, principally, it would seem, with a view to add to his stock of information, and to see the world. At Jamaica he became acquainted with John Miller, Esq., a man of considerable eminence, and member of the House of Assembly in that place, from whom he received much hospitable attention, and by whom he was introduced to some of the most respectable families on the island.

On his return to England, Mr. Stephens purchased a commission in the 84th regiment, but never joined, in consequence of that corps having been suddenly and unexpectedly reduced. At the age of twenty-one, he entered himself a member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, where he continued in the pursuit of legal studies several years. He had repeated invitations to the bar, but constantly declined them, in order to follow the bent of his own inclinations, which led him to forego the dry and monotonous intricacies of the law in favour of the more agreeable and fruitful study of poetry, and the belles lettres.

His earliest production was "Jamaica," a descriptive poem; and his next, published a few years afterwards, "The Templar," a law journal. But those of his works which have

been most popular, are the volumes of "Public Characters," edited by him several years ago, and published by Sir Richard Phillips; and a life of John Horne Tooke, in two volumes. The industry of Mr. Stephens, in the collection of materials for his biographical works, has not often been surpassed. Besides ensuring the authenticity of what he wrote by personal application to the relations and friends of those individuals whose memoirs he desired to introduce, he was accustomed to commit to paper the most trifling memoranda illustrative of the history of any eminent individual, the moment he was made acquainted with it. Thus a great deal of information was preserved, which would, in all probability, have never been remembered, but for the promptness and industry with which our biographer always recorded such incidents, however apparently insignificant, as were likely at any future time to assist him in his labours. The immense quantity of anecdotes which Mr. Stephens has left behind him of eminent living persons, is a striking proof how unremitting and indefatigable he must have been in the collection of them.

In 1792 Mr. Stephens married Miss Lewin, daughter of Samuel Lewin, Esq. of Broadfield House, Hertfordshire, a gentleman of considerable property, and commanding officer of a regiment of militia. By this lady, a woman of fascinating manners, and great mental endowments, he had three children, one of whom only survives, Thomas Algernon Stephens, Esq., late a lieutenant in the Royal Scots, with the third battalion of which regiment he served at the battle of Waterloo, and while carrying the colours of his troop, received a severe contusion from a grape shot, which carried away part of the staff.

This circumstance is alluded to in the following note from the Duke of Kent, which, with others equally gratifying, we happened to meet with among Mr. Stephens' papers.

"Kensington Palace, July 1. 1815.

"The Duke of Kent returns his best acknowledgments to Mr. Stephens for his interesting communication of yesterday,

upon the subject of the gallant conduct of his old corps in the late desperately fought struggle in Flanders; indeed, strange as it may seem, with the exception of a very few lines from Lieutenant-colonel Campbell, the commanding officer, he has not received a sentence from the battalion since those memorable days, nor any certain return of their loss: as such, Mr. Stephens' letter was doubly gratifying, and the Duke begs to assure him that he very highly appreciates it.

"The Duke cannot think of concluding this note without offering his sincere congratulations to Mr. Stephens upon the safety of his gallant son, in whose welfare, from the very moment he was first introduced to him, he has felt a personal interest, as it was impossible to see him, without being strongly prepossessed in his favour.

"A. Stephens, Esq."

From several original letters and notes from the same distinguished individual to Mr. Stephens, we select the following, as honourable to the active kindness of the Duke to the character of the young gentleman whose interests his Royal Highness appeared so anxious to promote.

"Kensington Palace, April 16. 1818.

"The Duke of Kent had the pleasure of receiving yesterday Mr. Stephens' favour, and the book he was so good as to send; and now requests that he will accept his best thanks for this fresh mark of attention. The volume at Brussels being already bound, this will be taken there by the Duke on his return, in order to be done up in a similar way; not the smallest inconvenience therefore has arisen from the circumstance of its having been sent in its present state. The Duke being a great deal at Windsor, and unwilling that Mr. Stephens should come out a second time without finding him, requests he will favour him with a note, to say when his health is sufficiently re-established to admit of his coming to Kensington, that an hour may then be fixed for receiving his visit. The Duke is happy to find that Ensign Stephens returned