but at present it is devoted to the representatives of a great and free people, and on whose deliberations depend the fate of millions. There is nothing particular in its interior, which may be visited, as well as the House of Lords, for a small consideration; but some account of St. Stephen's Chapel from its foundation, cannot fail of being truly interesting.

Stephen seems to have erected this originally religious structure in honour of St. Stephen, the proto-martyr. King Edward I. however, seems to have rebuilt this chapel; for in the twentieth year of his reign, the 28th April, 1292, the works of the new chapel began and continued for more than two years. An account of the expence of these operations is preserved in roto of weekly payments, remaining in the Exchequer.

The several articles bought are stated; then follow the payments to workmen they are too minute to be here enumerated, but there are apparent-to carpenters five-pence each day-to other workmen three-pence half-penny each day-some three-pence-some two-pence half-penny.

Stow informs us, "that on the 29th of March, 1298, a vehement fire being kindled in the lesser hall of the king's hall at Westminster, the flame being driven by the wind fired the monastery adjoining; which, with the palace were both consumed." Early in the succeeding reign this building engaged the royal attention, for on the 17th of May, 1330, fourth year of Edward III. the works of this chapel again commenced. The Comptroller's roll of expence of these operations, for near three years, is remaining in the king's remembrancer's office in the Exchequer. The amount of the wages during the whole time of this account was £350 12s. Od. and of the materials used in the building £158 4s. 44d.; but it does not appear finished till some time after, as on the 6th of August, 1348, twenty-second year of Edward III. a royal charter, recites that a spacious chapel, situate within the palace of Westminster, in honour of St. Stephen, proto-martyr, had been nobly begun by his predecessors, and had been completed at his own expence, which, to the honour of Almighty God, and especially of the blessed Mary, his mother, and of the said martyr, he ordained, constituted, and appointed to be collegiate; but still it does not appear that it was then finished, for the 18th of March, 1350, twenty-fourth year of Edward III. the king appointed Hugh St. Albans, then master of the painters for the chapel, to take and chose as many painters and other workmen as should be necessary for carrying on the works in the chapel, as he should find in the counties of Kent, Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, and Sussex; such workmen to be paid at the expence of the king. A like appointment was made of John Atherland for Lincoln, Northampton, Oxford, Warwick, and Leicester; and of Benedict Nightengale for Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norfolk, and Suffolk. Again, in the thirty-seventh year of Edward III., June 4th, 1363, similar orders for the procuration of painters, was given to William Walsingham.

King Edward III. erected, for the use of this college, at some distance west, in the little sanctuary, out of the palace court, a strong clochard, or bell-tower, of stone and timber, covered with lead, and placed therein three great bells, which were afterwards rung at coronations, triumps, and funerals of princes, which gave such a huge sound, that it was commonly said they soured all the drink in the town.

This college of St. Stephen was valued at the suppression to be worth £1085 10s. 5d., and surrendered in the first year of Edward VI.

The Chapel of St. Stephen was soon afterwards fitted up for the meeting of the House of Commons, which had before been usually assembled in the chapter house of the abbey of Westminster, and it has since continued to be appropriated to the same use to the present time.

We owe these particulars to Rymer, Howell, and Topham, F.R.S.

ROYAL ARMOURY AND AUTOMATONS,
7, HAYMARKET.

WE cannot help calling to our recollection, with all the romantic freshness and enthusiasm of our youth, our ideas of ancient days of pomp and chivalry, when we could fancy

Indeed, in this amusing and instructive exhibition, "Helm and Hauberk's twisted mail" is realized-we have inspected with delight, and shall add the proprietors' own account of such specimens as we think worthy minute

attention.

We select from the first 23 specimens, No. 2. "The Armour of a Norman Crusader on his barbed horse.-This ancient suit of Norman chain mail is of the utmost rarity, being the only perfect specimen extant:-it was preserved for several centuries in Tong Castle, in Shropshire, when it was obtained by the late Dr. Green, of Litchfield. It is about 700 years old, being of the time of King Stephen; and with the highly curious and elaborate scale armour, &c. which covers the horse, exhibits the only remaining example of the manner in which the Knights protected themselves and their horses in that early period of our history, as represented in ancient paintings, tapestry, &c.

No. 5.-A fine and rare specimen of a Brigandine Jacket of the time of Elizabeth. This defence (which is composed of small plates of iron, capping over each other, and covered with cloth strongly quilted) was used principally by the archers and other light-armed troops, called Brigands, from whence its name was derived.

No. 7 and 8 are exquisite treats. No. 9. A noble suit of Knights, armour of the time James I. of bright steel. The pauldrons, or shoulder pieces are finely formed, and the guarde de reine, or skirt, remarbably wide and deep.

No. 10.-The Armour worn by the King's Champion at the Coronation of His Majesty, George IV.-This superb fluted suit of polished steel was armour of the Elector of Bavaria, and with the beautiful War Saddle, chanfron, &c. was (with several others) obtained from the King of Bavaria for Napoleon Buonaparte, for the purpose of forming an armoury in Paris. This suit, which is of the most elegant form, is universally allowed to be one of the finest specimens of plate armour of the time of Henry VII.— No. 11 and 17 are armours also worn at the coronation-and No. 12 is the Champion's Shield.

No. 15.-The Armour of Henry IV of France, and his Page, with a likeness of that distinguished monarch. This very interesting and beautiful suit of armour is finely embossed and inlaid with gold: the pauldrons, or shoulder-pieces and the breast-plate are of the finest forms; indeed, the toute ensemble of this noble suit (in which elegance and symmetry are obviously combined) has hitherto been an object of general admiration. Henry IV. is represented in this identical suit of armour in one of the fine portraits of that monarch in the Luxembourg Gallery. It was obtained in Paris by the total defeat of Napoleon. As the helmet would have taken off much of the character of the head, a hat and plume of the proper costume has been substituted. The noble Shield embossed with fleur-de-lis upon a gold ground, and a mace, are also fine specimens of workmanship.— The rare and interesting little suit of a boy, introduced as a page, for the purpose of forming the group, tends to prove the very early initation of persons of rank to the use of armour, which was highly necessary for those who were intended for military pursuits, as habit and custom could alone enable them to bear its weight with any degree of ease and comfort.

No. 19.-The Armour of the Elector Joseph of Bavaria, on horseback. This superb suit of black and gold, with the pectoral, chanfron, and other trappings for the horse, is another of those removed from the royal armoury of Munich, by Buonaparte, and is of the finest workmanship of the time of Henry VIII. On the centre of the breast is engraved and gilt the subject of the Virgin and Child; and upon the plate in the centre of the chanfron, or head-piece of the horse, are engraved the Bavarian arms.

The notice of the above, among so many interesting objects, we trust will be sufficient to give some idea of this nouvelle collection.

No. 24.-Napoleon's Fire-Arms, presented him by the Directory, forms an object of history.

There are eight specimens of spoil from the field of Waterloo; and in two glass cases, and the opening between them there are 152 rare specimens of various kinds, including the beautiful scale armour of Napoleon Buonaparte.

The mechanical and musical Automatons are truly ingenious and astonishing, though we think we have seen some of the figures a few years ago, belonging to M. Maillardet. The following is a description of these wonderful productions of art, which, if not the most useful, are certainly the most surprising.

The Juvenile Artist, whose astonishing performances in drawing and writing (alternately), in presence of the company, defy at attempts all rivalship, in regard to their beauty, and correctness of design and execution. This rich and complicated piece of mechanism is so wonderfully constructed, that the graceful motions of the youthful figure, and its easy, elegant, and appropriate system of operations, will ever render it an object of the highest interest and admiration.

The Musical Lady, who performs upon an elegant finger organ a variety of pleasing airs. The fascinating sweetness of her countenance, and lovely motion of the eyes, never fail in securing her admirers. She bows gracefully to the audience; her bosom heaves, as if naturally influenced by the lungs; and every note is produced by the brilliant touch of her fingers, with the exception of flats and sharps, which are played by the feet.

The Rope Dancer, whose surprising performances upon the tight rope surpass in agility, attitudes, and evolutions, every professor of the art, keeping correct time to the music of the machinery.

The Magician, whose inimitable performances excite the greatest interest and delight, by the sagacious answers he returns to every question proposed to him. The construction of this wonderful self-acting figure has hitherto puzzled all the first-rate mechanics in Europe!

The Walking Figure. This extraordinary figure, which moves entirely by its own powers, in every direction, excites the greatest surprise, it having ever been held, by the most intelligent mechanical artists, to be a thing utterly impossible, by any sort of machinery, to produce a self-moving figure capable of supporting its own equilibrium. Also, a SIBERIAN MOUSE, set with pearls.-An ETHIOPIAN CATERPILLAR, of richly enamelled gold.— The TERRANTULAR SPIDER.-A beautiful HUMMING BIRD, that warbles the most melodious notes.-An EGYPTIAN LIZARD of exquisite workmanship, in fine gold, &c. The whole exhibiting, by their exact imitations of animated Nature, the most surprising powers of mechanical art! Admittance to the whole 2s.

EXHIBITION OF THE

TRIAL OF THE LATE QUEEN CAROLINE,

48, BELVIDERE PLACE, BOROUGH ROAD, SOUTHWARK.

THIS exhibition, which has been hitherto kept too private, we have recently been favoured with the inspection of by the kind urbanity of the Projector and Proprietor, Mr. John Taylor. The picture is about 35 feet by 12, and presents an accurate representation of the House of Lords during that period, including His Majesty's splendid new Throne. There are a great number of figures, among which some very accurate portraits of eminent persons connected with that singular inquiry:-we can only name the Queen and Lady Ann Hamilton; the learned Counsel of both sides; Theodore Majocci; the Interpreter; Alderman Wood; Mr. Hobhouse; the Artist himself, who are all below the bar: the Dukes of York and Sussex; the Lord Chancellor; Earl Grey; the Bench of Bishops, and a great variety of other members of that noble assemblage, within the body of the House.

CHELSEA HOSPITAL.

SUCH asylums as these, for the brave men who have fought our battles, do honour to a country, and form a comfortable home for many a veteran, as well as the wounded and invalided. Sir Stephen Fox, a progenitor of Lord Holland, was the first projector of this Hospital, which met with ready encouragement in Charles II.

Chelsea Hospital, which is situate on the banks of the Thames, in the pretty village of that name, was built from a design, and under the superintendance of Sir Christopher Wren. The first stone of the building was laid on the 12th of March, 1682. Sir Stephen Fox is generally supposed to have contributed no less than £15,000; but it has received from time to time very liberal donations. Its architecture is modest and unassuming, avoiding splendour, or too great humility, unbecoming its deserving inmates. The building, which contains three courts, is built of brick, with columns and cornices of free stone.

The entire length of the principal building is 190 feet, and the whole of the premises occupy 50 acres. In the chief court is a bronze statue of the royal founder, in a Roman habit. The chapel, which is a neat building, is paved with black and white marble, and wainscoted with Dutch oak.

In the dining room, which is of suitable dimensions, a dinner for the pensioners is regularly placed every day (except sunday) at twelve o'clock, but they are allowed to take their provisions with them to their respective apartments. The pensioners are, we believe, about 470, who inhabit sixteen wards; over which are two corporals and two serjeants.

The number of out pensioners is very considerable, and the amount of their allowances is annually voted by parliament with the army estimates. Except Wednesday and Fridays, each pensioner is allowed per diem, a pound of meat, twelve ounces of bread, a quarter of a pound of cheese, and two quarts of beer; and on the other days, instead of meat, a pint of pea soup, and an extra allowance of cheese and butter is given.

NEW ASYLUM FOR FEMALE ORPHANS,

LAMBETH.

THIS building is situated in the Westminster Road, Surrey, facing Mr. Maudsley's manufactory, and forms a handsome ornament to the suburbs of London in Surrey.

The building forms three squares of a quadrangle, with a large court in front. The centre building is appropriated to the hall, the committee rooms, and the residence of the principal officers, and the wings to the working and sleeping rooms of the children. The chapel has not been taken down, but is connected with the new building, which is a chaste, but elegant structure, from a design by Mr. Lloyd, the architect. As the expence of the building is necessarily considerable, the committee appeal to public support; and we trust will not appeal in vain, as, unless it can be