beautiful painting in fresco, of the Crucifixion; and on the ceiling are painted the Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus, and the four Evangelists, surrounded by the principal events in our Saviour's life. The Duke of Norfolk (who is a Catholic Peer,) was a munificent contributor to the decoration of the chapel, and the plate used in the sacramental offices was presented by the late Pope. ; THE derivation of the name from Banca, the Italian word for Bench, on which money changers annually sat in the public markets; the first bank for the security of private property was that of Venice. The Bank of England was projected in the reign of William and Mary by Mr. William Paterson, a merchant, who submitted his scheme to the King in Council. It was, after considerable deliberation, established by act of parliament on the 27th of July, in the year 1694, and the statute enacted that their majesties might take particular subscriptions for £1,200,000 of any person, foreigners or natives, whom their majesties were empowered to incorporate with a yearly allowance, viz.-of £96,000, or eight per cent. for interest till redeemed, and £4000 to be allowed the Bank for the expence of management. The title of "Governor and Company of the Bank of England" was conferred, and their fund above mentioned to be redeemable upon a year's notice, after the 1st of August, 1705, and payment of the capital, and then the corporation to cease. The business of the Bank was originally transacted at Grocers' Hall, in the Poultry, but the present noble edifice in Threadneedle Street, or more probably Three Needle Street, was founded in the year 1733, the architect being Mr. George Sampson. expence of The front is a sort of vestibule; the base rustic, and the ornamental columns Ionic. Within is a court leading to a second elegant building, which contains halls and numerous offices where the business of the national debt of many hundred millions is conducted. Two wings of uncommon elegance, designed by Sir Robert Taylor, have been added at the some houses and the church of St. Christopher Le Stocks. This circumstance occasioned many allusions to our Saviour's attack on the money changers, who had usurped the Temple at Jerusalem, and converted it into a den of thieves. The beautiful wings added by Sir Robert Taylor extend entirely from Princes Street, opposite the Mansion House, to Bartholomew Lane, opposite the Royal Exchange, and present a front range of fluted columns, in pairs, with arched intervals of stone instead of windows, the light being admitted by lantherns at the top; and such is the increase of business, that since it has been deemed expedient to take down all the houses completely into Lothbury, which now forms a capital enlargement of this grand national edifice. We see, by notice in the Gazette, it is intended to form a way under the steeple of the church of St. Bartholomew, at the corner of Bartholomew Lane, in which alteration we contemplate a great increase of convenience and safety. Since the memorable riots in the year 1780 the Bank is very properly guarded by the military. We should have given an engraving of this great national establishment; but at time of writing this, there is a scaffold up before its whole grand front, for it to undergo repairs and beautifying. We shall subjoin the following particulars in connexion with this subject: the Bank of England is under the management of a governor, deputy governor, and twenty-four directors, who are annually elected by ballot, at a general court of proprietors. The possession of £4000 capital stock is the qualification of a governor; £3000 for a deputy governor; and £2000 for a director. Proprietors of £500 are alone entitled to vote in the general courts, which are held four times a year, or oftener, on the demand of nine members. Its business includes the banking business, dealing in Bullion, discounting bills of exchange, advancing money to government on the credit of acts of parliament, and above all, the circulation of bank notes on demand, as well as bank post bills, bearing no interest. the Bank also circulates Exchequer Bills for government. In the year 1717 the Bank lent government £2,500,000 at £5 per cent. In July, 1742, a further sum of £1,600,000 was advanced, and though in 1760 they lent government £1,000,000 more, they were so pressed by the rebellion of 1745, that on the 20th September they began making payments in a further loan of £1,400,000, at 3 per cent. Under the administration of the first William Pitt they acquired credit on the continent, and after the peace of 1763 were universally current throughout Europe. Notes of £10 and £15 were first in 1759, and succeeded by £5 in the course of years, but £1 and £2 notes were not circulated till the revolutionary war with France. In 1797 the Bank was restrained from paying in specie, but since May 5th, 1821, gold and silver has been plentiful. To a lover of his country, the contemplation of the Bank and its business form a sublime view of our national and commercial resources, never surpassed in the annals of any country, ancient or modern, and AMONGST the great improvements in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, is a very large Sewer now building from Newington Turnpike, through Walworth to Camberwell, a district which has of late years become extremely populous. NEW POST OFFICE, ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND, NEWGATE STREET. THE above correct view of the New Post Office, as it will appear when completed, is from the graver of the ingenious Mr Berryman. Scarcely any explanation can be required. It consists of a frontage of 400 feet, including the portico and two wings, of which the portico alone is 70 feet, and must form a considerable embellishment to that part of the city in which it is situate. The internal arrangements have been laid out on a plan to facilitate the important business of this national establishment, and greatly benefit commercial intercourse. The architect is R. Smirke, Esq. R.A. The country is indebted to a Mr. Edmund Prideaux for the Post Office, who was appointed Postmaster in 1642; when he established a regular conveyance, by horses, of letters, weekly, to all parts of the kingdom. The sphere of the establishment was extended by the Protector Cromwell and his parliament, in 1654, the conveyance continuing either on horseback or by single-horse carts, until the year 1781; at which time speed, regularity, and public conveyance, began to be manifest, by the various establishments of stage coaches to and from London and every town of note in the kingdom. This led to the suggestion by Mr. John Palmer, of Bath, in 1782, of the present system of conveyance of letters by coaches. Mr. Palmer's suggestions were adopted in 1784; since when, the arrangements have been progressively improved to such a degree, that it may, without fear of contradiction, be said, that the British Post Office forms the most economical, social institution which has ever existed in any age or country. The postage of letters dispatched from London exceeds considerably the postage of those received.-Assuming an average rate of 9d. postage for each letter dispatched from London, the aggregate annual number will be about 13,500,000, or 40,000 per day, and about a ninth less received. There are about 1,000 persons, Members of both Houses of Parliament, and a few others, privileged to dispatch, free of postage, twenty letters daily, Sundays included; and to receive fifteen daily, not exceeding an ounce in in weight each, equal to 280 single letters forwarded, and 360 weekly received. There are 544 deputy Postmasters in England and Wales, and 278 in Scotland, several, or most of which, have a sub-agent for collateral distribution; so that, perhaps, but little or nothing remains to be done to make the order of distribution, in the general department, as complete as possible. The General Office, in London, employs about 200 superintendants, clerks, and sorters, and about 220 in delivering. The Foreign Department, about twenty sorters and clerks, and thirty-four in delivering; and the Two Penny, about fifty sorters and clerks. The total number of persons constantly engaged in the distribution of letters in all Great Britain, may be considered as exceeding 2,600: whilst the total charges for salaries and wages is only about £140,000, or an average of £56 each person per annum; but the salaries and wages of those employed, are all regulated with reference to the probable amount of incidental emoluments. STATUE OF CHARLES I. CHARING CROSS. THIS animated equestrian statue of Charles I. of England, who was decapitated, January 30th, 1649, was cast in brass, by Le Soeur, in the year 1633; it is a fine likeness in armour, mounted on a pedestal; the whole surrounded by iron rails and base of stone, and if properly attended to could not but attract the admiration of the friend of the arts, and a sigh from the humane and loyal, for the fate of one so great and so unfortunate, and in whose cause so much blood was shed-indeed, Britain, She saw her sons with purple deaths expire, Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars.---POPE. During the civil wars it was pulled down and sold to a founder; but who, instead of breaking it up to please the sanguinary hypocrites of that day, carefully concealed it till the restoration of his son Charles II., when it was re-instated on its former site, and where it has ever since remained. PARADE OF ST. JAMES'S PARK. THE Horse Guards, which is a grand building in Parliament Street, and the Parade, so called, is situated at the back, and entere by that noble edifice. It presents every morning, about 10 o'clock, a most agreeable spectacle. At that hour the guard is relieved, and a new set of men are stationed at the several avenues and parts of the Park, Royal Palaces, &c. For this purpose they are convened on the Parade, neatly dressed and accoutred, making an interesting appearance. An officer of the Guards on horseback, indeed sometimes the commander-in-chief, His Royal Highness the Duke of York, directs the manual exercise, and the men are marshalled and reviewed in his presence, while his Royal Highnesses band, in which are the celebrated black musicians, with their lofty turbands and oriental instruments, add greatly to the beauty of the scene, as well as to the dignity of the fine martial music of the excellent band. So attractive sometimes is this spectacle and the grand band of music, that is attended by a great concourse of spectators. After passing through the various evolutions, the guards march away in great order, the music playing the most popular airs till they arrive at the palace; where the guard, which are to relieve, are drawn out with their band ready to march away, that they may be discharged on the Parade, while the new guard, after relieving the necessary sentinels, are stationed in the guard houses. In this Park and the Green Park, as well as Hyde Park, a great fete was given in honour of Peace, when a pretty Chinese bridge, which made a passage over the water in the Park and opened a communication across, was burnt. In the Park is a Bomb on a curious carriage worth notice, and a Cannon taken in the wars of Queen Ann, which Queen Pope calls "Earth's fair light, and Emperess of the main." HOUSE OF COMMONS, SOMETIMES CALLED ST. STEPHEN'S CHAPEL. THIS place, which has been the arena of the greatest forensic eloquence perhaps that ever has existed, like part of the Bank, has been formerly devoted to the purpose of religion, Where, thro' the long drawn isles and fretted vaults, |