situation and the cleanliness and gentility reigning around. There is a pretty little ait or isle standing opposite the back of the church, on which is a tavern and gardens: it is a place much resorted to by the Londoners on their high days and holidays. On the south bank of the river is Ham House, erected in 1490, which is a fine specimen of the style of architecture prevailing at that period. The country now possesses a different character, as regards its scenery, from that to which we have lately been accustomed; instead of magnificent gardens, enchanting villas, dense woods, and extensive shrubberies, we behold smiling corn fields and quiet cottages-the horizon being bounded to the left by a low range of hills sweeping on in the direction of Kingston, while to the right, instead of corn fields, are meadows, the view also being occasionally terminated by banks of oziers. We now pass TEDDINGTON, or Tuddington, the name being a corruption of that of Tide-ending-town, the tide formerly reaching as far as this place when there were fewer bridges over the Thames, the erection of which has sensibly checked its advances, and Richmond has now become its utmost limit, even at spring tides: here is presented the first lock which interrupts the free course of this noble stream. The appearance of things is now somewhat altered: instead of the multitude of pleasure boats and skiffs heretofore seen, we behold only the punt of some brother of the angle, and occasionally a commercial barge; the scene being varied by the appearance of that noble bird the swan, sailing majestically along. The pedestrian is not sorry for the exchange; he now feels himself truly in the country, and free from the contiguity of the metropolis, and the consequent escape from the intrusion of her sons. Your true pedestrian dislikes interlopers; and, except the friend at his side, is a declared enemy to all who claim acquaintance on the score of living in the same place. He leaves his regular habitation and wanders on through unknown tracts in search of different scenes from those to which he is generally accustomed, to find variety and perhaps solitude in variety he meets with pleasure, while in solitude he indulges in meditations, from which he can, whenever he is so minded, again find relief by once more sallying forth into the wide field that nature opens before him. In the midst of these musings, or some very similar, we find ourselves at KINGSTON, which is a large town in Surrey, where once a year, in the spring, the Assizes for the county are held. It is very well built, with a fine church and some good streets. Its ancient name was Moreford, or Great Ford, from one having existed in the neighbourhood. In the market-place eight of our Saxon kings were crowned; from which circumstance, it is believed the town takes its present name of Kingstown, or Kingston; some, however, are of opinion that it takes its name from a fortress belonging to, and also had been an ancient demesne of, the crown. It certainly had its present name as early as the Heptarchy. The pictures of these kings are preserved in the church, as also that of John, from whom this town had its first charter of incorporation it is governed by bailiffs, high steward, recorder, town clerk, &c. Here, according to the old writers, was held a great council of the nobles of the land, in which Egbert, the first king of all England presided, this was in 828. Near to the town existed at one time a castle, belonging to the Earls of Gloucester, of which there are now no vestiges remaining. It sent Members to Parliament in the times of Edward the Second and Third, but on the inhabitants petitioning to be relieved from that honour and burden, such privilege was taken away. Queen Elizabeth founded a school here, and gave certain lands in trust for its support; in which school Gibbon, the historian, received the early part of his education. The principal church is a fine, spacious, and imposing building. Among the many monumental inscriptions adorning its walls is the following, on a brass plate in the western chancel, chiefly noticeable on account of its singularity: Here/Francis lye Richard Richard Children which the Lord gave to the Mary bodies Matthew Sarah of Mary Job i. 2. Eccl. xi. 10. Rom. v. 14. Rom. v. 12. 1 Cor. xv. 2. 1 Tim. i. 1. Matth. i. 21. Rom. ix. 10. Gen. xvii. 7. College, by Mary his wife, daughter of Richard Balthrop, servant to Richard the late Queene Eliz. Ten children in one grave! a dreadful sight, Seven Sons and Daughters 3, Job's number right. Childhood and youth are vain, death reigns Even those who never sinned, like Adam fall. God is a God to the faithful and their seed. The bridge which crosses to Hampton Wick is of a recent date, built of stone, and consists of five arches. It is a handsome structure, and very different from the one formerly in use, which was of wood, and of very old standing. In the time of Charles the First, it was the second bridge from the sea (the new one is now the eleventh), and consisted of 20 arches and 22 piers. One Robert Hammond, a townsman of Kingston, endowed it with 407. per annum, for the purpose of releasing passengers from the payment of the toll which had been imposed for its maintenance. In the neighbourhood of Kingston stands a house anciently belonging to that Neville Earl of Warwick who, to use the quaint language of Aubrey in his Antiquities of Surrey, "did pull down and set up kings:" it is now the property of Earl Spencer. Near it are certain springs, the water of which, by means of leaden pipes, is conveyed under roads, buildings, and even the river itself, into Hampton Park, a distance of more than three miles. There are several other seats in the immediate vicinity of great beauty, particularly those called Canbury House and Coombe House, both of which are deserving attention. We now cross the bridge, at the foot of which is HAMPTON WICK. It holds forth to the antiquarian or lover of the picturesque, nothing deserving notice; yet at this moment we were glad to find ourselves within its walls, for being rather wearied with our long walk, under an early autumnal sun, we were right merry to find that mine host of the Lion, could furnish forth an excellent steak and a cup of home-brewed for our refreshment, of which having heartily partaken, we will once more resume our journey; but before taking leave of Hampton Wick, must say one thing that will be thought much in its favour by all honest anglers (of whom we hope we are a part), and it is this-that there is an abundance of fish in the river in this neighbourhood, which was fully proved to our entire satisfaction by the |