THis Tract was written chiefly to Page 1. satisfy my own Curiosity, and Curiosity being in a place where I had lit­tle to do, I though fit to write a Book for such People as had idle time enough upon their hands to read it. The Eng­lish Nation value themselves upon a plain Honesty, join'd with Hospitality; these make them Courteous to Stran­gers, but they are not very easy with their Curiosity. For they do not build P. 5. [Page 2] and dress mostly for Figure, as the French, P. 4. who are certainly the most Polite Nation in the World, and can praise and Court with a better grace than the rest of Mankind.

I did not intend to put on the Specta­cles of the Present State of England, Written by Dr. Chamberlain, nor any P. 2. Survey of the same for trusting to my Eyes, I had a mind to see without 'em.

But to content you Reader, I promise not to trouble you with Ceremonies, P. 2. either of State, or Church, or Politicks; for though I met with an English Gentleman who proffer'd to shew me John Sharp and Sir Charles Cotterel compar'd. the Princes of the Blood, the Prime Ministers of State, the Lord Mayor, and other Officers belonging to a City of so immense a greatness as that of London, yet I refus'd the Civility, and told him, that I took more pleasure to see honest John Sharp of Hackney, in his White Frock, crying Turneps ho! P. 3. four bunches a penny, than Sir Charles Cottrel, making room for an Embassa­dour, and I found my self better dispos'd, and more apt to learn the physiognomy of a hundred Weeds, than of five or six Princes.

[Page 3] I arriv'd at London, after a tedious P. 4. Journey, in bad weather; for I fell sick upon the road, and lay dangerously ill of the Tooth-ach.

I believe I did not see the tithe of what P. 5. deserves to be seen; because for many things I wanted a relish, particularly for Painting and Building, though I con­fess the grandure of a City chiefly consists in Buildings; and I verily be­lieve London to be one of the most Beau­tiful and Magnificent in Europe.

It is also most certain, that the Menages. common people of London, live dis­pers'd in single Houses, whereas in Pa­ris, P. 5. there are from Four to Five, and to Ten menages or distinct Families in many Houses, from whence I infer that as to the Commonalty Paris may be more populous than London, although perhaps their dwelling mayn't be so wholsome and cleanly.

I found the Houses some of hew'n stone Brick and Stone Houses. entire, some of Brick with free Stone; as the Crown Tavern upon Ludgate-hill, and the corner House of Birchin-Lane, and several others. P. 8. Port­cochezs and Re­mises.

Divers of the Citizens Houses, have Port-cochezs to drive in a Coach, or a [Page 4] Cart either, and Consequently have Courts within, and mostly Remises to set them up, such persons as have no Port­chochez, and consequently no Courts or Remises, set up their Coaches at o­ther places, and let their Horses stand at Livery.

The Cellar Windows of most Houses P. 8. Cellar Windows. are grated with strong barrs of Iron, to keep thieves out, and Newgate is grat­ed up to the Top to keep them in. Which must be of vast expence!

As the Houses are magnificent without, P. 9. Bureaus. so they furnish them within accord­ingly. But I could not find, that they had any Bureaus of Ivory.

Upon viewing the Braziers and P. 9. Things wanting in England for want of Com­merce with France. Turners Shops, I found it true, what my Country Man Monsieur Justell for­merly told me, that according to his Cata­logue there were near threescore utensils, and conveniencies of Life more in En­gland than in France. But then the English, since the breach of their com­merce with France, lie under great necessities of several commodities fit­ing for the ease and support of Hu­mane Life, as Counterfeit Pearl Neck­laces, P. 142. Fans, Tooth Picks, and Tooth [Page 5] Pick Cases, and especially Prunes, the Calamity of which has been so great for Ten Years last past, that they have not had enough to lay round their Plum-porridge at Christmas.

I must to give a faithful account de­scend P. 10, Kennells. even to the Kennels; the Gutters are deep, and lain with rough edges, which make the Coaches not to glide easily over 'em, but occasion an imployment for an industrious sort of people call'd Kennel-Rakers.

The Squares in London are many P. 10. Squares. James's Bloom­bury. P. 10. and very beautiful, as St. James, Sohoe, Bloombury, Red-Lyon. Devonshire, none of the largest, and Hogsdon not yet finish'd. But that which makes the dwel­ling in this City very diverting, is the facility of going out into the fields, as to Knightsbridge, where is an excellent Spring-Garden, to Marribone, where P. 11. Knights­bridge and Islington. is a very good Bowling-Green, Isling­ton as famous for Cakes, as Stepeny is for Bunns.

But to descend to a more particular re­view P. 11. of this great City, I think it not a­miss to speak first of the Streets.

There are Coaches in the streets Coaches which are very numerous, but the Fiacers [Page 6] are not hung with double springs, at the four Corners, which springs would in­sensibly Break all Jolts. So that I fou [...]d the case alter'd in England; and I to had rather ride in a Fiacre at Paris, than in the easiest Chariot of a Lord Embassador; to my great asto­nishment at London, found that in a Hackney Coach, there was not a jolt but what affected a Man, from whence I drew these Surprising Conclusions.

First that a Hackney is a miserable, Voiture, and next, that a Man may be P. 13. more tired in an hour in that, than in six hours riding in my Lord Ambassa­dors casiest Chariot.

I saw a Boy that had Harness'd two Doggs, which drew a small Voiture P. 13. Boy in a little Coach. with a Burden in it, and I saw a little Master in a little Vinegretté, drawn a­long by two Boys; much bigger then himself, and push'd behind by a Maid. These I was willing to omit as thinking them at first sight scandalous, and a ve­ry jest, they being wretched businesses in so magnificent a City.

Finding that neither Post chaises nor Rouillions were in use in London, I told Post chaises Rouillions not in En­gland. them of 'em, how both Horses pull, but [Page 7] one only is in the Thilles, how the Coach­man mounts the Rouillion, but for the Chaise he only mounts the side House, and that they might be introduced to good purpose. But I found the English Cu­riosity so small that I did not see any Rouillion made during my six months stay in London.

As for their Recreations and Walks, P. 14. Receati­ons and Walks. St. James Park is frequented by people of Quality, who if they have a mind to have better and freer Air, drive to Hide Park, where is a Ring for the Coaches to drive round, and hard by is Mrs. Price's, where are incomparable Sil­labubs, out of other parts of the Town, they go to Hamstead and Cane Wood, (an admirable place for Nuts, as Mother Huffs for Bottle Ale) scarce any side a­miss. P. 14. I had almost forgot that in St. James's Park are many Seats, for the Entertainment of all People, the Lackqueys and Mob excepted, but of this more here­after.

'Tis pretty to observe how the Magi­strates P. 16. Signs in the streets. indulge the Inhabitants of this Great City, by this small instanced, for whereas in Paris the King has caused the Citizens to take down their signs, and [Page 8] not to exceed a small measure of Square. In London they may be of what mea­sure they please, even to a Monstrous bigness, as my great Curiosity ob­serv'd, in the Sign of the Ship Tavern, and the Castle Tavern in Fleet-street, which has almost Obscur'd the Sun; and Barbers hang out poles of a great huge length almost as long as a Missen Mast.

There are a great may Publick Inns P. 16. Inns The White Horse in Fleet­street, &c. in London, where Lodging are to be Let, as the Bull Inn in Bishopgate-street, the Saracens Head in Friday-street, the White Horse in Fleet-street, and others. But besides these there are divers other places so called; as Cliffords Inn, Clements Inn, Lyons Inn, &c. where several Gentlemen Practioners of the Law Reside. This seems as it were to denote that heretofore Attorneys might lodge in Publick Inns as well as other Strangers.

In the River of Thames, both a­bove P. 17. Boats. Bridge and below, are a vast number of Boats of Wood, Hay, Char­cool, Corn, Wine, and other Commodi­ties. When a Frost comes there are not so many. But when a Thaw comes, they are often in danger of being Split [Page 9] and Crush'd to piecss. And upon my Word, there have been great losses to the Owners of such Boats and goods, upon such occasions. The reason why there are more Boats below Bridge than above, is because there is a Cu­stom House, which brings into the King of England, a Revenue able to defend the sovereignty of the Seas, a­gainst any Enemy whatsoever; and the Reason why there lie so many Hundred Large Vessels of all sorts and of all Nation; is because they cannot get through Bridge Heigh! and there are a great many light boats loaden with Brooms, Gingerbread, Tobacco, and a Dram of the Bottle Ho! Above Bridge is a vast Boat, with a House upon it, and a Garden in the Garret, and further up the River at Chelsey, is a Land Ship very large built on pur­pose never to go to Sea.

There are Beggars in London, and P. 20. Beggar. people whose necessities force them to ask relief from such as they think able to afford it.

But there are no Monks who de­clare No Monks against Marriage. And a Cer­tain Learned Person told me that he [Page 10] did not like starved Monks, but that he was for free marriage, and that the Flesh­eaters will ever defend themselves if not beat the Lenten men.

Therefore he was entirly for Propa­gation, P. 21. that men might be like the Stars in the Firmament, or the shells and sand upon the Sea shore; and so notwithstanding any Circumstances of Life Age or For­tune, should marry, and that it was as prudent in an old Man of threescore and ten, as in a Youth of one and twenty.

There is a great deal of Noise in this City, of publick Cries of things to be sold, Publick Cries. P. 22. and great disturbance from Pamphlets and Hawkers. The Gazetts come out twice a week, and a great many buy 'em. When a thing is lost, they do not as in Paris, put a Printed Paper on the Wall, but if it be of small value, the Bell-man Cries it, and if it be a thing of greater moment as for Example, a Lapdog, &c. then they put it in the Advertise­ments.

The streets are lighted all the Winter, Streets Lighted. P. 23. but there is an impertinent usage of the people at London, not to light 'em, when the Moon shines. They ridiculously [Page 11] defend themselves by saying, they can see by moonshine, and have no more reason to hold a Candle to the Moon than to the Sun. There were three Young Gentlemen of good Families in a P. 24. Frolick, went a scouring, broke the Lights, and were sent to the Counter, and could not be releas'd thence without di­ligent Application of Friends, and paying Garnish to their fellow Prisoners.

The Avenues to the City, and all the Streets clean. Streets are Paved with Pebbles, and Flints and Rag Stones, and there is great care to keep them clean. In winter for Exam­ple, upon melting of the Ice, you shall see all the Prentices and Porters up in Arms, with Brooms and Paring Sho­vels; so that in a few hours time all parts of the Town are to admiration clean, and neat again to walk on.

I could heartily wish, I had been at Dust. P. 25. London in Summer, to have seen whe­ther they have more Dust at London, than in Paris. I have notwithstand­ing in my Curious Enquiries after Dust, found that there are several dust Carts about the Town, and there are seve­ral Women that take delight, and as I have heard pay money to ride in em. [Page 12] A fine Lady about the Town, was taken thence, and upon her change of clean Linning took upon herself the Title of Clinderaxa.

There are several Statues, both at Charing-cross, in the City, and at Statues. the Exchange, but my Relish being not for Art but Nature, as I have before declared, I think fit to meddle with 'em, as little as I can.

I happen'd to go with a Lady to Hide Park Corner, where in an open Naked Statues Com­mended at Hide-Park Cor­ner. P. 29. P. 30. Area, we saw several Naked Statues, at which she out of a fond humour, or hoc sit of Devotion, took some offence. I told her, Cicero somewhere says, that some of the ancient wise men thought there was nothing naturally obscene, but that every thing might be call'd by its own name; she told me I was making an Apology for talking obscencely. I reply'd no, but added, Why should Nu­dity P. 30. be so offensive since a very great part of the World yet defies Cloaths, and ever did so; and the parts they do most affect to cover, are from a certain necessity P. 30. P. 31. only: At which she blush'd, and I for the sake of further Discourse begun a long story about Roman Cloths, and [Page 13] told her, a Roman was as soon undress'd P. 31. as I can put of my Gloves and Shooes. For he had nothing to do but to loose the Gir­dle of the Tunica, and to draw up both his Arms from under the Tunica, and he was in Bed immediately, whereas I had a hundred fatigues to undergo, as un­buttoning by Collar, untying my Knee­strings; and several other things that would make a Man impatient to think of. I told her likewise it was after the Flannel Shirts found out at Rome. P. 31. 32. No Steen­kirks at Rome. first Ages of the Commonwealth, that they found out the invention of putting a Shirt next the Skin; that as for Ruffles and Steenkirks, they were never added in the very Splendor and Luxury of the Empire. I continued my Dis­course, that I, much admire I could never meet with a Statue in London, but what was Cloathed with a Toga pura and no representation of a Bullated one. I told her, that the Romans indeed wore Flan­nel Shirts, but in my mind a fair Lin­nen P. 33. Com­mendati­on of Linnen Shirts. Shirt every Day, is as great a preser­vative to Neatness and Cleanness of the Skin, as going to the Bagnio, was to the Romans. The Lady smil'd and told me, Sir, I am glad you have Cloth'd the poor Creatures, that we [Page 14] found Naked. This seeming to be spoke in a Ridiculous way, something provo­ked me, but spying a little State of Mo­ther Shipton, whose Face was deep with­in the Quoifure; says I, Madam, this Woman looks as if she were ashamed of her Cheat: It was the fancy of King Henry the 8th's time to make Old Wo­men Prophetesses, but I think to make them Sagae and Veneficae, (that is in plain English Sorceresses and Poisoners) is reasonable enough, for Age makes all Peo­ple Spiteful, but more the weaker Sex. So Old Wo­men Wit­ches. P. 34. we parted in chagrin, for I believe the Lady Modestly speaking, was up­wards of fifty.

I heard of several Persons that had great Collections of Rarities, Pictures, and Statues. But I was resolved to Visit but a few, and those the most Cu­rious; and when I made any Observa­tions, that they should be to the pur­pose.

So I visited Mr. Doncaster, He En­tertained Mr. Don­caster. P. 36. me very Civilly; He has a very fine Octogon Room, with a Dome. He has very fine Pictures, though I must confess as before, I have no relish for Painting. He show'd me some Pi­ctures [Page 15] of Rubens, in which the Allegoric Assistants in the Tableaux are very airy and fancifully set out. He show'd me, likewise, one of Vandyke, but being Painted in Dishabile, it had a Foppish P. 39. Night-Gown and Old Quoifure. Which lead me into this Reflection, that the 40. Modern Painters have hereby an oppor­tunity to be idle. He has several other Curiosities; among the rest was a Roman Glass, whose very bottom was smooth and very little umbilicate. He P. 38. show'd me, likewise, a great Rum­mer of two Quarts, very proper for Rummer of two Quarts. Rhenish Wine, and Limon and Su­gar in the midst of Summer; I found that the foot of the latter was more Umbilicated than the former. He then diverted me with a Copy of the Writing said to be the Devil's Writing, kept in Queen's Colledge in Oxford. Upon which I began the Di­scourse of these matters; I told him, that the Chinese were very much Em­barass'd in their Writing, as this Wri­ting P. 48. seem'd to be. But I was rather inclin'd, to think this the Boustrophedon way mention'd by Suidas like the Racers about the Meta in the Cirque. But I P. 5 [...] [Page 16] could not find that he had any appre­hension of the matter. In this Collection, I saw a Millers Thumb, which he told Miller's Thumb. P. 58. me was taken by a Miller with his Thumb and fore finger. It is very like a Hippocumpus as to the Thick belly and breast of it. With this I was ex­treamly pleased, and am infinitely ob­lig'd to this Mr. Doncaster, for he Stickle­backs. show'd me several sort of Tadpoles and Sticklebacks, which only for big­ness are not much unlike a Pope, or Ruff, and presented me with one of 'em, which I design to give a draught of.

I was to visit Mr. Muddifond, I was Mr. Mud­difond. P. 66. 67. sorry to hear that he had some thoughts concerning the Hearts of a Hedghog, which had made a very great breach betwixt Mr. Goodenough and himself. I could have wish'd, I might have re­concil'd the Animosity. But it is to be Hoped there may come good from an Honest Emulation. I had several discourses with Mr. Muddifond, about an Old Cat and a Young Kitling in an air Pump, and how the Cat died after 16 Pumps, but Kitling in an air Pump. the Kitling surviv'd 500 Pumps. Up­on which we fell into a Learned Di­course, [Page 17] of the lives of Cats; and at last agreed upon this distinction, That it ought not to be said that Cats, but that Kitlings have nine lives. And after the dispute ended, P. 2. he very obligingly procured me a Hu­man Heart. But I must confess the generosity of the English in this, for not many days after Mr. Baddington, P. 71. procured me another, which was ex­treamly Grateful.

I was recommended by a Friend to Mr. Brownsworth, a Person that belongs Mr. Browns. worth. to the Tower of London. He is a Ci­vil Gentleman, but his genius lead him more to Politicks than Curiosity. He proffer'd to shew me the new Armory, in which are Arms, as he told me, for above a Hundred Thousand Men, all dispos'd in a manner, most surprizing and magnificent; as likewise another Armory, where are Arms for Twenty Thousand Men more. He would like­wise have shew'd me the Horse Armo­ry, a Royal Train of Artillery, and several Cannon taken out of the Tri­dent Prize. He would likewise have carryed me to see the Crown Impe­rial, and other Jewels belonging to it. [Page 18] I humbly thank'd him, and told him, that my Curiosity led me otherwise, and P. 2. that my Observations inclin'd rather to Nature than Dominion. Upon which smiling he said, he hoped he should gratifie me, and immediately led me to a place where we saw Lyons, Tygers, and two very remarkable Cat­amountains. I took more particular Notice of two Owls, of an immense greatness, but by their being without Owls. P. 73. P. 2. P. 73. Calf with a Top-knot. horns, I take 'em not to be a distinct Species from the European.

But that with which I was most de­lighted, was a Calf skin stuft, 'twas admirable to behold, a certain tumor or excrescence it had upon its forehead, in all points resembling the Commodes or Top-knots now in Fashion. Upon this I exprest my thanks to Mr. Brownsworth in the most Obliging Terms I could. He then told me, the Royal Mint was not far off, upon which I said, I was a great ad­mirer of Coins, and desired him to give me an account of what Coins there were in England He began to tell me, that about three Years ago the cur­rent Coin of the Kingdom consisted of [Page 19] old Money, coin'd by several Kings; that those Coins were Clipt and debased to a very great degree, but that the King with the advice of his Parliament, in the very heighth of the War with France, had establish'd a Paper Credit (or if you please to call it Coin) of Bills, issued out of the Exchequer and Notes from the Royal Bank of England, a­mounting to prodigious sums; that at present all our Silver is in Mild Mony, either of the two last Kings, or his present Majesty, of which there is so great a Quantity, that posterity will be apt to think, that there were scarce any Prince that ever Coin'd before him. This Money, and Credit, have circu­lated so far, and are in so great a plen­ty, that in a late subscription to a New East India Company, Two Millions Sterling were subscrib'd in less than two days time, and as much more ex­cluded▪ I believe the Man would have run on till Evening, if I had not thus interrupted him: Sir, said I, I beg you to consider, that I am a Virtuoso, and that your present discourse is quite out of my Element: Sir, you would oblige me much more, if you could [Page 20] find me any Coin from Palmira, more P. 97. particularly of Zenobia, Odenatus, or Vabalathus, and that I prefer'd a VABALATHUS UCRIMPR, or a VABALATHUS AUG. Coins of Vabala­thus. P. 115. before Twenty of the best pieces of Gold Coin'd in the Tower. The Gentle­man very Civilly reply'd, that he would endeavour to satisfie my Curiosi­ty; that he had at home two rusty Copper Pieces, with which he intend­ed to present me, (which he accord­ingly did the next day) that he had been told by a Person of the Belles Let­tres, that they were dug out of the Isle of Scilly, and that One was of Cata­thumpton a Saxon Prince, the other of Coins of Cata­thumpton and Go­clenia. P. 121. Goclenia his Daughter and Successor; they have both very odd Characters, (if any) about 'em. I design to give the Reader a Cut of them. The Evening coming on, and my thanks returned to him, we parted.

I was to see Mr. Shuttleworth, whose Friendship I greatly Value; He has many P. 46. Moni­ment of Chivey-Chase. Stones from Scotland; there is one the most Curious of all, Concerning which he is ready to publish a Dissertation. 'Tis a Catalogue in three Columns, of the Names [Page 21] of the most Principal Persons that were Kill'd at Chivey Chase. Widdrington closes the Column, and after his Name there is a Noble Pindarick in which he is Recorded, upon the Cuting off his Legs, to have fought upon his Stumps. Of the Antiquity of this Stone, besides the known History and names which justify the time of those Men, the figure of the Letters and the Blackness of 'em, particularly of the word Stumps, are undoubted Arguments.

He show'd me a Thousand other Rarities as the skin of a Cap-Ass, many Asses, Snails, &c. P. 60. Ibid. Ibid. P. 61. very excellent Land Snails, a Freshwater Mussel from Chatham; A thin Oyster, a very large Wood Frog, with the ex­tremity of the Toes Webbed.

He show'd me some papers of Swam­merdam, P. 73. in which were some small Treatises, or rather some figures only of the P. 103. Tadpole. Again figures relating to the natural History of a certain Day But­terfly, and of some considerable number of Snails, as well naked as fluviatile. He P. 43. Play things, Puppets, Rattles. P. 111. show'd me a vast number of great Cases in which were Play-things, or Puppets, all of them brought from France, Except one Sistrum, or AEgyptian Rattle, with [Page 22] three loose, or running wires cross it. I proffer'd him my assistance to Com­plete so useful a Collection as that of Play-things and Rattles.

I was infinitely pleased with this Gen­tlemans Company, especially when A Differ­tation of Mufflers. he shew'd me a Dissertation he had written out fair for the Press, about a certain an­tient Intaglia of Madaces of Ptolomaeus Auletes, or the player upon the Flute: in this he said the thin Muffler was the most Remarkable. Upon this I told him, that I had a dissertation concerning the Remarkable thickness and thinness of Mufflers, with which I would pre­sent him.

One Toy I took notice of, which was a Collection of Tennis Balls; for three P. 93. Tennis Balls. hundred years or more, some of them were sent by a French King, to King Henry V. and there are patterns of all that the English have sent back, from the bigness of the smallest bor'd mus­ket, to the shells of the largest mor­tars.

I went to see an Old Woman (that shall be nameless) she was 91 Years of P. 95. An Old Woman. Age. I was surprized to find her Body in Ruins. It was a perfect mortification [Page 23] to see the sad decays of Nature. To hear her talk with her Lips hanging about a toothless Mouth, end her words flying a­broad at Random; this put me in mind of the Sybils uttering Oracles, and how other Old Women, call'd Witches, have been since employed on this errand, and have at very unreasonable times of night been forced to bestride their Broom-staff on such like occasions.

I would have seen a very Famous Library, near St. James's Park, but I was told, that the Learned Library Keeper was so busy in answering a Book which had been lately wrote a­gainst him, concerning Phalaris, that it would be rudeness any ways to in­terrupt him; though I had heard of his singular Humanity, both in France, and other places.

I was at an Auction of Books, at Tom's Auction. Coffee-House, near Ludgate, where were above fifty people. Books were sold with a great deal of Trifling and delay as with us, But very Cheap, those Excellent Au­thors Mounsieur Maimbourg, Mounsieur Varillas, and Mounsieur le Grand, tho' they were all guilt on the Back, and would have made a very considerable [Page 24] Figure in a Gentlemans Study, yet af­ter much tediousness, were sold for such Trifling sums, that I am asham'd to name 'em.

The Pox here is the great business of the Pox. P. 236. P. 239. Town. This secret service has introduced little contemptible Animals of all sorts in­to business; and Quacks here, as with us, do thrive vastly into great Riches.

It was very pleasant diversion to me to read upon the Walls, every where about the Town, the Quacks Bills in great Un­cial Letters.

As

‘Aqua Tetrachymagogon.’

Another,

‘Read, Try, Judge, and Speak as You Find.’

Another,

‘The Unborn Doctor, that Cures all Diseases. He is to be spoke with at a [Page 25] Boiling Cooks, in Old Bedlam, from Ten till Two, and afterwards at his Stage in Moorfields.’

Another,

‘At the Golden Ball, and Lillies Head, John Case lives, though Saffold's dead.’

By these Bills it is Evident, there is yet a certain Modesty and decorum left in Concealing this Disease, and people, though they may have failings in pri­vate, don't care to expose themselves to the publick. There are Women, P. 238. that are seventh Daughters, that do admirable Cures, and there are people that can pick Pockets, and afterwards by Consulting the Stars, tell you who it was that did it.

I met with a Gentleman, that told me a secret, That the old Romans in their Luxury took their Tea, and Chocolate, Chocolate and Tea: P. 169. after a full meal, and every man was his own Cook in that Case. Particularly Caesar that most admirable and most ac­complish'd Prince, being resolv'd to Eat [Page 26] and Drink to excess before he lay down to Table, Emeticen agebat, prepared for himself his Chocolate, and Tea. He pre­sented me with a Roman Tea Dish, and a Chocolate Pot, which I take to be about Augustus's time, because it is very Rusty; my Maid very igno­rantly was going to scour it, and had done me an immense Damage

I saw several Gardens at K [...]ngsland; the Gardiner was an Artist, and had some P. 187. Rosemary and Ma­rum Syri­cum. plants in cases in good order, not to be seen elsewhere, as Marum Syriacum, Rose­mary-Bushes, &c.

I was at Chelsey, where I took parti­cular P. 183. notice of these plants in the Green House at that time; As,

Urtica male olens Japoniae, the stin­king nettle of Japan.

Goosberia sterilis Armeniae, the Ar­menian Goosberry bush, that bears no Fruit, this had been potted Thirty Years.

Cordis Quies Persia, which the Eng­lish call Heartsease, or Love, and Idle­ness, a very Curious Plant.

Brambelia Fructificans Laplandiae, or the Blooming Bramble of Lapland.

[Page 27] With a Hundred other Curious plants, as a particular Collection of Briars and Thorns, which were some part of the Curse of the Crea­tion.

The Winter was very rude and fierce. P. 229. Small-coal Kettles. Multitudes had little Tin Kettle in their Houses, with Small-coal kindled, to light their Pipes withal; though in some places they use Candles, in others Salamanders.

I was at Bartholomew Fair. It con­sists P. 176. Bartholo­mew's Fair. of most Toyshops; also Fiance and Pi­ctures, Ribbon-shops, no Books; Many Shops of Confectioners, where any Wo­man may commodiously be treated: Kna­very is here in perfection, dextrous Cut-Purses, and Pick pockets: I went to Pick Pockets. see the Dancing on the Ropes, which was admirable. Coming out I met a man that would have took off my Hat, but I secur'd it, and was going to draw my Sword, Crying out, Begar! Damn'd Rogue! Morblew, &c. when on a sudden I had a hundred People about me, Crying here, Monsieur, See Jephtha's Rash Vow, here, Monsieur, see the Tall Dutch Woman; see the [Page 28] Tyger, says another; see the Horse and no Horse, whose Tayl, stands where his Head should do; see the German Artist, Monsieur; see the Siege of Namur, Monsieur: So that betwixt Rudeness and Civility, I was forc'd to get into a Fiacre, and with P. 10. an air of Hast, and a full Trot, got home to my Lodgings.

I was at St. James's Park; there were no Pavillions, nor decoration of Ducks. P. 207. Treilliage, and Flowers; but I saw there a vast number of Ducks; these were a most surprising sight, I could not for­bear to say, to Mr. Johnson, who was pleased to Accompany me in this Walk, that sure all the Ponds in England had contributed to this profusion of Ducks; which he took so well, that he ran immediately to an Old Gentleman, that sate in a Chair, and was feeding of 'em, he rose up very obligingly, embraced me, and Saluted me with a Kiss, and invited me to Dinner; tel­ling me, he was infinitely oblig'd to me for flattering the King's Ducks.