CROSBY HALL 75 live in Broad Street. There are some interesting records of the yearly increase in the amount of his fees. With the small beginning of five guineas in the first year, the amount increased to £21,000. This appears to have been the largest sum he received in a single year; but his income was, I believe, about £15,000 a year for a long time. There is an amusing story about a millionaire merchant on whom Sir Astley had operated. He had paid his physicians fees of 300 guineas each. The old patient, sitting up in bed, said to Sir Astley, "You, sir, shall have something better —there, sir, take that," throwing his night-cap at the great surgeon. Cooper picked up the missile, and said, "Sir, I will pocket the affront." On reaching home he found a draft for 1000 guineas in the night-cap. Before I left Bishopsgate Street on the night I had such a delightful walk, viewing the Coronation illuminations, I went to see Crosby Hall. What wonderful reminiscences it called forth! Once it was inhabited by the great and good Sir Thomas More. Erasmus likens it to a "school and exercise of the Christian religion,” all its inhabitants, male and female, applying "their leisure to liberal studies and profitable reading, although piety was their 76 FAMILIAR LONDON first care. No wrangling, no idle word, was heard in it; everyone did his duty with alacrity, and not without a temperate cheerfulness." Sir Thomas More sold the house to his "dear friend" Antonio Bonvice, a merchant of Lucca, to whom More, twelve years after, sent a touching farewell letter, written in the Tower, with a piece of charcoal, the night before his execution. Crosby Hall passed through vicissitudes for many years. In 1678 a sale was announced at Crosby Hall of "tapestry, a good chariot, and a black girl of about fifteen.” The Hall was much mutilated, and the "withdrawing-room and throne-room were let as warehouses to the East India Company. A lady who lived near, Miss Hackett, saved this fine example of domestic Gothic architecture from further evil, and in 1836 it was partially restored by public subscription, and reopened by the Lord Mayor, who presided at the banquet in the old English style which was held on that occasion. IV CHELSEA- -CLOTH FAIR-DON SALTERO'S COFFEEHOUSE- -STREET CHILDREN- -DUSK ON THE RIVER-THE "KING'S PRIVATE ROAD". PHYSIC GARDEN -THE IN old Chelsea Church we have left, untouched except by the hand of Time, memorials of a long roll of the inhabitants of Chelsea. Their names are handed down to us at the corners of many of the streets-Sloane Street, Hans Place, Lincoln Street, Cheyne Walk, etc.-the name of the old Hungerford family too. All these great men dead and gone! As I wander in square and street, with idlers all around me, I often think how each one has in him the great heart of man. How this idea ripened in the war that was forced upon us by the Transvaal! One has seen men whose apparent triviality annoyed one come back as heroes, for they were men at heart and did the deeds of |