This society from time to time publish an account of the progress they have made, by which it appears, that they have prosecuted above an hundred thousand persons; and sermons are preached quarterly before the members, by some of the most eminent preachers of this city, at Bow church.
In short, what is most surprizing, the fame of this society, which had so small a beginning, has produced amazing effects; after their example, other societies of the same kind have arisen, not only in the different parts of England and Scotland; but in several of our plantations in America, in Holland, Germany, the several cantons of Swisserland, the Grisons, in Sweden and Denmark: and the book which contains an account of this society, has been translated into Latin, French, High-Dutch, the Danish and Swedish languages.
Soho, St. Giles’s.
Soho Square, or King’s Square, is of considerable extent, and has an area surrounded with high palisado pales, enclosing a garden, in which is a statue of King Charles II. standing upon a pedestal placed in the midst of a small bason, at his Majesty’s feet lie the representations of the four principal rivers, the Thames, Trent, Humber and Severn, pouring out their waters. On the south side of this square are Frith street and Greek street, on the east Sutton street, on the north Charles street, and on the west, Denmark street.
There is not much taste or regularity in the Buildings of this square, but the place, if it has nothing to excite our praise does not appear to have any thing to provoke censure. My Lord Bateman’s house on the south side is the most remarkable. It has the appearance of grandeur and magnificence, and though it may have some defects, it has elegance sufficient to make us excuse them.
Somerset House, on the south side of the Strand, near the new church, is esteemed one of the royal palaces. It was built about the year 1549 by the Duke of Somerset, uncle to Edward VI. and protector of England, who demolished the palaces of the bishops of Chester and Worcester, an Inn of Chancery called Strand Inn, with the church of St. Mary le Strand, that stood there, and building this palace with the materials, it from him obtained the name of Somerset House. But the Duke soon after being attainted, it fell to the crown, and has usually been assigned for the residence of the Queen Dowager. In this palace Anne of Denmark, King James the First’s Queen, kept her court, upon which account, it was called Denmark house during that reign; but it soon after recovered the name of its first founder.
The front towards the Strand is adorned with columns and other decorations, which are much defaced by time and the smoke of the city, the principal ornaments having mouldered away. This front together with the quadrangle, seem to have been the first attempts to restore the ancient architecture in England. In the middle of the Strand front is a handsome gate which opens into the quadrangle, adorned with a piazza, perhaps more in taste than any other in the kingdom of the same antiquity, and the whole building on this side, has an air of grandeur. But the most beautiful front is that towards the garden, situated upon an elevation, part of which has been new built, with a fine piazza and lofty apartments over it. This part of the building is however irregular, and left unfinished; some of the old building being still standing on that side. The garden is extremely pleasant, it leading down to the Thames, from which it is separated by a parapet wall, and there is here a handsome landing-place, with stairs, which lead up to the principal walk to the palace.
This garden used to be public, and any person might have the liberty of walking in it; but since the Foot-guards have been quartered in the palace we are informed this privilege is discontinued, the passage to the garden through the palace is extremely disagreeable, the broken staircase, the appearance of the walls, the darkness, and the filth, render it like the descent into a prison; however the pleasantness of the garden, and the fine view it affords of the Thames, give a full recompence for whatever is disagreeable in our way to it. The view we have here given of Somerset house, is the garden front taken from the Thames, and shews the whole extent of the front that way, and consequently the old part of the building as well as the modern. The appearance altogether is picturesque. The new part, which is of stone, contains the royal apartments built by Inigo Jones, and was no doubt only a part of his design, the stairs and gate to the water shewing where he intended the center.
S. Wale delin. E. Rooker sculp.
Somerset House.