IMAGES!—BUY IMAGES.
The dealers in these articles are mostly Italians. The class of subjects sold in the streets were formerly of common-place interest, such as a parrot, horse, cat, or cow, but our vendor has some of a higher class—the Farnese Hercules, Baily’s Eve at the Fountain, Cupid and Psyche, Chantrey’s bust of Sir Walter Scott, &c. See, there is a Greenwich pensioner directing the attention of a young sailor to the Nelson column: he is perhaps describing the victory of the Nile or Trafalgar. There is a student of the Royal Academy observing their movements, very likely to introduce the scene in his next picture.
TRAFALGAR SQUARE
is an open space, bounded on the north by the National Gallery of Pictures and the Royal Academy of Arts, on the east by St. Martin’s Church, south by Northumberland House and Charing Cross, and on the west by the new College of Physicians: in the centre is the Nelson column; on either side are fountains. The National Gallery was built in 1837, by Sir W. Wilkins. St. Martin’s Church was erected in 1722, by Gibbs: Nell Gwyn, who was buried here, left a weekly entertainment to the bell-ringers, which they still enjoy. The Admiralty being in the parish, it is usual to announce naval victories from the belfry of this church.
BAKED POTATOES, ALL HOT!
How VERY cold it is! the Potato-merchant jumps about to warm his feet. It is fine time for the boys; they are pelting each other with snowballs. The drayman leads his team with care, lest they should slip on the icy road. See the snow on the statue of Charles; it recalls to mind the burial of that unfortunate monarch,—the snow that fell then was looked upon as type of his innocence.
CHARING CROSS.
So named, from a cross erected there by Edward I., to commemorate his affection for his beloved queen, Eleanor. The cross marked the last resting-place of the body on its way to Westminster: the exact spot is now occupied by the equestrian statue of Charles I.; it is in bronze, and was executed by Le Sœur, in 1633, for the Earl of Arundel.