Views in London by Canaletto (Vol. ix., p. 106.).—In reply to the Query of your correspondent Gondola, I beg to say that I have long had the pleasure of possessing one of Canaletto's London views, that of the Thames from the Temple Gardens, in which the hand that painted gondolas and masks may be traced in Thames wherries and grave Templars. I believe there are others in the collections of the Dukes of Buccleugh and Northumberland.
Edmund Phipps.
Park Lane.
During the residence of Antonio Canaletto at Venice, he painted a number of pictures, at low prices, for Joseph Smith, Esq., the British consul; but that gentleman retailed those paintings at an enormous profit to English travellers. Canaletto finding this out, was induced to visit a country where his talents were so much appreciated. He accordingly came to England in the year 1746, being then about fifty years of age. He remained with us six or seven years (not two, as stated by Walpole), and during that period received great encouragement from the English nobility. His delineations of London and its environs, especially those of Thames scenery (of which he seems to have been very fond), are deservedly admired. Two of these are at Goodwood, and another (Parliament Street, looking towards Charing Cross) is in the Buccleuch Collection. Several London paintings were, at the beginning of the present century, in the possession of the Hon. Percy Wyndham. Some others are to be found in the royal collections, and in those of many noblemen and gentlemen of fortune.
Edward F. Rimbault.
London Fortifications (Vol. ix., pp. 174. 207.).—During the last civil war a fortification was erected at the Brill Farm, near old St. Pancras Church, where, 120 years after, Somers Town was built. A view of it is extant, and may be obtained for a few shillings. The Brill is also stated to have been a Roman station, but, I believe, without foundation.
G. J. S.
Tavistock Terrace, Holloway.
What Day is it at our Antipodes? (Vol. viii., pp 102. 649.).—After the able way in which this subject has been treated by A. E. B., I will only add an extract from A Complete System of Geography, by Emanuel Bowen, London, 1747, vol. iii. p. 250.:
"One thing more is worth observing concerning this place (Macao), namely, that the Portuguese Sunday here is the Saturday with the Spaniards of the Philippine Islands, and so forward through all the days of the week, although there be scarce any difference in the longitude of both places. But the reason is, the Portuguese, in coming to Europe, pass eastward, whereas the Spaniards, coming from America, pass westward; so that between both, they have sailed round the globe: in doing which there is necessarily one day lost, as we have taken occasion to show in the introduction to this work."