By truest love and gratitude endeared:
The glory of his land, in whom were found
Genius unmatched, and mastery of the soul,
Beyond all human wight, save Shakspeare's own controul."
F.S.A. L. & E.
NOTES ON CUNNINGHAM'S HANDBOOK FOR LONDON.
Soho Square.—Your correspondent "NASO" (p. 244.) has anticipated me in noticing Mr. Cunningham's mistake about Mrs. Cornellys' house in this square; but he has left unnoticed some particulars which deserve to be recorded. Mrs. Cornellys', or Carlisle House as it was called, was pulled down at the beginning of the present century (1803 or 1804), and two houses built upon its site, now Jeffery's Music Warehouse and Weston's Printing Office. Some curious old paintings representing banqueting scenes, formerly in Carlisle House were carefully preserved until the last few years, in the drawing-room of the corner house, when they were removed to make room for some needed "elegancies" of the modern print shops. The Catholic Chapel in Sutton Street was the banquetting-room of Carlisle House; and the connecting passage between it and the house in Soho Square was originally the "Chinese bridge."
"Teresa Cornelys, Carlisle House, St. Ann, Soho, dealer" appears in the bankrupt list of The London Gazette of November, 1772; and in December of the same year, this temple of festivity, and all its gorgeous contents, were thus advertised to be sold by public auction:—
"Carlisle House, Soho.—At twelve o'clock on Monday the 14th instant, by Order of the Assignees, Mr. Marshall will sell by Auction on the Premises, in one Lot, All that extensive, commodious, and magnificent House in Soho Square, lately occupied by Mrs. Cornelys, and used for the Public Assemblies of the Nobility and Gentry. Together with all the rich and elegant Furniture, Decorations, China, &c., thereunto belonging, too well-known and universally admired for their aptness and taste to require here any public and extraordinary description thereof. Catalogues to be had at the House, and at Mr. Marshall's, in St. Martin's Lane. The curiosity of many to see the house, to prevent improper crowds, and the great damage that might happen therefrom (and the badness of this season) by admitting indifferent and disinterested people, must be an excuse to the public for the Assignees ordering the Catalogues to be sold at 5s. each, which will admit two to see the house, &c., from Monday the 7th instant to the time of sale, Sundays excepted, from ten in the morning to three in the afternoon, and they hope no person or persons will take amiss being refused admittance without Catalogues."