yet should they be removed but one halfmile either east or weft, fuch an alteration would be disadvantageous. For to the eastward fome rows of buildings do in a ftreight line cross the fields, and meet the river again at Blackwall; and to the westward the buildings run along a rifing ground which overlooks Hide-park, and the adjacent fields. The whole town lies upon a fhelving fituation, descending eafily, and as it were in the form of a theatre towards the fouth and river, covered from the north, northeast and northwest winds: fo that in very cold and ftormy weather, by means of the buildings of the city and on the bridge, 'tis both warm and calm upon the river; which being as it were the string to the bow, affords the great conveniency of a cheap and speedy conveyance from one part to the other. The shelving fituation of the city is not only moft fitted to receive the kind influences of the fun, but to carry off by common-shores and other ways the fnow and dirt of the ftreets into the river, which is cleanfed by the tides twice

every day. But above all, the ground on which the city stands being a gravel, renders the inhabitants healthful, and the adjacent country wholfome and beautiful. The county of Kent furnishes us with the choiceft fruit; Hertfordshire and Cambridgshire with corn; Lincolnshire, Effex, and Surrey with beef, veal and mutton; Buckinghamshire with wood for fuel, and the river with all that the feas and the reft of the world affords. And this in fo great plenty, that in times of peace, the common fuel, though brought two hundred miles by fea, is yet fold at a reasonable rate; and in fo great variety, that we may find more forts of wine in London than in the countries which produce the richest and the most. In a word, all the useful and superfluous things that nature produces, or the wit of man has invented, are to be found here, either made by our artificers, or imported by our merchants. That which is to be admired, faid I, is the perfect peace and tranquillity in which the inhabitants live; proceeding either from their natural Bb temper,

temper, or the good order and plenty of the place, and the fecurity they enjoy from the attempts of any enemy by being fituated in an island. So that this great city without walls or guards is as acceffible at all hours of the night as the moft inconfidera-. ble village. But that which charms me moft is the liberty and rights they are poffeffed of in matters civil and religious. To thefe advantages I might add many things which render this city great, convenient, and agreeable; fuch are, the important transactions of a parliament; the judgments in Westminster-hall; the bufinefs of the Exchange, navigation and commerce; the affairs and diverfions of the court, together with the recreations and pleasures of the town. These last words have spoiled all, faid Sir Chr. and unluckily revived in me the image of that corruption of manners which reigns in this place, has infected the whole nation, and must at length bring both the city and nation to ruin. And if one may judge by the greatnefs of the corruption, this fatal

pe

riod is not far off. For no regulations of government are fufficient to restrain or correct the manners of fo great a number of people living in one place, and exposed to fo many temptations from the bad example they give to one another. And the frequency of ill example, which can never fail to be where fo great numbers live together, authorizes the corruption, and will always be too strong and powerful for any magiftracy to controul. For though every man may have his own scheme to reform and regulate these disorders, yet experience has taught us that no human prudence can preferve the manners of men living in great cities from extraordinary corruption; and that where great power, riches and numbers of men are brought together, they not only introduce an univerfal depravation of manners, but destroy all good government, and bring ruin and desolation upon a people. What great corruptions do you find in this place, fo obftinate and incorrigible, faid the Earl? No laws or regulations, replied Sir Chr, are fufficient to restrain Bb 2 the

the luxury of women, to banish so many thousands of common prostitutes, or to prevent a far greater number of that sex from being debauched by the innumerable occafions and opportunities which fo vast a city affords, where by means of a masque, a hackney-coach, a tavern, and a play-house, they are at liberty to do what they please. Even the poorer fort of both fexes are daily tempted to all manner of lewdness by infamous ballads fung in every corner of the streets. One would think, said the Earl, this laft were of no great confequence. I faid, I knew a very wise man fo much of Sir Chr's fentiment, that he believed if a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who fhould make the laws of a nation. And we find that most of the antient legiflators thought they could not well reform the manners of any city without the help of a lyrick, and fometimes of a dramatick poet. But in this city the dramatick poet no less than the ballad-maker has been almost wholly employed to corrupt the

people,