The Horfe-Armory is a little eaftward of the White Tower. It is a plain brick building, rather convenient than elegant. Its contents are likewise among the curiofities commonly fhewn at the Tower; and will be diftinctly defcribed hereafter.

The grand ftore-house is a noble building to the northward of the White Tower, and extends in length 245 feet, in breadth 60. It was begun by King James II. and by that prince built to the first floor, but finished by King William, who erected that magnificent room called the New or Small Armory, in which he, with Queen Mary his confort, on its being finished, dined in great form, having all the warrant workmen and labourers to attend them, dreffed in white gloves and aprons, the ufual badges of the order of free-mafonry. This noble structure is of brick and stone, and on the north fide is a stately door-cafe adorned with four columns, an entablature, and triangular pediment of the Dorick order. Under the pediment are the king's arms, with enrichments of trophy work very ornamental.

The other buildings within the Tower having nothing remarkable, we fhall proceed to the defcription of those curiofities that are ufually fhewn to ftrangers.

THE

Of the LIONS and other wild Beafts in the TOWER., HE first thing a stranger ufually goes to fee, whofe curiofity leads him to view the rarities in this place, is the wild beafts, as by their fituation they firft present themselves; for when you have entered the outer-gate, and paffed what is called the fpurguard, you will fee the keeper's houfe juft before you, which you will know by the figure of a lion being placed against the wall; and over the door where you are to enter is another figure of a lion; there you ring, and for fix-pence each person, you will prefen tly

fently gain admittance, and be fhewn such a noble collection of wild creatures, as is worth any person's while to spend a few minutes in admiring.

At your entrance you are carried into a range of dens in the form of a half moon, most of them inhabited by lions and lioneffes of different ages and different countries.

The first they fhew you is a young he-lion named MARCO, which was prefented to his Majefty by his royal highness the Duke of Cumberland; he is ftill very favage, and no art of the keepers can tame him.

This den was formerly occupied by a lioness, who lived above 40 years in the Tower, and bred feveral times, to the no small fatisfaction of her keepers.She was the oldest that ever was known here, tho' it is more than 500 years fince these fort of beasts first began to be kept in this place. Of her whelps NERO lived to the age of ten, and died about nine years ago, and NANCY lived to the age of twenty. These were both brought up in the Tower, with great care and expence; for hardly any creature is more tender when young than a lion's whelp, notwithstanding the great ftrength of those animals when grown to maturity. In this country they would infallibly perish, if they were not immediately taken from their dams as foon as whelped; and it is remarkable, that in Barbary, where they are a part of the wild inhabitants of the woods and forefts, many of them die in breeding their teeth, in ftrong convulfions. Thofe nurfed in the Tower were kept twelve months in a warm room, and fed mostly with milk diet before they were put into dens; they were as gentle as lambs when about five or fix weeks old, but it was observed their favage nature increased as they grew up.

An anonymous author gives this account of Nero, That when he was two years old he was indeed very beautiful creature, and exceedingly well edu

•cated;

cated; for, fays he, upon my expreffing a defire of vifiting his lodgings, at a word fpeaking he marched down with great condefcenfion from his upper into his lower apartment, and gave me the opportunity • of entering his den; where having fatisfied my cu• riofity in viewing his dining-room, kitchen, and

bed-chamber, his manner of living, particular ⚫ ceremonies in eating, drinking, &c. at my depar⚫ture from thence he would fain have taken me by the hand, but our acquaintance being but flender, • I declined accepting fo great a mark of his friendfhip, till I had known him better. Upon the keeper's putting into his den a piece of lights, he feemingly took very little notice of it, but couched down on his belly, with his fore-feet out like a cat that is going to leap at a moufe, and in an inftant gave a fudden fpring from the fartheft fide of the den, and feized it with amazing fiercenefs.' Nancy, it feems, was more fhy; fhe would admit of no familiarity with ftrangers; and was looked upon as the fiercest beast in the Tower.

The next den is inhabited by master DuNco, a young he-lion, and mifs GROGGERY, a fine young tygrefs, which were prefented to his majefty by lord Anfon. Tho' thefe creatures are full grown, they live together in the most perfect amity and friendship; and the king of beasts permits his fair partner to fhare with him his empire without controul.

This lion is fo perfectly tame and good-natured, that he will fuffer his keepers to do any thing with him; and there is one circumftance, refpecting his behaviour, which I muft relate, as in tenderness he feems to have come near to human nature, and in friendship to have furpaffed it...

When Dunco was in the den alone, and accident happened to the lower part of it, which fo impaired. the wood-work that he could not be kept with fafety;

the

the carpenter was therefore called to mend it, who wifely flood at a distance, and could not approach the den for fear of the lion. Upon this one of the keepers stepped into the den, and agreed to keep Dunco in the upper part of his houfe, while the carpenter was at work beneath. It happened, however, that the keeper, after playing fome time with the lion, fell faft afleep. The carpenter continued his work, without knowing to what danger he was expofed, and when he had done called the keeper to come down and faften the door; but receiving no answer, he ran out of the den, and was greatly fur prized to fee, through the grate, both the keeper and the lion ftretched upon the floor and fleeping together. He again called William, but William was too found asleep to make any answer; however the lion reared up his great head, and, after looking at the carpenter fome time, threw his great paw over William's breaft, and laying his nofe upon his head again compofed himself to reft. The carpenter, already terrified with his own fituation, was still more alarmed when he faw the keeper thus incircled with the paws of the lion; and ran into the house for aid. Some of the people came out, and, having bolted the den-door, which the carpenter had neglected in his precipitate retreat, they roufed William, who fhaking the lion by the paw took his leave; but Dunco was too well bred to fuffer his friend to go without fome little ceremony, or marks of esteem; he first rubbed his great nose against the keeper's knees, then held him by the coat, as if he would have faid, Do ftay a little longer; and when he found no entreaties could prevail on William to take t'other nap, he courteously waited on him to the door.

It is an old maxim, that evil communication corrupts good manners; and as a companion to this adage, we

may

may affert, that good company and kind treatment will tame the most favage animals. We have an instance of this, in the courteous behaviour of mifs Groggery, who is altogether as kind and familiar as her companion, and, though a tygrefs, difcovers no marks. of ferocity. But notwithstanding the polite and friendly behaviour of these beautiful creatures, I would not advise my friends to be too great with them; for, like other couples, they may fometimes happen to be out of temper.

The tyger is in shape not much unlike a cat, only much larger, and when wild is prodigious fierce and ravenous. It lurks in the woods, and feizes its prey by a fudden spring. Men in traverfing the woods, are frequently furprized by this animal. Tygers are finely spotted; they are of a yellowish colour, and their fpots black; they are very playful, and leap a prodigious height, when they are playing their gambols.

In the third den, you were formerly fhewn ZARA, a celebrated lionefs, lately dead. She was brought from the dey of Algiers, as a present to his majesty, by commodore Kepple, when he went to that prince, fome years ago, to fettle the peace, and ransom the English prifoners. This lionefs was married in the Tower, and there bred, and in the fame den are now fhewn POMPEY and DIDO, her fon and daughter. These fhe brought forth about four years ago, and was fo tenderly fond of them till her death, that she eat no meat till they had done, though they were then grown almost as large as herfelf. These two are remarkably tame, and fond of their keepers.

In the next den reigns alone CESAR, a mighty lion, born in Barbary, and prefented by the dey of Algiers to his majefty. He was brought over with Zara by commodore Kepple, and has the honour to be father to Pompey and Dido. He may be a good father, but we cannot allow him to be a good companion,