nobility, scions of royalty, flocked to her rooms. She spent profusely
and lavishly. The decorations were superb, the entertainments
magnificent, in the ceremonious and rather affected style of the period.
In 1770 she was at the climax of prosperity. "Galas, masquerades, and
festivals, all equally splendid, succeeded one another throughout the
season" (Clinch); but after her sky-rocket ascent came the fall: fickle
Fashion deserted her, and finally the house and its contents were
announced in the _Gazette_ for sale. The Pantheon had proved too
formidable a rival. In 1785 the property was in Chancery, and Mrs.
Cornelys died in the Fleet Prison in 1797. The banqueting-hall in Sutton
Street, attached to Carlisle House by a covered way, was converted into
the Chapel of St. Patrick, and where masqueraders had revelled priests
heard confession. This also eventually disappeared, to make way for the
present church, which is such a feature of the square; it stands at the
corner of Sutton Street, and bears the name of its predecessor. It was
opened 1893, and its campanile reaches a height of 125 feet. Within the
porch is a beautiful marble group of the dead Christ, supported by an
angel. The pictures inside are exceptionally valuable and beautiful,
including paintings by Vandyke, Murillo, Carlo Dolci, Paul Veronese
(attributed), and many others. On the opposite side of the street
Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell's factory also covers a house owning
historical associations. No. 21 was the "White House," and 22,
"Falconberg House," in former times. The latter was the residence of
Oliver Cromwell's third daughter, Lady Falconberg, who died in 1712.
Sutton Street takes its name from the county seat of the Falconbergs. In
this house Sir Cloudesley Shovel's body lay in state before its
interment, after having been found cast up on one of the Scilly Islands.
A Spanish Ambassador was among the later residents, and afterwards the
house was for a time an hotel. In the large drawing-room the ceiling was
painted by Angelica Kauffmann. The Duke of Argyll, the Earl of Bradford,
and Speaker Onslow, were among its tenants. This house is now the
offices of Messrs. Crosse and Blackwell. The painted ceiling was
carefully taken down and saved from destruction by one of the heads of
the firm. The chief articles of interest remaining are a handsome
overmantel in one of the private rooms of the firm, and a curious
ceiling. The former is of wood, and is varnis