nally stood an hospital,
founded before the conquest, for fourteen leprous females, to whom eight
brethren were afterwards added, to assist in the performance of divine
service."

"Very necessary," said Bob, "and yet scarcely sufficient."

1 Hells--The abode or resort of black-legs or gamblers,
where they assemble to commit their depredations on the
unwary. But of these we shall have occasion to enlarge
elsewhere.

~77~~"You seem to quiz this Palace, and are inclined to indulge your wit
upon old age. In 1532, it was surrendered to Henry viii. and he erected
the present Palace, and enclosed St. James's Park, to serve as a place
of amusement and exercise, both to this Palace and Whitehall. But it
does not appear to have been the Court of the English Sovereigns, during
their residence in town, till the reign of Queen Ann, from which time it
has been uniformly used as such.

"It is built of brick; and that part which contains the state
apartments, being only one story high, gives it a regular appearance
outside. The State-rooms are commodious and handsome, although there is
nothing very superb or grand in the decorations or furniture.

"The entrance to these rooms is by a stair-case which opens into the
principal court, which you now see. At the top of the stair-case are
two rooms; one on the left, called the Queen's, and the other the King's
Guard-room, leading to the State-apartments. Immediately beyond the
King's Guard-room is the Presence-chamber, which contains a canopy,
and is hung with tapestry; and which is now used as a passage to the
principal rooms.

"There is a suite of five rooms opening into each other successively,
fronting the Park. The Presence-chamber opens into the centre room,
which is denominated the Privy-chamber, in which is a canopy of
flowered-crimson velvet, generally made use of for the King to receive
the Quakers.

"On the right are two drawing-rooms, one within the other. At the upper
end of the further one, is a throne with a splendid canopy, on which the
Kings have been accustomed to receive certain addresses. This is called
the Grand Drawing-room, and is used by the King and Queen on certain
state occasions, the nearer room being appropriated as a kind of
ante-chamber, in which the nobility, &c. are permitted to remain while
their Majesties are present in the further room, and is furnished with
stools, sofas, &c. for the purpose. There are two levee-rooms on the