dreadful signs before mine eyes, and I felt myself as completely under
his infernal spells at the end as at the beginning of my journey.'"

[Illustration: THE SCAFFOLDING AND OBSERVATORY ON ST. PAUL'S IN 1848
(_see page 256_).]

[Illustration: ST. PAUL'S AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD IN 1540.

_From a Copy, in the possession of F.G. Crace, Esq., of the earliest
known view of London, taken by Van der Wyngarde for Philip II. of
Spain._]

It is probable that this gentleman had actually ascended to the top of
St. Paul's, and that impressions there received, being afterwards
renewed in his mind when in a state of vivid excitement, in a dream of
ecstatic reverie, became so blended with the creations of fancy as to
form one mysterious vision, in which the true and the imaginary were
afterwards inseparable. Such, at least, is the best explanation of the
phenomena which occurs to us.

In 1855 the fees for seeing St. Paul's completely were 4s. 4d. each
person. In 1847 the mere twopences paid to see the forty monuments
produced the four vergers the sum of L430 3s. 8d. These exorbitant fees
originated in the "stairs-foot money" started by Jennings, the
carpenter, in 1707, as a fund for the injured during the building of the
cathedral.

The staff of the cathedral consists of the dean, the precentor, the
chancellor, the treasurer, the five archdeacons of London, Middlesex,
Essex, Colchester, and St. Albans, thirty major canons or prebendaries
(four of whom are resident), twelve minor canons, and six vicars-choral,
besides the choristers. One of the vicars-choral officiates as organist,
and three of the minor canons hold the appointments of sub-dean,
librarian, and succentor, or under-precentor.

Three of the most celebrated men connected with St. Paul's in the last
century have been Milman, Sydney Smith, and Barham (the author of
"Ingoldsby Legends"). Smith and Barham both died in 1845.

Of Sydney Smith's connection with St. Paul's we have many interesting
records. One of the first things Lord Grey said on entering Downing
Street, to a relation who was with him, was, "Now I shall be able to do
something for Sydney Smith," and shortly after he was appointed by the
Premier to a prebendal stall at St. Paul's, in exchange for the one he
held at Bristol.

Mr. Cockerell, the architect, and superintendent of St. Paul's
Cathedral, in a letter printed in Lady Holland's "Memoir," describes the
_gesta_ of the canon residentiary; how his ea