ases. The strength of the brigade was as follows:--50 fire-engine
stations, 106 fire-escape stations, 4 floating stations, 52 telegraph
lines, 84 miles of telegraph lines, 3 floating steam fire-engines, 8
large land steam fire-engines, 17 small ditto, 72 other fire-engines,
125 fire-escapes, 396 firemen. The number of watches kept up throughout
the metropolis is 98 by day, and 175 by night, making a total of 273 in
every twenty-four hours. The remaining men, except those sick, injured,
or on leave, are available for general work at fires.

If Stow is correct, St. Mary's Aldermary, Watling Street, was originally
called Aldermary because it was older than St. Mary's Bow, and, indeed,
any other church in London dedicated to the Virgin; but this is
improbable. The first known rector of Aldermary was presented before the
year 1288. In 1703 two of the turrets were blown down. In 1855 a
building, supposed to be the crypt of the old church, fifty feet long
and ten feet wide, and with five arches, was discovered under some
houses in Watling Street. In the chancel is a beautifully sculptured
tablet by Bacon, with this peculiarity, that it bears no inscription.
Surely the celebrated "Miserrimus" itself could hardly speak so strongly
of humility or despair. Or can it have been, says a cynic, a monument
ordered by a widow, who married again before she had time to write the
epitaph to the "dear departed?" On one of the walls is a tablet to the
memory of that celebrated surgeon of St. Bartholomew's for forty-two
years, Percival Pott, Esq., F.R.S., who died in 1788. Pott, according to
a memoir written by Sir James Cask, succeeded to a good deal of the
business of Sir Caesar Hawkins. Pott seems to have entertained a
righteous horror of amputations.

The following curious epitaph is worth preserving:--

"Heere is fixt the epitaph of Sir Henry Kebyll, Knight,
Who was sometime of London Maior, a famous worthy wight,
Which did this Aldermarie Church erect and set upright.

Thogh death preuaile with mortal wights, and hasten every day,
Yet vertue ouerlies the grave, her fame doth not decay;
As memories doe shew reuiu'd of one that was aliue,
Who, being dead, of vertuous fame none should seek to depriue;
Which so in liue deseru'd renowne, for facts of his to see,
That may encourage other now of like good minde to be.
Sir Henry Keeble, Knight, Lord Maior of London, here he sate,
Of Grocers' worth