Letter CLI

Summary

From the same.

Describing Chelsea Hospital, and Kensington Palace.

Honoured Madam,

I have been carried by my obliging Cousins to Chelsea College, about a Mile from St. James's Park, and to Kensington Palace about two Miles West from London.

The College, you know, was founded by King Charles II. and finished by the late King William, for the Reception of superannuated Officers and Soldiers. It is situated on the Banks of the Thames, its Gardens extending quite down to the River. It is a neat and stately Building; the Front looking to the Thames, has a fine Hall on one Side, and a neat Chapel on the other, with a noble Pavilion, as they call it, between them. The two Sides are four Stories high, and have two Wards in each Story, containing thirty-six neat Bed-rooms each, for so many Soldiers. Each Corner of this main Building is adorned with a fine Pavilion, being the Governor's Lodging and Council-chamber; Lodgings for Officers, &c. In the Middle of the Square is a Brass Statue of King Charles II. on a Marble Pedestal.

There are besides, four other large and uniform Wings; one is the Infirmary for the Sick, a second for maimed Officers, a third for Officers of the College, the fourth for Servants. The Whole is a neat, convenient and airy Building, well worth a Stranger's View.

Kensington Palace is a very pretty Summer Retirement for the Court: It is adorn’d with fine Pictures, rich Hangings, and other Ornaments. But the Gardens, which have been much augmented of late Years, are delightful, and we diverted ourselves in walking round them, which gave me great Pleasure; and I could not but wish, that you, Madam, were with me, because you love walking, and would have been much pleased with these charming Gardens, which abound with fine Walks, &c. A noble Piece of Water, called the Serpentine River, but for what Reason I know not, (it being a strait, and not winding Piece) presents itself to View; and there is lately a new Road made thro’ Hyde-park to Kensington, by the late Q. Caroline, to keep the Gardens clear from Dust in the Summer, and make them more private from Horses, Passengers, Coaches, &c.; for the old Road, in one Part, ran almost close to the Wall.