The East, or Lighthorse Court, comprises the apartments of many official persons connected with the institution; the governor; the deputy treasurer, secretary, chaplain, apothecary, comptroller, steward, &c. These buildings are sufficiently capacious, but are of a decorous and unassuming character.

The West Court is similar in architectural features to that on the east, and is partly occupied by the Board-room, used by the Commissioners on their meetings, and by the apartments of various officers connected with the establishment.

Still farther to the west is the Stable Yard; and, on the site of the mansion formerly belonging to Sir Robert Walpole;* is now erecting a spacious Infirmary for the use of the Royal Hospital. This building is after the design of J. Soane, Esq. clerk of the works; and is in every respect creditable to the judgment of that architect. It is composed of brick, and

consists of three sides of a quadrangle. The western division is appropriated to patients requiring surgical aid; that on the east to such as are peculiarly under the notice of the Physician. The central portion of the structure consists chiefly of wards for these two classes of patients, and has an arcade to the whole length, which conducts, with an admirable ease of access, to the principal apartments. Each ward is spacious, and well arranged. Attached to the buildings are warm and cold baths, a dispensary, surgery, and every requisite office.

The examiner will unavoidably observe that this Infirmary is not crected in a situation peculiarly advantageous. It is near the strect; is close to the stable-yard, a spot necessarily productive of noises offensive to the sick and irritable; and the attached grounds are of a lamentably circumscribed character. But, for these circumstances, it is but justice to observe

that

* A Drawing room constructed by Sir R. Walpole is still preserved in the eastern wing of the infirmary, but is altered to an apartment for the accom modation of the sick.

that the architect is not responsible. He was condemned to a certain site, and he appears to have profited with judgment by every attainable opportunity.

Previously to the erection of the present Infirmary, a building on the south side of the west court was appropriated to the reception of the sick; but this was of proportions far too limit ed; and some rooms in another part of the hospital were engrossed as an auxiliary refuge. "The neglect of providing due accommodation for the diseased objects of the institution," appears to be the great, but perhaps the only, defect in Wren's design for this national establishment.

The North Front of the hospital is of respectable, but not of lofty, proportions. The central division is of free-stone; comprising a pediment supported by four Doric columns, withi an entablature of that well-chosen order. This division is crowned by a light and ornamental cupola. On the face of the chapel and the hall will be noticed several blank compartments, which in their present state detract from the beauty of the edifice; but these were originally filled with martial trophies, which, on account of their impaired condition, were removed by Mr. Adam, when that architect was clerk of the works.

The entire length of the principal buildings, as they extend from east to west, is 790 feet; and the whole of the premises comprehend about 50 acres. On the north is an enclosure of fourteen acres, covered with green-sward, and planted with avenues of limes and horse chesnuts. The principal entrance to the hospital is through this enclosure, by an iron gateway, provided with lodges, and ornamented on each side with stone pillars, surmounted by military trophies.

The care of this institution is vested in the following commissioners, appointed by patent under the great seal. The Lord President of the Council; the first Lord of the Treasury; the Secretaries of State; the Pay Master General of the Forces; the Secretary at War; the Comptrollers of Army Accounts;

the

the Governor, and the Lieutenant-Governor, of the Royal Hospital.

Of these the latter five only act; and they hold boards occasionally, for the admission of pensioners, and for the internal regulation of the hospital.

The establishment consists of a Governor; a LieutenantGovernor; a Major; an Adjutant, and Assistant-adjutant; a Treasurer; a Secretary; two Chaplains; a Physician; a Surgeon; and an Apothecary; a Comptroller; a Steward; a Clerk of the Works; and other subordinate warrant officers.

The in-pensioners are in number four hundred and seventysix, and are divided into the following classes: twenty-six captains, one of whom acts as serjeant major; thirty-two serjeants; thirty-two corporals, and sixteen drummers; three hundred and thirty-six privates; and thirty-four light horsemen. The light horse are generally serjeants of cavalry, and are selected for eminence of service, or for good behaviour while in the hospital. The captains, serjeants, and corporals, are also appointed from the most deserving and orderly men. They are all annually clothed in a uniform of scarlet, faced with blue.

The in-pensioners are lodged in sixteen wards, to each of which two serjeants and two corporals are appointed, with a matron under the immediate inspection of the housekeeper. They are allowed daily, with the exception of Wednesdays and Fridays, the following provisions each man:

One pound of meat,

One loaf of bread, of twelve ounces.
One quarter of a pound of cheese.
Two quarts of beer.

On Wednesdays and Fridays they have, instead of meat, one pint of peas soup, and an extra allowance of cheese and

butter.

In

In addition to provision, clothing, &c. the in-pensioners have weekly pay, in the following proportions:

In attention to the military character of the hospital, regular garrison duty is performed by the pensioners; and it is truly grateful to see the maimed or aged soldier march, in proud remembrance of his days of strength, and exhibit his claim on national bounty, by shouldering the arms which he used in defence of the common cause.

Besides the persons provided with food, raiment, and lodging, in the hospital, there is an unlimited number of out pensioners assisted by this meritorious establishment. These are paid, agreeably to an act of Parliament which took place in 1806, in different proportions, according to their length of service or degree of corporeal disability. They are dispersed in various parts of the united kingdom, and pursue their several original occupations; but are liable to be called upon to perform garrison duty, as invalid companies, in time of war. Their pay varies from five pence to three shillings and sixpence per day; and since, the year 1754, they have received their allowance half-yearly in advance, in consequence of an act of Parliament humanely obtained for that purpose by the late Lord Chatham, then Mr. Pitt, and Paymaster-general.

The expense of the hospital and out-pensioners is chiefly defrayed by an annual grant from Parliament, voted with the army estimates. The amount of the last year's expenditure is about 800,0002.

The comforts of the hospitallers are augmented, in a pleas

ing

ing manner, by the donations of some individuals, whose names should not be forgotten. The Earl of Ranelagh, in the year 1695, vested the sum of $,2501. in the hands of the Trustees, for the use of the Hospital; and, by a deed-poll, dated 1707, he directed that the interest should be expended in the purchase of great coats for the pensioners, once in three years. From a bequest of John de la Fontaine, Esq. the sum of 60. 10s. is annually distributed among the pensioners, on the 29th of May, the anniversary of the restoration of their royal founder.

In the year 1729, Lady Catherine Jones; Lady Elizabeth Hastings; Lady Coventry; and other benevolent persons, founded a school at Chelsea,, for the education of poor girls, whose fathers were, or had been, pensioners of the hospital. The trustees are now enabled to clothe and educate twenty suitable objects of charity.

On the eastern side of the hospital is a burial ground, of about one acre and a half in extent, which is used for the interment of the officers, pensioners, and other persons belonging to the establishment. Among the numerous persons whose ashes repose in this cemetry, may be noticed William Hise land, a pensioner who died in 1732, at the age of 112. William Cheselden, the eminent practitioner to whom the English school of surgery is so much indebted. Mr. Cheselden was head-surgeon of the hospital from the year 1737, till his decease in 1752, General Sir William Fawcett, K. B. who died March 22, 1804, and who had for several years filled the of fice of Governor of the Hospital with exemplary discretion. His remains were attended to the grave by their royal highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of York, Clarence, Kent,, and Cambridge; and several Noblemen. and General Officers,

1

• The character of this lady, who was the daughter of Theophilus, Earl of Huntingdon, is finely drawn, under, the name of Aspasia, by Steele, in the forty second number of the Tatler.