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of the year to three hundred and eighty and from this time the hospital continued increasing in size and importance, principally through the benefactions of private individuals; among the earliest of whom appear sir William Chester, knt. and alderman, who built the walls adjoining St. Bartholomew's hospital; and John Calthrop, esq. citizen and draper, who arched over the town-ditch, from Aldersgate-street to Newgate, as being offensive to the hospital.

The dreadful conflagration of 1666, which laid waste so great a portion of the city, did considerable damage to the hospital; but the liberality and activity of the corporation, aided and assisted by their fellow-citizens and others, with loans and donations, soon repaired the injury. It was at this time that sir John Frederick, knt. and alderman, rebuilt the late hall at an expense of 5,000l.

In the year 1672, after the hospital had withstood the political storms and tempests of one hundred and twenty years, during which time the violent convulsions of the state had threatened destruction to every national establishment, and when it had contended against plague, pestilence, and famine, king Charles the second made a most important addition to it, by the foundation of a mathematical school for the instruction of forty boys in navigation, and endowed it for seven years with 1,000l. and an annuity of 3701. 10s. payable out of the exchequer, for the special purpose of educating and placing out yearly ten boys in the sea service. In addition to the hospital costume, the boys on this foundation wear a badge upon the left shoulder, the figures upon which represent arithmetic, with a scroll in one hand, and the other placed upon a boy's head; Geometry with a triangle in her hand; and Astronomy with a quadrant in one hand and a sphere in the other. Round the plate is inscribed, ⚫ AUSPICIO CAROLI SECUNDI REGIS, 1673.' The dye is kept in the Tower.

Five of these boys pass an examination before the elder brethren of the Trinity house every six months, previous to their entering the profession; and in case king Charles's foundation should fail, Mr. Stone, a governor, left a legacy for the maintenance of twelve boys, as a subordinate mathematical school, which, according to subsequent regulations, is made an introductory step to king Charles's foundation. The boys are distinguished from those upon king Charles's by wearing the badge upon the right shoulder, instead of the left, as worn by the others.

After the above munificent donation of king Charles, the revenues of the hospital increased to such an extent, that in 1683 the governors were enabled to erect a handsome building in the town of Hertford for both boys and girls. At this seminary, which is intended for the younger children, the system of education invented by Dr. Bell has been introduced.

1694, sir John Moore, knt. and alderman, founded a writingschool, which will accommodate about 500 boys, and is said to have cost upwards of 8001.

1724, Samuel Travers, esq. gave the residue of his estate by will to the hospital, for the maintenance of as many sons of lieutenants in the navy as the income would support, which is generally between 40 and 50.

1780, John Stock, esq. by will bequeathed 3,000l. to the hospital, for the support and maintainance of four boys, two of whom are to be taught navigation, and the other two are to be brought up to trades. The right of presentation is vested in the comptroller of the navy for the boys who are to learn navigation, the parish of Christ Church, and the draper's company. If of the name of Stock, to be preferred,

The buildings are very extensive, and formerly consisted of three courts or quadrangles, two of which now remain; the third, with the buildings attached to it, has been pulled down for the erection of the new hall.

Over the western cloister was the great hall, which, having been nearly destroyed by the fire in 1666, was, as has been already mentioned, rebuilt at the sole expense of sir John Frederick, then president. It was a noble building, 130 feet in length, 34 feet wide, and 44 feet high. On the western side of the hall were three large paintings in the one at the upper, or south end, was a full length portrait of king Charles the Second. The king is in the act of descending from his throne, and pointing to a globe and some mathematical instruments. This painting is by Lely, and is considered a very handsome picture. The immensely large picture in the middle is by Verrio, and represents king James the Second, surrounded by his nobles, receiving the president, governors, and several of the children. In this painting are half-length portraits of king Edward and king Charles the Second, hanging as pictures. The painting at the lower end represented king Edward delivering the charter to the lord mayor and aldermen, who are in their robes, and kneeling; the king is surrounded by the nobility, among whom stands Dr. Ridley, at whose suggestion the hospital was founded. On the opposite side, between the windows, were full lengths of William Garway, esq. 1701; Josiah Bacon, 1703; sir F. Child, president, 1713; sir F. Child, president, 1740; all benefactors to the institution.

A fine painting, representing a shark in close pursuit of sir Brook Watson, was bequeathed by him to the hospital, and was placed at the upper end of the hall. The seamen appear in the act of rescuing him from the bite of the voracious monster, by which he unfortunately lost his leg.

At the bottom, or northern end, was a fine-toned organ, which was only used when an anthem was sung, or during the public sup pers. On the western side was also a pulpit, in which one of the scholars who were intended for the university stood to read the prayers; and on each side of the hall, a small choir, in which the * Vide, ante, p 529.

boys who were under the tuition of the music-master sate during that time; one of whom, after the prayers, and before the grace, set the psalm by singing the first line himself, after which the rest of the boys joined in, unaccompanied by the organ, except upon the occasions before mentioned.

The new hall is built on a site westward of the old one, and it partly covers the refectory of the friary; the foundations are partially upon the city wall. The principal façade shewn in the accompanying engraving, which will be seen from Newgate-street, is a handsome elevation faced with Portland stone in the style of architecture prevalent at the period of the foundation of the charity. At the angles are octangular turret staircases which rise ten feet above the rest of the building, and are finished with battlements; the light is admitted to the interior by openings in the domestic style of the sixteenth century accommodated to the spiral disposition of the stairs, and a small division attached to the inner face of each tower in three stories, has windows in the same style; the remainder of this story is made by buttresses into nine divisions containing lofty windows (30 feet high by 9 feet wide) with low pointed arches bounded by sweeping cornices, and made by mullions into four compartments in breadth, and subdivided by transoms into three heights; the several compartments have arched heads, and the upper ones diverge into small arches within the head of the principal one; a cornice runs along the entire elevation just above the points of these windows, below which the buttresses terminate; and from this cornice rises a series of pinnacles alternately of different sizes and heights, and situated above the buttresses and the points of the windows; the former are octangular and end in dome-shaped canopies, the latter in angular pinnacles; the main walls are finished with battlements. The extent of this front is 200 feet; the height 68 feet. The two ends of the hall and the northern side are plain brick walls. On the ground floor is a cloister or covered walk 187 feet by 16 feet, for the boys of the establishment to exercise in, which extends the length of the front; the remainder of the plan is occupied by a kitchen 67 by 33 feet, and by other apartments for business and utility. The hall occupies the entire floor over this story, and is not yet finished. The interior will display a spacious apartment fitted up in the taste of the sixteenth century. At the east end is the principal entrance to the hall by a noble staircase; a music gallery, with a handsome carved screen, will cover the main entrance, and contain a large organ ornamented in the same taste as the building, behind which will be a narrow gallery; and in the wall at the back two windows filled with painted glass. The side walls will be wainscotted to the height of the cills of the windows; the wainscot will be neatly pannelled and finished, enriched with effigies in relief of the founder Edward VI. and shields of arms emblazoned in colours; the roof in imitation of oak will spring from stone corbels attached to the piers