Leicester Fields, previous to the year , were almost entirely unbuilt; but Leicester house, the site of the late house of that name, is found in Faithorn's Plan. This house was founded by of the Sydneys, earls of Leicester, after the removal of that family from Sydney house, in the .

This house was for a short time the residence of Elizabeth, daughter of James I. the titular queen of Bohemia, who, on the , here ended her unfortunate life. It was afterwards tenanted by prince Eugene. It was, says Pennant, successively the pouting place of princes. George II., when prince of Wales, lived here several years after his quarrel with his father. His son, Frederick, following his example, succeeded him in this house, and here died.

Since that time, the late princess dowager of Wales occupied it till she removed to Carlton-house; but, since the commencement of the late reign, it has been occupied by private persons; and was at time used by sir Ashton Lever, as a Museum of Natural History.

This museum, was the most astonishing collection of subjects of natural history ever collected, in so short a space, by any individual. To the disgrace of our kingdom, after the burst of wonder was over, it became neglected: and when it was offered to the public, by the chance of a guinea lottery, only , out of tickets, were sold. Finally, the capricious goddess frowned on the spirited possessor of such a number of tickets, and transferred the treasure to the possessor of only , Mr. James Parkinson, who generously gave sir Ashton the advantage of year's exhibition of his lost property; and who by his future attention to, and elegant disposition of the museum

Leicester-house was pulled down, and the site is now occupied by the new buildings, called , leading to New .

Behind Leicester-house, in the year , stood the Military-yard, occupied by Heury prince of Wales. In the reign of Charles II. this became major Foubert's academy for riding. He afterwards removed it to a house between Carnaby-market and , where an avenue still bears the name of Major Foubert's Passage.

On the west side of is a large house called Saville house, the residence of the patriotic sir George Saville, many years knight of the shire for the county of York. He brought the bill into parliament in favour of the Catholics, which was the pretended ground of the cruel persecution of that body of Christians by the Protestants in .

During these riots, so repugnant to the spirit and conduct of our national church, Saville house was completely gutted, as the mob expressively phrases it. Every thing that was valuable was destroyed, and the life of the worthy and liberal minded owner shortened by the threats of the rioters.

Saville house is at present principally occupied by an extensive carpet manufacturer; a wing of it belonging to Miss Linwood's exhibition of needle work. About years ago large rooms were added to this house; in which the greatest portion of this most ingenious lady's pictures are exhibited. This exhibition is of those which has not ceased to create an interest after its novelty had in a measure subsided.

This novel style of picturesque needle-work is the invention of a Leicestershire lady, and consists, at present, of copies of the finest pictures of the English and foreign schools of art,

possessing all the correct drawing, just colouring, and light and shade of the original pictures from whence they are taken.

The place is entered from , up a very handsome flight of steps, which lead, between fine statues, and Ionic pillars, to a magnificent staircase.

The principal room is a fine long gallery, of most excellent proportions, hung round with scarlet broad cloth, and rich imitations of long gold bullion tassels, and Grecian borders. The pictures are hung only on side of this room; the other side being occupied by the fire-place, a door leading into another room, and the windows; the seats of which are most elegantly fitted up, with sofas and settees, to match the hangings.

At the farther extremity of the room is a very large mirror over

At the north east corner of this square, Mr. Burford and before him Mr. Barker have for several years exhibited panoramic views of towns, cities, sea- fights, battles, &c. This species of painting has been, not inaptly, called

the perfection of perspective.

On the east side of was the residence of the inimitable Hogarth; it is now called Sablonier's hotel; and is a large and elegant house, frequented by foreigners.

Adjoining to this house, lived the celebrated surgeon, John Hunter, who formed a fine anatomical museum, which has been purchased by government, and placed under the care of the college of surgeons. This museum is classed in the following order: the parts constructed for motion; the parts essential to animals; respecting their own internal economy; parts superadded for purposes concerned with external object; parts designed for the propagation of the species, and the maintenance and protection of the young.

The west side of was at time the residence of sir Joshua Reynolds; near him lived another eminent man, William Cruikshank, esq.

In the centre of the square is a fine equestrian statue of king George I. richly gilt. It originally stood in the park at Canons, in Hertfordshire.

Proceeding from the north-west corner of , we enter . This street derives its name from Coventry-house, the residence of the lord keeper Coventry, secretary of state, who died here in .

The Gaming-house, noticed in Faithorn's Plan, is said to have stood on this site; and lord Clarendon mentions a house of this name in the following words:

Mr. Hyde,

going to a house called

Piccadilly

, which was a fair house for entertainment and gaming, with handsome gravel walks, with shade, and where an upper and lower bowling-green, whither many of the nobility and gentry of the best quality resorted for exercise and recreation.

It were greatly to be wished that the manly and rational exercise of bowling were revived, in lieu of the card-table, and the dice, and particularly of boxing matches, walking matches, &c. &c. now so greatly in vogue.

is so called from Piccadilly-house, which stood on the site of . This was a sort of repository for ruffs,

The street was completed, as far as the present , in the year .

The good house that was built in this street was

[] Hugh. Lond. iv. 330.

[] Hist. Reb. sub. an 1640.

[] Vide ante, p. 278.