A silver, gilt, Chalice, with the Paten, and another of the same materials, embossed with a Saint bearing the Agnes Dei. A pair of Patens. A most superb silver, gilt, and embossed Prayer-Book, adorned with angels, a glory, pillars, &c. A Bible, edition 1640, with a silver, gilt, cover, representing a Temple, with Moses and Aaron in the intervals between the columns; with Jacob's Dream on one side, and on the other the Prophet Elijah fed by a Raven. Two large silver, gilt, Plates, embossed with representations of the Last Supper, and the Widow bestowing her Mite; the rims adorned with Cherubim, &c. and the arms and crest of the Rev. Charles Smith, a Prebendary of St. Paul's, and Archdeacon of Colchester, who gave them to this Church in the year 1699; together with two enormous Tankards, finely embossed, with inscriptions explanatory of the subjects. A very large silver, gilt, Plate, having in the centre the figure of an Angel, exhibiting an inscribed label; and on the back, the arms of the Deanery. Another very large silver Plate, with the Lord's Supper on it, extremely well-executed; and a rich border of cornucopiæ and emblematical figures. Another very large silver Plate, with I. H. S. in a glory. Large Tankards of silver, gilt, highly embossed. A pair of silver, gilt, Candlesticks, two feet nine inches in height, exclusive of the spike, with triangular feet; and two other Candlesticks of the same materials, about two feet in height.

In the nave of St. Paul's, and round the area of the Dome, are displayed between forty or fifty Flags or Colours, that have been taken at different periods by our brave Seamen and Soldiers from the discomfited foes of Old England. Those captured by our land forces were won from the French, at Louisbourg, Martinique, and Valenciennes; and are generally in a most shattered and decayed state: they are arranged on each side the nave above the great cornice.* The naval Colours consist of nine large Flags, trophies of the signal victories obtained by the Fleets commanded by the Lords Howe, St. Vincent, and Duncan, dur

*These are described in Mal. Lond. Red, Vol. III. pp. 129-181.

ing the first revolutionary war; two of them are French, three Spanish, and four Dutch. They were brought to the Cathedral with much solemnity, on the nineteenth of December, 1797, by detachments of Seamen and Marines, that day having been appointed for the celebration of a General Thanksgiving for the great triumphs of the British Arms by sea. On this occasion, their Majesties and the Royal Family, with both Houses of Parliament, many Admirals, and other naval Officers, the Lord Mayor and Corporation of London, &c. were present in St. Paul's at the celebration of Divine Service; and the Colours having been first placed upon the altar, in acknowledgment of the protection afforded by the Deity, were afterwards suspended in their present situation.

There are two annual Celebrations in this Cathedral, of an impressive and important nature: these are the Anniversary Meetings of the SONS OF THE CLERGY, and of the CharityChildren of the Metropolis and its Vicinity. The former had its origin in the year 1655, when a worthy Divine, the Rev. George Hall, preached on the eighth of November to an Assembly of theSonsof the Clergy, whose fathers or whose families had been reduced to indigence through the sequestrations made in consequence of non-conformity with the ordinations of Parliament. The relief obtained on that occasion, suggested the propriety of an annual Sermon; and the promoters of the institution were afterwards incorporated by a Charter granted by Charles the Second, July the First, 1678, under the title of "the Governors of the Charity for the Relief of the Poor Widows and Children of Clergymen; with license to hold an estate, not exceeding the annual value of 20001, a further license was granted in 1714, to extend to the additional sum of 3000l. above "all charges and reprises." The Anniversary Meetings were chiefly held at Bow Church, Cheapside, till 1697, since which time they have been at St. Paul's; and the Governors, as a means of rendering the receipts more extensive, have, for upwards of a century, had the service combined with a grand performance of Sacred Music, principally

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principally Handel's: this performance is also preceded by a Rehearsal. The Collections are generally from 800l. to 1000l.: the Meetings are held in the beginning of May.*

The Assembly of the CHARITY CHILDREN generally takes place in the mouth of June. The entire circle beneath the Dome is by temporary seats and scaffolding converted into an amphitheatre, where between five and six thousand children, boys and girls, are stationed during the ceremony, and occasionally join in the singing and Hallelujah Chorusses. The seats in the Area, and along the nave of the Church to nearly the great west door, are appropriated to the Society of Patrons of the Anniversary, the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, and the Public gegerally; but none are admitted without tickets. Independently of the higher feelings which such a congregation is calculated to excite, the whole scene is strikingly beautiful, especially when beheld from the elevation of the Whispering Gallery. On one occasion, the Children were expressly assembled here by Royal Command; this was on the twenty-third of April, 1789, the day of the General Thanksgiving for the King's Recovery.+ Their Majesties, and the Royal Family, with both Houses of Parlia ment, the Lord Mayor and Corporation of London, the Chief Officers of State, aud most of the dignified Clergy, were at the same time present; and the whole ceremony was of the most solemn and affecting description.

The Cathedral Font is of veined alabaster, standing under the second arch from the west door between the nave and the south aisles. It is very large, and in form like an oval vase, fluted, with a cover of the same character. It should have been mentioned, in the account of the Paintings of the Dome, that the highlyfinished sketches made for them in oil, by Sir James Thornhill, to shew to Queen Anne, are now in possession of the Dean and Chapter,

Mal. Lond. Red. Vol. III. pp. 145, 146.

See preceding Volume, pp, 544, 545: in the same Volume, also, in the Index of Places, under the head St. Paul's Cathedral, will be found various references to Historical and Remarkable Occurrences that have been transacted in this building.