A LEGEND OF A POLISHED CHIMNEY-PIECE.

marble. Once upon

a time, as the story goes, my Lord Downe* was seated,

toasting his legs

before the fire, looking first into the bright red embers in the grate, and next into this marble mirror, when of a sudden he saw therein the reflection of several figures passing across the distant heath, whose attitudes led him to imagine that they were engaged in the perpetration of some robbery. He instantly despatched several of his servants to the spot,

and the tradition informs us that they succeeded in capturing the thieves, who were punished according to their deserts. We recollect to have looked into this chimney-piece two or three years since, and sure enough we could detect, though not very distinctly, figures passing to and fro across the landscape, a few hundred yards off or so; but it should be recollected that Blackheath-or Shooter's Hill, for the story has been given to both localities-was full two miles distant; we therefore put it to the reader whether, under all the circumstances, this extravagant tale is deserving of implicit credit.

In the room we next enter, a full-length portrait may be seen of

* Formerly Sir Wm. Ducie, whose father was banker to Charles I., and after losing £80,000 by his royal customer, died worth nearly a million of moneyan immense sum in those times.

WORKS OF ART, &c.-SIR THOMAS WILSON.

the young Prince Henry; and on our progress through the building numerous works of art of various degrees of merit engage our attention. One we recollect to have been pointed out to us as a production of Morland's; another is, we believe, ascribed to Hogarth; whilst a third has no better claim to notice than the fact of its having belonged to the collection formed by Fauntleroy the banker, who, it will be remembered, was executed for forgery. There are also several specimens of mosaic work, like Chinese carvings, more minute and curious than beautiful. In one room, an ante-chamber, the next in order we arrive at, is an interesting equestrian statue of Frederick the Great; beyond is a magnificent saloon, extending the whole length of the south front, wherein are displayed paintings by various masters, antique cabinets, elegant vases, and nick-nacks of the most varied character. Among them is a very fine coralline, formed by its insect architects in semblance of a mighty goblet, from which Neptune may be imagined as loving to drink. We have also several groups of horns, showing the comparative sizes of the head-gear of the buffalo, of the celebrated Birmingham prize ox, and that of the Abyssinian bull, the latter of which measures, between the tips, no less than seven feet and a half. We may mention that Charlton House contains a museum of natural history, formed chiefly by the late Lady Wilson: the present Sir Thomas, we hear, is inclined to similar pursuits. Several animals were at one time kept upon the grounds; but a wolf, remarkable for its tameness, having recently died, its companions, a bear and several eagles, have been sent to the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park. The stone gateway which stands by itself in front of the house was evidently the original boundary of the grounds in that direction; but within the last few years this has been considerably extended, Inigo Jones is considered to have been the architect of this structure; but its small pretensions to beauty hardly warrants the claim of so distinguished a paternity. The gardens adjoining the mansion are laid out with taste, and the small park beyond contains some stately trees. An avenue of venerable, yews bounds the walk that leads to the gardens north of the house. Years ago the grounds could boast a goodly row of cypress trees that were considered to have been among the oldest in this country; but all, save one

KING JOHN AND THE MILLER OF CHARLTON.

which overhangs a picturesque summer-house near the principal front of the mansion, have fallen beneath the assaults of time.

Before we leave the village of Old Charlton, we may mention that it contains two good inns. At one of them, the Swan, we observed the practice was still retained of bestowing particular names upon the several parlours, such as the Lion, the Lamb, &c., a custom often incidentally alluded to in the comedies of Shakspere, Ben Jonson, and others. Near the church, in a field opposite to the Bugle Horn, is shown a tree, which tradition informs us marks the

spot once occupied by the mill where that affair of gallantry is said to have transpired, to which the origin of Charlton Horn Fair is, at the present day, vulgarly ascribed. It seems that King John, at one of his hunting excursions, rambled away from his attendants till he found himself in the neighbourhood of this very mill, when seeing the door open he entered to inquire his way. He found therein a good-looking young damsel, with a rosy cheek and sprightly eye, whose company he was loth to quit. John, it must be remem bered, had a glozing tongue, and he had soon spoken "soft nothings" sufficient to obtain the grant of the first melting kiss. At this juncture the husband made his appearance, and infuriated by what he saw, threatened, in no measured terms, the life of the king, who, to avert so unpleasant a catastrophe, thought best to discover himself, and to assuage the miller's passion with a well-filled

HORN FAIR-ITS PECULIARITIES.

purse of gold, and the grant of broad acres so far as eye could reach in a riverwards direction. This was to Cuckold's Point, that bend of the river beyond Rotherhithe, where a pair of horns fixed upon a pole are still to be seen in memory of the circumstance. Independent of this grant, he gave him, as lord of the manor, the privilege of an annual fair, which to the present day perpetuates his disgrace.

Horn Fair commences upon the 18th of October-the festival of St. Luke-and continues for three days. It was formerly held on the green adjoining the church, and nearly opposite to Charlton House; but the spirit of restricting the amusements of the people has driven the fair away from its customary holding-place, and it is now celebrated in a private field, under the protection of a few speculative publicans. The Horn Fair of bygone times we learn to have been a much more extensively celebrated festival. An old newspaper informs us that so late as 1770, it was the custom for a procession, formed of a king, a queen, a miller, &c., to leave some of the old inns in Bishopsgate Street, accompanied by a great concourse of people, all of whom

"In comely sorts their foreheads did adorne,
With goodly coronets of hardy horne;"

when, after proceeding through Greenwich and across Blackheath to Charlton, they paraded round the church three times. Nicholas Breton's "Antidote for the Headache," published in 1612, gives us some rhyming particulars respecting Horn Fair, which would, however, lead us to suppose that this festival had even then fallen in popular estimation. He says

"Long time this solemne custome was observed,

And Kentish men with others met to feast;
But latter times are from old fashions swerved,
And grown repugnant to this good behest;
For now ungrateful men these meetings scorn,
And thanklesse prove to Fortune and the horn,
For onely now is kept a poor goose fair,

Where none but meaner people do repair."

This petty carnival, however, still flourishes in the proper season, and "horns, horns," continue to be the prevailing cry and ornament with the modern participators in its ridiculous frivolities.

If we are to believe what the local antiquaries have written on the subject, Horn Fair would seem to boast a more reputable

CONJECTURES ON THE ORIGIN OF HORN FAIR-INIGO JONES.

origin than that usually ascribed to it. Philipot states it to have obtained its name from the annual sale of horn drinking-cups, spoons, winding-horns, and other articles manufactured of that material. The sign of one of the Charlton inns (the Bugle Horn) bears perhaps some allusion to this suppositious origin of the fair. Another ingenious conjecture connects it with the saints'day, on which it happens to be held. St. Luke, to whom the church is also dedicated, has for his symbol a winged ox; and of the painted glass, that before the Protectorate adorned the church windows, all that were preserved from the fanatical iconoclasm of the Puritans, were some small remains of the evangelist's head and shoulders, and fragments of his ox, "bearing goodly horns upon his head." These we see have been carefully replaced in the upper parts of the present window. A sermon was formerly preached during the fair time, for which the rector received 20s., the bequest of a moralising parishioner: for some reason, however, the sermon is now discontinued upon the festival day.

There is one other reminiscence of Charlton to introduce the reader to, ere we set off in company for Shooter's Hill, whither we must speedily bend our steps. We have to mention that the celebrated architect, Inigo Jones, here resided, during the latter part of his life, in a house which he had built for his accommodation, and called by him "Cherry Garden Farm." Tradition gives us no assistance whatever towards ascertaining its precise locality; and the inquirer becomes somewhat perplexed when he learns that Cherry Tree, Cherry Garden, and Cherry Orchard are among the favourite designations of the neighbourhood. After a fruitless search we entered a lane, leading in the direction of Shooter's Hill, and a short distance onwards, on the right-hand side the well-trimmed hedges, exhibiting the influence of some prim taste-across the fields, was to be seen a modern-looking farm-house, rough-cast and white-washed, with numerous outbuildings, known as Cherry Orchard Farm. This house is now occupied by Lady Fisher; and if it be not the one erected by the architect of the Stuarts, we are at a loss to fix upon any other as his work.

Leaving this lane, we enter nearly at right angles into a fair highway, leading on our left over Shooter's Hill, and to