[Illustration: CLARENDON HOUSE, PICCADILLY.]
The virtuous and uncompromising chancellor, the Earl of Clarendon, had
a splendid mansion facing the upper end of St. James's-street, on the
site of the present Grafton-street. Of this princely pile, the above
is an accurate engraving. It was built by Clarendon with the stone
intended for the rebuilding of St. Paul's. "He purchased the
materials," says Pennant, "but a nation soured with an unsuccessful
war, with fire, and with pestilence, imputed everything as a crime to
this great and envied character; his enemies called it Dunkirk House,
calumniating him with having built it with the money arising from the
sale of that town, which had just before been given up to the French,
for a large sum, by his Master."
It is true that Clarendon built this mansion in a season of
discontent; but so sensible was he of his vanity and imprudence in
building so large a house, and of the envy it drew upon him, that he
afterwards apologized for the act; which he declares, so far exceeded
the proposed expense, as to add greatly to the embarrassment of his
affairs.
This mansion cost £50,000. and 300 men were employed in the building.
It was purchased from his lordship by George Monk, Duke of Albemarle,
and afterwards by another nobleman, inferior indeed in abilities, but
not inferior in virtues. In 1670, James, Duke of Ormond, resided at
Clarendon House; and on his way thither, he was one day dragged out of
his coach by the infamous Blood and his associates, who intended to
hang his Grace at Tyburn, in revenge for justice done, under his
administration in Ireland, on some of their companions. "This
refinement in revenge," says Pennant, "saved the duke's life; he had
leisure to disengage himself from the villain on horseback, to whom he
was tied; by which time he was discovered by his servants, and rescued
from death."
The original of our Engraving was copied from a rare print, which, in
the year 1790, was in the collection of Thomas Allen, Esq. Appended to
the former is a section, showing the relative situation of Clarendon
House, which was taken from a map of London (supposed to be unique) in
an illustrated _Clarendon's History_, in the possession of John
Charles Crowle, Esq. By the section, the entrance-gate to the
court-yard of the house appears to have been in Piccadilly, in a
direct line with St. James's Street, and the grounds to have extended
to Bruton Street at the back, where there was likewise a
communication. The site of the front gate is now, therefore, the
commencement of _Albemarle Street_, named after one of the
distinguished occupants of Clarendon House.
Notwithstanding the revolutions of time and fashion in this quarter,
the illustrious name of the founder of Clarendon House is still
preserved in the "_Clarendon Hotel_," which occupies a portion of the
original ground already described. One of the changes is, that instead
of the Chancellor meditating upon his dismissal from office, which his
very virtues and stately dignity, and a weak king, and a more wicked
and envious faction had brought about,--we have well-living twos and
fours hob-nobbing over Chateau-Margaux, or yielding to the delightful
inspirations of Ay Champagne. Not a few more of the good things of
this great town are assembled near the same spot. Albemarle Street has
many first-rate hotels, and two handsome club-houses; while on the
Bond Street side of the quadrangle are two or three extensive
libraries, an immense porcelain repository, and a score of fashionable
_artistes_. What idle delights are all these compared with the wisdom
and virtue which once dwelt on the same spot. But had Clarendon lived
to see Crockford's splendid subscription-house rise after a golden
shower, in St. James's Street, (and this he might have done from the
front-windows of Clarendon House) he would, perhaps, have given us an
extra volume of _Essays_. We would that he _had_ so lived, if only
that his sublime truths might thus nave been multiplied for the good
of mankind, if not for the weak heads of St. James's Street.
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