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THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT AND INSTRUCTION.

VOL. XIV, NO. 381.] SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1829. [PRICE 2d.



[Illustration: APSLEY HOUSE]



THE MANSION OF HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.


The town mansions of our nobility are generally beneath all
architectural criticism; and it has been pertinently observed that "an
educated foreigner is quite astonished when shown the residences of
our higher nobility and gentry in the British capital. He has heard
speak of some great nobleman, with a revenue equal to that of a
principality. He feels a curiosity to look at his palace, and he is
shown a plain, common, brick house of forty or fifty feet in extent."
These observations were made about three years ago, since which
period, the spirit of architectural improvement has been fast
extending from public buildings to individual mansions. Among the
latter, the renovation or encasement of Apsley House, at Hyde Park
Corner, with a fine stone front, is entitled to foremost notice.

This splendid improvement is from the designs of Benjamin Wyatt, Esq.
and is of the Palladian style. The basement story is rusticated, and
the principal front has a handsome pediment supported by four columns
of the Corinthian order. A bold cornice extends on all sides, which
are decorated at the angles with Corinthian pilasters. The whole has
an air of substantial elegance, and is in extremely good taste, if we
except the door and window cases, which we are disposed to think
rather too small. The Piccadilly front is enclosed with a rich bronzed
palisade between leaved pillars, being in continuation of the
classical taste of the entrance gates to Hyde Park, and the superb
entrance to the Royal Gardens on the opposite side of the road.
Throughout the whole, the chaste Grecian honey-suckle is introduced
with very pleasing effect.

Besides the new frontage, Apsley House has been considerably enlarged,
and a slip of ground from Hyde Park added to the gardens. The
ball-room, extending the whole depth of the mansion, is one of the
most magnificent _salons_ in the metropolis; and a picture gallery is
in progress. Altogether, the improvement is equally honourable to the
genius of the architect, and the taste of the illustrious proprietor
of the mansion; for no foreigner can gainsay that Apsley House has the
befitting splendour of a ducal, nay even of a royal palace.

       *       *       *       *       *



WATLING STREET.

(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)


There has been much discussion among antiquaries respecting the
etymology of an ancient Roman road, called the Watling Street Way,
which commencing from Dover, traces its course to London, St. Alban's,
Weedon, over _Bensford Bridge_,[1] High Cross, Atherstone, Wall,
Wroxeter, and Chester, from which last place a branch appears to point
in nearly a straight direction through St. Asaph to Segontium, or Caer
Seiont, Carnarvonshire. Another branch directs its course from
Wroxeter to Manchester, York, Lancaster, Kendal, and Cockermouth.

Hoveden thinks it was called the Watling Street from Wathe, or Wathla,
a British king. Spelman fancies it was called Werlam Street, from its
passing through Verulam. Somner derives the name from the Belgic
Wentelen, _volvere, versare se, a sinuosis flexibus_. Baxter contends
that it was made by the original Britons, Weteling, or Oedeling
signifying in their language, _originarius civis vel ingenuus_.
Stukeley's opinion, in which he is joined by Whitaker, the Manchester
historian, is, that it was the Guetheling road--Sarn Guethelin, or the
road of the Irish, the G being pronounced as a W. Dr. Wilkes says,
that it is more indented and crooked than other Roman Roads usually
are, and supposes that it was formed of _Wattles_, which was the idea
also of Pointer. Mr. Duff is not pleased with the opinion of Camden,
that it derives its name from an unknown _Vitellianus_, but
conjectures that its etymology is from the Saxon _Wadla_, a poor man,
a beggar, because such people resorted to this road for the charity of
travellers.

Among so many crude and discordant opinions, I shall endeavour to
substitute another more consistent with the true etymology of the
word. I agree with the historian of Manchester, that the Roman
stations were prior to the roads, and that the latter were only the
channels of communication to the former. The stations commenced during
the conquest of the country, and all of them were completed at the
conclusion of it. The roads therefore could not be constructed till
the first or second summer after the stations were established.
Whoever has attentively observed the line or direction of the Wat