Miscellaneous Amusements.—The sources of information just mentioned will also notify particulars of numerous other places of amusement, which need not be separately classified. Among these are the _Polytechnic Institution_, Regent Street, (famous for Mr. Pepper’s ‘Ghosts;’) and _Madame Tussaud’s Waxwork_, Baker Street, Portman Square, (a favourite exhibition with country visitors.) To all such places the charge of admission is 1s. Among _Pleasure Gardens_, for music, dancing, tight and slack rope performances, &c., _Cremorne Gardens_, at Chelsea, _St. Helena Gardens_, at Rotherhithe, the _Riverside Gardens_, at North Woolwich, and the _Surrey Gardens_, near Walworth, are the principal; _Vauxhall Gardens_ have disappeared as places of amusement, and have been supplanted by bricks and mortar. The so-called _Tea Gardens_ are much more numerous, and are supported rather by the profit on the beverages sold, than by the fee charged for admission. A few additional particulars concerning _Free Exhibitions_, _Shilling Exhibitions_, and Exhibitions available only by Introduction, are given in the _Appendix_. PARKS AND PUBLIC GROUNDS; ZOOLOGICAL, BOTANICAL, AND HORTICULTURAL GARDENS. Much has been done within the last few years towards adorning the metropolis with health-giving parks and grounds freely open to the public. The gardens of three scientific societies, gradually brought into a very attractive state, are also accessible, though not without payment. St. James’s Park.—This is so called from St. James’s Palace, which partly bounds it on the north. Originally these grounds were a marshy waste, which was drained and otherwise improved by Henry VIII.; who also took down an ancient hospital dedicated to St. James, and built on its site the palace now called St. James’s. Charles II. improved the grounds by planting the avenues of lime-trees on the north and south sides of the park; and by forming the _Mall_, which was a hollowed, smooth, gravelled space, half a mile long, skirted with a wooden border, for playing at ball. The southern avenue was appropriated to aviaries; hence it derived the appellation Birdcage Walk. The centre of the park was occupied by canals and ponds for aquatic birds. William III. threw the park open to the public for their recreation. Within the last thirty years the park has been greatly improved. It is nearly a mile and a-half in circumference, and covers about 90 acres; and the avenues form delightful shady promenades. In the centre is a fine piece of water, interspersed with islands, and dotted with swans and water-fowl; a bridge was built across this water in 1857. On each side are spacious lawns, enriched with lofty trees and flowering shrubs. The lawns are separated from the avenues by iron railings, and at different parts are keepers’ lodges. There are nine or ten entrances to the park, the Queen’s Guard doing duty at each, day and night. At the east side is a large gravelled space,